qwank

THIS IS FOR A 2007

I searched and searched for this for days and couldn't find anything on this except for buying a $200 Kit from GM or an aftermarket kit that's now discontinued.

I work at a Gm dealer and studied the schematics and connector pinouts and decided that XM could be added to an XM ready radio, I might have to make a small 5 wire wire harness and add terminals to the connector behind the radio, but no big deal.

So I went to the junk yard in search for a Cobalt with XM, but not OnStar so I could have the smaller antenna. Three Cobalts, one with XM. sweet.

I yanked out the module, antenna, antenna cable and the connector for the module and two connectors for the back of the radio, so I would have terminated leads with the correct colors.

This is what I bought. Cost me $50:



Step 1: Remove package tray. not going into detail here.



What's that behind the right speaker there? Awesome! it's the stock XM module connector!!!!



Connect everything up and turn on radio and test:





Well, it worked but it's theftlocked. I didn't even have to add a fuse in the fusebox for the circuit. I'll unlock it at work tomorrow and then attempt the antenna install.

So to recap.

All you need to add XM to an XM rady radio is the module, antenna and antenna lead.

qwank

Ok, I guess we can't unlock these receivers at the dealer, but I found a place that does for $35 plus return shipping. Sounds reasonable

Global Automotive Technologies - Products

qwank

I was able to unlock the receiver using the method shown Here:

Grand Prixs Of North America • View topic - Remove XM THEFTLOCK From Used XM Modules Yourself.

I have so signal though. I'm wondering if the antenna needs to be grounded. I just have it sitting on the back deck

qwank

the antenna is working fine. I have no audio. I found the problem. connector C200 on the right side of the dash. It has the 4 audio wires going into it, but the dash side of the harness does not have them. So I am going to have to run some wires to the radio, or see if I can find a harness at the junk yard. I'll take the radio out tomorrow and check the wires going in, but I doubt it has them.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

did the antenna start working when you put it outside the vehicle? im thinking it didnt have a clear signal from just the window


sorta sucks it didnt end up being plug and play

xxenjoi11

iTrader: (10)

i jsut took all this out i would have given it to you man

qwank

Yeah, I had a terrible signal inside the car where I was. I was able to just barely reach it out the right side window and verified it worked. I also checked to make sure the lead was putting out between 4-5 volts and it was at 4.8 so I know the module is good.

I'll grab some terminals for the C200 connector at work today and try to get the rest of it done. I would be able to get back to the junk yard for a while so I wound be able to grab a harness or terminated leads.
It's just 3 wires and a drain wire. I'm going to try and find a shielded Cat5 wire to use as a harness.

I bet someone else on here could probably use it.

qwank

got the antenna installed today. pictures are pretty much self explanitory on this one. I used a 3/4" holesaw for the main hole, and a 3/16'' drill for the front hole for the alignment pin.

The long thin slot is where the headliner pushpin secures in. the large oval hole in front of it is the location of the antenna. drill a pilot hole as close to the center of this as you can.



closeup of the antenna area



make a template using the antenna and center it over the pilot hole you made. then drill you holes.





I put some seal sealer around the holes to make sure I don't get a water leak. I do this when ever I install spoilers or antennas or anything going into the body.

next mount the antenna on the roof. if your hole is the correct size you should hear an audible 'Click' letting you know the plastic retaining fasteners locked the antenna down.

after that, install the metal retainer and bolt from the underside, with a dab of blue locktite, and torque it down.



run your antenna lead to the right side and make all your connections and put your headliner back up.

The Rookie24

hey i have a 05 with xm and i installed a pioneer avh 8400 how would i hook it up to my new radio and what does the connector look like i could get a good view of you pic?

qwank

i honestly don't think you can hook the factory XM up to an aftermarket radio.

I did get this finished up today and it works great! I only took one pic though. i'll update in better detail when i get a chance

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

no not really you can try using the stock antenna but you need the aftermarket tuner for it to work

qwank

yeah, the factory antenna is the only thing that might work if you modify it. still better than using a magnet style antenna and running a wire though.

The stock XM module communicates with the radio by serial data, so there's no way to make it work with an aftermarket radio that I know of. Pioneer probably make an XM module that will work with your head unit, I had one in my other car for my Alpine.

blueLNFftw

iTrader: (16)

They do.
Its the SVX200V.

The question is how to get the OEM antenna to connect to that XM module.

What does the connector for the OEM antenna look like?
Is the XM module for the Cobalt built into the radio?

qwank

the factory XM module is on the rear deck between the rear speakers. The connector for the antenna is a mustard yellow color. Look at my pictures in post #1. it runs from the right rear c pillar down to the rear deck module with one connector in between.

There's a how to on using the factory antenna for an aftermarket module on the site if you do a search.

blueLNFftw

iTrader: (16)

Found it.

Those that wish to use the factory installed (OEM) XM antenna with an AFTERMARKET XM tuner need one of these two adapters from the OEM harness to connect to the aftermarket tuner box.

Vehicle Factory Dual Lead Antenna to XM/Sirius Adapter

Vehicle Factory Single Lead Antenna to XM/Sirius Adapter

The only question left is whether the Cobalts are single lead or dual lead.
Anyone?

++++++++++++

qwank.

Will you post up a picture of the end of the stock antenna from the car and a picture of the port it plugs into on the OEM XM unit.
Pretty sure our Cobalts are single lead connections.

qwank

The parts I used were single lead, dual lead may or may not be for XM with onstar. If you don't have onstar, it's definitely single lead

blueLNFftw

iTrader: (16)

Awesome.

That sums up that question then.


Anyone wanting to use the FACTORY XM antenna with an AFTERMARKET tuner needs the single lead harness posted here: Vehicle Factory Single Lead Antenna to XM/Sirius Adapter

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/elec...nstall-187440/

blueLNFftw

iTrader: (16)

Could do it that way, however, one would need to purchase the 15 foot IP-bus cable. That cable cost the same at the adapter I listed earlier. Installer has a choice to run the IP-bus back to front leaving the tuner in the rear deck or running the antenna extension to the front and installing the tuner there.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

yup the cable you posted would be the easiest plug and play but having the tuner mounted in the back instead of dangling behind the dash has its positive points as well. I was just posting it since someone asked

blueLNFftw

iTrader: (16)

I appreciate it.
Good to know that there are two ways to do this when before there were no ways posted.

I may honestly do it the way you posted for the exact reason you said, it will be easier to hide the tuner in the back than in the front with the double din screen, iphone, and GPS brain. It will just suck to pull the thicker and bigger IP-bus than the small antenna wire.

qwank

That pioneer set up on the back deck is real clean looking. I would spend the money on the 15 ft bus cable i f I was going aftermarket

qwank

here's a picture of the harness I made to go from the C200 connector to the back of the radio using a shielded cat 5 cable and terminated leads from the radio connector I got from the junk yard. this is the radio end, the C200 end is similar with the exception of being a 4th wire for the drain wire.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

damn where did u find cat 5 cable like that? thats a pretty good like 18g, i was expecting something closer to 22g

qwank

It was 22g LOL the stock wires 18g though. I just soldered them together. it's only low signal audio lines so it doesn't need to be that big. I have zero noise interference though so the shielded cable seems to be working.