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96 Radio Dead, Need Harness

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Old May 17, 2011 | 12:53 PM
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Default 96 Radio Dead, Need Harness

I was running this on another thread, but it was based on Jump Starting killing the radio. It appears that the problem is actually corroded electrical connections. Corvette Central has wiring for a '95, but not a '96. Any ideas on where to get the connectors? I would be happy to find some I can splice in.

In case someone uses this thread to figure out their radio issues, here is the summary from the other thread:

Radio shows no sign of power (displaying frequency, etc.).

Fuses 4, 37 and 40 are all good, and around 12 volts come from each socket.

My shop manual finally arrived today, and I went through the trouble shooting procedure. Power to the CDM was good (orange wire), yellow wire power is good. Then I notice on the next connector, a red/white wire (power) was not connected, then also the ground wire (black white). Both had corroded off. The red/white had even corroded the terminal off the CDM!

Any ideas where I can get connectors to splice in, as well as the terminals for the CDM?


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Old May 17, 2011 | 01:39 PM
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Off hand since the main display has no indication on the radio head, I would tend to check out the head even though you have found issues with the CDM connectors. I would look at the connector on the radio head. If the head does not work, it will not turn on the CDM or allow the antenna to come up.

It's almost like the switch on the head is doing nothing or there is no power to the head. Having a bad switch would be too easy.

**If you turn on your parking lights, the button lights on the radio should light light (with the dash lights).

**When you turn the key to ON and have the radio off , the radio should display the time regardless of anything else. I don’t think the interaction of the CDM will affect this display .

So what I am saying if you can't get these two above actions to happen, I would then focus in on the head. The head comes apart pretty easy and have been there several times so if it comes to checking the continuity of the switch, it is doable.
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Old May 17, 2011 | 02:39 PM
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Good tips, thank you.

**If you turn on your parking lights, the button lights on the radio should light light (with the dash lights). - Yes, they light up

**When you turn the key to ON and have the radio off , the radio should display the time regardless of anything else. I don’t think the interaction of the CDM will affect this display . - No time, or anything else, on the display, regardless of key position.

So it looks like I will be pulling the radio head. Unless you have a procedure link, I will start the search. I do not remember if the shop manual shows how to do that (mine is the Preliminary manual, and it references the '95 manual for several sections).
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Old May 17, 2011 | 03:48 PM
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The CDM box looks like it's been under water. When the rear hatch
weatherstripping leaks, the storage bin fills with water. The electrical
components inside the CDM short out. 90-92 the CDM was located
under the passenger side dash. 93-96 the CDM was located in the
storage bin.

Here's a web-site that mentions this problem.
Scroll down a couple of paragraphs and read the information
about the water problem with the CDM for the 93-96.

http://www.carstereohelp.com/corvette.htm

You can purchase the individual female pins and crimp them back
on the wire.

I believe the part number is 12146447. Used for a wire size .35mm - .6mm.
According to the service manual, the Red/Black and the Black/White wire are .35mm.

12146448 is used for wire size .8mm - 1mm

You can shop around but here's a link where you can purchase the pins.
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...Q1Z7VG4w%3d%3d

Last edited by Hooked on Vettes; May 17, 2011 at 05:15 PM.
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Old May 17, 2011 | 09:27 PM
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Good tip on the pin source, thank you.

My Preliminary '96 manual does not cover radio head removal (says to do the same as the '95 manual). My thread search did not find a good radio head removal thread. Anyone have some directions?

Thanks.
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Old May 17, 2011 | 11:03 PM
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Got to start removal of items in progression. First remove the center console cover, lay on back shelf (there is a wire connected). Loosen but not need to remove shifter cover. 2 screws under the little rug and one under ash tray insert (remove rubber and metal insert).

Then you need to remove the bezel around the radio. Pull back the shifter plastic and see if there are 2 screws on bottom of plastic bezel, remove them. Remove the center A/C vent (2 star screws). Then you will see the top screw of the bezel. Remove screw that and pull back the plastic where the screw was slightly just so it is loose. And if I remember correctly the bezel has some snaps that just pulls back. Once the radio bezel is off, the rest will be apparent and straight forward.

**AND
In the FSM, it may not tell you how to remove something directly. Sometimes you have to go to other sections on how to remove the pre-seating item. The whole book is like that, your all over the place (in the beginning, use book marks).

Be careful of ALL the plastic, be very kind and gentle - go slow it's all fragile.

Last edited by pcolt94; May 19, 2011 at 01:14 PM.
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Old May 19, 2011 | 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by mandingo214
Corvette Central has wiring for a '95, but not a '96. Any ideas on where to get the connectors? I would be happy to find some I can splice in.
Actually, the radio harness pigtail (item 524070) is incorrectly listed online. It will work on your 1996 as well.
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Old Aug 31, 2011 | 09:17 PM
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It took awhile (a '68 project got in the way) but I got the CDM and wiring issues straightened out. Also purchased the two volume shop manual.

Going through the test procedures (Chart 1) it gets to the bottom and says I have a short in the C1 connector or need to service the radio. This is based on having power in the battery (CKT440) and ignition (CKT43)wire all the time.

Anyone had this problem before? Looks like pcolt94 was right about pulling the radio.

Thanks.
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Old Mar 20, 2012 | 08:07 PM
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Finally got around to messing with the radio. A working head unit and CDM came up for sale for a good price, so I made the purchase, hoping they would plug in and work. No such luck.

The display now lights up on the new radio head, so that is a plus, though no time is displayed.

Going through the trouble shooting in the manual, I get to the bottom of the page below, where is says check for a short in the C1. After 20 minutes of sifting through the manual, it says the other end of the C1 is located approximately 20cm from the airbag controller (forgot what it is called).

Does anyone have any pictures of what this connection looks like? I have lots of pictures of the area from my recent heater core replacement, but no idea which one this is? Is it just the same wires from the C1 or is it grouped with others? That area, being so close to the fuse box, has dozens of wires.

Also, go through the procedure, I am getting about 12V from the connectors, and the procedure states approximate battery voltage. The battery voltage is around 13V, so could this voltage drop be part of the problem?

Lastly, any good bench testing procedures for the radio head unit?


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