I cannot for the life of me figure this out and cannot find anything online about why I am having this problem

I'm trying to install this aftermarket stereo in my century. (No OnStar) I've used two different wire harnesses, and everytime I hook the aftermarket head unit to my car .. nothing. It won't even turn on.. but if I unhook it, and hook the stock unit up right after, it works perfectly fine. What am I having this problem??? There are two male harnesses that plug into the stock unit. Obviously, there'* nowhere to plug the second one into the aftermarket unit. It has two wires, one black striped, and one brown striped. I'm assuming the second harness is for the TheftLock on the stock unit?? Idk. But this is killing me. I've tried 3 times now to install this thing and just cannot make it work. I have found nowhere that explains it. Is there something I need to do with the second wire harness?

Oh and Btw, the aftermarket unit works. I've had it working before, with no issues. I'm almost certain that its something with thethe car'* security system that I'm overlooking.. it has to be..

I am pretty sure that second part of the adapter is for things like the door chimes, as well as providing the switched 12v power the radio needs, and or RAP (Retained Accessory Power)

Metra VT-GMRC-01 Factory Integration Adapter is the adapter for your car, it is a bit pricey though, 50.00 on Amazon.

I got to thinking, and figured that if you could run a wire from your ACC circuit in the fuse box, then you could provide the switched 12v power the radio gets from one of the wires in that 10pin harness.
I found this wiring guide that comes with that adapter.
http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchf.../120GMRC01.PDF


If I could find the factory radio wiring diagram, then I can see just which wire from that 10pin connector has the switched power, then you could hook the aftermarket radio ignition wire to it, but that would require you to cut that wire, so you may just want to get that adapter, or run a new wire from the ACC fuse as I suggested.

Thanks for the help! That adapter is pretty pricey. It would seem easier just to get it, but I'm pretty cheap. Also, there are no correct factory wiring diagrams on the internet for my car. They're all wrong. I found someone somewhere that explains it, but trying to read through their terrible grammer, I can't make heads or tails of it haha. I'd like to try running a wire from the fuse box. I could tell you which wire is the 12v switched, but I'd have to be looking at it. I got a 24 pin harness that fits my car. And I figured I'd need one of those units for it to work, I just didn't know which to get.

Question: do you think it would do any harm to just guess and check? Because it does seem a whole lot easier to just use the wire from the 10pin to the ignition wire, whichever one that may be.

william is right you need to pull power from somewhere else. but you will loose all the chimes. good thing to me. you want to use a meter and find a fuse that is on the rap circuit so it stays on like the stock one did. the radio fuse would be good. then they have fuse taps you can get to get power without cutting and soldering the stock wiring. this probably isnt the right size but for exaple,
you can go to the parts store after you see what you need and get the right one

Thanks guys! I plan to jump right on it right when I get off work today. I'm still feeling pretty hopeless since I've failed so many times. GM definitely threw me a curve ball with this one. I'll let you know how it goes.

Also.. I'm still a bit confused about what stock wire the aftermarket ignition is connected to on the wiring harnesses since its obviously not correct and I'd just be getting power from somewhere else. I'm hoping its just something I'm not going to need for the aftermarket unit

you can get the stereo interface for that at ur local walmart brand is schosh its like $40

this will solve all your issues and it is super easy to install. works on alot of different cars.

Well that'* a simple solution! I had no idea walmart would carry them. I'ma go on by walmart in just a little bit and take a look

I'm really not sure how an interface helps though. I just remembered, when I plugged the stock unit back in, it came on and worked perfectly fine without the 10 pin connected being plugged in. So why wouldn't the aftermarket unit work without it?