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I'll be removing the stock radio in my 2010 and replacing it with an aftermarket head unit. A few questions:
1) I have never removed interior body panels before. What should I expect or be concerned with? I purchased a set of interior panel removing tools. I'm concerned about breaking clips. What is the best way to remove interior parts without damage?
2) I purchased the head unit from Crutchfield and with the unit they shipped a "dash kit" which looks like a frame and two brackets. But in the instructions they provided I don't see them mentioning anything about the dash kit. Anyone know what this is used for?
3) What is a realistic time for install I should expect? I've heard that the Corvette is actually pretty difficult to swap out the head unit and get everything working. I'm not installing a rear view cam or anything like that. I was told it is a weekend job. Does that sound right?
To answer your questions this is not a difficult task but does require some mechanical ability and electrical knowledge.
1. There are several hidden screws and panels clipped into place. Watch the video in this link to get an idea. It is for a 2005 to 2007 car which has a slight different center console. https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...l-removal.html
2. The dash kit is what is used to mount the new radio to the Corvette dash.
Did you get the interface adapter and which one did you get. this will be required to interface the new radio with the factory amp and speakers. It is also needed for Onstar and steering wheel controls. You will need to splice the wiring harness from the new radio onto the harness for the interface adapter. When I do these the wires are soldered together and sealed using heat shrink tubing.
3. For a first timer doing this, disassembly of the dash and removal of the old radio should take about 60 minutes. Wiring of the new radio is about an hour also. Getting the new radio mounted and connected but not all buttoned up to test is about another hour. Buttoning things up about 45 min.
For some one with experience the whole job would be about 2 hours.
Yes I got the 'PAC RP5-GM11 Wiring Interface' which I was told would allow me to keep the functionality of the steering wheel controls, among other things.
I also paid $25 to have Crutchfield pre-wire a harness for me (Ready Harness service). I'm a little confused though...in the below pictures I can tell what the PAC wiring interface is but where exactly is the ready harness pre-wired harness?
I'll take a look at those threads and see if they help me.
Yes I got the 'PAC RP5-GM11 Wiring Interface' which I was told would allow me to keep the functionality of the steering wheel controls, among other things.
I also paid $25 to have Crutchfield pre-wire a harness for me (Ready Harness service). I'm a little confused though...in the below pictures I can tell what the PAC wiring interface is but where exactly is the ready harness pre-wired harness?
I'll take a look at those threads and see if they help me.
The ready harnes pre-wire service isn’t another harness, it’s a service where Crutchfield does the soldering/splicing & heat shrinking of the wires between the harnesses you ordered for you. W/O that service, those harnesses would’ve come separately with cut wire ends. (Like in the pic next to the item description of your PAC harness in that screen shot)
I think that pic next to the ready harness service description is just a generic “wired harness” pic they put next to the description and is different looking because doesn’t have a PAC unit wired in it (since it’s a general service for wiring any harness purchased not just GM stuff.)
Glancing at your pic, the finished harness looks all there to me. The grey connectors will plug into the cars connectors, and the small black one at the top right looks like the one that should go into the back of your new head unit. *(Unprofessional opinion from installing a few aftermarket head units on my own cars over the years.)
If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, take it to Best Buy. The installers will install it. Just did mine through them at the advice of several forum members and with a back up camera install it was under $200 without navigation
Here is a thread with some step-by-step instructions with pictures. It was created by the forums ex-audio vendor for his do-it-yourself customers. I think it's a very helpful thread for guys new to this. Replacing the head unit in a C6 is not very difficult and at most an afternoon job especially if you are not installing anything else like cameras.
Danman35 ,I just did exactly what you are going to do. I got all my gear from Crutchfield and had then wire everything up. The crimp connections you see are what they did. A couple of tips for you that aren't mentioned, the little black box is your new chime. It is very loud as it comes in the kit. Read the paperwork for the GM adapter,it tells you how to adjust the volume of it. Also if you are not putting in a amp you don't connect the red and white RCA plug to anything. My install took me the better part of a weekend but I went slow and steady. I also had to run a new Mic for the Bluetooth, I put it next to the factory Mic.You'd be surprised how easy the trim panels come off. I also am putting in a backup camera, it's all wired up and working but not installed yet. Good luck on your install, you can do it. Don
Danman35 ,I just did exactly what you are going to do. I got all my gear from Crutchfield and had then wire everything up. The crimp connections you see are what they did. A couple of tips for you that aren't mentioned, the little black box is your new chime. It is very loud as it comes in the kit. Read the paperwork for the GM adapter,it tells you how to adjust the volume of it. Also if you are not putting in a amp you don't connect the red and white RCA plug to anything. My install took me the better part of a weekend but I went slow and steady. I also had to run a new Mic for the Bluetooth, I put it next to the factory Mic.You'd be surprised how easy the trim panels come off. I also am putting in a backup camera, it's all wired up and working but not installed yet. Good luck on your install, you can do it. Don
Awesome stuff. Glad to hear you just tackled this project. That means I can reach out to you if I have problems
One question I did have...since the PAC GM interface is for the steering wheel controls, do I need to remove the steering wheel to gain access to anything underneath it? Or once I plug in the PAC interface it automatically will allow the controls to work? Also does the PAC GM interface (blue box) mount to anything? Or is it just left dangling within the panel or what?
The ready harnes pre-wire service isn’t another harness, it’s a service where Crutchfield does the soldering/splicing & heat shrinking of the wires between the harnesses you ordered for you. W/O that service, those harnesses would’ve come separately with cut wire ends. (Like in the pic next to the item description of your PAC harness in that screen shot)
I think that pic next to the ready harness service description is just a generic “wired harness” pic they put next to the description and is different looking because doesn’t have a PAC unit wired in it (since it’s a general service for wiring any harness purchased not just GM stuff.)
Glancing at your pic, the finished harness looks all there to me. The grey connectors will plug into the cars connectors, and the small black one at the top right looks like the one that should go into the back of your new head unit. *(Unprofessional opinion from installing a few aftermarket head units on my own cars over the years.)
Here is a thread with some step-by-step instructions with pictures. It was created by the forums ex-audio vendor for his do-it-yourself customers. I think it's a very helpful thread for guys new to this. Replacing the head unit in a C6 is not very difficult and at most an afternoon job especially if you are not installing anything else like cameras.
Awesome stuff. Glad to hear you just tackled this project. That means I can reach out to you if I have problems
One question I did have...since the PAC GM interface is for the steering wheel controls, do I need to remove the steering wheel to gain access to anything underneath it? Or once I plug in the PAC interface it automatically will allow the controls to work? Also does the PAC GM interface (blue box) mount to anything? Or is it just left dangling within the panel or what?
No you don't have to remove the steering wheel, just plug in the black plug that is zip tied on your harness into the back of the new head unit. The interface just gets stuffed in behind the head unit. I bundled some of the wires together with tape and zip ties so thing don't rattle around. I also used a piece of Velcro to attach the chime to the left side below the HU so it can't move around. I actually put all that mess of wires to the right side of the unit, seemed to work fine. Does your new stereo have navigation? Mine does so I have more info on that if you need it. Don
If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, take it to Best Buy. The installers will install it. Just did mine through them at the advice of several forum members and with a back up camera install it was under $200 without navigation
Bruno06, where did Best Buy put your backup camera? I mounted mine next to the hatch button. I used one of the screws that holds the license plate light in place. It works great but not sure I like seeing that black camera sitting there. It may just be me but the back end isn't as clean looking . My car is Torch Red so it is easy to see. May paint it later.
Don
Bruno06, where did Best Buy put your backup camera? I mounted mine next to the hatch button. I used one of the screws that holds the license plate light in place. It works great but not sure I like seeing that black camera sitting there. It may just be me but the back end isn't as clean looking . My car is Torch Red so it is easy to see. May paint it later.
Don
Mine is centered on the license plate. Mounting plate goes behind the plate. It is not very large,
So I removed my stock radio. I'm now in the process of hooking up my aftermarket radio to make sure everything works...
I don't know how to hook up the PAC. I don't know if it hooks into the vehicle's harness or the aftermarket radio harness...or both. And if so, which connections??
When I removed the stock radio there were 5 total connections from the vehicle straight to the stock radio. Are all 5 of these connections from the vehicle going to be plugged right back into the aftermarket radio? Or will some go unused?
Where should I mount the GPS antenna? It shows mounted on the dash but I watched some videos that said you should mount it on top of the radio within the console.
Also for the USB connection...do I just plug the USB cable into the back of the head unit and then run the cable through the dash so the end is exposed so it can be plugged into a phone? Where is the best location to have the end come out?
So I removed my stock radio. I'm now in the process of hooking up my aftermarket radio to make sure everything works...
I don't know how to hook up the PAC. I don't know if it hooks into the vehicle's harness or the aftermarket radio harness...or both. And if so, which connections??
When I removed the stock radio there were 5 total connections from the vehicle straight to the stock radio. Are all 5 of these connections from the vehicle going to be plugged right back into the aftermarket radio? Or will some go unused?
Where should I mount the GPS antenna? It shows mounted on the dash but I watched some videos that said you should mount it on top of the radio within the console.
The Pac harness goes in between the aftermarket head unit and the vehicle to make it all plug and play. If you got your PAC pre wired, then the radio harness should already be connected. You plug the small black connector to your aftermarket head unit and the two larger grey ones go to the car. The small black connector or harness, came with your head unit. Crutch field removed it from the box to pre-wire and connect it to the PAC for you.
The GPS antenna gets mounted under the dash somewhere. Either on top of the head unit or on top of the center vent tube. It does not need to be exposed to work properly and will work just fine under the dash as long as it is not covered by something metal.
If I remember correctly there is one small plug that was removed from the stock head unit that does not get re-used.
So I tried plugging in the new aftermarket unit. It turns on and boots up...appears to be working, only thing is I get absolutely no sound coming from the speakers. I get no sound from anything. Also when the aftermarket unit is plugged in my Accessory mode won't even work. I get no dash lights, no anything. It's almost like the car won't turn on at all. As soon as I unplug the unit, Accessory mode works again...any ideas? Obviously I have something crossed but I don't know what.
The Pac harness goes in between the aftermarket head unit and the vehicle to make it all plug and play. If you got your PAC pre wired, then the radio harness should already be connected. You plug the small black connector to your aftermarket head unit and the two larger grey ones go to the car. The small black connector or harness, came with your head unit. Crutch field removed it from the box to pre-wire and connect it to the PAC for you.
The GPS antenna gets mounted under the dash somewhere. Either on top of the head unit or on top of the center vent tube. It does not need to be exposed to work properly and will work just fine under the dash as long as it is not covered by something metal.
If I remember correctly there is one small plug that was removed from the stock head unit that does not get re-used.
I got all of that figured out now, thank you much. Now I can't seem to get the sound working. I'm getting no sound and my car won't turn on when the radio is plugged in. As soon as I unplug it my car turns on...weird.
I'm getting sound now through the speakers. When I play Spotify via Bluetooth the sound is working great and there are no issues.
When I switch over to an FM radio station however, the sound will play for about 5 seconds and then mysteriously disappear and I get no more sound. This will happen every time I switch from Bluetooth to FM. I'll get sound on the FM station for about 5 seconds and then it'll disappear and go silent until I switch back to Bluetooth and then back to FM again. Any idea what would cause that?
Also while playing the FM station the display screen will show what song is playing, yet what's coming out of the speakers is a different song than what is displayed.
Even though I'm getting sound from the speakers, if I move the unit around I'll hear static through the speakers almost like there is a loose connection or something. As soon as I stop moving the unit the static will stop.
This is how I hooked it up just to test it out:
Any idea what these two connectors are for? Neither of them is plugged into my aftermarket unit:
This plug does not appear to seat properly in the connector it goes in. I push it in as far as it will go and it just doesn't appear to be all the way in:
05-18-2018, 11:05 PM
Removing stock radio
