Monsoon with changer controls only in mid-'99 and up
#21
Ungrounded Moderator
iTrader: (4)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Originally Posted by 97V8Bird
I have an oportunity to pick up an '01 head unit with a bad cd drive. Any idea if I could swap in my '97 cd drive in the newer model, and still have cd changer compatability?
#22
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/ranks/ls1tech10year.png)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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!
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!
#23
Ungrounded Moderator
iTrader: (4)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Originally Posted by Mevin
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.
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.
#24
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/ranks/ls1tech10year.png)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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!
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!
#25
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (3)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
Originally Posted by Mevin
Does anyone know of a place to find concrete evidence that only mid '99 and up Monsoon decks had the changer control capability?
i have searched the internet for hours looking for concrete evidence of this, read the owners manual for 2001, etc etc... can't seem to find anything stating this. I appreciate any help.
i have searched the internet for hours looking for concrete evidence of this, read the owners manual for 2001, etc etc... can't seem to find anything stating this. I appreciate any help.
so how much did you pay for the head unit? i have a casette head unit with the cd changer controls.
#29
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/ranks/ls1tech10year.png)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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.
#30
Launching!
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: F-burg, VA
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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.
#31
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/ranks/ls1tech10year.png)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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.
#32
Launching!
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: F-burg, VA
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
None needed. You simply pull the plastic 'ring' out that surrounds the radio. 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.
![Cheers!!](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/smilies/LS1Tech/gr_cheers.gif)
#33
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/ranks/ls1tech10year.png)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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.
#34
Launching!
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: F-burg, VA
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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.
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.
#35
12 Second Club
iTrader: (21)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
...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.
#36
Ungrounded Moderator
iTrader: (4)
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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.
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.
#37
Teching In
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Detroit MI
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
![Default](https://ls1tech.com/forums/images/icons/icon1.gif)
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.