Clock works fine but radio will not turn on

[Flyn]

Cadillac dealership told me the Seville I bought needs an amplifier to repair the radio.

However, reading on the Cadillac forums I see fuses or radio anti theft listed as potential causes for this problem. I'm going to pull the rear seat tomorrow or whenever the rain stops to check the fuse(s) but I'm wondering if any of you guys have any experience with this problem. I don't want to buy an Ebay amp if the issue is with some other component.

2003 Cadillac SLS
Base radio NOT Bose
No navigation
Clock on radio works fine
CD will load and eject but doesn't play
No lights at all for radio power/station/any indication that radio is functioning.
Radio buttons do nothing except for CD eject button will eject CD when pushed.
Car "chimes" not working.

Looks to me like the radio itself is not turning on. I was hoping putting a CD in would turn it on but no luck. With the complex, integrated system, I have no idea how to diagnose and repair.

Click to read more...

 

[Flyn]

I'm getting a code from the IRC U1000 Current

Also IRC history codes U1064, U1065, U1160

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Lemon

 

[Flyn]

Thanks. That's helpful.

With what I paid for it, I can spend two grand on repairs and still be happy with this car. Drivetrain is good, several minor items need repair. Radio tops the list because... no radio sucks.

Worse comes to worst, I'll put a new DVD system in it but I'd rather spend a little and get the stock system working for now.

Crutchfield has this adapter if I do go aftermarket: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ROCiY0...-06-Cadillac-Factory-Integration-Adapter.html

 

[RICH17]

Sounds like its locked. But then it should show LOC on the readout like other GM vehicles

 

[Turk]

Dunno if this helps but I had the same problem with my S4. Radio worked fine, tuner said I was listening to the radio, or CD player but absolutely no audio out of the speakers. It ended up being the amp. Got a junk yard one for $200 I think.

 

[Soulonfire11]

just get a new aftermarket radio, its not worth the hassle to fix the crappy stock radio.

 

[Flyn]

As soon as the weather clears and I get the back seat out, I will check the fuses like most online help sites suggest. If I don't get lucky, I'll look up the model # of the amp and order one from Ebay. If that doesn't work, I'll bitch at the Caddy dealer and decide between an Ebay factory radio or an Alpine/Pioneer. I want to get the chimes working so I need to integrate the radio with the system. Problem with an Ebay replacement is you need the VIN from that car and have to pay the dealer to give you the code (bastards). If the head unit needs replacing, I'm leaning towards a better aftermarket unit with four preamp outputs that will integrate with the Caddy system. That way I can get a Bluetooth HU and hook my phone up.

Thanks guys! I'm hoping someone knows the codes but your advice is still good. Codes are for unable to communicate but I don't know why.

 

[1quick]

As soon as the weather clears and I get the back seat out, I will check the fuses like most online help sites suggest. If I don't get lucky, I'll look up the model # of the amp and order one from Ebay. If that doesn't work, I'll bitch at the Caddy dealer and decide between an Ebay factory radio or an Alpine/Pioneer. I want to get the chimes working so I need to integrate the radio with the system. Problem with an Ebay replacement is you need the VIN from that car and have to pay the dealer to give you the code (bastards). If the head unit needs replacing, I'm leaning towards a better aftermarket unit with four preamp outputs that will integrate with the Caddy system. That way I can get a Bluetooth HU and hook my phone up.

Thanks guys! I'm hoping someone knows the codes but your advice is still good. Codes are for unable to communicate but I don't know why.

im pretty sure you can just buy a harness for an aftermarket radio that would run it off the stock amp if thats what your talking about, the factory amps dont use rca's most of the time they just have a wire harness that plugs into them, its been a few years since I have done installs but thats how i remember it lol

 

[Flyn]

Yeah, the harness link is in my post above. The problem with the Caddy system is it's all integrated through the radio. Chimes, security, phone, etc. Easy for Cadillac, sucky for the rest of us.

 

[1quick]

welp i guess i should have read every post lol, that one you posted wont work tho if you dont have a bose system, the harnesses suck now every option has a different harness

 

[Flyn]

welp i guess i should have read every post lol, that one you posted wont work tho if you dont have a bose system, the harnesses suck now every option has a different harness

If you look about halfway down the link page, my car without Bose is selected and Crutchfield says "Fits". Looks like this harness fits both "Premium" and "Bose" systems.

I have installed many stereo systems over the years and it seems to me they get harder with each new model. Used to be simple to throw in speakers, a sub, amps, an EQ and a HU. Now, everything has to be compatible with the car's electronics and computer.

Fingers crossed that I get lucky and find a bad fuse. I found a used factory amp on Ebay for $50 so that's the next step if the fuses are OK. Looks like it's an easy plug and play for the amp install. It's probably harder to get the back of the seat out than to install the amp. Forums mention having to release four screws either down the back of the seat or from the trunk. If the system still doesn't work after that, it gets more complicated.