I am trying to activate XM radio on my new
2006 Equinox and I am told that the necessary chip will not be available before 3-6 months. Is that correct? Anybody else has problems activating XM radio on Equinox?Thanks.
Greetings,
If you can receive XM Channel 1 (the preview channel) without activation, then your radio is already equipped to receive XM. Since the truck is new, you should be able to get help from your dealer. Remember, you will not be able to activate your XM radio with your truck sitting inside a garage or under cover - the antenna must be able to see the sky.
There is no special chip needed to activate an XM radio provided your stock radio already came with XM built into it. All you need to do is go to XM's website at
If your stock radio didn't come with XM already in it (you can't receive either XM Channel 1 or see your radio's ID number when on XM Channel 0), then you most likely will have to purchase either a new radio with XM in it, or a unit known as a "Plug-and-Play" that you will need to mount seperately and you can listen to through your current radio. I use the Delphi SkyFi2 XM radio and love it in my 2004 Chevy Silverado. The SkyFi2 retransmits the XM signal over a built-in FM modulator and all I need to do is tune my stock radio into one of the dozen or more frequencies the SkyFi2 gives you to listen to it.
Cheers - Jonathan
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