jje1953 Posted June 15, 2011 Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 This subject has been brought up in various other threads dating back a few years, but I've yet to find the answer to my question. My 98 Deville has the Delco stereo with cassette only. Why in hell Cadillac was putting cassette decks in vehicles of this vintage is beyond me, but that's a different subject. Also available that year, was the Delco unit that had both the cassette and CD player. I have procured one, and now want to make the swap. From what I can gather, it may not be as simple as it seems. Granted, you have to match up the vehicle ID with the new unit, in order to power up and make the anti-theft feature functional. In reading some older threads, there may be more than that at play. For the record, this is NOT trying to put the Bose head unit in a car that wasn't set up for it. It is just swapping one Delco unit that doesn't have the CD player for another that does. Originally, I thought the only issue was to verify the new Delco CD unit wasn't stolen. Once you clarified that, your dealer could then re-assign your cars' VIN to the new unit. Older threads have led me to believe there may be other issues. Can anyone clear the air on that? Thx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jje1953 Posted June 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 I'll answer my own question by telling you it won't work! Aside from computer/anti theft issues, the base Delco AM/FM Cassette has it's own amplifier built in. The Delco AM/FM Cassette/CD does not. You need a separate amplifier to power it up. Why that is I couldn't tell you, and frankly, I think it's pretty stupid. So, if you've gotten the bright idea (like me) to upgrade the worthless Delco AM/FM Cassette in your 98 era DeVille, be aware that you can't make a direct swap. You have to add the amp as well. Perhaps worth it in the long run, provided you can find one. Congrats to the boys at GM for making an upgrade on OEM equipment way more involved than it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoupeDTS Posted June 15, 2011 Report Share Posted June 15, 2011 Then it would seem an aftermarket CD player with the built in amp would be the easy way to go. Im not sure but you might even be able to find a cassette/cd combo that is bigger. A wiring harness and mounting bracket are cheap and easy to install with a new cd player. Also, I know in my 2000 deville DTS owners manual it discussed the controls if you had the am/fm radio only. So the cassette was an upgrade! * 1966 Deville Convertible * 2007 Escalade ESV Black on Black * 1996 Fleetwood Brougham Black on Black V4P -Gone* 1983 Coupe Deville Street/Show Lowrider -Gone* 1970 Calais 4dr Hardtop GONE* 2000 Deville DTS - Silver with Black Leather and SE grille GONE* 1999 Seville STS - Pearl Red GONE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted June 16, 2011 Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 whoa wait a minute. I have a writeup here somewhere. Open the trunk, look in the corner behind the right taillight, behind the side carpet. You will either see one or two plugs. the plug you need is a 7 pin black plug that may have a jumper installed with shrink tubing. If you have that the 12 disc changer is plug and play. If you dont you will need my writeup to explain more. But start there. I would say alot of the 97-99 were prewired for the changer. The 96 wasnt for base GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jje1953 Posted June 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2011 That's looking like the route I should have taken in the first place!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jje1953 Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 whoa wait a minute. I have a writeup here somewhere. Open the trunk, look in the corner behind the right taillight, behind the side carpet. You will either see one or two plugs. the plug you need is a 7 pin black plug that may have a jumper installed with shrink tubing. If you have that the 12 disc changer is plug and play. If you dont you will need my writeup to explain more. But start there. I would say alot of the 97-99 were prewired for the changer. The 96 wasnt for base I do see the harness for the CD player, but I have another harness back there, and was wondering what it's for. I thought maybe it was for an amp, but the amps I'm seeing that could supposedly go in this car, do not have the same pin connections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 the one that looks like a serial plug is fo the onstar/ integrated radio. Do not worry about that one. if yu have a 12 disc changer it is plug and play. All you have to do is trim a few small holes in the carpet near the plug where the changer goes and the mountt is already there. The changer slides into one side and bolts on the other If you do a search for cd changer from me I have a writeup on it GM FAN FOREVER Nice, clean, luxury= fine automobile Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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