Impala (2003)
From Omnifi Wiki
Author's note. This is a lengthy article and is currently incomplete. I intend to finish it soon complete with some pictures and diagrams. Please be patient.
Contents |
Introduction
Installation in the 2003 Chevrolet Impala LS is pretty straightforward. Overall install time for me was probably around 8 hours, though I can't be sure as I didn't do it all at once. Because I wanted to keep my factory head unit, I purchased a P.I.E. GM12-AUXV2 auxiliary input converter from LogJam Electornics. This has worked great, and is especially awesome because it retains the ability to use a CD changer as well as my DMP1.
If you're going to install the DMP1 all in one sitting, I would suggest following this install guide in the order it's presented. Otherwise, sections have been labeled to help you skip to the next step you need to accomplish - paper writing service.
Materials
- 1 Rockford Fosgate Omnifimedia DMP1
- 1 D-Link DWL-121 WiFi receiver (optional)
- 1 Auxiliary Input Converter (P.I.E. GM12-AUXV2)
- 6-8 feet of 14awg wire
- 5 3M wire tap connectors
- 1 splice (crimp) connector
- 1 Roll of electrical tap
- 1 Package JB Weld (or similar epoxy)
- 1 Roll of masking tape
- 4 1-inch self-threading metal screws (check size against DMP1 mounting holes)
- 4 short (3/8" ?) screws for mounting head unit
- Various zip-ties to secure cables and such
Tools
- Cordless or corded Drill
- Small drill bits to drill mounting holes
- 3/8+ drill bit (for optional step)
- Standard Utility/Carpet knife
- Both Phillips and Flat screwdrivers of varying sizes
- 10mm socket and wrench (with 10" extension)
- Wirestripping and crimping tool
- Circuit testing light
- Digital Multimeter (optional)
- 15 foot metal "fish" tape
- Metal-cutting band saw or hack saw
- Dremel tool and metal cutting bit (if necessary)
- Bubble level
Installation
Step 1 - Mounting the head unit
Mounting the head unit is by far the most time consuming and aesthetically sensitive aspect of this install. Time consuming because the way I did it requires waiting for some epoxy to cure so that holes can be drilled to secure the mounting brackets. Aesthetically sensitive because it needs to look like it's done right.
After much consideration, I decided that the best place to mount the DMP1 head unit (controller) is beneath the environmental controls, at the top of the console front storage compartment, in front of the gear shift (see picture). Although this is lower than I'd have liked, the angle of the mount and the proximity to the gear shift actually makes it easy to lay my hand on the gear shift and use the controls while driving (gasp).
Mounting in this location requires modification of the mounting brackets included with the DMP1. I used a band-saw with a metal-cutting blade to cut off the side tabs of the mounting brackets. I was then able to rotate the brackets 180 degrees so that the head unit "hangs" from the top of the console's front storage compartment.
Now, on to the install...
First, remove the Impala's center console. The console is secured by six 10mm bolts. Two are exposed on the sides of the console at the very front, under the dash. Two more bolts are found underneath the console near the gear shift, and the last two are in the console's rear storage compartment, beneath the rubber mat. To get at the two near the gear shift, open the storage compartment, grasp the section behind the cupholders, and pull up firmly. Pulling the friction fit clips from their seat will sound horrible, but it is perfectly safe. To completely remove the console top you will need to shift the car into 2nd or 3rd (be sure to apply the parking break first) and rotate the top around the gear shift to slip it off. Once all the bolts are removed, slide the console toward the back of the car, then lift it out.
Once removed from the car you can see that there is no good place to drill to secure the mounting brackets. However, there is a section between the console face and the top of the front storage compartment that can be filled with epoxy and drilled. First, mask off the sides of this section to prevent the liquid epoxy from running off. Next, mask off the front face of the console to make sure that no epoxy drips on it and ruins the facia. Finally, mix the epoxy together and fill the area all the way to the top. Some compression (and possible drainage) may occur as the epoxy dries and we need enough material to drill in to.
The epoxy will take roughly six hours to cure, so while you're waiting on that, you might as well go ahead and mount the hard drive housing and conquer the wiring. Come back to this point once the epoxy has cured.
Once the epoxy has cured, get out your short mounting screws and compare them with the drill bits to find the right size hole to drill. Then, loosely attach the headunit to the mounting brackets. Experiement with the head unit and brackets (and a level, if necessary) until you've got the head unit horizontal and the brackets are flush against the top of the storage compartment (the face of the headunit should angle upward). Mark the drill points in the epoxy with something sharp like a scratch awl. Remove the headunit and bracket, and drill your pilot holes. Be careful not to drill too deep (tip: place a piece of tape around the bit at the desired depth to visualize when to stop drilling).
Now secure your brackets and mount your head unit. Since it hangs down from between the console and the dash, no one will ever be the wise should you ever choose to remove it.
Should your head unit install not come out level, you can make use of a dremel too to cut your own slots in the rear section of the head unit. I had to do this since I wasn't careful when placing the mounting brackets.
As an optional step you can drill a larger hole through the top of the front storage compartment through which to pull the head unit cable. Alternately, if you redirect the head unit cable you might be able to go over the top of the console (where the brackets are).
Step 2 - Mounting the Hard Drive Housing
Rockford recommends mounting the hard drive housing vertically so that the front of the hard drive is facing upwards. Supposedly this helps minimize shock on the hard drive. I mounted my hard drive housing vertically in the trunk on the left wheel well/gas fill tube housing. In my experience the DMP1 only skips when I am transitioning from street velocity to freeway velocity, thus I consider it to be a pretty good mount point.*
To begin mounting, first remove the carpet lining from the prospective spot. You don't want to drill through carpeting.
Attach the control cable and usb cable (optional) to the DMP1, then hold the DMP1 against the mounting location. Make sure you have enough clearance to unattach the cables, as well as clearance to insert the hard drive (do not insert the drive at this time). Once you meet those criteria, mark the mount points and remove the DMP1. Now double-check to make sure that your mount points are not on any exterior walls (trust me, you don't want to drill through to the outside of your car). Next, center-punch the mount points and drill them. Now thread each screw into its hole (without mounting the DMP1). Leave the screws sticking out quite a bit. Now replace the carpet and feel through the carpet to find where each screw is. Use a utility (carpet) knife to cut through the carpet and expose each screw. Now remove the screws, mount the DMP1 and attach the cables.
* Author's note: I have now had about six weeks of use with my DMP1 and am finding that the trunk mounting location for the hard drive seems to be more prone to skipping than I originally thought. I am thinking about moving my HD unit to somewhere inside my passenger compartment. Unfortunately, there aren't any great under-seat places for mounting (due to dual power seats) so I might mount it in the console in the armrest storage compartment.
Step 3 - Routing the Control Cable
Now that the DMP1 is mounted, it's time to route that monster cable.
This can be a lot of work, depending on where you mounted the hard drive housing. With my trunk installation, I found that the only good place to run the control cable was through the rear-window deck (above the trunk), along the deck, down the left side of the rear seatback, under the carpet, beneat the driver's seat, below the center console, out under the carpeting at the front of the car, and up into the dash (where it connects with the master wiring bracket) The cable was just long enough to pull this off, so make sure there is little to no slack when you are routing the cable.
This path will require a lot of disassembly, especially for getting through the rear-window deck. You'll have to lift up the rear seatbottom, remove the rear seatback, remove the friction-fit retainer clips securing the rear deck carpeting, remove the trim along the rear passenger side door and floor, lift up the rear deck carpeting, and then route your cable. Once you get the cable through and route it down the side, pull all the extra slack through.
Now it's time to get out your fish tape and black electrical tape. The easiest way to route the cable under the carpet without removing the seats and such is to fish the tape underneath the carpet from the destination point to the current origin. You're going to want to do this in as small of steps as possible. This is because the carpet padding has a high coefficient of friction (it's sticky and hard to pull through). Also, it helps to pull in straight paths only. Once you've fished from one point to another, you need to tape the head of the cable to the fish tape using the black electrical tape. The key here is to use plenty of tape (it's cheap). Wrap the tape around the fish tape and the cable head so that you cannot see either of them were the tape is. Try to make it one continuous piece with no gaps between. Also, make sure to put a good tapered head at the front of the cable. This will act like a nose cone, pushing any blocking material out of the way gradually so that the cable doesn't get caught.
Like I said, the carpet padding really sticks to the cable, so you'll have to pull hard to get it through. Do this for each leg of your cable routing until you get it up to the dash where you need it.
Step 4 - Wiring it Up
Before we can wire up the DMP1 we have to remove the dash. Get out your crowbar ;-)
For most people, one of the hardest parts about automotive audio is knowing where to splice into the vehicle's wiring. This is pretty easy on the Impala since most of the wires that the DMP1 needs can be found in the radio wiring harness. The one exception to this is the "Switched Power" wire. The 2003 Impala doesn't use any sort of switched power on the radio. Instead, the radio receives constant power and the body control module tells it when to shut off via a class 2 data wire. This is what makes the radio's Retained Accessory Power possible as well as On Star.
