Why the Hell DO I Need A $40 wiring harness???

[Saccus]

I was looking for wiring harnesses, and its says that i should get this one that relocates the stock radio so that my car wont be messed up (something about door chimes). It also says i can get one for $4.95, so WTF!!! What would happen if i got the cheap one, would the only thing that would not work be the door chimes, cause i dont want them anyways, thanks.

[sound_xtreme]

yea, you lose your door, low fuel, etc chimes.

[brchn1]

You also lose your air bags! I don't think its that way in the 99 Grand ams? Does your door chime come through your front speaker? If it does then I guess you need the more expensive harness unless you don't care about airbags. If it sounds like it comes from under the dash then you can use the cheaper harness. Good Luck, Lee

[Saccus]

Man, that sucks. You mean to tell me that everyone on here has thier stock radio in the trunk if they have a HU? Also, why does best buy say the harness is only 16.95 that I need, do they not know about this, or i dont need it??? This really ****es me off, the difference between a $5 and a $40 one is a lot.

[Saccus]

Good news, the chime is coming from under the dash. I hate to disagree with you, but id have to say that there is no way in hell that your air bags wont work if the radio dosent work, thats a horrible safety risk that GM wouldnt take. Also im gonna trust that best buy has installed enough of these to know what harness i need. Anyone on here with an aftermarket HU, plz tell me what harness you are using, thanks.

[iceman]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Search and read about this topic !! Discussed 8913849123849123 times !!!

Quick low down

1) It doesn't mess with air bags - pure stupidity on that rumor

2) Chimes are generated from the head unit and come from the drivers side front speaker.

A regular harness should be about 15 bucks. A relocation harness will be about 30. Or you can get the newer class 2 serial data retention harness for al ittle more than that, and keep your RAP as well.



The rest you can get by reading

[brchn1]

Its not a risk GM took its a security that you will not by aftermarket. I beleive keeping the stock deck started in 02 or 03 on the grand ams and in 99 on the cavalier. If you don't trust me on this then if your door chime comes from the speaker take out the deck and go hit a tree. Don't forget the salt and pepper though to make that steering wheel taste better. Peace, Lee

[babyklr]

I don't believe you need a reloacation kit for 99+ grand am.. I don't have my factory radio in and everything works fine (dunno about the air bags thank god, hehe)
02'+ may be different, some new features. Did you check the ownsers manual?

00'+ Sunfire's DO require it tho.

[Saccus]

Well, ima go with crutchfield on this one, plus its not coming from the speaker at all, its like under my glove box almost. Any ways, is the Scoche stuff from sounddomain pretty good?, or should i go the more expensive crutchfield route, i can't see there being much difference, its just wires and plastic.

[iceman]

Originally posted by brchn1
Its not a risk GM took its a security that you will not by aftermarket. I beleive keeping the stock deck started in 02 or 03 on the grand ams and in 99 on the cavalier. If you don't trust me on this then if your door chime comes from the speaker take out the deck and go hit a tree. Don't forget the salt and pepper though to make that steering wheel taste better. Peace, Lee

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG. Your information is 100% False.

[iceman]

Saccus - my bad for not noticing you have a 99.

I don't think you will need a relocation harness for that, do you have the premium sound system??

If you can't find the info here LMK I will find it.

Don't listen to the air bag nonsense.

[brchn1]

Basically yes its jsut some plastic and wires, The harness is kinda idiot proof but some kits look like crap. I like Metra kits, but I hear good things from scoche. Peace, Lee

[Saccus]

Thanks Seth, not sure about the premium sound, its na SE2 its got the tweeters in the door near the window (looks like a triangle).

Another random question, there are 2 kits from scoche that sounddomain says will fit, but one says its for a 2000+ sunfire, will it fit ours or no, heres the links.

This one says it will fit GAs and SFs, so i don't see how the one for the 2000 SFs couldnt fit.

http://www.scosche.com/scosche/installation/kits/GM1517.asp

the other (i like this one better)

http://www.scosche.com/scosche/installation/kits/GM1583.asp

[brchn1]

I'm willing to admit when I'm wrong. I have searched and the radio is part of a data buss system that is also a part of the airbag system but do not affect each other. Mainly you lose the door chime. It started in 2001 for the grand am. Peace out, Lee

[Saccus]

Ok now if someone could answer my instal kit question, id be all set, and ima buy the HU tommorow.

[Tonyyank]

Airs WILL not go off!!!!

I bout the 13 dollar kit an now i have no chimes when doors are on, fuel loow, and lights on, thats it. Your air bags will work, or there would have been a HUGE warning saying DO NOT EVER CHANGE stock HU..... Pontiac knows people change there HU..

THATS like saying w/o the stock HU you breaks arent going to work, and you tires will automaticly deflat *rolls eyes*

[Saccus]

Yeah i know that now, but thanks. Im talking about the plastic installation kits now lol.

[sound_xtreme]

it doesnt stop your airbags. The airbag light is just used as an indicator light.

I would suggest the dash kit i used to sell by american international.

[Saccus]

OK, finally got it all figured out and I ordered everthing, thanks for your help guys.

[Vintalage]

Premium amp is located in the trunk. Pull back your carpet on the left side and you will discover if you have one or not. But at this point, I think you already know.

[GregFarz78]

Originally posted by Saccus
Ok now if someone could answer my instal kit question, id be all set, and ima buy the HU tommorow.

I had a 2000 GT1 with premium sound package, you dont need a relocation kit, you dont need to spend $40 on a harness ($15 metra harness at best buy), your air bags wont be disabled (stupid rumor with no truth), best buy also has the install kits for $15 and you'll need an antenna adapter...out of breath now good luck PM if you have any questions

[Saccus]

I got it all figured out, called sounddomain.com, cost me $33 with shipping for crimp connectors, wiring harness, install kit, and antenna adapter.

The HU i ordered is the Alpine CDA-9811, got it for $210 new on ebay (plus s&h)

[GregFarz78]

Not bad! Excellent choice of HU too!

[gporritt]

I know from personal experience that your airbags WILL WORK after replacing your HU and not relocating your stock HU to the trunk. I had a 01 Alero GLS that I totaled into the railing on the highway after hydroplaining and the airbads just about saved my life. On the up side the insurance check was very nice, nice enough to get me a 03 GAGT!!!

[sound_xtreme]

OT but you shoulda bought another alero!. lol

[Green99GT]

yup i got a 99 GT....no need for the relocation untill 01 i belive...the premium sounds has a CD and tape....i dont think that was a option in 99....i havent seen one.....so your in the good....what kinda kit does SD sell...the metra fits wrong....

[Saccus]

Havent seen one eh?, well i guess i have it, heres a shot of my interior. (note the tape player)

http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/2/web/350000-350999/350701_8_full.jpg

[Green99GT]

u win ding ding ding ding lol......i wondered where they put the tape player. thanks learn someting new everyday

[Saccus]

yeah gotta take it out now, but i have an idea for that spot.

[MattBatt]

OK i have a 99 non premium and I didn't lose the chimes at all it is only a problem if you were a poor shmuck and thougt that the "premium" sound system actually sounded premium along with the elusive subwoofer that came with it.

[Saccus]

how can i even tell if i have the premium, im so confused.

[Vintalage]

Open trunk, pull down carpet on left side of the trunk. You will see if you have one or not.

[Green99GT]

do you have a tape player....yes then you do....no then u dont

[Saccus]

OK, i have the amp in my trunk. Should i disconnect it before I install my new headunit. Id rather have my speakers running off the head unit (its 200w) and not some stock amp in my trunk, thanks.

[Saccus]

anyone?

[Green99GT]

u might have answered this...but are you just replaceing the HU? Also chances are thats 200 watts max 50 rms....i would think out stock stuff would be cleaner....theres someone one here that knows everything about that factory amp....hopefully they stop by

[iceman]

You're going to have to do a little rewiring... Someone has to remind me about the 99 premium system but I think the amp only drives the rear speakers ?? If so you'll need to cut the feed from the HU and the amp-out to speakers, and splice them together..

[Saccus]

Originally posted by iceman
You're going to have to do a little rewiring... Someone has to remind me about the 99 premium system but I think the amp only drives the rear speakers ?? If so you'll need to cut the feed from the HU and the amp-out to speakers, and splice them together..

goodie...

[Vintalage]

The premium amp only drives the rear woofers. The rear speakers are coaxials (Woofer and tweeter). The headunit drives the rest of the speakers (rear tweeters, front tweeters, front mid-range speakers).

The Premium amp puts out 50 watts total. 25w+25w.

[AmIGrand]

If the wire harness fits, it should take care of the signal issue. If it doesn't fit, then they shoulda asked you if you had the Premium system when you ordered!!

If a rewire is required, it's not all that hard - problem is, I dunno the wire colors, or I'd tell you now. :(

Off topic because it doesn't affect the '99 GA - In the past I have been a big proponent of the chime/airbag issue. Fact is, there ARE a couple lawsuits pending in AZ because a shop installed a deck in a Cavalier and teh bags failed to deploy in a wreck. This caused a rather big hullabaloo in the industry, and theories abounded. None of this was helped by GM and their usual refusal to work with the aftermarket industry. It has pretty much been determined that the airbags won't be disabled by losing the stock deck. However, the source of the original issue and the ensuing lawsuits still makes a lot of shops nervous, and they insist on selling the relocation harness to cover their tails.

Hope that helped clear the air a little....

[Saccus]

Im sure the harness will fit, because it is the same designed plug as the stock one, i guess its not worth rewiring if the amp only powers the back woofers (i always wondered why my stock system had so much bass in the back, and why it sounded better than most stock systems). Now if FedEx would freakin get here...

[MattBatt]

UM I always get confused I thought that the premium systems (the ones advertised as having a sub) had dual voice coils on the woofer and one of the connections went to the tweet as well? If you do decide to use the factory amp use the preamp outputs instead of the internal amp from the HU that's what I had to do with my sisters car she had a clarion amp under the trunk lid (I hate Nissan)

[Saccus]

so which amp will i be using if i just connect the wiring harness, the one in the HU?

[iceman]

Actually... both.

As I understand it, the head unit powers the front speakers directly. The rear speaker outs of the head unit will go to the stock amp, then to the speakers.

SO

If you want to have your HU power your rear speakers, then you'll need to interrupt the wiring in and out of the amp, and connect it together.

Also if what everyone says is true, and the rear speakers are bi-amp, you might want to swap out your 6x9s with an aftermarket set. Not sure if your head unit can take the impedance of those speakers in paralell... If you only hook up one lead, then you'll be heavy on either the lows or highs in the back (whichever you hook up)

[Saccus]

So i should just leave the stock amp how it is untill i get some new 6x9s, then splice the wires, correct?