How To: Display gone bad on your Pontiac Radio?

[Wandering Mind]

l33t_tj, check your owner's manual for details. The anti-theft is tripped when you disconnect the power from the stereo. As Shadow-D said, take your time working inside the stereo and everything will be fine. When you put your stereo back into the car, it will ask you for a code. This will happen whether you disassemble the stereo, or just unplug it.

Does this site contain a respository of owner's manuals in .pdf format? If not, I have a good number of Grand Am .pdf owner's manuals I can post, from the mid 90's through to 2005...

[Shadow-D]

I didn't have a problem with the anti theft on my radio... I think as long as you are putting the same radio back into the same car it will work fine.

[l33t_tj]

Well I went ahead and pulled the radio out and replaced the bulb. I wasn't able to get an exact match, so I got a 12 volt "Instrument/Dash Light". The bulb itself was much bigger than the one I found inside the radio, but I managed to modify the little white plastic redirector piece to fit the bigger bulb.

I plugged it all in and tested it and it worked great, until I started the car.

When the engine is running the daylight running light system makes the radio display painfully dim, it is readable, but not in direct light. When you pull the handbrake, the display lights up like it does when the car is in ACC mode and the display is bright and easy to read.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to fix this? I was thinking of finding some way to disable the dlrs ability to dim the interior lights. I like having the lights automatically go on and off with the amount of light outside, so I don't really want to completly disable the system.

I was also thinking of temporarily running a power wire with a switch from the cigarette lighter power line to the bulb in the radio, that would work as long as I remembered to turn the switch off.

[Shadow-D]

Check your dimmer switch and make sure that it is at full bright.
Did you at least keep one of the old bulbs? If you did you can bring it to an electronics shop and they can match it up with one that is close if not the same one for ya...

[l33t_tj]

What about disconnecting/cutting the dimmer wire to the headunit? Would that make the display always be bright or would it make the display always be dim?

If cutting it would make it always dim, I could always hook the dimmer wire up to a 12v source to make the headunit think it should be bright.

Does that make sense?

[Shadow-D]

That wire doesn't only control your display, it also controls the lighting of the buttons.
Did you save or have the original bulbs?

[l33t_tj]

Originally Posted by Shadow-D

That wire doesn't only control your display, it also controls the lighting of the buttons.
Did you save or have the original bulbs?

So if I clip the dimmer wire will it make the display backlight and the button lighting go off or stay bright?

[Shadow-D]

I think it will make them stay bright but why do you want to hack it up rather than spend the time to fix it right?
You've gone this far, just fix it right...

[Wandering Mind]

Originally Posted by l33t_tj

Well I went ahead and pulled the radio out and replaced the bulb. I wasn't able to get an exact match, so I got a 12 volt "Instrument/Dash Light". The bulb itself was much bigger than the one I found inside the radio, but I managed to modify the little white plastic redirector piece to fit the bigger bulb.

I plugged it all in and tested it and it worked great, until I started the car.

When the engine is running the daylight running light system makes the radio display painfully dim, it is readable, but not in direct light. When you pull the handbrake, the display lights up like it does when the car is in ACC mode and the display is bright and easy to read.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to fix this? I was thinking of finding some way to disable the dlrs ability to dim the interior lights. I like having the lights automatically go on and off with the amount of light outside, so I don't really want to completly disable the system.

I was also thinking of temporarily running a power wire with a switch from the cigarette lighter power line to the bulb in the radio, that would work as long as I remembered to turn the switch off.

Sounds to me as though you might not have used a bright enough bulb as your replacement.

A 1.2 watt 12 volt bulb works ideally in all situations for me.

What you refer to as your DRL's, I believe, is actually your ALC (Automatic Light Control). When it gets dark outside, the head lights come on, and your stereo lights inherently dim. Had you used a bright enough replacement bulb, your LCD display would not be so painfully dim when the ALC kicks in at dusk.

Personally, I wouldn't hack on it any further, and I would source some appropriate and brighter bulbs, perhaps those I suggested earlier in the thread...

[l33t_tj]

The reason I don't want to put too much time and money into the stock radio is that I am getting a new fancy headunit for christmas. Also the stock headunit has lots of other problems including the volume knob not working sometimes and the cassette deck sounding terrible. I just want to have the display working to have a clock and know what side of the tape or radio station I'm on.

I don't want to completely overhaul the stock radio because I am getting a newer better one in just a month and a half.

[Shadow-D]

Well I do understand where you are coming from but If it was me, I'd still go out and buy the correct bulbs and fix the lights the right way rather than hack up the harness that will also effect the new radio...

[LAMARboarder]

Originally Posted by ddecker

Original style bulb is a 2721MF available from O'Rielly's Auto Parts at $1.29.

So, after reading this whole thread, I'm pretty confused as to what bulb exactly I need. Is ^^That^^ it? Do they need to be red bulbs or are they just clear? That part is shown with a little plasticy connector thinger on it, while the ones from Corvette Radios don't have that. I'd love to use the real bulb (obviously as inexpensively as possible), and dear God no Christmas light bulbs...

[Shadow-D]

The bulbs are clear and you have to do some soldering to do this repair.

[Tebore]

Thanks guys.

In my case the bulb wasn't bad but it was the solder pads that Delco decided to use as contact points on PCB had melted and oxidized so bad no current could get through. I had to remove the old crappy solder lay on some nicer solder and coat the surfaces with de-oxit. I suggest using de-oxit on any crappy environment as it really helps keep the surfaces oxidation free and removes oxidation.

I accidentally broke the bulb while I was removing the socket so I had to use the X-mas tree bulb. It actually works out quite well I just dipped the the bulb in water and alcohol for a while to remove the color coating and it's plenty bright.

[Misiu22]

here's my problem, when i turn the headlights on the radio light dims out but the radio still plays music, but when the headlights are turned off the radio light is bright and seems to work fine. now would this be an electrical problem or do i just need a new bulb, and use the instructions given to replace it?

thanks, Mike

[Starflare5]

Ok,

Apparently, from what I've read, their haven't been many of you following the Keep It Simple and Stupid adage here. I've read people using the wrong bulb types and all sorts of oddities.

Get yourself a pack of the 12 volt Christmas bulbs, for Class 2 radios, solder them in and remember to cut about 1/8 of and inch to a 1/4 of an inch from the top and bottom center of each plastic lamp guide. For older radios, just remove bulb and socket , remove the old bulb carefully from the socket, and install the Christmas bulb in it's place. The instructions I have written for both are posted here on page 1 of this topic. It works, it's simple and easy, will not be horribly dim, and is inexpensive as well.

Quick tip: The type of bulb that is used for the Class 2 (3 bulb display) radios is actually a common medium to large size 12 volt hobby bulb for which you can also find in most hobby shops as well.

I have done this and tried this method on both types of factory radios, so I have tested it.

Just thought I'd get my advice in there.

Thank you,
Starflare5.

[Starflare5]

Originally Posted by Misiu22

here's my problem, when i turn the headlights on the radio light dims out but the radio still plays music, but when the headlights are turned off the radio light is bright and seems to work fine. now would this be an electrical problem or do i just need a new bulb, and use the instructions given to replace it?

thanks, Mike

Hey Mike,

This actually could be one of 4 issues or might be a combo of. Since you have a 2002 GA, I would suspect that it uses the newer class 2 radio that is "calibrated" to the vehicle.

The display may or may not dim properly unless it is correctly programmed to the vehicle for one depending on what version or series of class 2 radio it is. There is also a firmware upgrade that actually addresses this very issue from a GM dealer as well.

Another issue could be the radio itself. The radio may have a failed or damaged component within it, and, in that case, would mean replacement of the head unit.

Another issue could be the pulse dimmer circut in the lamp adjust switch itself. This circut in all GM vehicles specifically controls the radio display brightness. If this is going bad, pretty much, the radio display might be it's only indicator being that not many other features in the vehicle actually use it.

Last, but not least, could be the wiring in your dash. Remove the radio and make sure that there are no crossed or damaged wires. As I mentioned, there is that pulse dimmer that is controlled by a brown/w stripe (might be white or black depending on vehicle) wire. This might be where you'll want to start.

I hope this helps you,

Starflare5

[Misiu22]

Originally Posted by Starflare5

Hey Mike,

This actually could be one of 4 issues or might be a combo of. Since you have a 2002 GA, I would suspect that it uses the newer class 2 radio that is "calibrated" to the vehicle.

The display may or may not dim properly unless it is correctly programmed to the vehicle for one depending on what version or series of class 2 radio it is. There is also a firmware upgrade that actually addresses this very issue from a GM dealer as well.

Another issue could be the radio itself. The radio may have a failed or damaged component within it, and, in that case, would mean replacement of the head unit.

Another issue could be the pulse dimmer circut in the lamp adjust switch itself. This circut in all GM vehicles specifically controls the radio display brightness. If this is going bad, pretty much, the radio display might be it's only indicator being that not many other features in the vehicle actually use it.

Last, but not least, could be the wiring in your dash. Remove the radio and make sure that there are no crossed or damaged wires. As I mentioned, there is that pulse dimmer that is controlled by a brown/w stripe (might be white or black depending on vehicle) wire. This might be where you'll want to start.

I hope this helps you,

Starflare5

S***, I'm so sorry! my year is wrong, i have a 2000 grand am gt.
there fixed the year.
would the problems still be the same? its not the monsoon cd player.
so sorry.

thanks, Mike

[Starflare5]

Originally Posted by Misiu22

S***, I'm so sorry! my year is wrong, i have a 2000 grand am gt.
there fixed the year.
would the problems still be the same? its not the monsoon cd player.
so sorry.

thanks, Mike

Hey there Mike,

Being as that you have a 2000 GA, you do not have the computer integrated radio, so, no claibration would be necesarry. With that said, you can disreguard the part about having the radio programmed, and/or a firmware upgrade.

Now, that only eliminates one of the possible issues. There still could be a wiring issue, issue with the head unit, or a pulse dimmer issue.

Since the pulse dimmer works by electronic signal also, you might want to have someone test it for you.

I hope this helps,
Starflare5.

[Misiu22]

Originally Posted by Starflare5

Hey there Mike,

Being as that you have a 2000 GA, you do not have the computer integrated radio, so, no claibration would be necesarry. With that said, you can disreguard the part about having the radio programmed, and/or a firmware upgrade.

Now, that only eliminates one of the possible issues. There still could be a wiring issue, issue with the head unit, or a pulse dimmer issue.

Since the pulse dimmer works by electronic signal also, you might want to have someone test it for you.

I hope this helps,
Starflare5.

okay, thanks so much Starflare