Hello, I have a 2001 Monte Carlo LS with just over 38,000 orig miles on it!!! and the factory radio or amp was going bad I was getting sound only out of the left side. So I decided to replace the radio and had the amp under the rear package deck removed. All was fine the new stereo is a kenwood and has a built in amp.I had a stereo store well known here do the install. Well, I haven't used the car for 4 days and when I got in the car today I had a totally dead battery. No lights, nothing!!
I had to get a jump start. I KNOW this has to be from the radio install. I had aftermarket parts for the steering wheel controls and door chimes, I took it to a different car stereo store today to see what happened and they told me that the wiring and chime control and steering wheel control module were " generic" and had to essentially be "dialed in"" to work for my car. Long story short, they removed those suspect parts and put in a genuine GM wiring harness. They told me those generic steering wheel controls and door chimes can certainly cause a parasitic drain!! I now have no steering wheel sound control anymore ( I can live without that) but I do have door chimes.
I also did not want issues so I replaced the battery today, and had the alternator checked and that checked out very good.
I am worried now I will have this happen again

I usually go way overboard with service on my Monte!! It is in just about as good of condition as it was in 2001 when it was purchased.

I regretfully put in a autozone 700 CCA battery but this was a bad week. I hope these are good quality batteries ? part number >>2040057 > AutoCraft Silver Battery, Group Size 78, 700 CCA – 78-1

I hope the battery does as well as the napa legend battery did for us the past 18 months before my stereo killed it.
I never EVER had a starting issue with my car it is always garaged and not intentionally driven in rain ( unless we get caught in rain) and never EVER in snow we are in Florida.
Even after 2 weeks in the garage and no use, the car ALWAYS starts right up (most always the first turn of the key)
Autozone told me my napa legend battery was just "low" and should recharge after a 30 to 40 mile drive but I said nope, replace it. I am that way about my car.

Any advice on what the stereo store told me? is what they said true about those "generic" parts?

I suppose now daily I will at least open the door to see if the interior lights come on.
not sure if this happens again what needs to be done. Any advice is certainly appreciated!!

and fyi...this car has been the BEST MOST RELIABLE CAR I HAVE """EVER "" HAD........ WHAT A GREAT CAR!!! in all these years it has never EVER let us down (accept this issue) what a very reliable car and we love the Monte Carlo!!!

 

I hope that the new parts take care of your problem.
Please keep up updated!!

 

I never even knew GM had an official wiring harness for aftermarket stereo's. Seems weird to me... did you see the item in an official GM A/C Delco or such package? I have only heard of the "Metra Axxess GMOS Interface and the Pac Audio Interface. I have the GMOS system and it will have intermittent problems like killing the car mysteriously while driving on the freeway etc. I have read where the PAC Audio in a superior built system, thinking of switching to them at some point. Do you have a part number for that interface they put in for you? I would be interested in a good quality part for sure.

To have your battery die seems like a component was incorrectly hooked up to constant power and pulled it till the battery was drained.

Happy to read where you are so happy with your Monte Carlo, that's just BA! Keep it up with the maintenance and hopefully she will be with you years from now!