Cobalt radio swap?
 

And I have asked this on the Cobalt site, but figured I'd ask here as well since many parts are interchangeable. My daughter was gifted a 2006 Cobalt LS 2.2 sedan with only 51K on the clock. She gets her permit next week and we are going to start working on this.

Background, my mom purchased this car used in 2007 with 11K and used it until she was no longer allowed to drive last year. My daughter had always told her she wanted it, and low and behold, she gave it to her last year. Since she could drive yet, it was left with some family members, and this past weekend we brought it home. It's a base LS auto, but does have cruise we added back in 2007 for my mom.

Routine maintenance has been kept up and car runs great. I'm going to replace the timing chain tensioner with the latest model. Needs a lot of cleaning, which will result in some father/daughter bonding time. Paint is in good shape, no dings and minor scratches except the passenger side rocker panel is dinged pretty good, but was like that when we acquired it back in 07. Just out of curiosity, is that easy to replace? No biggie if it's not. Not sure if the inner panel is damaged, or just the outer.

One thing I do want to do is upgrade the sound system, nothing fancy, but the door speakers are pretty bad, probably looking like the stocks in the HHR when I replaced those. But speakers are easy. What I'm running into online is, what receiver I can put in and keep the chimes and DIC. I checked with crutchfield and they state to keep the DIC functions, I need a $170 install kit which includes the DIC buttons, but the factory buttons are not on the receiver, but between the center stack and dash. They also state for some reason, to keep the chimes and DIC functions, only a single DIN can be installed.

I'm not going with a high dollar system for a 15 y/o first car, but this install kit is about as much as the receiver/speakers I was looking into. I want her to have BT and she wants an AUX jack. Just some decent sound for now.

If anyone can shed some info on the rocker panel, I might look into replacing that, but it's not a priority.

But I would appreciate any info on what is indeed needed to replace the receiver and have the chimes and DIC function. Or is this kit the only way?

I think you are misreading the Crutchfield site. I see a several double DIN systems, the installation kit is about $40 includes the chimes excludes the steering wheel.

https://www.crutchfield.com/g_300/Al...ize|Double-DIN
https://www.crutchfield.com/g_300/Al...ize|Double-DIN

Chimes yes, DIC no. Since DIC controls are disabled, won't be able to reset the OLM when needed.

This is the kit needed to retain the DIC, or so they say. You can see the controls on the new panel. When chatting they told me the factory controls will be disabled. I find that's BS, and there has to be another way.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_120993...t.html?tp=3486

If I may make a recommendation... I am wondering if you might be able to use a receiver out of an HHR. My 07 HHR comes with an AUX jack. The only issue that I could think of is that you may need a Tech 2 to set it up.

Mixing after market parts into a vehicle like a Cobalt or HHR just seems like a really bad idea to me. It usually never works out for me. ._.

I don't know if there are different packages of sound systems that HHRs come with but I am throughly satisfied with quality of sound that comes out if mine. I would just stay stock if you can.

But yeah, just a thought.

Does the Cobalt display the DIC messages on the radio? I guess that's why it is best to talk about HHRs only here.

OK, I see that the buttons for the display are on the lower "DIN" spot. So I guess you would have to figure out how to mount your own switches. they are usually just momentary contact switches.

It turns out that the radio in a Cobalt actually does some of the stuff the BCM does on the HHR.

I went to metraonline.com, it looks like 95-3303B is the double DIN version. It comes with the switches on a separate plate to be mounted in the glovebox or under the dash. I think one of those connectors is for OnStar.

Looks that way, anyway. Don't know.

Here is one of the reviews, this is for a DIC on the radio screen. HHR does not need this, don't know about Cobalt.

"The Metra 99-3303 does what it claims. Construction seems a little cheap for such an expensive adapter. If you have a Pontiac G6 GT Convertible you do not want to lose your DIC alerts that tell you the status of your top position. So I would like to thank Pontiac engineers for integrating the DIC into the radio and costing me way too much when a much less expensive adapter would have done the job. Best way to buy it is as a kit from Crutchfield."

Did a little more digging over the weekend. One site I found stated the DIC is not used with the headunit on the 05/06 Cobalts, only the 07+. Which makes sense since the factory DIC controls are not on the headunit. Guess I'm going to have to just roll the dice when we are ready for this upgrade. Spend the weekend cleaning the interior....lol