So i finaly grew enough ***** and saved enough money to take out my facory stereo just like i did with all my other cars. And i heard all the hipe about the special harness and so on. I went around to so many places doing research, custom sounds, audio express, best buy, circuit city, etc. And they all told me the same thing. They all wanted 100$ plus for that goofy wiring harness. So after reading evrything u guys have wrote, some good and some bad. I decided to play it safe and have one of my buddies who worked for best buy buy me the 100$ harness for 50$ with his discount. Thought it wouldnt hurt.

I have a 06 Black Cobalt LS, and when isnatlling the special harness and new strereo and wiring it to the pink wire in the fuse box just liek teh instructions. It messed up my car, and all the functions that are dipalyed on the speedometer.

So after panicking and a bucnh oh wtf's i called my buddy who installs stereos and after relizeing that my door chimes were still working when the factory stereo was out (which i heard you are supposed to lose them) i relalizde i didnt need the 100 dollar harness. So iwent and got the 10$ one, but it did take some work, and i had to repin the harness becasue the speacker wires were in the wrong place, and i did have to run it directly to the pink wire dirctly under the fuse box. But overall it sounds great looks great, and it was a hassle but i saved a bout 120$.

SO HERES THE BOTTOM LINE.... I DONT KNOW ABOUT OTHER MODELS OF THE COBALT, BUT IF U HAVE AN LS THEN YOU DO NOT NEED A SPECIAL WIRING HARNESS.

I will post pics up as soon as I can

 

He's right, i had installations unlimited do my system, and they didn't need a special harnes or anything it was like 30 bucks for the install kit and harness...

 

Thats what a bunch of us have been saying.Glad to see more people learning the truth!

 

So what's the real deal with the other models?

 

what model? I have a SS S/C and its the same thing no special harness is needed.

 

Oh! Nice. The post was about an LS, that's why I asked. Good to know! Later...

 

i have the 2.4

 

yeah, I think i was one of the first people to do a cd player install. It was super easy and simple.

 

Its the same - no special harness needed.

However, the harness posted in the other thread appears to interface with the computer and offer a switched +12v wire so you don't have to run one to the fuse box. Which is really only needed to retain RAP if your car doesn't have a hot sunroof fuse.

 

I didn't feel like buying any harnesses at all, so i made my own. 12 guage all over. not that hard, but I only used one color, so anyone else who looks at it might get confused. But about the $100 pos, the first installer to look at my car turned the ignition to on and said if the airbag flashes like 7 times, it needs it, if it's like 4 then it doesn't. ours flashes some other amount like 9, he goes.....uh......yeah you're going to need one. *******. When I get funds, I am starting my own install shop. No idiots will install for me, if they are in training, a pro will hold their hand all the time.

 

I didn't feel like buying any harnesses at all, so i made my own. 12 guage all over. not that hard, but I only used one color, so anyone else who looks at it might get confused. But about the $100 pos, the first installer to look at my car turned the ignition to on and said if the airbag flashes like 7 times, it needs it, if it's like 4 then it doesn't. ours flashes some other amount like 9, he goes.....uh......yeah you're going to need one. *******. When I get funds, I am starting my own install shop. No idiots will install for me, if they are in training, a pro will hold their hand all the time.

 

I bought my harness and hooked it up just like any other harness... with the exception of the power wire... and it worked fine... no repin or anything like that...

 

cobalts arent the only cars like this... almost common in late model cars now...

 

where was this thread when i needed it.... lol now i can foget about that stupid harness and get the regular one (even when i e-mailed crutchfield they told me i needed it but i knew that was bs bc there are no dic controls in the radio)