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Added nav to non nav sts! 100% confirmed vid and pics. Thank you polarbear05!!!

111K views 317 replies 55 participants last post by  DB05 
#1 ·
Well all you who thought that Polarbear05 was trying to pull a fast one on us were WRONG.

Adding a OEM NAV to a STS that did not come with a NAV is 100% possible and it is completely plug and play.

The non NAV STS's have only two wiring harnesses. The NAV STS has four. The first two on both vehicles are the exact same. They include all of the power/ground and all the speaker wires. The other two connectors that are not present on the non NAV STS are for voice recognition and A/V inputs/outputs.

I am getting the other two plugs (the ones that the non NAV STS does not have) and I am going to wire something up to be able to get A/V inputs/outputs.

On top of that my IPac AUX input works on the NAV too.

The employees at my local Cadillac dealer were in amazement when I went to get the NAV unlocked today. I had 10-15 of them all standing in a circle around me asking me questions.

So the bottom line is that you CAN add a Cadillac NAV to a non NAV STS. It is plug and play. All the door chimes and everything else works perfect. The only thing you will not have that a STS that comes with NAV has is the VR and the A/V inputs/outputs, and if you can get a hold of some connectors (some NAV's on Ebay come with them) you can wire that up too.

I dont know how everyone elses locks when in drive but mine locks DVD when put in drive. Haven't tried the NAV yet as I am waiting on the antenna.
BUT, on the stock radio you cannot try to change the vehicle settings (remote start, memory seats, etc) when the car is going over like 5mph.

On the NAV I have now NOTHING is disabled or grayed out when the vehicle is in motion. I can change the settings and everything. Is this how everyone else NAV works?

Anyways HERE IS THE PROOF!!! I havent posted a Youtube video on here yet so this may not come out right.




[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/69MeQX2Jvf8&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/69MeQX2Jvf8&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

















 
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#33 ·
Yea cant wait!!!!!!

I also cant wait to get my terminated connectors so I can try to hook up the A/V inputs and I also cant wait to get my lockpick and see if it is going to work.

I spoke with Coastal tech and I told them that ALOT of people are going to be adding NAVs now and that if the lockpick works with me I will tell all on the orum that it will work. If it doesnt work they agreed to take it back with no restocking fee. :)
 
#36 ·
Yea cant wait!!!!!!

I also cant wait to get my terminated connectors so I can try to hook up the A/V inputs and I also cant wait to get my lockpick and see if it is going to work.

I spoke with Coastal tech and I told them that ALOT of people are going to be adding NAVs now and that if the lockpick works with me I will tell all on the orum that it will work. If it doesnt work they agreed to take it back with no restocking fee. :)
Glad it worked for you. BTW we are not Coastal Tech and I know you got the lockpick from us.

In any case to get a full working navigation unit you still have your work cut out for you. I can attach the wiring diagrams to show all the wires you are missing and they are mostly for voice commands, center channel, subwoofer outputs etc. I am assuming since you are missing the additional connectors you dont have the 15 speaker bose option?
 
#34 ·
OK so I hooked up the antenna. One of the techs at my local Cadillac dealer told me that on the Cadillacs that come with nav the antenna is mounted beneath the dash. I tried to hook it up under the dash center speaker grill but couldn't get a good signal. I think it may have been because I had to drive for a few to let the nav recalibrate itself.

There is a TSB that says that if you change a nav in a Cadillac and it displays somewhere other than it is, that you have to drive for a little while so it can recalibrate itself.

I think the antenna may have worked under the grill but after driving for 10 miles or so I got anxious and took it out and put it in front of the light sensor by the windshield.

The part of the dash by the windshield is a panel that can be popped up and then you can mount the antenna wherever up there you want. you can feed the antenna wire through the opening in the back of where the radio goes.


I also hooked up a lockpick today and it works perfect also.

So needless to say I am very happy!!!


Oh yea,

And that thread recently that showed how to enter a diagnostic mode on the nav.....

I was in there messing around and I reset the GPS location trying to get it to show where I am. Well somehow I erased the firmware from the nav and all it would do was show a white screen that said "CAUTION Please insert the correct system update disc".

Basically I got scared shit and thought that I probably fried it. Kinda like when you update the BIOS on a motherboard and something goes wrong and it gets stuck on some screen because you just bricked it.

I tried to reset all modules by holding the batt cables together and nothing.

I took it to my dealer and they installed the newest firmware and all is good.
 
#37 ·
Yea I have and posted the Wiring diagrams. I do not have the 15 speaker Bose. I checked all my speakers work.

I also stated in this thread that the VR will not work and you won't have A/V inputs.

Some of the navs on eBay and carpart.com come with the connectors hooked to the nav. Or you could try to buy them from someone like I did. Then you could hook the inputs and VR up.

I know the inputs will be easy. I'm thinking to get the VR to work you could tap into the onstar mic. I haven't really looked into it. For one I prob won't use it and I read everywhere it doesn't really work too great.

I have bluetooth also people just can't hear me. When I tap into that onstar mic I think it will work.

So basically the only thing you are missing from a "fully working nav unit" is VR and AV inputs. I don't think too many people that have non nav 6 disc radios will care about that. As far as I'm concerned I have a fully working nav.
 
#42 ·
Yea I have and posted the Wiring diagrams. I do not have the 15 speaker Bose. I checked all my speakers work.

I also stated in this thread that the VR will not work and you won't have A/V inputs.

Some of the navs on eBay and carpart.com come with the connectors hooked to the nav. Or you could try to buy them from someone like I did. Then you could hook the inputs and VR up.

I know the inputs will be easy. I'm thinking to get the VR to work you could tap into the onstar mic. I haven't really looked into it. For one I prob won't use it and I read everywhere it doesn't really work too great.

I have bluetooth also people just can't hear me. When I tap into that onstar mic I think it will work.

So basically the only thing you are missing from a "fully working nav unit" is VR and AV inputs. I don't think too many people that have non nav 6 disc radios will care about that. As far as I'm concerned I have a fully working nav.
Does the audio output on it sound the same as your original head unit? I am surprised since the bose amplifier is different in both vehicles and there are additional sound outputs that you are not using? Do you have normal bass response?
 
#38 ·
Obviously many of us are very interested and I agree about the VR and inputs. Do all of the memory functions work. Also, is it pretty straight forward for the dealer to "activate" the unit or does it take an expert? Also, if you have Onstar activated, does it mute the radio and so on?
 
#39 ·
Yes all of the memory functions and EVERY other vehicle function that you could change with the stock 6 disc works on the nav. I dont have Onstar activated but yes the onstar mutes and I can place a call to Onstar.

By activated do you mean remove the theftlock? When you get the navand hook it up and turn it on it will say theftlock. There are a bunch of threads about it on here and it works and unlocks just like any other radio or nav. You take it to the dealer and they hook the Tech 2 up to it and clear the VIN and then cycle the ignition and it relearns the new VIN and it is unlocked. Thats all the theftlock is. When you turn on the car everytime the radio or nav checks with the instrument cluster for a VIN. If the VIN in the cluster and the VIN in the NAV or radio matches it works. If not, it goes into theftlock.

Other than that there is no "activating" the unit.

I have read SO much information about the NAV including the 136 page manual. EVERY function works except the VR and the A/V inputs.
 
#41 ·
What do you mean by relearn? Relearn the VIN? If that's what you mean of course it did. Thats how im using it right now. It works just like any other nav. I have Navigation, CD/DVD, XM, radio everything but VR and A/V inputs. And Ill have the inputs whenever I get around to installing the jack and running the wires.
 
#45 ·
Yea the one of the techs at my caddy dealer told me that even the brand new one show where they were loaded on the truck when they arrvive. He said after they drive it a couple blocks or let it run for a min it relocates itself. I have discovered that if you go to calibrate it let's you enter your position and then within a min or so it will pick up gps signal.

I was having problems because I was trying to hook up a lockpick my ipac aux (iPod) and the antenna (for the first time) all at the same time. Why I should have done from the beginning was hook the antenna up and let it get signal and relocate itself then hook up the ipac and lockpick.

I also read a TSB that said if a nav is replaced or after changing the battery if there is no gps signal or the tracking of the vehicle is off that driving it will make evrything better.
 
#48 ·
Glad you got it back from the "white screen". It scared me just reading about it :ill:

Here's hoping you can get the BT worked out.

Mine works well but the mic/positioning or something makes the audio sound pretty crappy. You may want to think about going to a different mic or a different mic position other than the RV mirror. My wife drives our STS and uses the BT a lot and it's hard to understand her sometimes.

Just something to think about while you're working on it.

Yea, the VR and audio/vid inputs. Who cares? I don't see where you would EVER miss them...

Now get to work on the HUD! :D
 
#51 ·
I looked on EBAY and found various STS NAVI systems, but each year shows a different part number? And also can I use a NAVI from 08 on a 06 Cadillac STS???? Also, do you have a link concerning the hook up of a GPS antenna....i seen your write up....but do I splice from the wiring harness or where do I hook one in? And do I just buy any GPS antenna from EBAY, or do recommend a certain kind
 
#52 ·
So far out of the five people I know who have done it none of us have tried an 08 NAV. I have an 07 NAV on my 05, and the others all have 05-06 NAVs on they're 05-06. My guess would be that it would work. I dont think that anything has changed in the harnesses.

The GPS antenna you need is the one with the pink connector. The NAVs have a pink connector on the back of them and the GPS antenna has a pink connector on it also. The blue connector is for TV antenna. If you find an antenna on Ebay with a pink connector it will work but the only ones I found were ones with white connectors. Some of the NAVs from Ebay and auto recyclers have the connectors and harnesses still on the back of them. Like they just cut the wires instead of pulling the connectors out. Those NAVs are your best bet. If you get one with the wires you can use the white connector antenna from ebay and just splice into the cut wire coming from the pink connector. you can also use the connectors to hook up A/V inputs.

I have a list of part numbers from 05-07 NAVs I just have to find it. When I do I will post them. I'm sure that any NAV from a STS will work just make sure you can see what the back of one looks like. I have saw some that look different. Dont trust that because it says from a STS it really is. I have saw ones from lades and SRX's on there that say from a STS.

One from a STS will look like this on the back.

 
#53 ·
Thank you!! You have been more than a great help!!! I am so appreciative that you put this information out to us and with so much detail!!! I have been on some forums, where ppl figure out something, and never help anyone else. When you get a chance...i purchased the NAVI off Ebay, but unfortunately there were no connectors availiable...do you have the part numbers i need for that wiring harness...and the blue connector antenna did you hook that one up???? I will be trying the 08 NAV...so we shall see...i will post updates and pics as soon as i can
 
#54 ·
You are most welcome.

The blue connector is for the TV antenna. there was a discussion a week or so ago where they said that since everything went digital it no longer works and if you put one of those converters in the car it doesnt get signal well when you are moving.

The connectors are kinda hard to find. The only one I know of you can order is the black 16 pin one that the non NAV STS already has. You can then cut it in half and use it as the 10 pin one for the A/V inputs. Over in the CTS forum they talk about using a VW harness and one guy said he couold only find the harness connectors from one vendor and he hald to buy like 100 of them. Maybe if there is enough interest we could buy a lot of them and everyone pitch in.

If you buy a lockpikck it comes with the brownish red connector.

I am pretty sure that the 08 NAV will work no problems. I dont think anything was changed. If it does work I think you only need to get the $230 lockpick instead of the $300 modified lockpick.

To check for connectors call around to junk yards and look on Ebay for NAVs that have the connectors still on the back of them and try to buy just the connectors. The connectors are part of the dash wiring harness but I was quoted between $200-300 for a complete dash wiring harness.

Try www.car-part.com or www.LKcorp.com

Also look on Ebay. Specifically at LKQonline and Schram (Ebay stores)

If you need any help let me know and I will be more than happy to help in any way I can.
 
#55 ·
Well with your advice i decided against the 08, I found more than a couple 05 NAVI's with wiring harnesses still on them in $500 range.... car part com had like 12..but some were scratched...so be careful out there...ask for detailed pics....so I am good on that part....just the GPS portion...i will try the route you went by going behind the radio and on the back part of the dash for mounting.
 
#57 ·
Gentlemen, I have an extra OEM nav for those of you that plan on installing a OEM nav in your non nav STS. I have successfully installed a OEM nave in my non nav STS. I did this by following a thread started a couple months ago by Polarbear with the help of sum1fan. The reason why I have an extra one is because I ordered one from the dealer at cost then I learned after I recevied it that the nav unit I purchased, came with one. Needless to say, I could not return the antenna to the dealer.

So, anyone interested, let me know. $60??? I have a Paypal account. If not, you'll eventually see it on eBay... Also, although sum1fan is more of an expert, I'm willng to offer any help should you have any questions. If you do go through with installing an OEM nav and want to be able to play your IPod or MP3, I may have a low cost solution for you rather than buying an Ipac.
 
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