Will Another Radio Fit

[Stu63]

In an 02 c5, i just wondered as there's a "break" at the sides as it slides out, obviously it does but anything go in?

[paul.h]

On the ICE forum there are a few posts on C5 radio replacement that are worth a look. Appears the radio can be replaced by after market ones but to keep the radio steering wheel controls and the dash display requires special connections.

[mlkey]

I have just replaced the full system in my C5. A standard radio will fit. Pop the button surrounds up from the bottom, either side of the radio unit to reveal a torx screw either side, undo them and the radio slides out. A standard unit fits well, you will need to get a surround, adaptor harness (if you get the PC99-X44 it will also allow you to retain the column controls, although the centre screen will no longer have any radio information on it), and the separate little link lead to the head unit, you will be set.

 

Now then, here is the rub.. When I started out on this, it was just a speaker upgrade. My 2004 C5 takes 6.5" speakers by default, so I purchased some nice Earthquake speakers. What can I say, they sounded awful on the standard head unit. So then I purchased a nice Pioneer head unit, and found that although it was louder, it still sounded bad. On examination, I found the speaker wiring inside the car used very thin wires, and I mean very thin.The wires found in the doors are a thicker gauge, and would of been acceptable if they ran throughout the car. So then I ended up running new wiring all through the car for the speakers too.. sounds much better now. It does mean that the traffic master is no longer, but I do not use that anyway. Very happy with the end result.

 

One other thing to watch is the live and accessory wires on the iso adaptor, they were both set to connect to the accessory wire on the cars harness, you may need to move it in the connecting block as I did.

 

Hope that helps.

[Stu63]

Thanks guys, will see what's out there and how it fits