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Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:45 pm
by Crusader556
I am installing an iS31 in my wife's 2007 Vibe which has the factory radio and CD in it. Where should I connect red power and black ground wires? Do these wires need to be spliced into the existing wire harness or is the a better way to connect them?
Thanks in advance!
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 6:03 am
by Salsa Guy
There are small splice connectors you can buy and are a simple crimp on. I believe it's a 3M product and are at most Autoparts stores.
According to my 2005 Vibe Manual ignition power is the Grey and Ground is Brown on the Head Unit. However there are several different HUs/Amps for these cars and my drawing are 2 years removed from your car.
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 8:58 am
by Water boy
Those blue in-line crimp-on are too big for the tiny conductor of the harness wires. I just spliced in an extension. Thus I'm assured of a positive connection.
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:21 am
by Salsa Guy
The red ones are smaller. This thing shouldn't be drawing any major current at the most .5 amps. Cutting, stripping and soldering 3 wires in a tight area is tough. That's why I'd suggest the crimp on type.
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:32 am
by Water boy
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:34 am
by Water boy
Salsa Guy wrote:The red ones are smaller. This thing shouldn't be drawing any major current at the most .5 amps. Cutting, stripping and soldering 3 wires in a tight area is tough. That's why I'd suggest the crimp on type.
Don't think I've seen the
red ones.
That maybe why I did the extensions.
Good to know.
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:04 pm
by Salsa Guy
They have Yellow, Blue, Red (big to small). I should know the gauge size off hand but I don't.
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:26 pm
by Water boy
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:36 pm
by ttkammer
I installed one of these in my 2007 Vibe, but I purchased the ISGM73 model. Here's the write-up I did as a review of the product on Amazon (rather than typing the whole thing again)...
I purchased the ISGM73 iPod Interface for my 2007 Pontiac Vibe and I couldn't be happier. It arrived on my doorstep in less than 48 hours, the install was very simple, and the sound quality of this product is top-notch. I didn't read too many reviews that discussed installation, so here are a few pointers I picked up along the way.
I spent a total of about two hours doing the install, but I could probably do it in under an hour if I had to do it again. Obviously, removing the stereo was the first step. Piece of cake. Once out, one end of the supplied harness was plugged into the open port on the back of the stereo (my Vibe didn't come with the factory CD Changer, or even the wiring... which made it even easier). The other end of the harness was then plugged into the supplied interface module. The last thing to do... supply power to the harness assembly/module. I tapped into the 12 volt constant power source that feeds the stereo through the factory stereo harness (in my Vibe, it was the blue wire with the white stripe). I used one of those two-wire blade-type compression connectors, and then double checked that the interface end of the harness was receiving power with a test light. I then grounded the black wire to a piece of metal behind the stereo with a circular wire connector and a sheet metal screw. The last thing to do... connect the data cord to the interface, run the cord under the console, and plug in the iPod (iPod Classic 80 GB). Instantly, the little "charging" lightning bolt on the iPod came on. I then simply pressed the CD/AUX button on the stereo, and voila... music was flowing (Audioslave, I believe:).
I played around with the EQ setting for a moment or two, and then turned it up. THE BEST THAT THE STEREO HAS EVER SOUNDED! Crisp, clean, clear, and loud (without any distortion). As far as the stereo controls and their interaction with the iPod... they work, but are a bit slow and clumsy. The "next track/previous track" up/down arrows on the stereo work great, but trying to use the factory buttons to search for music would be cumbersome (trying to use the "time advance" feature to get to a particular place in the song is also a little slow to respond). I usually just set my iPod to shuffle and just skip to the next song if need be, so using all the stereo controls isn't that big of a deal to me. If that is of concern, know that the controls of the iPod are still completely functional (this product doesn't cut-off the iPod controls when plugged in). When you turn the car off, the iPod will pause and continue charging (although it takes about 10 seconds for the iPod to recognize that the car is shut down and pause). When you turn the car on, the iPod come out of sleep/charge mode and picks back up where you left off. My one and only complaint...the track/artist info doesn't display on my stereo face. It displays "D1 - T1" (disc one, track one), and then advances tracks as I skip ahead (D1 - T2, D1 - T3, etc...). It would be nice to have the feature, but not that big of a deal to me.
Overall... I am thrilled! My 30 mile commute to work just got a whole lot better!
Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:16 pm
by Crusader556
Okay, I got the install almost completed but now the antenna connectors on IS31 are too big for the antenna connector for the factory radio!
It looks like I need an adapter for the antenna to attach to the IS31 and then another adapter so I connect the IS31 back to the radio.
As far as I can tell the antenna connectors on the factory radio are smaller than the ones on the IS31 antenna input/output connectors.
Does anyone know what type adapters need? I was really trying to get this done so my wife can use it tomorrow and now I have everything apart and all the stores are probably closed already...

Re: Need some help installing iSimple IS31
Posted: Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:33 pm
by Water boy
Walmart should have that adaptor in stock in the car stereo section in automotive.
Or just about most auto supply houses.