MadeInAmerica Posted September 22, 2009 Report Share Posted September 22, 2009 Well, I need to replace the leaking radiator in my Cadillac Eldorado and even though that's an easy repair, I thought it would be best to check my All Data online repair guide, just to be on the safe side. It's a darned good thing I did, because the instructions state to disable the air bag system in the car. I was perplexed as to why I'd need to go through all the considerable hassle of doing that, so I called my Cadillac dealership and they told me the front crash sensors in the car are located near the radiator and if they were to be bumped, the air bags could deploy! Just for ha-ha's, I called the Parts Department and asked how much replacement air bags were and it was about $1,400, just for the air bags! Ouch! The Service Department told me that all I needed to do was to disconnect the battery and let the car sit for about 20 minutes, so any residual power in the system would discharge and not allow the air bags to deploy. If this is so, then why are there specific instructions for disabling the air bag system that go far and above just simply disconnecting the battery? I don't have $1,400 to replace air bags that have deployed! With $1,400 at stake, I'm understandably paranoid about this. The next issue is that if I disconnect the battery, the Theftlock radio locks up and isn't usable until I pay a Cadillac dealership to provide me with the code needed to unlock the radio. I need to take a business trip out of town this weekend and I have to replace the radiator before doing so of course. Is there some way around this Theftlock code the dealership wants to vacuum my wallet for? Is there a way just to turn off the Theftlock, so my radio will still function, but just not have Theftlock? Any insight, tips or opinions would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
^Tom^ Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 The next issue is that if I disconnect the battery, the Theftlock radio locks up and isn't usable until I pay a Cadillac dealership to provide me with the code needed to unlock the radio why do you think it will do this? usually the theftlock means that you not can use the equipment in another car without reprogram it by a dealer. tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadeInAmerica Posted September 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 The next issue is that if I disconnect the battery, the Theftlock radio locks up and isn't usable until I pay a Cadillac dealership to provide me with the code needed to unlock the radio why do you think it will do this? usually the theftlock means that you not can use the equipment in another car without reprogram it by a dealer. tom Two different Cadillac dealerships, two auto parts stores and an independent auto center Service Manager told me that the radio will lock up when it loses battery power and the only way to unlock it is to enter the special Theftlock code. However, I am not the original owner of the car and the original owner apparently removed this Theftlock code information from the owners manual, leaving me high and dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
^Tom^ Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 The next issue is that if I disconnect the battery, the Theftlock radio locks up and isn't usable until I pay a Cadillac dealership to provide me with the code needed to unlock the radio why do you think it will do this? usually the theftlock means that you not can use the equipment in another car without reprogram it by a dealer. tom Two different Cadillac dealerships, two auto parts stores and an independent auto center Service Manager told me that the radio will lock up when it loses battery power and the only way to unlock it is to enter the special Theftlock code. However, I am not the original owner of the car and the original owner apparently removed this Theftlock code information from the owners manual, leaving me high and dry. i just replaced in my 1999 sts the battery without any problem. the car was 48 hours without any battery. the label at my passenger windshield......."theft protected.........radio equipment" i have the BOSE 8 in it with cass, radio,cd and cd changer tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadeInAmerica Posted September 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Does the radio say, "Theftlock", on the front of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 If it is the original radio for the car (or a replacement OEM), disconnecting the battery will have no effect. when you take the radio/head unit to the Delco repair facility, they basically remove the VIN from the radio non volitile memory. the first car the radio is connected to marries the radio to the PZM. if removed & plugged into another car, it will display "theftlock" on the display. removing the battery does not erase the radio memory. there is no key sequece or code to lock or unlock it, and the dealer generally does not & cannot program the radio (they are removed from the car & sent out) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Pull the air bag fuse, wait 20 minutes... rek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 I disabled the air bags on my 96 when I pulled the radiator, there is a specific procedure in the FSM, and I followed it to the T It was more than just disconnecting the battery, I had to disconnect the air bag leads, the is a hatch in the glove compartment and under the dash Not only do the air bags deploy they can shatter the windshield also, why trust fate, I just followed the directions in the FSM Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 The air bag info is somewhat over kill. If you disconnect the battery, the capacitors in the SDM will drain off. No chance of deployment. GM builds 10,000 vehicles per day. You don't hear of air bags at the plants popping off left and right. Logan Diagnostic LLC www.airbagcrash.com www.logandieselusa.com www.ledfix.com www.ledfix.com/yukontaillightrepair.html www.ledfix.com/ledreplacements.html www.ledfix.com/j42385toolrental.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 I had a radio problem in my car the second or third year, when it was still in warranty, and the dealer exchanged it. I had to wait, so either the rebuilder used the IRC module from my old radio or they programmed it with my VIN. In any case, your radio is from another car and has not been programmed for your VIN. Your only real option is to send it in to someone who can program it with your VIN. I did a quick web search that turned up a couple of GM radios on eBay, and those posts either dodge the issue or say that the radio needs to be programmed for your VIN "by your local GM dealer." I would make an inquiry locally about what you need to bring in to get this done. I would expect that you would need a bill of sale for the radio that is reasonably convincing that it did not come from a chop shop (possibly including the VIN of the vehicle that it came from) and your vehicle with its VIN number visible under the windshield, with your registration card that has the VIN number on it. And a picture ID that shows you are the person named on the registration. And GM computer records on both VINs that are consistent with your documentation. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90IROC Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 I just replaced the rad in my '97 STS saw the yellow coded piece at the top of the radiator, figured that has to be air bag related. SO I just avoided it. Old rad out, new rad in, no airbag deployment. car runs great, airbag still intact I hear alot of talk about dexcool being a killer for NS motors. Anyone know if that is true? I replaced with ACdelco dexcool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 You want red in your radiator. Just don't let it go forever. Change it at 3 or 4 years, don't push it to 5 years, its rated life according to the bottle. Waiting 5 years to chaange your coolant because that's what it says on the bottle is like waiting 12,500 miles to change your oil because that's what it says on the can. Most cases of Northstar head gasket failure have had the coolant go to 5 years or more in the maintenance history. Don't run with low coolant for extended periods of time. That's hard to do with a Cadillac because long before it gets low enough to matter, a message "Check Coolant Level" will come up on the driver message center every time you turn on the key until you add coolant. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonjaab Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 If you don't have the code for your TheftLoc radio and if it does lock after you disconnect the battery let me know. A GM tech fellow over at gminsidenews.com will get ya the unlock code and procedure so no dealer visit required! 93 DeVille-13 Chevy Impala 72 GTO - 77 Triumph Bonneville 84 Z-28 Syracuse NY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 Be sure that the radio is "clean" before you go to the trouble. Sooner or later the car will go through a VIN check and the radio business will end up in GM's records, which people will see as a CarFAX line. If you have a bill of sale from whoever is parting out the car, that's good enough; if it's not a salvage yard you might ask him if he has gotten a salvage title for the car, but that's all. If you can't find out, you might do a CarFAX on the VIN associated with the radio yourself and see what the status of the title is. If it's "stolen" then ask for your money back, then call the police. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadeInAmerica Posted October 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 It's the original radio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 It's the original radio.Wow, I didn't expect that, because TheftLock is in play. Has the PZM, DIM, or PCM been changed? -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadeInAmerica Posted October 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 It's the original radio.Wow, I didn't expect that, because TheftLock is in play. Has the PZM, DIM, or PCM been changed? Nothing has been changed. It's the original radio and it works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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