Hello...I'm about ready to purchase the Z1 but had a few questions.
I have a 2003 Chevy Tahoe with the bose system. I know I need the GMOS4 adapter to be able to maintain the chimes, warning signals, and to use the current bose speaker/subwoofer setup. I was wondering what other adapters, other than the standard wiring harness, that I would need? For example, the steering wheel harness to use the steering wheel controls...any other adapters. Basically i want to be able to use all the normal functions that is stock on my truck.

Also, is this system fairly easy to install? I've installed numerous single din decks on civics, accords, and integras, but never any type of navi system/double din. Where can I find wiring diagrams and install guides for my 03 Tahoe?

Lastly...will this even fit my 2003 tahoe? Everyone I have asked has told me that my tahoe is a double din, but Im not sure...I've attached a pic of how which dash/console is in my tahoe. Thanks!

[/img]http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2003/Chevrolet/100094062/024831-E.jpg

Guest said:

Hello...I'm about ready to purchase the Z1 but had a few questions.
I have a 2003 Chevy Tahoe with the bose system. I know I need the GMOS4 adapter to be able to maintain the chimes, warning signals, and to use the current bose speaker/subwoofer setup. I was wondering what other adapters, other than the standard wiring harness, that I would need? For example, the steering wheel harness to use the steering wheel controls...any other adapters. Basically i want to be able to use all the normal functions that is stock on my truck.

Also, is this system fairly easy to install? I've installed numerous single din decks on civics, accords, and integras, but never any type of navi system/double din. Where can I find wiring diagrams and install guides for my 03 Tahoe?

Lastly...will this even fit my 2003 tahoe? Everyone I have asked has told me that my tahoe is a double din, but Im not sure...I've attached a pic of how which dash/console is in my tahoe. Thanks!

[/img]http://www.edmunds.com/pictures/VEHICLE/2003/Chevrolet/100094062/024831-E.jpg

i might have done something wrong because i brought the gmos04 and it hooked to the factory harness the only problem is no rap or dimmer control with the headlights if figure this out please let me know. thanks

i installed mine in a 02 avalanche and to my knowledge there almost the same truck i didnt have bose but mine went in easy

Ok, so is the GMOS4 adapter the correct one? Can anyone else chime in on any of my other questions? I'm hoping to install everything this weekend, but really want to make sure the Z1 is gonna fit and work in my Tahoe. Thanks everyone!

anyone? help?

well i havent installed mine yet either but i have probobly spent 100 hours researching while waiting for shipment. I have an 04 silverado. alot of people ( including some of teh install shops around me said it would not fit!! I would have to cut and fiberglass and bla bla bla. THIS IS NOT TRUE. I DO have a double din opening in my truck. there are many pics posted on teh various forums out there with competed installs. All i have spoken to say this is actually pretty easy. so your gunna be all set. i think i have even seen some 03 tahoes or blazers with install pics in this forum. remember to take before during and after pics to post here. Good luck.[/url]

I was just looking at the pioneer website and the video they have for teh z1. they have a fitment tab where they list vehicles the unit fits. As i said earlier i have a chevy silverado, they dont have any chevys listed at all. But they do have the cadillac ext, its the same stupid truck. lol. oh well

Thanks silveradojeff. The image that I originally tried to put in my first post didn't show up, but does your silverado have them same console setup? That's how my console is, yet people keep telling me that they find it weird that that is the console I have in an 03 tahoe. Other than the GMOS4, what other adapters do you have/get for your setup?(I'm assuming you have the Bose speaker/sub system in your silverado.) Aslo, do you know if it will basically slide right in for install or is there any mods or fabrications needed to install it flush? I too have been searching and surfing for hours before diving into the Z1 install. Hopefully others can chime in and give some more info that would benefit both of us. I'm assuming that this install would be the same as installing any aftermarket unit so hopefully it won't be too tough. Thanks.

here is the layout of my truck. Oh by the way i do not have the bose system so that could be a difference in our stuff but the sizes are still the same. My stereo opening is about 4.12" high x 8.30" wide. Alot of people seem to think that its only 3 x 7 i dunno

Now these are not my truck since i have not got mine installed yet. But i have talked to these guys and they said they just took out the old one and popped in the new one. I did get a tip that i can pass on to ya. They both said that first off dont try to take the small black trim part that is closest to the radio off. It does not come off. The whole piece comes off together. It just pops off. Put your truck in the lowest gear you have and it will slide over teh steering wheel. Also the stock stereo only has about 1 or 2 inches of speaker wire so the best advise i was given was to take a pair of vise grips or pliers to hold teh harness while pulling teh unit out. I was told some cussing and beer drinking would not be out of place here. thats all i can say. I love how factory the look is.

here are a few links you may find interesting if you havent found them already.
[url]http://www.tta89.net/cars/2006_2500HD/gpsnav/index.htm
[/url]http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77521


well thats all i got lol.[/url]

Hey thanks silveradojeff...those links were perfect. I only wished he would have mentioned whether or not he had to modify or fabricate in order to fit the Z1 cleanly the way it looks. It looks very nice installed.

So it's possible, now I just need to figure out, other than the wiring harness, the metra install kit, and the GMOS4 adapter, what else I would need. Any input on that?

Also, I currently have a kenwood kvt-911 installed so I wonder if it will be a little easier installing the Z1? All I think I would have to do is unistall/unplug the kvt911 and remove all the wiring. I didn't do the kvt911 install myself though.

You've been really informative and helpful to me. Thanks!

Hey guys , just caught this and wanted to throw some insight in. I have a Escalade EXT which is basically the same dash as yours. Sounds as if you have all the adapters, I think all I had was the GMOS04 and the antenna adapter. on the fitment two little things- 1. The Z1 (at least mine) did not come with any metal side plates for mounting, the gm one's are tacked on. I ended up using a plastic double din kit and cutting the side plates off and attaching to the Z1 to fit into the factory anchors. You could pry the ones off of the factory unit for a little stiffer brace but the plastic ones seem to hold well. 2. it is extremely tight behind the radio espescially once you add the GMOS, I ended up completly removing all the plastics behind the radio, really simple once I got a hole, I just used pliars and started breaking it off, hated to do that but had to be done for a better fit. It did go in without doing this but it had to be wrestled and I didnt want to have to do that everytime I needed back there. Removing the plastic has not takin away any strength of the dash itself. Everywhere I went said this would not fit but trust me it fits with VERY MINOR mods and looks sweet.

Hey sloppy...thanks for the install info. How long did it take you to do the install? I've installed many single din units, but never a double din. how much plastic did you have to break off? Do you have any pics of your completed install? I'm wondering whether or not I need an antenna adapter since I already have an aftermarket unit in my tahoe. Do you know if the antenna adapter is universal? Thanks.

The install for the avic took roughly two hours maybe a little less. As far as the plastic I started with a small amount and kept fitting but ended up just taking out all the plastic behind the unit to make it easier for future additions once that stuff starts breaking it comes out pretty easy. With the antenna your probablly good to go and you may already have the Gmos in there as well as that is needed for all the GM goodies, it plugs into the GM harness and on the other end to the deck you wire in the power, acc, ground etc. etc. My pics are on my laptop which I can upload tomorrow, don't have any with the dash apart just the completed install. Another tidbit of info, if You have factory Bose, or if your unit was set up to take a factory nav unit, you will have a piggy back in there that has a connection to the VSS wire right there makes life really easy. There is a pic I can post of that on cadillacforums.com. I don't know if the none bose units have it or not but if you've got that piggyback it's one less wire to trace down.

Anonymous said:

Hey sloppy...thanks for the install info. How long did it take you to do the install? I've installed many single din units, but never a double din. how much plastic did you have to break off? Do you have any pics of your completed install? I'm wondering whether or not I need an antenna adapter since I already have an aftermarket unit in my tahoe. Do you know if the antenna adapter is universal? Thanks.

I just reread your original post and since you do have the bose system you should have the piggy back for the vss, picture posted also if you don't already have it pac makes a sweet little piece to keep the steering controls. On the bypass I used the TR7 with a toggle to manually turn the daynight on and off, this was before Ducatiboy came up with his circuit but both work. I can get you a pic of the install tomorrow but it basically looks like the top install above.

WHAT WAS DONE FOR YOUR DIMMER/ILLUMINATION WIRING. I HAVE EVERY THING HOOKED ON 2005 YUKON EXCEPT THAT.

Hey Sloppy,

I decided to register to the site, so I was wondering the same thing about the dimmer/Ill wire. I just sent Ducatiboy payment for one of his bypass flashers. Do you know which wire/color is the dimmer/Ill... ? Thanks!

For some odd ball reason there isn't a dimmer wire for the factory units, I know the lights dimm on the factory unit but there is no dimm wire that I could find. I did have mine piggybacked from the switch. all you have to do is take a voltmeter or testlight turn on the parking lights and stick the test light in the harness until it lights up then splice in. I had mine hooked up there but actually since have removed and installed on a toggle under the dash. The Navi at night with daytime setting is crazy bright but I like the fact of it not dimming the av screens and if for some crazy reason I want that bright A@@ navi screen glowing at night I have the option. I just took the ILL wire from the avic to one side of the toggle and the other side to switched acc.

Sloppy said:

For some odd ball reason there isn't a dimmer wire for the factory units, I know the lights dimm on the factory unit but there is no dimm wire that I could find. I did have mine piggybacked from the switch. all you have to do is take a voltmeter or testlight turn on the parking lights and stick the test light in the harness until it lights up then splice in. I had mine hooked up there but actually since have removed and installed on a toggle under the dash. The Navi at night with daytime setting is crazy bright but I like the fact of it not dimming the av screens and if for some crazy reason I want that bright A@@ navi screen glowing at night I have the option. I just took the ILL wire from the avic to one side of the toggle and the other side to switched acc.

Ok, I was just curious because I just bought/ordered one of Ducatoboy's bypass flasher since I have the autoheadlights, a clifford alarm with remote start, and I want to be able to use all the functions of the Z1 while in motion.. not sure if you have one of them or not, but I'm not sure which wire(s) is the illumination or dimmer. from my understanding, the bypass flasher requires splicing it into the illumination wire.

On the bypass I used a PacTR7 basically does the same thing as ducati boys Circuit. I ran my tR7 off of the Illum wire on the Avic which I believe was the orange wire. then at first came off of that with a wire to the parking light switch even with auto healights it would'nt mess with the screen until the switch was moved, then ended up taking that off and going straight to a toggle just for more flexability. So you should be good either way you go. I also have a viper 791vx W/ Remote Start and wired up this way or with ducatiboys circuit you will have all options as long as the illumination wire gets a pulse, the bypass is good. I like the option with the toggle be able to turn the navigation black is pretty nice I like that look better than the daytime navi screen, but the toggle gives you some options instead of straight off the switch

Sloppy said:

On the bypass I used a PacTR7 basically does the same thing as ducati boys Circuit. I ran my tR7 off of the Illum wire on the Avic which I believe was the orange wire. then at first came off of that with a wire to the parking light switch even with auto healights it would'nt mess with the screen until the switch was moved, then ended up taking that off and going straight to a toggle just for more flexability. So you should be good either way you go. I also have a viper 791vx W/ Remote Start and wired up this way or with ducatiboys circuit you will have all options as long as the illumination wire gets a pulse, the bypass is good. I like the option with the toggle be able to turn the navigation black is pretty nice I like that look better than the daytime navi screen, but the toggle gives you some options instead of straight off the switch

Ok, so just to be clear on this...if I don't use a TR7 or toggle switch, and just use Ducatiboys bypass flasher, I will have access to all the functions of the Z1 even when in motion. The only thing that I won't have is when it is dark, the Z1 screen will not dim and the nav screen will still appear as daytime sky rather than changing to night sky?

Anonymous said:

Sloppy said:

On the bypass I used a PacTR7 basically does the same thing as ducati boys Circuit. I ran my tR7 off of the Illum wire on the Avic which I believe was the orange wire. then at first came off of that with a wire to the parking light switch even with auto healights it would'nt mess with the screen until the switch was moved, then ended up taking that off and going straight to a toggle just for more flexability. So you should be good either way you go. I also have a viper 791vx W/ Remote Start and wired up this way or with ducatiboys circuit you will have all options as long as the illumination wire gets a pulse, the bypass is good. I like the option with the toggle be able to turn the navigation black is pretty nice I like that look better than the daytime navi screen, but the toggle gives you some options instead of straight off the switch

Ok, so just to be clear on this...if I don't use a TR7 or toggle switch, and just use Ducatiboys bypass flasher, I will have access to all the functions of the Z1 even when in motion. The only thing that I won't have is when it is dark, the Z1 screen will not dim and the nav screen will still appear as daytime sky rather than changing to night sky?

Actually if you hook it up correctly you will get all the functions and it will go into night mode with the lights. I made it to replace the functioning of 2 TR7's not just 1.

If you have 1 TR7 hooked up to pulse, and you start your car and your lights go on within 10 seconds of starting the car (if you have auto headlights or you turn them on manually) you will interfere with what the 1 TR7 was about to do (tell your head unit you flashed the lights).

So what people were doing was to hook 2 TR7's up. One to flash the lights and the other to "hold off" the signal to the head unit from the lights saying they were on. So if you did turn them on (or with auto headlights at night) before 10 seconds was up the first TR7 would do it's job.

I designed my circuit to go inbetween the car and the head unit so for the first 10 seconds after starting the car, it would tell the head unit you flashed your lights. Then after 10 seconds it would pass through what the state of the lights was so it would dim and go into night mode. But my circuit disregards the state of the lights for the first 10 seconds.

So basically my circuit does the work of 2 TR7's. If you don't have auto lights and are sure you won't turn on your lights for 10 seconds after you start the car, you only would need 1 TR7. Or my circuit. Either way works the same.

Hi Ducatiboy,

Sorry, those posts that show up as guest, was me. I forgot to log in prior to posting. Just to understand a little better...So as long as I install your bypass, I don't have to worry about the dimmer wire connected or not connected? I know that I have to connect your bypass to the illumination wire, ground, and power. No problem with that, but sloppy said that there is no dimmer wire for the factory units in regards to his Silverado(which I believe would be the same for my Tahoe). My concern is that if there is no dimmer wire, does that mean my Z1 will not dim in the evenings, and the sky will not turn to dark when its dark, and blue sky in the daytime?

Ducatiboys bypass is the way to go I used my TR7's before his little jewel was invented. As for the dimming on the Tahoe. On my escalade which is basically a tahoe with different name badges, I could not find a ILL. Dim, there is a wire that comes off of the GMOS04 that sais ILL but when hooked up it does nothing. If you want the avic to dimm with the auto lights you will need to find a positive source for the headlights either at the switch or off the rear off the fusebox, I did mine off the switch and it worked no problem. So you will actually go from the Avic ILL wire to Ducati's circuit to your light source depending on how his circuit is wired, I'm sure he has diagram with circuit for general set up. I ended up putting mine on a toggle for two reasons 1. I don't like that when I am on any AV screens at night they dimm as well, not a big deal but they are noticebly different when you see the actual difference. 2. I like the look of the MAP view in black rather than the white dayime look, IF im using 3d Then I use night or day depending, it basically just gives me options of the ill. Which I know is a little whack but it works for me. So you will still need to run your Ill wire to a pos lightsource that turns on/off with the lights I origianlly had this at my switch and may actaully run back there with a diode to the toggle so I have automated day/night or manually switchable.
Basically, Your ILL wire to Positive source when lights come on with Ducati's circuit in there per his instructions.

avictahoe said:

Hi Ducatiboy,

Sorry, those posts that show up as guest, was me. I forgot to log in prior to posting. Just to understand a little better...So as long as I install your bypass, I don't have to worry about the dimmer wire connected or not connected? I know that I have to connect your bypass to the illumination wire, ground, and power. No problem with that, but sloppy said that there is no dimmer wire for the factory units in regards to his Silverado(which I believe would be the same for my Tahoe). My concern is that if there is no dimmer wire, does that mean my Z1 will not dim in the evenings, and the sky will not turn to dark when its dark, and blue sky in the daytime?

Basically like Sloppy said. There are diagrams for installation in the hacks/mods section. Normally I designed this circuit to go in between a working ILL wire from the car and the ILL input wire on the Z1. If your particular car does not have a wire like that, then you will have to find one... or make one with a toggle switch like Sloppy did. I'm not an installer and don't know how different cars are wired, so I can't help you find one. But if you want it to automatically go dim and into night mode when you turn on the lights you will need to "find" a wire which goes to 12V when you turn on the lights. Sometimes there is one on the harness going to the radio. Sometimes not, it depends on the car. I was thinking of doing some sort of a switch myself, cause in NJ you have to have the headlights on when it's raining even if it's so bright you need sunglasses so it dims in the day time when I need to run with my lights on. So a switch you would have control over it.

Usually a dimmer wire would be a pulsed 12V signal to make the lights come on but with a dimmer control. My circuit is designed to work off that as well. If you can find a wire which pulses with 12V and the pulses are adjustable with the dimmer knob, it should work off that as well, as long as the lights coming on are when you want the Z1 to dim as well.

Ducatiboy and sloppy,

Thanks for all the great info. You'll have to forgive me for all the questions, my experience with installing navs is very little. I've done regular single dins, but they were very easy to do in civics and integras. No modules to deal with and never had to use any form of bypasses, so these parts are still relatively new to me. I was initially going to do the install myself, but a friend of mine has a buddy who does installs at a local audio shop and is very reputable. He said they would do the install for me for free. But, since I am also going to have them install the bypass, I wanted to make sure I could explain to them exactly what was going on with it and what needed to be done. If I didn't care about the auto dimming... Ducatiboy, would there be anything different as far as your instructions on installing the bypass? Aslo, correct me if I'm wrong, but I should be able to manually dim the Z1 if it was really necessary right? Could I also manually make the nav in black, instead of the daytime white?