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18K views 37 replies 10 participants last post by  Bud veatch 
#1 ·
I have a 96 Fletwood Brougham and when I pulled the factory radio to put a aftermarket one in there was no plugs back there. Someone told me the wires to the radio were in the trunk. What the hell? Any suggestions?
 
#3 ·
Yes, the radio in the dash is essentially a remote, with the main brains in the trunk.

That said, it's really not bad to work around, AND Metra makes a harness EXACTLY for it. I wondered too, and over this past Christmas, used my lack of electronic skills to install the harness and my new Pioneer head unit.

We started a great thread on another forum, but it's down at the moment...I'll post the link momentarily.

Essentially, you just need to get whatever head unit of your choice, and the Metra 70-1856 tuner bypass harness (same here that can be had elsewhere for less):

http://www.installer.com/item/display_item.php?it=70-1856

and you're set. Essentially, all it entails is splicing the harness to the harness on the new head unit, set it all in, and you're done. You just route the harness from the dash to the trunk (perfect length, and I just did mine in the dash, then down along the passenger side floor and into the trunk, then the plugs on that end attach right to the antenna and the large plug originally going into the amp/radio control box back there.

This is by far the easiest and quickest way to do it, plus clean as can be, and a way to guarantee that your RAP (retained accessory power), antenna, chimes, and all else continue to work like OEM. I've known a few people who went into their stereo install uninformed and ended up with a mess, sound issues, and chimes and otherwise that now don't work properly.

Just get the Metra 70-1856 harness, splice it onto your new HU's harness, route to the trunk and...DONE. If I can do it, and have it all perfect, anyone can.




Now, just for that link to be back up...
 
#9 · (Edited)
I found the Dash mounting kit: Metra 99-2003 $10 and Wiring harness: Metra 70-1856 ONLY $30 on www.audiooutfitter.com for only $48 for both total including shipping $8. That's a hell of a deal. Just got them in and they're the right parts. Now I'm waiting on my new Pioneer Premier 590I head unit$140 from Ebay, only $164 with shipping$22 and insurance $2. I saved $80 in parts and $200 in labor. Thanks guys!!
 
#11 ·
Really? All I did was run the plugged end back to the back, unplugged the big plug from the amp and put it into the end of the harness, then the same for the antenna wire and it was done (aside from splicing the other open end to my Pioneer harness).

Hmm...were there 2 plugs in your dash for the head unit? And still an amp/tuner box mounted on the passenger's side of the trunk near the antenna with a big plug going into it?
 
#13 ·
Well I disconnected the two plugs at the amp/tuner in the trunk and turned the key and the car wouldn't start, but the radio came on an was playing as usual. I hooked everything back up and went back to the dash. The antenna adapter caomes out of the dash like there isn't even a tuner in the car. If there was a tuner how did the radio still play when I disconnected the two plugs???????? The two plugs in the dash won't fit the 70-1856 harness. I went to 4 different shops and neither had a harness for the plugs in the dash or the amp/tuner in the trunk. They said that I have to run all new wires. That's ridiculous. Now I'm stuck with this 70-1856 harness and they want $100 to run new wires. I'm about to say f**k it!
 

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#14 ·
Yeah, that's really bizarre and I guess the '96 does have a difference then. For all the other ones that have been done, it's just unplugging a big white plug from the trunk amp and then plugging it back in the harness like this:



but that's something that doesn't look possible here, with the difference.

That said, I now know there are differences with the '96 despite what was never confirmed. There are people who have put an aftermarket unit in a '96 without much of a problem, and from what I remember, he just did his own wiring.

Really a pain, I know, given how we thought this would be as easy of a swap as with other '93-95 models, but you might want to post over on the Impala SS forum Fleetwood thread to see what they can tell you. Good people here, but a lot more active with the '93-96 models over there, and a lot more owners who enjoy hacking into their cars.
 
#15 ·
Not sure if I'm seeing things correctly or not...but did you already try just pulling that one blue plug from the larger pink plug on the amp and connecting that? Or is that just not possible/not a match?
 
#17 ·
Shucks...then the '96 must be a dicey model then. I knew the unit in the dash was different, but had never heard any concrete information on the whole wiring and such being unique, so I assumed it wasn't.

What a pain, especially now that you've bought those pieces and not had them workable. Really don't know what to tell you now, and am hoping someone over on the ISSF board can give some information if you've posted yet.

http://impalassforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=35;DaysPrune=365
 
#20 ·
I just looked up the numbers on the box I found in the trunk and I got this site http://www.rmsautoparts.com/a_partnumbers.php It says the the Service Number I got of the box is this: 16197386 - Body Control Module. Look at post # 13 on the picture you se the servive number on the box. If its a Body Control Module how could it be a tuner? Maybe the 96s don't have a tuner/amp?
 
#21 ·
I am not sure either, I have not opened my dash up to see what is behind there. I always read the 1996 models moved the "brains" into the actual headunit like the Roadmaster and Impala SS. That is why the 1996 headunit does not work with the previous years....

Keep us updated, goodluck!
 
#22 ·
Yes, that very well might be true. Though the in-dash plugs you pictured look the same as what I've seen in my '93 and '95, I know of one person specifically who had a '96 and changed out his head unit proclaiming "well, mine was all in the dash unit, without anything in the trunk".

The problem with that is, the mounting kits are the same, but I really have no clue what, if anything, works with a '96 then.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Well guys I am going to unplug the plugs at the dash and splice them to the harness that comes with my new HU. I won't get it in until Tuesday. I pray that works because it will make everything easier and save me some cash. I will try to do it without cutting the wires in half. I will take pictures for you guys. Anyone know if someone needs a Metra 70-1856 bypass harness? I'm pretty sure it will work. Did u guys check the link that said the box in my trunk was a body control computer?

P.S. 96 fleetwood i didn't mean to stalk u but when i saw your post on the SS forum i got excited!!
 
#24 ·
Yeah, hopefully you'll have success and that will work. It's odd that the '96 has a BCM alone in the trunk, at least compared to the other years, but I guess we all learned that now, thanks to your digging.

I believe, like I said, that the person over on ISSF that had a '96 and did a custom unit said it was very much like you'd expect of a normal car, so maybe all he did have to do was splice into the dash stuff.

The key will be getting the power and sound to work properly, and then have all the interior chimes and retained accessory power function as OEM. I was :worship: when I got my Metra harness and Pioneer all plugged in and it worked PERFECTLY the first try, so here's hoping it's the same for you.
 
#25 ·
v90ham77

The picture you took is the body control module(bcm), not the amplifier. The bcm controls thing like your passkey, interior lights time delay etc and mounts directly behind the rear passenger seat. The amplifier (by the looks of one of the pictures that caddycruiser posted) should be over on the passenger side quarter panel where the antenna is. The ironic thing is that I have a 96 with the CD/cassette option, but no amplifier or plug for a CD changer near the power antenna wiring. I have a 99 Olds Intrigue with the CD cassette option (the radio looks the same except that the Caddy buttons are chrome trimmed and there is a bar on the Intrigue radio which says "Oldsmobile") I am looking to install a changer like in my Olds, using (hopefully) the same harness. I bought and installed the Delco 12 disc changer in the Olds 7 yrs ago. using the factory type harness and mounting brackets. I used body adhesive to mount the brackets so that I wouldn't have to weld or rivet them.

I think I may try pulling the radios out of both cars and matching the harness of the Olds to the Caddy radio. Give me some time (I have 3 kids at night and work full time + during the day) and we can see where to go from there.
 
#28 ·
No amp on the Olds.

Not sure what yr caddycruiser has or the type of head unit (cassette, cassette/CD combo).


So . The kids cooperated and went to sleep early tonite.

Pulled the dash on the Olds and the Caddy, the plugs are different!!!!.

However. in looking at the pics you posted near your antenna and what caddycruiser posted near his antenna, you do not have the external amp, neither do I on my 96 FWB.
 
#30 ·
interesting about the cd changer. my 96 has the factory 10 disc cd changer in the trunk. but i see no amp back there. my trunk looks just like yours v90 except i have the cd changer mounted on the passenger side. it still works but i dont use it. i wonder if that would affect an aftermarket radio also?
 
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