Stereo change debacle

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Gotta give a hand to the GM engineers who made this a difficult as possible. Granted there may be more difficult change outs but for the year and what this is shouldn't be. All the other radio's I've replaced up to now you either just popped a console out or just pulled the radio out. One thing for sure if someone wants to steal this radio.. it would be easier just to steal the RV!!

The Delco radio the CD player wouldn't eject CD's and the radio reception was terrible. Put in a Dual XDM260, mainly wanted the AUX input and couldn't spend alot right now. Decided not to put a module in for the alerts etc and wired it so I'll have to turn it on/off by the power button. Ok since it's a RV and only driven max a couple times a month, and sometimes we use it during pit stops and parked.

Jayco in their lacking wisdom put the rear speakers in with a mix of parallel and series with the front, 12 ohms all together. The stock were 8's. Was able to run some wire to the surround sound speaker locations so for now using those speakers (4 ohms). Now I can turn off the back speakers when the kids are watching TV. Sounds 100 percent better and at least 2x as loud.

Now have to go back out and put the dash back which of course broke right over the steering column.. I'm looking forward to changing the Escape's it'll be simple.

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Really? That job is not hard. You should of had that out in 5 mins tops. Put the shifter in 1st, pop the dash bezel off and remove. Remove 4 screws and the radio is out. Sounds like the upfitter (Jayco) did the poor engineering on this one.
 
oops - nevermind I was thinking regular pickup/suv. That's an RV chassis and looks a little different.
 
5 mins.. I'd hope Took 20-30 with figuring out where all the snaps were and unplugging EVERYTHING. And the shifter was in 1st and still wouldn't slide out.
 
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GM trucks from that era had the snap in dash bezel but you would be very lucky, very careful or both if you did not break the hazard switch when removing the dash. The switch is right on top of the steering column cover and right in the way of removing the dash. After hearing of a few other installers breaking the switch, which was about a $300.00 repair at the GM dealer, I started removing the lower knee bolster panel and the 4 main bolts that held the steering column in place. Then I just let the steering wheel rest on the driver's seat so I could get that dash bezel out without breaking the hazard switch or anything else.
 
Thought about that after the fact it would of been easier. Got the dash put back together without incident. The new radio looks right at home. No warning lights on the dash from removing the radio.. I've heard that floating around the net.
 
When I had my 2002 VW Jetta, the people at Fry's Electronics needed almost 8 hours to do the job.

That made me question whether or not I should buy a VW in the future.
 
The newer vehicles are even worse. Not even close to DIN sizes and in some cases only a faceplate is in the dash.

I've come to accept that any vehicle I buy moving forward will probably have to retain the OE headunit.
 
Interesting how my sisters Buick Somerset basically had that setup and that was back in 86, loved that car. Now there going back to it. Typically I would buy would the features I wanted and not replace the radio until it fails. Which has happened around the 10 year mark on all three of my vehicles. By then the parts are cheaper and others have figured it out!
 
Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
The newer vehicles are even worse. Not even close to DIN sizes and in some cases only a faceplate is in the dash.

I've come to accept that any vehicle I buy moving forward will probably have to retain the OE headunit.

Yes, you have to get an adapter, but this isn't news. The Nissan Maxima had a non-DIN sized unit back in 1985. The problem is that the number of cars built this way are more common.

Some cars, especially GM cars integrate many extra functions in the stereo, and adapters aren't always cheap or even available.
 
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