98 deville base radio replacement

[lestro]

I have a 1.5A parasite battery drain that I have isolated to the radio(when I unplug the radio cassette the current flow stops). My question is, will a radio from another cadillac work in this without being reprogrammed? the radio says theftlock on it, but I don't have a security system. I've had the battery unhooked several times and the radio still worked when I hooked the battery back up. Would I be better off just getting an aftermarket radio? thanks

[KHE]

The easiest thing to do would be to take the radio to a Delco service center - ask any dealer where they send radios out for repair. They should be able to repair the radio for you. If you decide to replace it with a factory unit, I believe the radio will need to be unlocked since it is a theftlock radio.

I wouldn't recommend an aftermarket radio - the factory radios are integrated into the vehicle electronics and adding an aftermarket unit could be difficult.

[rockfangd]

is yours equipped with a cd changer. If it is I would unplug it and check it again.

Also the relay can stick (rare but possible) for the power antenna and cause a draw

[lestro]

Thanks for the replies. I have seen on you tube a method of getting some codes off the radios and calling a number to get unlock codes, but don't know if it works or not. This radio only has the cassette player, no cd, and have had the antenna unplugged for a while.

[winterset]

The replacement radio must be the same type. Some have built in amps, and others require an existing amp in the trunk. Theftlock needs to be undone at an authorized radio repair shop. Do you have speakers on the top and bottom of both your front and rear doors?

And do you have a speaker in the center of your dashboard under the front window defogger? Did you replace the cassette radio with a cd layer radio? I think a '96 cassette radio will work in a '98 because the '96 did not have theftlock. It just looks for a cadillac vin from the pcm.

[rockfangd]

I dont know if the 96-97 will work in 98+

the theftloc weirdly enough did not start til 98 on the caddys.

there is a 3 digit RPO code you must go by when replacing the radio unit. The most common is the U1L base radio.

I have swapped 97 radios into the 96 beausse the 97s have source buttons rather than the specific component buttons.

I have little experience with theftloc and caddys.

All I know is that the radio is not the full functioning part. The amp in the trunk is what controls the majority of the features.

I suggest that you look at a wiring diagram from a 96 base and your particular model.

The cd player in a 98 Deville would be a 12 disc changer in the right rear corner of the trunk by the antenna.

I will look into it further tomorrow to see if I can specifically answer your question.

Last I knew 98+ you must install the used radio(identical) and take it to the dealer for them to program it to the bcm. It is a vin encryption issue.

I hope this helps.

I also do not recommend aftermarket anything on caddys

[lestro]

Thanks, I ordered a replacement radio with the same part number from a salvage yard on ebay, hopefully it won't have the same thing wrong with it