Truck Radio Q's... any Audio Brains out there?

[redneckmedic]

I have a factory Silverado AM/FM (assuming AC Delco) that has the CD stuck in the player. I've removed the player still can't get it out without destroying the radio.

My dilemma.... I want to replace it with a system that my steering wheel controls still work with, and has an aux port. I found a 2011 factory system. Is this as easy as I think.... remove, swap, connect wire harness and G2G? Will this not work as its a newer model and not compatible. Do you have a suggestion otherwise. I don't want aftermarket as I want my wheel controls to work.

If you don't know, do you have access to a help line that can assist me?

 

[Brandon]

i do believe there are aftermarket boxes that plug the wheel controls in to the radio so that after market radios will work as a stock unit.

I can only speak out of experience with my old Grand Am (04) but a radio/gps unit from a Vibe would plug and play to the Grand Am, so assuming the wire harnesses are the same (which knowing gm they prob. are) then it could very easily work... but it may not...

 

[darkkevin]

what year is your silverado? it will probably not be plug and play unless yours is at least a 2010. even then, that auxillary port in the new radio probably means more wires in the connector that your harness doesn't have. also, gm radios have "theftklock" meaning they won't play once removed and installed in another vehicle. if it does actually install tho, any dealer or shop with a factory gm scan tool will be able to "unlock" it or program it. depending on where you're at and how far your willing to travel, i do have the factory scan tool and would be glad to program it for you.

 

[djlaundry2000]

Aux port on front of player will not mean that there are more wires in back.But it does matter on truck years.
Your best bet is to go to your local Best buy or your favorite audio shop, and say I want a cd player with an AUx port and my sterring wheel controls to work. then they will give you options. I would not buy from Best Buy because of there prices.
Base price for all should be around 300 bucks. hope this helps.

 

[TREETOP]

What year is your truck? That will determine whether the 2011 setup will work.
If your truck isn't the new body style, that won't work.
Some of the earlier ones have hacks/interfaces that will allow an aux in so if that's your only need you could get a direct replacement from eBay or a junkyard.

There are thousands of aftermarket head units that will do what you want, and a steering wheel control interface is only $35-$45. Add a dash kit and an antenna adapter for a few more bucks (some online places include them free), and a wiring harness (which could be as cheap as $5 or as much as $150 depending on chimes, bose, onstar interface, etc).

www.sonicelectronix.com is one of the better online retailers in my experience, and www.crutchfield.com has always been very helpful also.

I've been in and out of the car audio business professionally for 22 years but I don't currently work at a shop, and don't know of any shops to recommend in Greenfield. Hopefully one of us here can get you the answers you need.

 

[redneckmedic]

Its a 2005 and I used crutchfield's Chat to find out what I needed. I think I will keep looking, its about $350 out the door right now. I know its a good price, but still a bit more that I want to spend. Treetop... where are you locate? Would you be willing to work for ammo

 

[buford t justice]

If you want to get your old radio repaired contact a dealer and see who does their repair
on delco radios,Iwas a tech at a chevrolet dealer for 23 years and we sent them to a place
called national radio repair
call this number and ask for service 1-800-589-5227 its my old dealer ,tell them what you have and ask what they think it would cost to send it in.

 

[TREETOP]

Its a 2005 and I used crutchfield's Chat to find out what I needed. I think I will keep looking, its about $350 out the door right now. I know its a good price, but still a bit more that I want to spend. Treetop... where are you locate? Would you be willing to work for ammo

I'm in Carmel/Westfield. My Tahoe is a 2004 and I also used to have an '05 Escalade, you could say I'm very familiar with that body style truck.

The things that will add to the cost are mainly the head unit harness and stock amp integration harness if it needs one, and if you want to retain the door/warning chimes.
There's no accessory wire behind the factory head unit, the radio works on Retained Accessory Power but it's controlled by data bus. That's part of what adds cost and complication to the aftermarket wiring harness, as it uses data to trigger a new RAP wire.
GM does the chimes through data bus which the stock head unit is a part of. The aftermarket harness retains the chimes. I personally dislike the chimes anyway and was happy to get rid of them, I simply used a relay to trigger RAP from the factory sunroof/window circuit behind the fuse box on the passenger side.

The full integration harness may be necessary if you have OnStar, a Bose factory amp, or if you want to keep your door and warning chimes intact.

 

[redneckmedic]

This is what was suggested to me.....

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_120ASWC/Axxess-ASWC.html

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_020CX501/Clarion-CX501.html

then some over priced wire connectors.