So I go for my first oil change and what not at the dealer, I ask if putting an aftermarket stereo would void my warranty, she doesn't give me a straight answer but tells me if I like having keyless entry. I guess she implied that if I removed the stock stereo my keyless entry wouldn't work and then she told it would/might affect my stock alarm setup. So now she killed my plans, but I guess I want to know for sure, since I know from some of the other threads I've read that they can't void your warranty for adding aftermarket stuff. I wanted to install everything myself, but would they honor the warranty if I had a professional install everything? And would I have to buy an aftermarket alarm to keep my keyless entry and to have an alarm?

 

total poop. Factory radio does not in any affect anythign else in the car but the factory head unit itself.

You have to always remember 90% of people working at car dealers really don't know anythign about the aftermarket. Just stock parts and for the most part ONLY how to change them. not diagnose, repair, or even how things actually work. It's a sad truth that I install remote starters very often for new car dealerships because their "ace" mechanics can't do simple remote starters on alot of basic cars.

back to the point. I strongly urge you to change out the factory head unit in the name of better sound

 

Thanks bro, I was getting tired of listening to the stock radio and nothing else. I use mp3 cds and the base stock stereo couldn't read them. I'll probably buy a harness so I won't have to cut the stock wires, that way I can re-install the stock stereo (if) i ever sell it. Thanks again for the advice!! Rep +1 to you!

 

I installed an aftermarket on my base Fit and have not looked back. Of course, I don't have an alarm or anything. I can't believe keyless entry would even be tied into the factory set up. On a side note, my sister used to own a Crapalier, and wanted to swap out the factory head unit. Apparently GM decided it would be awesome to put parts of the cars computer in the actual stereo set up. We tried several places to get a radio/mounting kit, and all of them said, "We don't advise this because of reason XZY." Everything from airbags potentially going off to the door chime never turning off. BS? Perhaps. Since it was a GM, though, it would not have been surprising. Needless to say, she stepped up to a Honda Civic.

 

Gee, not only does my keyless work still, but so does my aftermarket alarm/remote start.

 

Most GM's post 1999 model year used the head unit to retrieve diagnostics codes, as well as for the headlight and seatbelt warning chimes. replacing the head unit just meant you lost thos functions. So if your car was throwing codes. They'd actually have to plug in a diagnostic tool, which for GM mechanics was apparently too complicated.

A few companies like PAC, and Soundgate sell adapter boxes to retin the head units Chime functionality. as well as provide a +12v ACC which the GM plug did not have. (+12V ACC ca be found in the form of large brown wire on the ignition harness of any GM,).....


The honda shpiel about changing the factory ehad unit and having the keyless entry not work would have been very true for 5th gen civics. and CB7 body Accords. The factory keyless entry was inserted into the OEm head unit housing and used the cars FM antenna as the receiver.

The Fits Keyless entry for the Base and LX is a small box that plugs in under the drivers side dash.

On the Sport model it's built into the guage cluster, which also the cars BCM

 

thanks also. this is good info, for good plans in the future.

i wanna double make sure:

but something was kinda weird, like i blew a fuse due to the dome light (found in the threads that many had this and it was the backup fuse), and it interconnected everything going out, like the stereo, keyless entry/ alarm, and dome.

doesnt it somehow mean that the headunit is, somehow interconnected? + the anti-theft light thats on the stock headunit that blinks, and the code thing needed after reset of the stereo (was that lojack or just something stock). like those were security features right?

and btw, for the owners that changed to an aftermarket headunit, does this eliminate the code thing? and the anti theft light? (i have a sport, and i know theres a light in the speedo, and one next to the #6 on my stereo) and wondering if it was important. i always thought the number code thing was a lojack thing.

thanks.

 

the anti theft thing with the blnky light and all that has absolutely nothing to do with the functionality of the car. it is so that if the head unit itself is stolen, there would be o way to activate it without the specific code for your head unit. So the thief would never be able to turn your radio on.

Now Stealing an OEM fit radio in any timely fashion without destroying it is pretty much impossible. I been installing for 6-7 years now and it takes me a good 4-5 minutes to get them out cleanly without losing the clips and such

 

You think the nav system in the 2009 will have good sound? Know anything about it? IF it doesn't have the best sound, will good speakers / amps be able to compensate for it? I really like the look of factory radio's I like it when my system sounds great but looks factory.

 

Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

If you are dead set on keeping the factory head, then something like the JL Audio Cleansweep product is what you would want to use and integrate into your car the speakers and amps that you want. The 2009 will sound like ass, just like the others. Don't be discouraged thou.

I was going to post the Magnuson Moss Act, but it didn't clearly discuss what the OP had complained about although it does cover consumers against dealerships from muscling them into buying their crap instead of the car owners aftermarket desires.

 

In order for it to void they have to prove that the after-market item is what caused something to fail. Ex: they would have to prove that your keyless entry broke because your stereo broke it, or that your alarm stopped working because your aftermarket stereo broke it. If they cant prove that, you're all set... And because typically those systems arn't connected to the stereo (a car stereo usually has a self contained security system just for its own unit, not attached to anything else) they would not be able to prove that a new stereo voided your warranty.

 

thanks! I was thinking of looking at crutchfields site since they have the install kit for 25 bucks if I buy a deck over 125, I think. I hate buying decks over the internet though, I'll see if I can find something I like.