Compatible factory radios/CD players

[pitzel]

G'day everyone, 92 Cutlass Supreme here, with the factory premium cassette deck/radio combo, connected to steering-wheel mounted contols in it.

 

Before grandpa bought the car, the used car salesman apparently de-installed an aftermarket stereo by merely snipping wires -- he forgot to remove an amp totally (wired permanently to a 'hot' wire off the battery), and Grandpa suffered dead batteries any time he left the car for more than a day or two.

 

Now, obviously, i'm not satisfied with the current tape/radio deck, and am looking at an upgrade, but would like to keep things simple as quite frankly, the more that the wires get tinkered with at or near the ECU, the greater the changes are that things will get messed up. All in light of the hackjob that was done *during* the installation of the aftermarket system in the first place (with electrical tape and splices frickin 'everywhere')

 

What are my options? What decks will just plug directly in place of the factory deck? I am definitely looking for a CD player, can I use any of the more modern decks that can be purchased off of eBay or easily pulled from a wreck and maintain compatibility with my steering wheel controls?

 

Thanks..

[pitzel]

I should add, I have no interest in improving audio quality or volume, I merely want the ability to play CDs through the head unit. Also I am completely uninterested in any option that involves FM tuners or cassette tape converters, etc. -- want a totally head-unit based solution, and compatible with the steering wheel controls of course.

[Guest TurboSedan]

is the factory stereo harness still in the car or was it cut out? remove the amp and all wiring associated with it completely. buy a Pioneer DEH-P77 1.5 DIN head unit and plug 'er in with the appropriate adapter. you can also get a kit that will allow you to use the steering wheel controls. solder and shrinkwrap all connections. i wouldn't bother with a factory Delco CD player unless you can find one from another '92 Cutlass....and even then i'd be surprised if it even worked after 12 years.

[LukeZ34]

 

That's what the Pioneer DEH-P77DH will look like in a Cutlass. That was taken when I had my old Cutlass Convertible. I'd highly recommend that deck also. I also used that same cd player in the TGP along with the PAC SWI-X Steering wheel adapter. This connected to your steering wheel controls, and then through an infrared eye, submitted the controls to your radio. You programmed it with your aftermarket remote control by pressing a button on the steering wheel, and then pressing a button on the remote for which ever function you wanted.

 

I'd take that amplifier out of the car, so you don't have any more problems with it. Plus, you won't have to tinker with any wires anywhere near the ECU (it's under the hood). Look here ( http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/GM-Wiring.pdf ) for a diagram of what wires go to what behind the radio.