Installing new head unit in a 2004 Sunfire

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Apr 18, 2004 | 10:13 AM

#31

Paul Niwranski

Guest

Posts: n/a

97 did not need one. This is a post 2000 issue for GM cars. Another reason why at GM Quality is Job None [img]graemlins/freak.gif[/img]

Apr 18, 2004 | 02:15 PM

#32

Nissan Guy

50 Watt CAFz'r

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 456

ahh the age old relocate issue, will this one go away, or just get worse?
I would reccomend relocate to all my customers, but at a friend's shop they chop them all.
Who is right?
you be the judge, it's your brand new car...

Apr 19, 2004 | 08:17 AM

#33

dvdrat

Thread Starter

0 Watt CAFz'r

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 4

Hi Everyone,

I see that there is a certain amount of passion on both sides of the debate. You know, if the relocation harness saves me headaches and hassles with GM and the installation is still clean, I see no reason to skimp out on a few dollars.

I know that spending $50 or $70 when you don't need to is a waste, but in the grand scheme of things it is a minimal cost for peace of mind. And I like the feedback that door chimes give...

BTW, I've decided against the double DIN (I guess my wife can just pitch her tapes). I was going to buy the HU (and get it installed) at FS, but maybe I'll opt for a small independent place.

- DVDRAT

[ April 19, 2004, 09:18 AM: Message edited by: dvdrat ]

Apr 19, 2004 | 08:25 AM

#34

dvdrat

Thread Starter

0 Watt CAFz'r

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 4

BTW, does anyone have any pictures of an install using the relocation harness (or maybe a link)? I'de really like to see what the trunk looks like after it's all said and done.

Is there an ugly mass of cables in the rear with a factory HU hanging off it? or a 1" thick bulge under the carpet? Can it be done cleanly?

- DVDRAT

Apr 19, 2004 | 01:05 PM

#35

Paul Niwranski

Guest

Posts: n/a

If you get a competent installer you will see nothing. The cable can be hidden completely and there is a "pocket" behind the trunkliner on the driver's side of the trunk above the wheel well where the factory deck can easily be mounted.

I have to show people where the factory deck is afterwards because it is totally hidden.

Apr 19, 2004 | 07:14 PM

#36

00Civic

1000 Watt CAFz'r

Joined: May 2000

Posts: 1,560

Quote:

Originally posted by Kool:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by 00Civic:
I won't install a deck in a newer GM with out that harness. There has been cases of the Airbag light going on. Just use the harness and save you self the hassle. It's a brand new car why take any risks.

The only way the airbag light would go on is if you tapped into one of the yellow wires. There is no switched wire on the wiring harness, so some installer must have tapped into the airbag wire and created all this garbage. </font>[/QUOTE]Then how come when you install these decks you suppose to pull out the airbag fuse according to all company metra scosche everyone. This was a big problem when the relocation just came out. This personally never happened to me but I do know cases of it. If you guys are bitching about the price of the harness so much what don't you just build you own and stop complaining. What is something did happen and you had to take it to GM to get fixed and the blaimed it on not having the deck I bet you will feel pretty stupid then. But it's not my car nor a customer of mine so don't take my advice or any other experienced installer on this board.

Apr 19, 2004 | 08:58 PM

#37

Tim Baillie.

2000 Watt CAFz'r

Joined: May 2000

Posts: 2,406

Quote:

Originally posted by Kool:
By law, the dealer can not refuse warranty work unless they can prove that removal of the deck without relocating it caused the problem in question. They can not prove anything unless the problem is no more chimes

You can come out here and argue with every dealer each time we run into this. Some will even argue it even when we do use the harness.

And by the way Kool, if this is just a FS ploy to get more money they you might want to tell all these other installers on here that they are now working for FS..............

Apr 19, 2004 | 09:01 PM

#38

Tim Baillie.

2000 Watt CAFz'r

Joined: May 2000

Posts: 2,406

We had a older gentleman come in a few months ago that bought a FM Mod for his 2002 Sunfire because he did his own deck install in his car without the harness and he went to have his air care done. The car failed, GM told him cause the memory for the BCM is stored in the radio on "some" models. He bought the stock deck back in and it passed air care.

We had nothing to do with this, this was from the customers mouth and he must have been in his 50's

Apr 20, 2004 | 09:17 PM

#39

Dereck Waller

Guest

Posts: n/a

O.K. I checked with the head trainer for GM and he said that the deck has a memory that stores information on the previous operations of the vehicle. It allows the car to keep a monitor of it's functions including ignition etc. and allows the optimization of fuel curves etc. under certain conditions. With the removal of the radio the car just resets back to the factory default sttings which can cause a loss of mileage or power but would probably not be noticable to the average driver.