I just bought a 2003 GMC Z71 about a month ago. I went to my local audio store to check out a new Kenwood head unit so I could buy the new music keg that they have. So I beging telling them what I am going to be installg it in. When they tell me that on the new trucks that you can't remove the head units. They said that they GM techs can acutally read things from the ecm through the display on the new radios. Such as SES codes and TPS voltage and so on. He said that with the radio out the truck won't even start. They said the only option that I have for now is to relocate my head unit with an adaptor harness. I don't want to relocate it. I want to take it out and throw it in a box and put it in my attic so it is never to be seen again until I get rid of the truck.

Please tell me this isn't true.

 

I haven't heard of that, but it really wouldn't surprise me, GM is always doing dumb **** like that. I would email these guys and see if they have an adapter or know a way around it.

http://www.pie.net/

 

What they have done in the new trucks is similar to what they have been doing in the Caddy's, Cavaliers and Sunfires for a year or two. Some shops relocate the factory unit and some will use a new adapter. Hear is a link to a thread about that adapter: LINK HERE It runs about $80 or so. But there is discussion that this adapter may leave the airbags inoprative. FSC had a good thread going on this. FSC thread

Hope this helps.

 

What they need to do is build the radio so that we can read useful things like air fuel and knock retard.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by CRASH 02:
<strong> I don't understand why GM would do this crap. This sucks. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">$$$, it's cheaper.

to be safe, i would get the wiring harness that relocates the stock h/u. my buddy has the vt-gmrc-01 harness for his 03 grand am. it looks like a regular wiring harness only it has a black box with a speaker inside attached to it for the door chimes. it only has 3 wires coming out of it. power, ground and i think door trigger input <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" /> not really sure, haven't installed it yet and it's been a month since i looked at it. i don't see how it has all the electronics inside so you don't have to use the OEM radio since it only has those 3 wires. so even if it did store the data how would it communicate it?

this is the first time i've heard of tech's being able to read ses codes through the h/u. wtf? why didn't they use the message box in the gauge cluster?

anyways it doesn't seem like anybody knows anything for sure on this subject since GM, Delco and especially Monsoon don't like to share info.

 

I don't understand why GM would do this crap. This sucks.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by juggalotus:
<strong> this is the first time i've heard of tech's being able to read ses codes through the h/u. wtf? why didn't they use the message box in the gauge cluster?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That is just what the guys said to me. Maybe he didn't know fully what he was taling about.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by CRASH 02:
<strong> He said that with the radio out the truck won't even start.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Take it out and find out. It only takes about 5 minutes to pull off the dash bezel and pop out the radio.

 

the truck will start without the h/u installed.

and i lied about the vt-gmrc-01 harness with the black box. it has 4 wires. i looked at it last night.
red=+/memory
yellow=+/ignition
black=ground
pink=?? it doesn't say but maybe this wire communicates the info.

if somebody stole my stock h/u and my truck wouldn't start or my airbags went off for no reason i'd be pretty pissed off.

 

Do you have ON-STAR? Ive heard alot about this with the on-star equiped vehicles. As far as having to re-locate the stock radio so that the air bagg's and on-star will work. Just wondering?