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Chevrolet Malibu Audio/IPod/XM Sirius

skeevedudeskeevedude Member Posts: 1
edited April 2014 in Chevrolet
Do any of you know of an Ipod to factory radio solution that will let me control an ipod with the steering wheel controls. I have the single CD radio.

Comments

  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    its coming..but dont know if it retrofits to your headunit...may want to check with dealership:

    General Motors Announces iPod Integration - Bringing Music to Drivers' Ears
    Fully integrated system debuts on Chevy HHR in October
    GM plans to include device on its entire 56-model lineup

    DETROIT, Mich. – Because great cars and great tunes should travel together, General Motors has developed an affordable, all-new iPod adaptor; allowing music lovers to use their iPod with the factory-installed audio system in GM vehicles, beginning this fall.

    The device, called “Personal Audio Link,” will sell at GM dealerships for less than $160 at MSRP, plus installation. It will be introduced in October on 2006 and 2007 model year Chevrolet HHRs, already one of the industry’s most personalized vehicles, with more GM vehicles scheduled to be added by the end of this year. Designed specifically for the iPod, GM expects to make the device available on all of its 56 vehicle models – mostly by the end of 2007 – meaning GM will offer the widest range of vehicle applications for iPod integration in the industry.

    “We understand that people want to use their iPod whenever and wherever they want,” said Mike Jackson, GM North America vice president, Marketing & Advertising. “We’re thrilled to offer an awesome, seamless digital music experience to our customers across our entire portfolio of great cars and trucks.”

    Vehicle personalization is embedded in today’s vehicle purchase and ownership experience. Nancy Philippart, executive director, GM Accessories, believes that iPod and GM vehicle personalization are a perfect fit.

    “With our simple, affordable system, our customers can plug their iPod into their vehicle audio system and get what they want – clear, quality sound as well as access to playlists and artists’ names,” said Philippart. “Because the Personal Audio Link was designed specifically for GM vehicles, the level of integration our system offers is unmatched in the market.”

    The Personal Audio Link iPod adapter, about the size of a deck of cards and not visible to the customer once installed, uses existing radio software, and is integrated through the radio’s digital XM Satellite Radio band. (XM does not need to be activated for the system to work.) This provides improved sound over FM modulated systems, and better control and display over FM modulated and CD changer interface units.

    The system displays song artist, title and genre on the radio display, and allows song selection by genre, playlist, artist and album. In addition, Podcasts and audio books are no problem. Personal Audio Link enables the user to store, sort and select their favorite Podcast or audio book by title. In vehicles equipped with steering wheel audio controls, those controls will also control volume.

    Once the device is installed, the customer plugs the iPod into an interface cable in the glove box, where the player can be safely secured and stowed. The device also charges the iPod while the vehicle is operating.

    “We know our music-loving customers have been clamoring for a system like this, but we were determined not to go into the market with one unless it was truly integrated, easy to use and affordable,” said Philippart. “I think this system will be music to our customers’ ears.”

    Personal Audio Link Key Features – At a Glance

    -Seamlessly connects an iPod to the vehicle’s factory installed audio system

    -Charges iPod when ignition is on

    -Choose from English, Spanish or French language for function displays

    -Search and display music by genre, playlist, album, artist

    -Use seek function to move forward or reverse within a song for up to 15 seconds

    -Select “shuffle” function to mix music

    -Sort music using “alphabetical jump” from A-Z list

    -Sort and select Podcasts and audio books by title

    -Control volume from steering wheel controls

    -Personalize text display in dynamic mode (radio display scrolls through artist, album, title, song, time remaining, etc.) or static mode (fixed on one display element such as artist)

    -Perform fast music searches using high-speed text display technology
  • mr_botsmr_bots Member Posts: 236
    I've been looking for the past year and have continued to come up empty. Hopefully GM's solution will work on pre-07 models. With the 07s having what appears to be an identical head unit as the 04-06 Malibus we can only hope. Maybe they'll be here by Christmas time.
  • e2helpere2helper Member Posts: 1,002
    I don't think it will work with current model of Malibu (04-07). Not until the 2008 model (which comes out before end of 2007 so the article is still correct, I guess). :(
  • integratesolintegratesol Member Posts: 2
    It has been tested, I am the owner of Integration Solutions, and we have it tested and working

    Bryan
  • mr_botsmr_bots Member Posts: 236
    I might have to look more into this, I've been looking for one forever. The pictures show the correct radio that's in the Malibu/Maxx. If anyone purchases one make sure to let everyone else know about how it works.
  • bigsaintbigsaint Member Posts: 1
    e2helper, I have a question. My XM on my '04 Maxx went out after the DIC read Check DAB. Now XM is no longer an option when I press the band button on the radio. I've had my radio replaced 3 times, but this is the first time its gone out completely. Any ideas?

    P.S. Where is the XM module located in the Maxx?

    Thanks for your help.
  • e2helpere2helper Member Posts: 1,002
    My apologies, I misread thread title. I meant to refer to the dealer-installed kit that GM has coming out first on the HHR.
  • e2helpere2helper Member Posts: 1,002
    The XM module is located in rear cargo area on right side of vehicle behind trim panels.

    When the band button on radio doesn't display "XM" that doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with radio so I hope dealer was replacing it that many times for something else as well.

    What it does mean is that the radio has lost communication with the XM receiver and so it doesn't display XM.

    This checking of XM receiver presence happens on every ignition cycle and so sounds like more likely concern with be with XM receiver - which is why you want to know where it is ;)

    Curious - does your keyless entry work on vehicle? The XM receiver and keyless entry module are on same fuse.
  • stardog937stardog937 Member Posts: 4
    Hope someone can help.
    My 04' Maxx's CD changer will not operate. Everything else functions however the CD player will not play, eject, switch cd etc. Does anybody have any ideas. Is there a reset switch. This all began after having the battery die and jump starting the car.
    Thanks in advance,
  • gonogogonogo Member Posts: 879
    Pull the radio fuse for 10 seconds, fuse left passenger kick panel.
  • stardog937stardog937 Member Posts: 4
    Tried the fuse. Now the player doesn't seem to know that there are disc in it. Displays "no disc" when eject button is pushed?
    Besides being a pain one of the disc in there is from the library and is due back!
  • gonogogonogo Member Posts: 879
    Sorry, that is the only procedure I have used to get the CD to function.
  • stardog937stardog937 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the help. Guess the head will need replaced.
  • rvothrvoth Member Posts: 147
    Had the same problem with mine ,GM replaced the unit under warranty , I'm lucky.

    If the changer is replaced with an after market unit won't you loose the display information from the computer, trip, mileage and oil life info?
  • yuryyury Member Posts: 146
    Hi, All

    Hope it's the right forum for this....

    I am looking for a solution that would allow me to have some kind of MP3 playback in my 05 LS.
    Ideally it would be a DVD player or a some kind on flash based player - like an SD card slot or USB port...
    But what can be realistically done with Malibus ? Maybe be there's a way to put at least AUX in in it ?

    Any experience on the subject ?
    Thanks.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    FM transmitter from IPOD is the only thing the comes to mind.....DLO has a product that would allow an IPOD to sit in the product and broadcast via FM......I have seen it work simultaneously across three cars parked together....

    not sure you can add an aux jack to it
  • stardog937stardog937 Member Posts: 4
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    there is an adapter that will allow you to keep the DIC info..but last I saw it was running $200 plus.....not including the aftermarket head unit...
  • yuryyury Member Posts: 146
    i tried inexpensive fm transmitters (non-ipod) and found that the sound quality is not suitable for music.

    not sure if iPod's transmitter is good or not. Besides i don't own an iPod, so spending 200-300$ for iPod and the transmitter...not so sure about that :)
  • csandstecsandste Member Posts: 1,866
    Other than not having bought an MP3 yet (but will, not IPOD) and having an 05 Maxx rather than sedan, I'm in the same quandry as you are (plus my other car is a Kia Optima with the same restrictions).

    Can you tell me what transmitters you tried? Maybe there's good ones and bad ones.
  • yuryyury Member Posts: 146
    ok, i have this one:

    image
    link title

    the mp3 playback lacks seek within track, so it's bad for audioboks. quality is pretty bad too.

    i also tried this one:
    image

    (you might have to enter a postal code to see the page, use "M4P 1V8" for example)
    link title

    same problems. the only valuable feature is additional USB power jack so one can plugin an mp3 player like RCA lyra, it charges it's battery via usb.

    Sound quality is bad for both transmitters. If you plug in an external source via an audio jack the quality tends to be even worse than during native mp3 payback.

    also i foind that i does depend on a car. i tried them both in Malibu and a Vibe. Vibe seems to produce a bit more interference, especially when you rev the engine, there's a background whining noice that changes pitch with the engine rpm.
  • yuryyury Member Posts: 146
  • yuryyury Member Posts: 146
    for those who care, I am currently trying out a combo of SanDisk Sansa e140 and the the transmitter made specifically for this palyer.

    image

    link title

    Sound quality is way better than those cheapies I posted above. Initially i was disappointed, but after a couple of days of playing with the settings on both the player and the radio i am getting not so bad results now. The key was to use radio equalizer on the channel and to bring th treble to just above the middle point. Most interference seems to be in treble. Also, I had to turn off the sound effects in the player.
    After all that I am still getting some minimal static from time to time, depending on where I drive, but overall when the music plays it gets burried and i stop paying attention.

    The big plus of this combo is that the player and the transmitter are integrated pretty well. The transmitter powers the player so it works without the battery.
    There's an auto shutdown feature on the trnsmitter - all you have to do is to pause the playback and the transmitter will power off in 4 minutes (however that also requires setting auto power off in the player to 5 min or longer, otherwise it acts funny and doesn't turn off).
    So, when all the setup/tuning is complete I just pause before i get out of the car and then when I get in, i turn the transmitter and resume the playback.

    If fits pretty snug in my 05 Malibu's cigarette lighter (comes with fitting rings), so the harsh city roads is not a problem.

    Another point - the frequency selection is done not via a number of hardwired presets, but within a range with a small increment. My Malibu's radio has a bigger increment than the transmitter :) Once you found your frequency you store it as one of 3 presets on the transmitter.
    I found a number of frequencies that work equally well and I use one of them without having to switch so far.
  • trickshot11trickshot11 Member Posts: 2
    Is it possible to retrofit a indash changer into a car that didn't come with one?
  • trickshot11trickshot11 Member Posts: 2
    also...how can I tell if it is XM Ready....I read that all but the basic AM/FM Radio are xm compatible, Is this true?
  • ohigirl67ohigirl67 Member Posts: 1
    I have had problems with my radio since about a month after I bought my car new. First I had the check DAB message....2 years later, they finally had a solution and fixed it. The problem they don't have a fix for is the fact that my radio will switch from XM to AM.

    I will get in my car, start it up and it's on AM. I never shut my car off with my radio on anything but XM...I almost never change it off of XM. My dealership service consultant is clueless to a solution. Chevy just refers me to my dealership.

    Does anyone, or had anyone had this problem? In the last month, I finally decided to track this issue. It has changed on me 6 times in the last month.

    Thanks for any help.
  • malibu03malibu03 Member Posts: 1
    2003 base i bought the harness with the chime and when i hook it up radio powers on then off can i use just a reg harness or do i need the one i have do i need to install diff wire????
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    I have an 04 Maxx LT....which does the same thing....since Im out of warranty.....I havent really followup on it...as I simply change it back to the appropriate channel....have had the DAB message as well..but again...ti goes away.......gremlins
  • javidoggjavidogg Member Posts: 366
    I have a question, Is it possible to update my factory radio head unit with a 2004 or 2005 radio model?

    Anyone know, I like to upgrade my head unit, but still keep it factory, I'm starting to see more and more units come with a AUX plugs for like MP3 players and such.

    Would a newer Malibu head unit plug into my 2003 Mali?

    Thanks in advance.
  • unhallowedunhallowed Member Posts: 1
    hello, im brand new to to this forum. ive ran into a huge problem with my malibu. first off its a 2006 LT V6. before removing my factory speakers i noticed the connection on my aftermarket speakers is different than male connection going into the factory speakers. the factory connection is one small single snap in connector, while on the aftermarket speakers theres 2 random pieces of metal sticking out where you put the + and - onto. ive googled connectors and just about everything else i can think of, any help at all would be greatly appriciated. oh and before you flame me for not searching the forums, i did, for about 30 minutes ty.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    yuo can probably get the aftermaket connector for any good installer...or you may even want to contact crutchfield to see about getting the connectors.....or go back to the place you purchased them from to see if they might have the connectors you need..
  • togajazztogajazz Member Posts: 2
    Frequently the xm radio in my 2008 Malibu LTZ will not turn on (no clock or radio lights as well) until I pull the radio fuse, wait a few hours, and then put the fuse back in. Chevy is investigating the problem.
  • petras2petras2 Member Posts: 104
    Hi, I'm considering a malibu purchase,(Lt 1 or 2)..to get the premium audio option, I have to upgrade to the Lt2 package...I like a refined sound quality, not boomy...is the optional audio worth it or should I just buy a good aftermarket setup?...also anyone have recommendations re: aftermarket speakers/amps? thanks
  • gussguss Member Posts: 1,167
    I have the Premium Audio package with my '08 2 LT and to be honest for the extra $500 or so that it cost I would go with an after market system. I am not a big audiophile but the sound is good but I have heard much better "stock" systems.
  • paopao Member Posts: 1,867
    where is the DIC readout...in my 04 Malibu Maxx its in the radio headunit...so you have to invest more in aftermarket adapters to keep the DIC.....if it is in the odometer, then no worrys other than insuring the steering wheel stereo controls are properly integrated with the new aftermarket unit
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