The sound of money, GM radio replacement

[Trindaddy]

Hello folks. Had a customer with a 2005 Silverado 2500HD in today with a radio issue. He had a "priceless" homemade CD of an old deceased friend stuck in his factory 6 disc receiver which he demanded it be removed at all costs. Upon removal, i found the cd unit jammed with the label from another homemade cd that was inserted. Upon removal i destroyed the cd module but retrieved his cds without harm. I was able to reassemble the deck without the cd module and the radio works fine.
We are now considering his options. After reading into this I'm finding out that this deck is another programmable module on the network! Here are the questions that arose:

-Can i put an aftermarket deck in? What are the repercussions?
-Can i get a used deck and reprogram it despite the "theft-lock" system?
-If we get a new one, can we independents program with the jbox and GM SPS?

Thanks again guys..................Neil

[greasybob]

Not sure about a new one but a used one will have to be unlocked with a Tech 2. What I ussually do is just take the cd player out of another radio from a salvage yard and put that player into the old radio, no programming required this way. The six cd changers are nothing but trouble. If replacing the whole radio I recommend putting one with a single cd player back in. Not sure if the pass thru can program one or not.

[greasybob]

Just for the record I had an 05 Malibu Maxx scheduled in today with an inoperative 6 cd changer and had a used radio assembly on stand by. Before remving and just replacing the changer in the original radio I thought I would try and reprogram the used radio to see if that would unlock it. The short answer, NO, still locked so I just swapped the CD changers, about a ten minute job, and it was good to go. Maybe someone else knows how to unlock a GM radio with the PTP ll. I though maybe you could erase the ID and replace it with the old ID.

[tech12]

Malibu Max radio setup

This is the procedure from GM SI for radio replacement in a 2005 Malibu Max:

Radio Setup
To setup a new radio for the vehicle, complete the Module Replacement/Setup procedure under the Radio menu of the scan tool.
Cycle ignition when complete.

It is not programming per se but a set-up process using a Tech2. I believe it just clears the VIN and the new VIN sets up on the next key-up. I have done this procedure many times. It takes about 5 sec.

[greasybob]

Thanks for the reply, I was just hoping that reprogamming the radio thru the PTP ll would have the same effect as what the tech ll does, even if it takes 5 minutes unstead of 5 seconds, would still save a trip to go borrow a tech ll or a trip to the dealer for a radio replacement. The set up may be more a function of the BCM and may be just a handshake as the airbag modules are. As common as radio replacements are on GM vehicles ( burned out face plates, wore off buttons and inoperative CD players) that this would be a function that Snap On would give us in the scanner software.

[normanatlm]

would be nice to be able to unlock them gm radios, just put a factory cd player in a 04 impala, and locked.