GPS How to in 1999 to 2001 Alero

[Redog]

Don't know about in 2002, but in 2003 and 2004 it should be plug and play.

It's still not working right now. I took it to the dealer and the radio does not commuicate with the GM Scan Tech II tool when in this car. I'm taking the radio to a shop in the area to see if they can clear the VIN from the radio. If they do that, it won't be able to lock anymore.

Anyway, You'll need these connectors:

GM 1994 and up 32 pin "into car" hardness
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=265-603%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&FTR=265-603&CFID=9257657&CFTOKEN=45419087

GM 2000-up "Into Radio" hardness (24 pin with 12 pin mirco pak) (check the back of your radio first)
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=265-798%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&FTR=265-798&CFID=9257657&CFTOKEN=45419087

Correct fuses to upgrade the system. The Alero's radio uses 10 amp fuses, the radio uses 15 amps

1 Figure out which car your new radio came out of, then go to Crutchfield.com to figure out the wiring of the speakers and power. I found the Crutchfield website easier to figure out the pins

Here is the 1999-2000 Alero wiring from Crutchfield:
http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Support/KnowledgeBase.aspx?ifs=1999-2000+Oldsmobile+Alero+wiring

2 Twist the wires together, tight enough to make a good connection but so that you can still take them apart.

3 For the Data Line (required to turn on the radio) splice into the purple wire on the PCM and run the wire towards the radio. For test purposes only, this wire will get hooked into the "data line" port on the 24 pin hardness. In my case it is Pin 1 (AKA A1)

4 For the VSS (Vechile Speed Sensor) splice into the Green wire with the white stripe in the PCM, not too far from the purple data wire, and run the wire towards the radio. This wire gets connected to pin "E" in the Mirco pack 12 pin connector. You could also hook this wire into the green and white wire at the cruise control module under the hood. Doesn't matter.

5 Plug in two hardnesses and see if the radio works. Turn the car to "ACC" only and the radio should work. I used a CD to test the sound, the anntenna wire was too short and I could hold the radio and test at the same time.

Sometimes the radio will not work fully until programed. Sometimes this means no sound. Don't worry, if you unplug it and wait at least 15 seconds, it may work for you.

[Redog]

So your radio works, now it's the fun and messy part.

The box will require trimming, the plastic is very cheap and crappy. I used a box cutter to do this. Any razor blade will do the trick.

The second pic shows the areas to be trimmed the top right corner has to be trimmed too. That's probably the hardest part to trim. The box is already trimmed in this pic

[Redog]

Tuck back the 32 pin hardness. If you have ANY exposed wiring on it or anything hooked into it like gauges, now is the time to tape them up really good. The NAV unit is larger and WILL crush any connectors. I had to rewire the blue clip you see in the pic.

Test fit the radio as best you can. The plastic pin on the back of the radio can either stay or go. I chose to remove mine due to the size of the hole that has to be drilled for it. I can put it back later if I choose.

Use a small dab of something that will leave a mark on the inside of the radio box. LIne up the holes on the radio's "ear tabs" and pull the radio out and drill the hole for the mounting tab on the back of the radio. I used "Elmers" glue. Did the trick very well

Use a manual drill because like I said the plastic is cheap and power will go thru very quick. I set my little drill on manual.

[Redog]

Soder up the connections on the hardnesses and remove any unneeded wires.

VERY IMPORTANT: Leave the Ign wire on the hardness from the Alero's buss, and the "Dimmer" wire may be used instead of the "Illumation" wire. The Dimmer wire may or may not work correctly. It didn't work on mine so mine is hooked into "Illumation" all the time, it will not dim with the interior lighting

On the mirco pak, leave the green and white VSS wire and the Ground wire

[Redog]

RELAY TIME!!!!!

Pin 30: Ign wire from Alero's hardness
Pin 86: PCM Data wire to relay
Pin 87: Relay to Radio (Data Line)
Pin 85: Ground on Mirco Pak

[Redog]

Remove the glove box to get your hand behind the radio's box. You'll need to push the hardness from the Alero back behind the radio box and it may require you to pull it from behind. The relay has to go back here too. Mine sits above the back right corner of the radio. You can push it down between the radio box and the plastic part of the dash. Anoither place it can go it above the radio. Be sure to tape it up good.

The place to get your hand in is circled.

[Redog]

That's is your done!!

Put radio back into dash, making sure not to pinch or brake any wires. Get it as close as possible to the bolt holes and tighten it down. My plastic tabs that go in the other holes didn't quite fit, so they had to be removed. This doesn't affect anything, they just hold the radio in place when the bolts are removed.

The radio will turn off when the key is off. The radio will stay on for a few mintues after the car is shut off, however you will not lose any settings. During my test, I set the clock and turned the car off and let it sit for 17 mintues and the time was right. By the time I set the clock and removed the radio 28 minutes had past according to the radio's clock, right in click with my cell phone ;)

[Redog]

There are serveral iPod connectors ava for this radio.

One is a "juction" set-up kinda like the way you set up this system. I don't think will fit.

Right now I'm looking at this one, It will replace the mirco pak:

AIP-GM01-ID

http://replacementradios.com/images/aip-gm01-id.jpg

[Cliff8928]

It's still not working right now. I took it to the dealer and the radio does not commuicate with the GM Scan Tech II tool when in this car.

Yes it will, the technicians just don't know HOW to do it. In order to get it to clear, you need to "build" the vehicle in the Tech II as a 2004 Buick Rendezvous. (which is a "B" chassis) Other vehicles may work, but using the one your navigation unit came from is usually the best bet.

If you tell the Tech II that it's working on an 2000 Alero, then it will not even have the option.


It will not dim with the interior lighting


It never will, It will need to be done manually because of the way the Class II network is in the Alero for all years. Vehicles originally equipped with the navigation units have their dimming controlled through the Class II data bus.

[Gr1m]

you CAN make it dim with your gauge/int lights if you know what your doing.

[FrankTheTank]

pretty cool write up.

[Nate's Alero]

wow, hard eh? how long did it take you to put it all together?

[clutch1]

That's quite a bit simpler than I thought it would be to wire it in. Good job on the writeup!

[Cliff8928]

you CAN make it dim with your gauge/int lights if you know what your doing.

Well, if you want to dig into the radio and rewire things..

That's quite a bit simpler than I thought it would be to wire it in. Good job on the writeup!

Yeah, and it will work with any of the Class II style radios as well, not just navigation

[Redog]

wow, hard eh? how long did it take you to put it all together?

Well the reseach and with Cliff's help I've been at it off and on for 6 months, but that was gathering all the info and getting stuff ready.

It took me about 3 hours to get the radio to fit in the box with the wiring and all. But once everything is set up, it only takes 7 minutes to pull the radio out and 12 mintues to put it back in ;)

Wiring sodering takes time. I didn't do it, by buddy did. He likes doing that stuff :ninja: Also the wires on the 2 busses are probably about 1/4 of the lenght than they were when I bought them. There would be NO way to fit all that wiring inside the radio area

[alerored04]

So will it do Nav? I could not tell from the write up. Approx cost? Looks great. This one is going on my to do list for sure.