Radio displays "ERROR" plus Theftlock light

[protocol7]

I stalled the car while pulling out last night (manual trans). When I started it back up, the radio displayed "ERROR" and the red Theftlock light was illuminated. I turned the car completely off and restarted it a couple times to try to clear the error, but to no avail.

The radio won't power on or off or respond in any way. It's the newer style radio (2001). Any ideas?

[Cliff8928]

That's crazy.. Usually the only time an error message will occur on the radio is when there is a tape or cd player error. It would be followed by a code.

Try removing and re-installing the radio fuse (in the drivers side fuse panel) and see if the radio will turn back on when the key is in "ACC" (don't turn it to run).

If that works, then try the "RUN" position. That's when the VIN information would be exchanged for the theftlock.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Sometimes people put the theftlock code in the owners manual inside the glove box.

I dont understand WHY GM thinks someone would steal the poopity Delco radio anyhow?

:haha:

If no code try unhooking it for awhile. If that doesnt work yank the deck out and throw it in your freezer overnight then reinstall & enjoy.

Thats the old school method right there.

[TheEdgeofSanity]

lol, we had the radio stolen out of our 2001 suburban.

[Ryan from Ohio]

More than likely a dare or for fun.

Really what the HELL is someone going to do with a stock radio? They are pretty much worthless.

[Cliff8928]

Sometimes people put the theftlock code in the owners manual inside the glove box.

I dont understand WHY GM thinks someone would steal the poopity Delco radio anyhow?

:haha:

If no code try unhooking it for awhile. If that doesnt work yank the deck out and throw it in your freezer overnight then reinstall & enjoy.

Thats the old school method right there.

2001 doesn't use a code. It works by....


Theft Deterrent

The "Theftlock" theft deterrent system is a feature on all base and uplevel radios. There is no need to program a security code into the radio as in past model years. The theft deterrent system now utilizes Class 2 serial data to determine if the radio is in the appropriate vehicle. Each time the radio receives the "run" power mode message, it compares the VIN information it has stored to the VIN information received from a module on the Class 2 serial data circuit responsible for transmitting that information. If a mis-match occurs, the radio display will indicate to the user the radio is locked. Once this takes place, a DTC will set, the radio will not respond to any button presses and become inoperative. The two scenarios able to cause this condition are:

A radio is installed from another vehicle

A module which communicates on the Class 2 serial data circuit which supplies VIN information to the radio is replaced and not properly setup with the correct VIN information for that vehicle
The only way to unlock the radio is by using a scan tool. Always refer to the table in this section to diagnose the "Theftlock" DTC for further information.

[Ryan from Ohio]

Oh, well in that case.

SOL

[Nate's Alero]

Oh, well in that case.

SOL

SOL? i hate the stock radio's... if they die, how the hell are you suppoed to replace them with another stock.... i like the stock sound and my 3400's radio is really worn down..

[protocol7]

Thanks for the replies.

I disconnected and reconnected the battery this morning and it solved the problem. Unfortunately, the radio was still borked last night, which made for somewhat akward silence on the way to the restaurant with my v-day date :p

[Cliff8928]

SOL? i hate the stock radio's... if they die, how the hell are you suppoed to replace them with another stock.... i like the stock sound and my 3400's radio is really worn down..

If it's worn down you can get replacement buttons. You could probably get a different one for the same cost of the replacement buttons or face kit, but they still wouldn't be new.

The two places that do that stuff are Specmo (http://www.specmo.com/) and AJR International (http://www.ajrintl.com/)

[[ion] C2]

My stock headunit had a security code that sometimes needed entering.

[Cliff8928]

That's because you have a 2000...

99-00 are different... The OP was a 2001.