Stereo Problems

I don't get the whole antenna was bad part. The only antenna probs I've had are either with power antennas (motor burning out), or with the antenna breaking off. The connection could get loose, but you would still get signal till you maybe hit a bump or something going down the road. I've never had a GM newer than a 95 so for your car I don't know if there is an antenna booster on it. My Silverado, and my

88 Royale didn't have boosters. It's good that you at least got your money back though.

Sounds like the antenna plug was not pushed far enough into the radio.

Sounds like you dealt with a salesperson, not an electronics technician; check with these people, they may be able to help you.

Group: alt.autos.gm Date: Sun, May 7, 2006, 4:47pm (EDT-3) From: snipped-for-privacy@programmer.net My in-laws bought a '99 Grand Prix SE used. When they got the car, the radio played but the display was dead. Then the battery died. When the battery was replaced, the radio seemed to be dead. The theftlock light flashes and the radio will not power up. Completely dead. Rather than spend $100 at the dealer to fix a radio that already has a burnt out display, I figured it would make more sense to get a new stereo. We went to Circuit City, bought a $99 Pioneer CD player with free installation (free, with all the required parts brought the total with tax to $175). After the radio went in, the CD flayed frawlessly, FM was weak and AM was totally dead. The guy said the antenna is bad. I asked him if we could replace it. He said even with a new antenna, there's no guarantee it would work b/c the OEM radio has a built-in amplifier that the aftermarket radios don't have, so he couldn't guarantee that any radio would work fully. So I gave back the whole thing, got my $175 back, wasted 4 hours and back to the original dead radio. Does any of this make sense? Does it make sense that you can never get an aftermarket radio to work in a GM car? Any suggestions on what I can do to fix the radio that came with the car? I think the guy at Circuit City was BSing me and just didn't feel like trying to get it to work.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% "Sometimes, when you're up to your butt in alligators, it's hard to remember that the intial objective was to drain the swamp." ~ Unknown ~

When I showed him that AM didn't play, the guy pulled the radio out and tried a different one, to eliminate the possibility that I got a bad radio. The second one worked the same way. He had to use an antenna wire adapter since the original antenna wire wouldn't plug into the new radio. He also connected the wiring harness in the dash to two different harness adapters before plugging it into the back of the new radio.

He claims that it's possible that no aftermarket radio will ever work properly since it lacks this amplifier that the OEM radio comes with. If this is the case, they should tell any buyer that their radio may not work after it's installed.

Sounds pretty stupid to me.

'99 Grand Prix SE IIRC, 1999 is before GM's multiplexed data bus system came into use. If so, it should be easy to install a new radio/player.

Funny how the factory radio didn't suffer from a "bad antenna", huh? You have to be mindful of the fact that you don't have electronic engineers in the folks that work at places like Circuit City. You don't even have good installers.

As for built in amplifiers and all that hogwash - hogwash. Unless the antenna is a soda straw, it's going to deliver enough of a signal for any decent radio to process. Millions of aftermarket stereo systems are installed in GM cars with no modifications to the antenna at all.

BTW - all radios have built in amplifiers.

You're a smart man.

Yeah - plenty of sense. Considering the caliber of person hired in the retail space, you received about the level of technical expertise expected for the money. Unfortunately for you, it's of no value.

You are correct. Go somewhere else.

Why would the multiplexed data bus affect anything radio related?

He was an IDIOT. GM doesn't use a signal amp on the antenna unless you have a diversity antenna system which you DO NOT have. Sounds like they don't have a clue. You either have a bad antenna cable or they used a cheap adapter that didn't connect up properly. I would bet on the second option. Find a REAL shop to do the work.

Because the units that use the data bus integrate the radio into the vehicle much more than the earlier units. Depending on the option package the radio is at minimum the door and key in buzzer. If you also have onstar that is also run through the radio for audio out. Then on others the radio is also used to set vehicle parameters and adjust other options.

Wonderful. Now the stinkin' radio isn't even simple anymore. Thanks for the reply Steve. What year did this start?

Depends on the model vehicle. Some were in 99 most were in 2000. Some of the latest units are REALLY fun. There are at least two models that require you to find a place to mount the factory radio if you replace it with an aftermarket. They control settings that have no other control point so you hook them up and toss them under the seat or in a hidden spot.

I'm sorry but that is just pathetic, brain dead engineering. Bet that design concept doesn't last very long. Hope that design concept doesn't last very long.

It been around for about 5yrs now, Sunfires had (have) the airbag test circuit feed through the radio. If the Computer doesn't see the air bag circuit on start up it will shut the car down. A buddy had to mount his factory radio in the trunk with a harness running to it when he went aftermarket.

Snow...

I guess the idea is to force you to buy the upgraded stereo from a GM dealer. This is just one more reason not to buy GM. On my 00 Venture, the front speakers don't work but I don't dare try to get the stereo replaced. I'm hoping to replace the van instead.

Other electronic irritants:

-A friend's 03 buick has headlights that stay on a few minutes after he's left the car.

-Air conditioner that runs whenever you use the defroster, even when freezing out.

-Door locks that operate every time you put the car in drive (yes I reprogrammed mine to avoid this)

-Rear wiper on Venture van that will not allow me a single stroke. It insists upon four strokes.

-Driver window that wants to go all the way down when I only want partial open.

Ever think you may have blew the front speakers? Take the door panel off and replace them.

That is called a 'timer' and can usually be shut off, or turned down. I happen to love that feature on my car. Some cars even turn the headlights off when you use the Lock button on the remote.

Clears the windows faster on mine. Also, mine doesn't turn on unless it's

40+ outside.

Good.

Oh no.

Try pressing the button softly. Everything you list as 'irritants' can all be turned off, or used in the way you want, other then the rear wiper. You just have to figure out how to do it.

A lot of other manufacturers are starting to do the same things with the radios.