I have a 2011 ZR1 that came with OnStar and Xm radio.
I would like to swap the radio for a Navigation unit but remain with the stock Denso style corvette navigation unit.
I purchased a Denso unit that came from a 2008 ZO6 and it worked when I fist plugged it in but after unplugging it the "Theft Lock" appeared on the screen.
I tried looking on ebay for unlock services and checked with a couple Chevy dealers but have not found anyone that says they can unlock it.
Anyone done this?

 

You need an Tech 2 test instrument to unlock it. I think it is strange that they could not help you at an Chevy dealer, I think they should have an Tech 2 there. Maybe they dont know what they are talking about.

I also bought an new used unit bacause my old did not work, it worked for some seconds an went into theft mode. The Tech 2 programs the navigation to the VIN number of your car.

The nearest Chevy dealer in my area should charge me an insane price to unlock it so I bought an Tech 2 myself. I dont think they knew how to do it so gave me an insane price so I should not come to them, they had the Tech 2 instrument.

It was done in about 3 minutes, because I never used the instrument before.

 

You need to find either a dealer or an independent shop that has a TECH II to "unlock" your nav unit. The GM radios are VIN specific, so the unlock process involves clearing the old VIN # from the nav unit, and allowing it to accept your VIN #. As I said, this can be done by anyone who has access to a TECH II. All GM dealers should have them, and if they tell you they can't unlock the radio, they are not telling you the truth. I went to my local Chevrolet dealer when I installed the nav unit in my 08 base. It's about a 5 minute job, but they charged me a 1 hour minimum labor $130.
I copied the how to shown below from a fellow forum member.

Here is how to use the TECH II to put the Nav unit into relearn mode:

Connect TECH II to car and put the car into acc. mode
At the main screen, select diagnostics

At systems selection menu screen, select body

At the VIN indent screen select
Appropriate model
Appropriate air conditioning
Nav radio

At the body screen, select Nav radio

At the radio screen, select special functions

At the special functions screen, select VIN relearn

At the VIN relearn screen, the scan tool will display, "do you want to clear the radio theft
information?"

To begin clearing, press the soft touch key on the top right of the scan tool. The TECH II will display "clearing theft in progress"

Once done, press exit on the TECH II and cycle the ignition

It's done and the Nav unit will now marry to your car.

 

Where did you purchase your tech2. I saw a large selection on Amazon, but the prices were all over the place and few reviews. Are all tech2s bidirectional and will reprogram the radios, tpms, etc? Thanks, Roger

 

It is a diagnostic tool for several gm cars, with a lot of functions you can read about if you Google it. But you can not program your tpms sensor with it.

I bought it from alixpress for about $250 with shipping , of course not genuine Tech 2, but it is the same product that they sell on Amazon for alot more.

 

Hey thanks I guess you already used this gadget on a C6?

 

I have used this once , to unlock my navigation unit and programmed it to the VIN number of my car.

 

Thanks to the many wonderful people here and Ray Kayla, I just now completed the replacement of the base radio with an OEM USB/Nav unit. I programmed it using the Tech 2 that I purchased brand new and arrived a couple days ago. Everything went like clockwork. The only reason it did, was due to the many awesome, informative posts I read here and many of you who replied to my basic questions! Thank you all!

I will likely sell my Tech 2 as I can't imagine I'll ever have a good reason to use it again. I haven't even removed the plastic, protective film on this unit. I'll research what else I can do with this thing before deciding to sell it.

Again, thanks everyone!

 

So you bought a new Tech 2 for $250-$300 to make it do a $100 job? Now with a little ingenuity right from the radio you can make the radio go into these screens and diagnostics:

 

Thanks for the information.

Let me give you a bit more context. After three local Chevy dealers gave BS reasons why they either couldn't do it or wanted me to send the unit elsewhere to clear the old VIN before they would touch it or wanted to charge me for 2-3 hours of work, that we all know isn't required, I decided to take matters into my own hands and buy the Tech 2.

Thanks for the tips. I'll play with the Tech 2 tomorrow.

 

If you clear the nave radio theft lock with tech 2 but do not cycle your ignition will it marry the vin of the next c6 its installed in? Looking to sell my nav after install of aftermarket deck. Would be nice if buyer did not have to go to GM the unlock theft lock.

 

yes ....

Dave

 

I feel your pain. I went through the same thing. Fortunately I found informative posts here about exactly how to use the tech II tool and I printed them and took them with me to the chevy dealership. After waiting two hours I was told it couldn't be done. After much discussion and insisting that I talk with the tech, I was finally able to talk with him and give him the instructions. He shrugged and walked back to his station and got his tech II. and tried the instructions.

He was shocked that it worked and said he had never heard of it before. He apologized and the the service manager charged me way too much.

At least I finally got the radio unlocked. For the dealer cost I could have bought the Tech II.

I documented the situation with a post here.

Purchasing the tech II was the right decision.

 

But... But... Aren't we told almost daily here that to work on a Corvette every dealership has to spend a fortune on training "Corvette Specialists"?

My experience at multiple dealerships is similar. Even the ones that sell dozens of Corvettes every year don't know even the simplest things like don't put the steel lift directly on the body panel causing it to crack. The ones that sell one or two or not even one are pathetic.

EVERY Corvette owner should invest in a set of shop manuals. At least when you go to a dealer you will know BS from good info. You should be able to pay for the manuals the first time you have to see a dealer. And, if you are at all mechanically inclined, you will avoid the dealer most of the time. EVERY Corvette owner also needs a code reader even more.

 

while interesting to look at none of those screens will allow you to unlock the radio.

As for your reference for buying a $250 Tech2 to do a $100 job, no dealer will reprogram the radio for less than $150 and my dealer said that they do not guarantee being able to remove the Theftlock on a customer supplied radio so you pay the $150 and you roll the dice.

My Tech2 has already paid for itself easily because I used it to reset Theftlock on my replacement Grandsport radio and configured two fobs for my 2014 Yukon Denali (another operation that the dealer wanted and hour's labor for if you did not purchase the fob's new from the dealer).

 

Let me know if you want to sell it. I've considered buying one but those Chinese websites give me the ****** even though Equifax already gave the world all my info.

 

You can pay the Tech2 site using Paypal so no risk.

 

I never said they would. Just some cool things the radio can do on it's own. You don't need a Tech 2 to get into those screens, the radio does it on it's own.
I have seen members report they have got it done for $25 at a dealer if they had a good relationship. $75-$100 is the going price and I have never heard a story of not being able to remove the theft lock. It's extremely easy to do and if you can't get it done at a dealer, then they didn't know what they were doing.

 

I just paid J@&$ Sw. Chevrolet $60 to unlock my new 2013 Radio in my 2008. They told me they had no luck and cannot do it. I even gave them the instructions. So there's proof. Im out $60 and still have a locked radio.

 

wow if they can't unlock a NAV unit then I would not trust then to put air in my tires .... I would have complained to the service manager because I bet they either gave the job to the oil change kid or they really did not try real hard

Dave