WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

No, because the changer control circuits are built-in on the CD drive circuit board (that's why you have to look at the number on the CD drive board to check compatibility).

Mevin

Excellent and encouraging news:

The Monsoon head unit that CAME in my 1998 WS6 DOES have CD changer control. I received my USA Spec brand Ipod controller today and installed it -- it works! The radio that came in my WS6 is part #09350812, manufactured May 20, 1998.

I did hook up the unit I bought on Ebay and confirmed that it DOES NOT have CD changer controls. It is part #16257152, manufactured August 21, 1997.

This being said, I can no refute the age-old rumor that you must have a 99.5+ year Monsoon headunit to have CD changer control. My advice: purchase your CD changer device (be it an actual CD changer, or an Ipod controller or whatever) and try it with the radio you've got. IF it does not work, THEN look for a replacement.

Good luck, and thank you for the advice!

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

I'm really glad it works. However, that doesn't change the fact that your 98 radio is incapable of controlling a CD changer. Your radio still has a port on the back (that was intended for an external cassette player) so the adapter can be connected. USA Spec has done something different from other manufacturers to allow their adapter to work even without changer capability. You will notice that their compatability list shows all 98-03 radios as working with their adapter. PAC and PIE (the other adapter makers) list only CD changer capable radios from 2000 up as being compatible and we have found from actual installations that their adapters won't work with earlier model CD head units.

It would appear that USA Spec has made their adapter so it will work with the cassette port on earlier models as well as the later changer port. That in itself is great news because it gives an alternative to replacing the head unit for those with 98/99 models that want to add an auxiliary input. But it seems the additional compatiblity comes with a price - the USA Spec adapter is about twice the price of the PAC or PIE adapters.

Trust me, the mid-99 change is not just a rumor. We have confirmed it with installations many times.

Mevin

Hmm, interesting... The display on the headunit does show a disc # (1 through 6) and track # just as it should if it were controlling a CD changer. And it is the CD button that accesses the USA Spec device. Nowhere on the radio does it say cassette or anything of the like. And it doesn't work AT ALL on the unit made 9 months prior, the CD button does nothing other than switch to the internal single CD player on that unit.

Whatever the case, I'm glad it works. Well worth the $120 for the USA Spec unit for my Ipod to work. Now I can remove the 500 CD's I have in various cases cluttering up my car!

sgt0704

iTrader: (3)

so how much did you pay for the head unit? i have a casette head unit with the cd changer controls.

johnlv6

iTrader: (3)

So...for a '99 Monsoon vehicle...the presence of an "aux" button isn't an indicator that the head unit is CD changer/ipod adapter friendly?

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

No, the AUX button (CD/Play button in Firebirds) was on head units whether or not they had CD changer compatibility.

johnlv6

iTrader: (3)

Huh. Gotta love GM (I just got the car). If I get bored one of these days, I guess i'll take that apart.

Mevin

Read my earlier post... I believed the rumors that only 1999.5+ radios would work with the adapter so I spent a bundle of cash on a unit out of a newer car for my '98. Turns out the radio I bought DIDN'T work and the radio that came with my '98 (radio date May 20, 1998) DID work with the USA Spec iPod unit. I say buy the iPod unit and try it. If it doesn't work THEN buy a new radio -- they're amazingly easy to switch out. You'll be happy in the end.

johnlv6

iTrader: (3)

That's good to hear (for me at least). I'm trying to find one locally. Supposedly best buy has one. Is there a DIY link on here for removing the head unit?

Mevin

None needed. You simply pull the plastic 'ring' out that surrounds the radio and HVAC controls. There are no fasteners holding it there, it simply pulls straight out. Then there are 3 or 4 phillips-head screws clearly visible on the sides of the radio that you remove. After removing the screws simply pull the radio out.

johnlv6

iTrader: (3)

Haha. That's great. For some reason, I thought it had some kind of theft prevention attachment. Thank you.

Mevin

No prob. The only theft prevention is if your radio has been programed with a code. If yours was, you'll need to know the code in case the power to the radio is interrupted -- for the radio to work again you need the code or $$$ for the dealer to re-enable it. I never had a problem with this as my radios were never programmed with a theft code.

I don't remember exactly how to check if the radio's been programmed or not, but a search here may turn up some steps to take.

johnlv6

iTrader: (3)

I'll keep that in mind. The one that Best Buy had supposed plugs into the antenna...not the aux port. It's the same company that makes that ipod2car, but I'm thinking it's not the exact same unit. I guess I'll see what the clown was talking about when I run over there.

BandDirector Blk98ZM6

iTrader: (21)

...also, don't forget that the '97-'99 HU's were a dark gray and the '00 (or was it '01) - '02's are black. I bought a CD Monsoon HU off of eBay that turned out to be a '99 and then I later bought one that was from an '02. I swapped the factory face-plates to make the '02 that DOES control my stock '98 changer look like a '98 CD HU. I then sold the '99 CD HU with black face on eBay, but I did fully disclose what I had done. In the end, I think I only lost about $20 to make the '02 HU look like the '98, so now I have what looks like a '98 factory Monsoon CD player that controls my stock changer.

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

This is not a rumor. We have had literally dozens of members on here who could not get 98 and some 99 CD head units to work with the GM9-AUX and similar adapters. There has been some speculation that USASpec adapters are different because we have had reports of them working where PAC and PIE adapters would not.

You may have been lucky and got a car with a head unit that had already been replaced (perhaps under warranty) or it may be true that the USASpec adapter works differently.

quite98

iTrader: (2)

I can also report that the USASpec adapter works in my 1998 Trans Am and the standard Monsoon head unit. This unit has a mfg date of May 1998.