Aftermarket HU Problems???

[valleyguy]

Hello out there. Newbie here. I just got my 2005 Vibe with 25000 kms on it (LOVE IT!!!) and I would like to upgrade the stock head unit. I went to my local stereo shop and the sales guy said I might have a problem with an aftermarket deck working in conjunction with my air bags, door chimes and seat belts. He would need to pop out the factory deck to check what wiring I had. For $20 he could do it in 10 mins. Sounded like a scam so I left. Is he crazy or is there something to that. He made it seem like I was asking for the world. I see a lot of pics on this site with Vibe's with aftermarket decks in them...Do you all have no airbags and door chimes. What's going on.? Any help would be greatlt appreciated.

[MRCN RCE]

i have an 05 with moon and tunes, and THERE'S NO PROBLEM with replacing the HU. the air bags and everything else are connected to other things on the panel, but NOT the HU. i'd go somewhere elsebtw, welcome to genvibe

[darcmater]

I know when I got my hu installed the place wanted to charge me like 100 bucks to instal soem little thing so that if I left my headlights on the chime would would still work. From what they and othe rplaces have told me a lot of new cars run stuff thru the head unit. I don't know how accurate that is though

[02csnow]

The guy you spoke to is talking about an interface module. On most of the GM's the chimes run through the radio and if you replace the radio you need that. But that is not the case with the vibe since it is not all GM. If you take the radio fully out and then put your key in and go to the on position, you will still hear the chimes. So you do NOT need the interface that he was speaking about.If you just have the basic radio, you just need a harness, dash kit, and antenna adapter.If you have the Moons and Tunes Package or Sun and Sound Package. You will need everything as the basic radio plus a line level to adjust the level going to the stock amp.

[kunkstyle]

Right on the money. Your install shop wasn't trying to scam you, just unfamiliar with your car.Most new GM vehicles are a serious PITA to upgrade the stereos. I'm in the process of upgrading my father's GMC Sierra, and in that, airbags, Onstar, and door chimes are all routed through the headunit. No problem in the Vibe though!

[valleyguy]

Thanks for all your info. Why does GM (in other cars thankfully) run so many things through the HU. I doesn't make any sense to me.