Hello Golds,
First off, I have never installed a head deck before. I own a 2000 Impala with a factory tape deck. I have minimal electronics experience, and I was confident until I looked into the facts for my car. First, the space for the head deck seems too narrow to fit a head deck, but they sell additional parts to make it work. The real shock came when I saw that removing my factory tape deck could disable my door warning chimes, or that the car might not start and I might have to put the factory tape deck in the truck and keep it powered!!
My car does not have OnStar, but the tape deck does have a traffic button on it, which means it's linked up to the door chimes. If anyone has experience with an Impala or any other vehicles that share this problem I would appreciate some feedback. What I thought would be a simple switcheroo has become difficult and I would really appreciate any guidance on this project.
Thanks so much for your time, I appreciate it very much.
Jonathan Sweney
Replies (8)
fractured on 06/28/2005 12:45:12
Wanted to add that I've noticed this site has some serious audio nuts, so I'm not going to try to insult your knowledge by putting a hairbrained topic on here. I really have no idea what I'm doing and just want to know if it's doable without any major rewiring. Thanks for your time again, sorry for the length.
lessismorespl on 06/28/2005 15:00:49
PAC makes an adaptor for almost every GM make/model. They vary in price, $49.99-$129.99. These allow you to keep your door chimes and steering wheel remotes, as well as other features. You must be very careful when reading the model numbers, some shops may even check your vin # b/c throughout those years(99-05) GM made so many different upgrades and classes of audio systems, that one may work, and another may only give you partial operation. Here is the link to the manufacturer website:
http://www.pac-audio.com/products/aai.htm
less
P.S. Here is the URL to the exact part you need:
http://www.pac-audio.com/auxbox/auxboxdetail.asp?mmSearch=Chevrolet&Submit2=Search+Vehicles&ID=59
UKinstaller on 06/29/2005 08:18:01
2000 and up impalas are a PITA to put radio's in. however, if you don't relocate the factory radio to the trunk, you will lose your door chimes, and you also won't be able to reset your "change oil" light if it comes on.
finally, you have to run an ignition wire from the ignition harness to behind the radio because the factory harness has no ignition wire.
to make matters worse, you have to take apart your entire dash to get the radio out. everything from the left side to the right side, except under the windshield. once you do that, you have to take down a heavy metal plate below the steering wheel that has 4 almost impossible to reach 10mm bolts holding it in.
after all that is done, you have to run a harness from where your factory radio is to the trunk, which really isn't that bad, except you have to find a place to put the factory radio. most people mount them to the rear deck in the trunk, but i just pull out the carpet on the front left side of the trunk and hide the radio back there. seems to work out good.
the harness to run from behind the radio to the trunk is $60 at circuit city. throw in a dash kit and antenna adapter to convert the GM antenna to an aftermarket radio, and you're looking at $90 just in parts.
we only charge $52 to put them in at circuit city, so i would strongly advise getting a professional to do it becauas a 2000+ impala is the absolute last radio that someone who has never installed before should install. they suck.
however, if you want to do it, i have the entire procedure pretty much memorized because i have done several of them. just holler and i'll walk you through step by step.
-UK
p.s.
if you use the PAC adapter that lessismorespl mentioned, you won't have to run an igntion wire, and you'll save your door chime, but you will NOT be able to reset your change oil light. that's done through the radio for some reason. i strongly recommend relocating the radio to the trunk.
fractured on 06/29/2005 10:29:23
Hey again,
Thanks less and UK for the knowledgable advise. I think I will reconsider installing a deck at all, as I don't want to pay $150-200+ just to get a deck in there, when I already have a factory tape deck which sounds good enough. I think I'll take the route that won't make me dabble in anything over my head and just get a nice mp3 player to use with the cassette adapter. I still might take the dash off and just have a look at the radio, as there is a tape/aux button and maybe I could hook up an mp3 player without using the cassette adapter at all.
Again, thanks to both of you for the comprehensive advise, I'm glad I got some perspective before I jumped into something I couldn't handle! This is a great site and I'll let all my audio nerd buddies know about it. Cheers!
Jon
lessismorespl on 06/30/2005 20:44:01
Both PAC and Metra make IPOD and MP3 adaptors for the factory radios, maybe that would be a nice way to go also, I have never really been impressed w/ the SQ of the tape adaptors.
compvr15s on 07/1/2005 01:33:33
i thought i read on a site somewhere its possbile to reset your change oil lite without the cd player. i think it was something like this:
1. Put key in ignition and turn to the Run position. (Do not start the vehicle though.
2. Press gas pedal 3 times in less than 5 seconds.
3.the light should not come on until the next time it is due to be serviced.
im not 100 percent on this, you can call a chevy dealer tho, im sure they could tell you this, also have you thought about a factory take out cdplayer.. maybe your local junk yard may carry them, from a wrecked vehicle or something like that... im pretty sure you can use a unit from a lumina, monte carlo, or maybe even the suv's.... just my two cents but im pretty sure you do not need the radio to reset the oil.
compvr15s on 07/1/2005 01:40:07
found a link.
http://impalahq.com/
click the how to option on the left side of the page, then go down to the factory stero with two red question marks on it, its labeled,"do you have a question about the sound system in your impala." it is the 7th question down, the method i gave above was correct
lessismorespl on 07/1/2005 07:36:36
I did some reasearch on it also UK, pretty much the rule of thumb is to install a harness in the trunk. Most do not keep the radio in the trunk, they just plug it in for 10 secs. when the light comes on. I find several of GM's more popular vehicles hard to work on. I really do not like the Infinity systems, or the Bose. I'm hoping the JL Audio Clean Sweep will make things a little easier when people want to keep the factory Bose, Infinity, and Monsoon source units, which seems to have become quite popular the last couple years.
less
First off, I have never installed a head deck before. I own a 2000 Impala with a factory tape deck. I have minimal electronics experience, and I was confident until I looked into the facts for my car. First, the space for the head deck seems too narrow to fit a head deck, but they sell additional parts to make it work. The real shock came when I saw that removing my factory tape deck could disable my door warning chimes, or that the car might not start and I might have to put the factory tape deck in the truck and keep it powered!!
My car does not have OnStar, but the tape deck does have a traffic button on it, which means it's linked up to the door chimes. If anyone has experience with an Impala or any other vehicles that share this problem I would appreciate some feedback. What I thought would be a simple switcheroo has become difficult and I would really appreciate any guidance on this project.
Thanks so much for your time, I appreciate it very much.
Jonathan Sweney
Replies (8)
fractured on 06/28/2005 12:45:12
Wanted to add that I've noticed this site has some serious audio nuts, so I'm not going to try to insult your knowledge by putting a hairbrained topic on here. I really have no idea what I'm doing and just want to know if it's doable without any major rewiring. Thanks for your time again, sorry for the length.
lessismorespl on 06/28/2005 15:00:49
PAC makes an adaptor for almost every GM make/model. They vary in price, $49.99-$129.99. These allow you to keep your door chimes and steering wheel remotes, as well as other features. You must be very careful when reading the model numbers, some shops may even check your vin # b/c throughout those years(99-05) GM made so many different upgrades and classes of audio systems, that one may work, and another may only give you partial operation. Here is the link to the manufacturer website:
http://www.pac-audio.com/products/aai.htm
less
P.S. Here is the URL to the exact part you need:
http://www.pac-audio.com/auxbox/auxboxdetail.asp?mmSearch=Chevrolet&Submit2=Search+Vehicles&ID=59
UKinstaller on 06/29/2005 08:18:01
2000 and up impalas are a PITA to put radio's in. however, if you don't relocate the factory radio to the trunk, you will lose your door chimes, and you also won't be able to reset your "change oil" light if it comes on.
finally, you have to run an ignition wire from the ignition harness to behind the radio because the factory harness has no ignition wire.
to make matters worse, you have to take apart your entire dash to get the radio out. everything from the left side to the right side, except under the windshield. once you do that, you have to take down a heavy metal plate below the steering wheel that has 4 almost impossible to reach 10mm bolts holding it in.
after all that is done, you have to run a harness from where your factory radio is to the trunk, which really isn't that bad, except you have to find a place to put the factory radio. most people mount them to the rear deck in the trunk, but i just pull out the carpet on the front left side of the trunk and hide the radio back there. seems to work out good.
the harness to run from behind the radio to the trunk is $60 at circuit city. throw in a dash kit and antenna adapter to convert the GM antenna to an aftermarket radio, and you're looking at $90 just in parts.
we only charge $52 to put them in at circuit city, so i would strongly advise getting a professional to do it becauas a 2000+ impala is the absolute last radio that someone who has never installed before should install. they suck.
however, if you want to do it, i have the entire procedure pretty much memorized because i have done several of them. just holler and i'll walk you through step by step.
-UK
p.s.
if you use the PAC adapter that lessismorespl mentioned, you won't have to run an igntion wire, and you'll save your door chime, but you will NOT be able to reset your change oil light. that's done through the radio for some reason. i strongly recommend relocating the radio to the trunk.
fractured on 06/29/2005 10:29:23
Hey again,
Thanks less and UK for the knowledgable advise. I think I will reconsider installing a deck at all, as I don't want to pay $150-200+ just to get a deck in there, when I already have a factory tape deck which sounds good enough. I think I'll take the route that won't make me dabble in anything over my head and just get a nice mp3 player to use with the cassette adapter. I still might take the dash off and just have a look at the radio, as there is a tape/aux button and maybe I could hook up an mp3 player without using the cassette adapter at all.
Again, thanks to both of you for the comprehensive advise, I'm glad I got some perspective before I jumped into something I couldn't handle! This is a great site and I'll let all my audio nerd buddies know about it. Cheers!
Jon
lessismorespl on 06/30/2005 20:44:01
Both PAC and Metra make IPOD and MP3 adaptors for the factory radios, maybe that would be a nice way to go also, I have never really been impressed w/ the SQ of the tape adaptors.
compvr15s on 07/1/2005 01:33:33
i thought i read on a site somewhere its possbile to reset your change oil lite without the cd player. i think it was something like this:
1. Put key in ignition and turn to the Run position. (Do not start the vehicle though.
2. Press gas pedal 3 times in less than 5 seconds.
3.the light should not come on until the next time it is due to be serviced.
im not 100 percent on this, you can call a chevy dealer tho, im sure they could tell you this, also have you thought about a factory take out cdplayer.. maybe your local junk yard may carry them, from a wrecked vehicle or something like that... im pretty sure you can use a unit from a lumina, monte carlo, or maybe even the suv's.... just my two cents but im pretty sure you do not need the radio to reset the oil.
compvr15s on 07/1/2005 01:40:07
found a link.
http://impalahq.com/
click the how to option on the left side of the page, then go down to the factory stero with two red question marks on it, its labeled,"do you have a question about the sound system in your impala." it is the 7th question down, the method i gave above was correct
lessismorespl on 07/1/2005 07:36:36
I did some reasearch on it also UK, pretty much the rule of thumb is to install a harness in the trunk. Most do not keep the radio in the trunk, they just plug it in for 10 secs. when the light comes on. I find several of GM's more popular vehicles hard to work on. I really do not like the Infinity systems, or the Bose. I'm hoping the JL Audio Clean Sweep will make things a little easier when people want to keep the factory Bose, Infinity, and Monsoon source units, which seems to have become quite popular the last couple years.
less
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