Aftermarket Audio Equipment

[mchiles]

I have a 2003 Chevy Sububan Z71 with OnStar and a Delphi/Bose in-dash 6-CD changer with built-in XM satellite radio and steering wheel audio controls.

 

I prefer XM programming, while the wife prefers Sirius. We had both XM and Sirius FM modulated units in the 2001 Suburban we just traded for this 2003.

 

I had a FM modulated Sirius unit by Kenwood installed in the new 2003 Suburban

 

And the issue is.... That when the truck's engine is turned off, the aftermarket audio units also turn off even though the trucks in-dash radio stays on for ten minutes or until the driver's door is opened.

 

The installer at Circuit City said that the many of the newer GM vehicles have audio units that do not have an accessory power lead or a remote "turn on" lead that can signal external amps or CD changers to turn on or off. So my choices are to have the Kenwood/Sirius unit hook directly to the battery and be always "ON" or have the Kenwood/Sirius only on when the truck is "ON", regardless if the OEM radio is on or off.

 

Is this correct? Isn't there some way that an aftermarket satellite radio unit, external CD changer or entertainment center can be powered "ON" or "OFF" at the same time and/or by the same circuit as the factory audio unit?

 

This was not an issue with our 2001 truck. This same Kenwood/Sirius unit would stay on as long as the factory radio stayed on. However, the dash, driver information center and radio have all changed in 2003 from previous years. Perhaps the radio wiring has also??

 

Help... Anyone have an idea how to get around this issue?? What fuse to tap or wire to splice into?. Is there an aftermarket wiring harness I can buy and have installed? Is there some way that we can get the aftermarket audio equipment to stay as long as the OEM audio equipment stays on???

 

Thanks for any information or insight into this issue.

 

Mark Chiles

Rocky Mount, NC

[Wingnut]

You might be able to piggyback the accessory wire (from your aftermarket add-on) onto the (FM) antenna wire. That worked for me once about 10 years ago in a truck with a soup sandwich for wiring. I just squeezed it into the connection. Kind of an odd way of doing it, but it worked.

 

Or you can just add a fuse, and run it from there.

[Shotgun]

there is a fuse in the fuse box on the drivers side marked RDO on the diagram on the fusebox lid.It's a 10 amp fuse...If you piggyback your XM units power from there it will turn on and off with the facory unit or when you open the door

[mchiles]

Thanks, but there is not an RDO fuse on the 2003 Suburban. That is what I used to tap into on my 2001. The newer GM trucks and some cars are coming with a "Retained Accessory Power" system that appears to be a closed loop that can't easily be tapped into. If the truck/car is equpped from the factory with a Bose or other high-end audio, Power to the unit appears to be computer controlled through a serial bus link.

[lrymal]

On my '03 Silverado, I use the SEO ACCY fuse for an accessory turn-on. It is toward the top of the fuse panel and can be confirmed with a voltmeter. To safely tap into this circuit, I used an ADD-A-FUSE adaptor that plugs into your fuse slot. Costs $7.00. Very professional job and keeps you from hacking into your wiring.

 

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...t_ID=1527&DID=7

[mchiles]

Irymal,

 

In your using of the SEO ACCY fuse for an accessory turn-on. Does the accessory stay on with the radio and/or stay on until you open the door?? Does the ignition key have to be in the "ACC" postion or "ON" position for the accessory to operate?

 

Thanks

[Shotgun]

It can be done, but its a litle tricky. Found a dk green wire which was a sending signal wire. You need to tap off that and connect it to a relay. follow the link to complete the relay wiring. This will solve the problem, but like i said its a lot of work. ---->Relay Wiring

[mchiles]

Thanks Shotgun,

 

But the dashboard/audio wiring harnesses are completely different for the 2003s then they are for the 2001. I had a 2001, and what worked for a 2001, does not work on a 2003. When GM went to the redesigned dashboard in 2003, they also went to a "serial databus" design to reduce the wiring bundles behind the dashboard. Think of it now as a computer network, with a single set of wires connecting several units, with each unit have an unique address. Kind of like a set of USB devices for a car. On the newer trucks, the driver info center, audio/video, power windows, locks, seat controls, etc are all on the same network. I am trying to tap into the network to power another device.

[Shotgun]

This info is concerning 2003 models....Use the dk green wire to energize the relay.It will work if you want to go through all of this to keep your radio on til you open the door

[mchiles]

Thanks Shotgun, I will get with my installer and try it.

 

In which harness can the 'dark green' wire be found.

 

Sorry, but with your picture of a '01 truck, I thought you were giving me '01 info.

 

Thanks again,

 

Mark

[Shotgun]

the wire your looking to tap into connects to your factory radio.These guys could probably help you also.E Mail them and ask,I think they may make an interface that would be plug and play.Let me know what they come up with------>Peripheral

[mchiles]

I talked to engineers at both Peripheral and pac-audio today and they were no real help. Although they both make harnesses that will replace the factory radio while maintaining Onstar and RAP (retained accessory power) capabilities. Neither makes a harness to tap into the RAP / databus of the new GM radios to be able to add external audio/video equipment. The both make units that will allow external audio to be feed to the GM radio, but not to feed 12V power the external units. There is no "blue" remote power lead or power antenna lead out of the new GM radios.

[Shotgun]

well sounds like your only option is to add a relay

[04Chevy2500HD]

http://peripheralelectronics.com/2002/onstar.asp

 

I think someone gave you some wrong information. Cause that harness there does exactly what you want it to do and it sayes it will work on vehicles 2000-2003(which may be wrong)... Maybe I don't totally understand????

 

-David

[mchiles]

The Peripheral unit you list is for REPLACING the Delphi/Bose/OnStar head unit and eliminating the GM radio "Databus" harness. I want to keep the Delphi/Bose head unit which requires the "Databus" Harness to operate. According to a Peripheral engineer, I am SOL. They don't see a need to build such a replacement harness as I was told that most people want to replace their OEM head unit... I am sure that eventually, someone will built a pass-thru harness or a tap into the databus that will provide the power leads neccessary to power external amplifers, audio and video entertainment systems.