Interface Or No Airbags Says Circuit City

[nateb06]

i was at circuit city today buying all my new audio stuff for my car. i was told when they were putting all the stuff on the computer that i needed a interface for my raido so that my air bags will work. :wtf: they siad it would be 150$. they also siad that either i bought it or they wouldn't install it( i should have had free install). Now i was just wondering. i have a 2002 alero with teh CD/ tape/ am FM receive. and i think "premium" sound package.

I looked at teh metra GM 70- 2001 and it said it only controled my door chimes. I just want to know if anyone else knows anything about this subject, like do i really need a interface to control my air bags

[nateb06]

oh yah i got a audiobahn receiver, 800W pioneer amp, and MTX t5510 10" sub/ with ported encloser"the bass Slammer pacakge"

[sound_xtreme]

pretty sure it dont f*** with the airbags, just the chimes

[wy3134]

they are throwing you for a loop....the airbags have nothing to do with the car audio, and the only thing u loose with aftermarket units is the chimes, unless u buy a device that gives you those chimes,

especially since i just rewired my aftermarket unit yesterday with no problems at all!! really unless u dont know how to match things such as colors and colors with stripes up (which is all the wiring harness is, match the same color/striped wires up), id say u can do the install urself in probably an hour for the aftermarket unit, and another hour for the subs (between running the wires and cleaning a spot for a good ground source) realistically a complete newbie to installing could do one in probably 3-4 hours just going slow and taking their time.

my advice: dont trust circuit city or best buy installers, most dont know what the hell they are doin

[Redog]

Yeah they are just trying to get some extra dough out of you, The chimes, yes buyt the air big mod isn't behind the head unit

[nateb06]

sweet, thanx. Now all i gotta do is figure out how to get eh stockone out without it killing itself thinking it was stolen. or just how to get it out in general

[mikegett]

There are GM vehicles that ran the air bag through the radio. Most of the GM vehicles use a data bus that controls various electronics on the car. Some of those devices were ran through the radio. On our cars, it seems to be the chimes or the service engine light deepending on the year and model. I have talked to various GM techs and the air bag was not placed through our system. If you would still like to have circuit city do the install (since it should be free) have them call a GM technician while you are there. I have stressed on this site before, do not expect for car radios to be interchangable without a data modual in the near future. We manufacture GM and Toyota HU's. Nearly every model for 2006 will either run a dedicated data link like GM's or use digital outputs.

[LDR92801]

Sorry to resurect an old post but I was wondering about this same thing. I was in circuit city today buying all my install parts for my new screen and they told me I would also need this interface. I don't care if I loosse my chimes but they also told me it affects the fuel gauge. Any truth to this? The guy selling the stuff to me said he put a HU in his alero and he lost his chimes and the fuel gauge without it.

[j_smith]

^ On my 99 GLS I lost the chimes and that was it, don't know about any other years (if they are different). The fuel gauge was fine. Its been over a year since the install.

[strtrydr]

^ I didn't lose any chimes and no other problem occured :cool:

I have a 2000 GLS and Best Buy installed my Pioneer DEH-P8600MP; It has been installed for about 1 1/2 years.

Maybe you guys just had bad luck? :hide:

[trumpetplayer91372]

I had a HU put in and i didnt lose anything, i still have chimes and i have never heard of the fuel or air bag problems. When i went to get my HU installed, they said i may lose the chimes depending on where its hooked up and it turned out i still have them.
99 alero

[LDR92801]

I figured they were just trying to make a sale. I have a 99 also and based on what you are saying I won't have any problems.

[trumpetplayer91372]

i went to a car audio place not a full electronics store and got an Alpine CDA-9855 so i figure they would know if theres a problem with air bags or something and since they never brought it up to me, Circuit City probably just wants to make it seem more important to buy so they pocket the money.

[Rubered00]

Circuit City has installed all of my aftermarket stuff and has never said anything about needing something extra and i still have chimes and my fuel gauge definatley works.

[nateb06]

i just froogled the interface and found it for 60$ (instead of 130 at CC) at a place call Zrant.com i think it was

[Ghadsphi]

When I had my HU put in they said I needed an extra module or something to keep the feature where the radio stays on for like 10-20 minutes after I turn the car off until I open the drivers side door. The stock radio also had a feature to automatically raise the volume when the engine noise went up, but I never really noticed it since my music is always either ear bleeding loud or off.

[sound_xtreme]

Originally posted by j_smith@Apr 27 2006, 05:49 PM
^ On my 99 GLS I lost the chimes and that was it, don't know about any other years (if they are different). The fuel gauge was fine. Its been over a year since the install.
Quoted post


ummmmmmmm, you lost chimes on a 99? never heard of that one....

[j_smith]

The chimes may have actually been gone beforehand for some other reason lol, but I know that I don't have them now and always just guessed this was why.

[sound_xtreme]

Originally posted by j_smith@Apr 28 2006, 11:22 AM
The chimes may have actually been gone beforehand for some other reason lol, but I know that I don't have them now and always just guessed this was why.
Quoted post


well, i would check the fuse then. cause 99s shouldnt lose em with aftermarket radio.

[exnine@gmail.com]

I've had circuit city, and best buy install the same head unit in my in my car. With two different wiring harnesses. And I've never had any problems with Chimes, Engine Check lights, Fuel guages, or airbags.

I have a 99.
Pioneer h.u.

[dt_freak1]

01 Alero GL coupe with premium monsoon factory system. its the Class 2 Databus they are referring to though its not the stinking airbags lol. its your warning chimes and possibly gauges. the GMRC01 if necessary is $100 but i got mine for $60 because i have a good friend. in case you havent seen my ride's system or whatnot im running Alpine CDA-9825, Alpine Type X 5.25" components and Boston FX93 6x9s along with an Alpine MRV-F345 amp. i also have the KCA-420I interface for my iPod Video. to all eagle eyes who noticed a difference from my old posts...i sold off my bass system to a coworker and made the money i wanted out of it. upgrades will follow over this coming summer as im getting a new job in the next week and will be making a ton more cash and have it easier then ever at work :). future mods: Alpine Type R 6x9s, new Stinger 200 Ampere Alternator and 2 Stinger Redtop batteries and a relay for them. late future one Alpine MRV-1005 monoblock amp and 2 Alpine Type R 12" subs. for simplicity and only 2 amps ive decided to go with Type Rs instead of Type Xs. ill post as i update my system in the future though its going to be slow goings with my 2 trips to Peoria looming on the horizon for my cousin's wedding.

[Cliff8928]

As far as i know, the air bag system DOES communicate on the Class 2 databus, but should not have any influence from the radio being removed. There are many things in GM cars that communicate via class 2 including but not limited to the BCM, PCM, Radio, Airbag Module, Instrument Cluster, Onstar VCIM, XM Module, Audio Amplifiers, Remote keyless entry module, etc..

The whole airbag going of when the radio is removed was some freak occurrence that happened on the J-Bodies for no apparent reason.

[whiteliquid]

03 and up are the only gm models that should require the expensive harness, to not lose chimes.


I have two of them, only paid 100 for two, One of my friends at best buy bought them for me as a "birthday present" aka just because.

Maybe you dont need them for anything but just the chimes, but i like to make sure everything is working like it is designed to, not the cheapest way i can find.

[jlenko]

Originally posted by Cliff8928@Apr 29 2006, 09:15 PM
The whole airbag going of when the radio is removed was some freak occurrence that happened on the J-Bodies for no apparent reason.
Quoted post


No it wasn't... it was some tech making up poop. No airbags ever went off when they weren't supposed to....

The whole rumour about airbags and j-bodies... wrong wrong wrong. The airbags still work fine when the car hits something solid... even with no radio at all. I have proof, unforunately :(

[Cliff8928]

I know there was something sensitive about J-Bodies and their airbags though. There is a specific TSB about it.