Hi, everybody.

I just bought a 2005 5-speed Chevy Cavalier this week, and it's great except for the AM/FM radio. I went to Best Buy to look for a radio, and I found a good cheap one I liked. Along with the stereo, I need a harness and mounting unit.

I was told by the clerk at the front desk that I had to get this $120 harness or all sorts of features on the car wouldn't work, such as airbag and ignition. This made no sense to me, because if someone steals your radio, your car will be rendered useless.

I went to the back of the store with an electrician friend of mine and we found out that the only things affected by the radio were oil lights and door chimes. There were two available harnesses: the expensive one that came with a little speaker for the chimes, and a cheap one that didn't come with the speaker.

I bought the $20 Metra Turbowire 70-2003, which apparently won't allow the door to chime or oil lights to work. Before I install anything, I want the opinions of other people who have changed the radio on a Cavalier (or GM car) and can help me.

What would be the best path to take? Has anyone else changed this radio? I would ideally like to mess up as little as possible on my new car.

Thanks!

 

I've changed radios on Cavaliers and S-10s and never had any trouble with the chimes and oil lights. Mine were older vehicles but I wouldn't think they'd put the oil light in the radio wiring.

 

Yeah, well, back in 2002 they started installing systems without accessory stations on the ignition switch, necessitating the usage of a dataport adapter for aftermarket radios, unfortunately.

Metra and Scosche are both good, as long as you select the right adapter for your vehicle and purpose.