Install Aftermarket Head Unit 06 LS(Lots O Pics)
 

I searched around but didn't find an exact link so I decided to make one, but found great info on the site. I have an 06 LS so im not sure if it will work with the other models but it's worth a shot.

TOOLS NEEDED:
9/16 Ractchet
Butt Connectors(or Electrical Tape)
Crimper
GM wiring harness 93 or higher(no pic of box but got it at walmart)
05(06) Cobalt Dash Install Kit (no pic but got it at brandsmart usa)
Screwdriver(phillps or star)
Needlenose pliers


First:When you get the wiring harness it needs to be repined. Take your needle nose pliers and one by one gently but firmly remove ALL the pins from the grey harness. Cut away all the extensions from the grey harness to the blue harness, you won't need the blue harness part. Then insert the pins in this order:(originally posted by theboy16 thnks)
a1- white/black
a2- white
a3- purple/black
a4- purple
a5- green/black
a6- green
a7- grey
a8- grey/black
a9- blue/white
a10- orange
a11- empty
a12- black

b1- yellow
b2-b12 empty

Second:Remove paneling around stock radio, remember to take the lower panel under the steering wheel to take the trim out on the left and open the glove box to take the trim on the right, they all just pop off, but be careful.

Remove the screws around the stock radio
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0052.jpg[/IMG]

Remove the stock radio
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0053.jpg[/IMG]

Here are some pics of the wiring harness. this is the A Side
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0054.jpg
[/IMG]

And The B Side
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0055.jpg[/IMG]

Next you must crimp the wires from the GM harness to the aftermarket radio harness,
follow your colors! ATTENTION!!! The GM harness does not have a 12V switch so you can
tap into a fuse or a wire so that your radio turns on when you turn your key. I DID NOT
WANT TO TAP INTO ANY STOCK WIRING so i sliced the RED wire with the YELLOW CONSTANT wire.
This means my radio DOES NOT TURN OFF WHEN MY KEY COMES OUT! But i like it that way. i always remember to take my radio out.

Here are the harnesses crimped
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0056.jpg[/IMG]

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0057.jpg

I finished it off with eletrical tape, so it stays all together.
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0058.jpg[/IMG]

Next put your aftermarket radio in the dash install kit, follow the kit's directions.
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0059.jpg
[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0060.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0061.jpg[/IMG]

Next plug your aftermarket harness into the aftermarket radio
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0062.jpg[/IMG]

And plug it in where your stock radio was
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0063.jpg[/IMG]

then install your aftermarket radio back into the empty slot, This one was actually a little
longer than clearance allowed so it sticks out a bit.
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0064.jpg[/IMG]

FINISHED RESULT!!!
[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...y/IMAG0065.jpg[/IMG]

AND THERE YOU GO!!! I LOST NO DOOR CHIMES WHAT SO EVER except of course when you open your door and the radio shuts off because mine stays on. But this way if I want to install the stock back it's really simple. NO $100 harness!!!!! Thanks, comments and questions or mistakes just let me know. This is my Fist How To!!! thanks again

approved

Nice job, ill keep this close just in case when i need it.

later

thanks :cssNET:

nice,how to
so you just cant take the panel around the stereo out,you have to take all panels out,under steering wheel,etc?


thank you

yea because the panel around the radio has tabs under the two trims to each side, one over the glove box and one with the info buttons. take those two off and the radio panel will be a breeze
:cssNET:

the ls base model doesnt need the 100 dollar harness, the others do if they want to retain factory warning chimes

Great tutorial I just have two questions. Is there a way I could wire it so that it would turn off and on when the car does so? Can I also get it to run off the capacitor till the car automatically shuts it off or when I open the door?

FYI a good fuse to tap for the red wire is the sunroof fuse (best) or windshield wiper fuse

First question, Yes. You can use a fuse, like the sunroof or windsheild wipers, to tap into for your red switched wire or tap into a wire that runs something that turns on when you turn the key, i saw it on a thread but not sure right now which one. If i find it ill post it on.
Second, because i didn't want to mess with any stock wiring i ran my red wire through the constant wire so my radio stays on constantly so I don't know. sorry bud

So with the whole 12v situation, would it make sense why my aftermarket deck isn't turning on?

If you don't have the red wire connected to anything then yep that would be the case. If you have an aftermarket head unit with a detachable face, when you pull it off you'll see the radio will probably have a light thats on or blinking cause you'll have constant power via the yellow wire but it won't SWITCH on cause the SWITCH red wire isn't connected. Either splice it with the constant(it will always stay on untill YOU switch it off manually) or tap a fuse or splice a stock wire Here is a great referencehttps://www.cobaltss.net/forums/show...light=switched

Nice how too, :thumb:

nice, you have a similar deck to mine, i have the KDC-MP2035, mine straigh forward plug and play, i plug up the harness's, and connected the red power wire to the wiper fuse under the dash, and that was it, work fine, but nice how too

ps-crutchfield give you everything you need with the install free when you buy a deck from them :D along with instructions, that are vehicle specific

thanks, yea im signed up wit crutchfield but i got this head unit free cause it was girlfriends but she bought a new car and i wanted an mp3 player so i put it in.

subscribed

Okay I got my deck to power one but i have no sound, all my wires are hooked up correctly. Now I talked to a mechanic and he said something about the stock amp and I have to splice into it... Does anyone know how to?

So where does the brown wire go? It is the ground right? i thought it went in to the chassis, but u have it connected to the harness??im doing my install tomm just want to make sure i do not want to fry nething up haha

would this work with a ss/sc?

I've spliced the red with the yellow constant but my head unit still won't turn on. Any ideas, maybe my head unit is dead, is there any way to check if its dead?

check the fuse on the back side, most cd players have a 10a fuse on it

if red and yellow are getting 12v and black is grounded then the hu should work (along with fuse intact like 88 said)... test it on a 12v battery and see what happens

Thanks I figured it out why it wouldn't turn on. The antenna adapter was loose, had to get in there with a flat head screw driver to open it up a bit to fit tightly in there :confused::confused::confused:

not sure if it would work seeing as ss/sc cobalts came with sound packages

hey i got this done at a local audio shop and the guy
couldnt get the radio to turn on when i turn the key to
ACC it only powers when i turn the whole car on! he tap
the airbagfuse with the red cable. any one know what ican
do to fix the problem so i can listen to my music with the car
off? thanks in advance