I've got an '04 with a factory radio that has settings and options for the oil life and other stuff, what happens if I want to change to an aftermarket radio? Is there anything bad that will happen? How can I still access these settings without the factory radio?

 

yeah u can still do the oil life with the gas peddle & the air monitor with the headlight switch

 

You can also rewire and mount the stock radio in the trunk if you wished.

 

Some say yes, some say no. This is my experience on changing out the factory deck for aftermarket:

Install went smooth, used a Scosche GM09SR interface to wire up the new deck. About a week later my ABS and Brake lights came on unexpectedly. I shut the car down, started it back up, they went away but would randomly come on every few days or so. Then they would stay on...then the airbag light lit up and would stay on...then the "service traction system" message came up, then the battery light would come on, then the traction system shut down altogether, then I got a code that indicated a bad abs unit, then the brake pedal would "pop" and the battery light would light up when I would try to stop or slow down, then my blinkers stopped working, then I started getting a random starting issue where I'd turn the key and the lights in my cluster would shut off then come back on a second later but the engine wouldn't crank, then it wouldn't start unless I had the shifter in neutral, then it just wouldn't start at all......................see my point?

So what I did was first, removed the aftermarket deck and put stock back in and then took it to the shop and they replaced the shift selector switch and reset my ecu. It's been fine ever since, no more codes, no more starting issue, no more issues with anything. So what i'm doing now is ordering the relocation harness from bestkits so I can keep the factory deck hooked up but it will be in the trunk, then I'll put my aftermarket deck back in.

I highly suggest you do the same

 

I've never had a problem after removing my factory headunit, and neither have most others that have removed it altogether by using the appropriate module. I used the PAC module, but I don't remember the exact part number. I have to think that the timing of the above story with replacing the head unit is simply coincidental, as I've never heard of anything else like that, and most of the vehical's system mentioned aren't related to the factory headunit at all.

Remote mounting the factory unit in the trunk is an option though, and would be the only way to adjust settings such as for keyless entry. Resetting the oil change and tire pressure lights is possible without the factory unit, as described in your owner's manual.

 

Great info thanks!!!

 

 

well thats a pretty nice set up there