Tom,

But I can't even get mine to say "SAFE." Even if I did know the VIN of the
car it came from, what do I have to do to at least get it to the SAFE
mode?''

Cheers,
Bruce

>From: "Tom Miller" <tmiller@vcmails.com>
>Reply-To: "Tom Miller" <tmiller@vcmails.com>
>To: "Bruce Nadig" <motorbruce@HOTMAIL.COM>,<vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Subject: Re:      VW Radio Into Vanagon (Long)
>Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 20:08:15 -0500
>
>The Anit-Theft LED is the dead give-a-way to the fact that whenever power
>is
>removed from the radio, either by pulling the battery cables, or unplugging
>the connector on the radio, it goes into a SAFE mode, which is displayed
>when power is reapplied to it and you turn it on.  If you get this
>indication, it must have the security code entered to get it out of SAFE
>mode.  The dealer should be able to look up the code for that radio in
>their
>computer.  Take it to them.  The VIN number of the vehicle it was in
>originally may be needed, I am not sure.  I had my VW dealer look up a code
>for me once.  It took them all of 5 minutes and I did not need the vehicle
>VIN.
>Good luck!
>TEMiller
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Bruce Nadig" <motorbruce@HOTMAIL.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 7:34 PM
>Subject: VW Radio Into Vanagon (Long)
>
>
> > Howdy From Texas,
> >
> > Long story, but thanks to VW the stock radio on my '87 GL is now just a
> > large paperweight. That is not the problems I am trying to solve today,
> > although I am still pissed at VW (they can't get me the code for my
>radio
> > because they didn't stamp the 14 character code into the chassis). Don't
> > reply with suggestions on how to get it going again. I have moved on
>from
> > that problem.
> >
> > For a replacement I want to keep the VW look. A good friend of mine is
>the
> > local VW guru and used parts vendor. He has a VW head unit that I want
>to
> > use in my Vanagon, but so far I haven't been able to get it to work. He
> > swears that all he had to do to get to work in a car was plug it in - on
> > codes, no nothing.
> >
> > This radio has a black face, VW logo, and says "Premium Audio." No other
> > model names are present. This is a AM/FM/Cassette unit with CD changer
> > controls. My friend told me that these are rare units. On the body of
>the
> > radio there are a number of stickers. Several of them say "Premium." The
> > part number appears in two places and is: 357 035 186H. One sticker that
> > says Premium and has the part number also says "Made In Japan."
>Elsewhere
>on
> > the radio there is a sticker that says "Assembled by Matsushita
> > Communications Deutschland GMBH, Germany." Go figure. I don't know what
>year
> > or model car this unit came from.
> >
> > On the front of the head unit it also  has a picture of a red key and
>says,
> > "Anti Theft." My friend swears that he was able to plug it in to a car
>and
> > it worked. He swears that he didn't need a code for the unit to work.
> >
> > I checked the fuse on the radio and it is good. I checked to see that
>the
> > radio is getting power, and it is.
> >
> > On the back there are three receptacles for plugs on the factory
>harness,
> > just as the original radio had. The lowest of the three is for power,
>the
> > middle is for the connections to the speakers. The upper receptacle is
>for
> > the cable that runs to the CD changer.
> >
> > I think the solution to this problem will be getting the proper wires
>hooked
> > up to the proper pins on the bottom receptacle. The stock socket for the
> > bottom receptacle has wires going to only 3 of the 8 pins. There is a
>label
> > on the top of the radio with a key to the layout of the pins. The stock
> > socket supplies power to one pin. Another pin is ground. A third is
>hooked
> > up to the dimmer circuit of the dashboard lights. All other pins are
>left
> > empty. On the label on top there are, however, symbols assigned to 3
>other
> > pins. One looks like a "Y" but the vertical section is the full height
>of
> > the character. I think this is a signal for a power antenna. One of the
> > remaining pins with an associated symbol simply has a "+". The final pin
>has
> > a picture of a speaker and a "+." Remember, only 3 of these pins are
> > actually connected to anything on the factory harness (that is to say
>that
> > the factory harness only has wires going to positions for 3 pins).
> >
> > The new radio also has 8 pins in the bottom receptacle. The power,
>ground,
> > and dimmer pins are in the same positions. Like the old radio, the new
>unit
> > also has the "Y" (antenna?) symbol, and the speaker with the "+."  There
>are
> > two additional symbols. Rather than having the second "+" that the first
> > radio had, the newer radio has an "S." Finally, there is a pin labeled
> > "ALM." That is obviously for some sort of alarm function. One pin
>remains
> > unlabeled on the newer radio.
> >
> > When I told my friend that the newer radio wouldn't work in my van he
>gave
> > me one suggestion. He seemed to think that this would solve the problem
> > right away. He really knows his VW stuff, especially electrical, so I
>didn't
> > question him. I just followed his advice. He instructed me to connect
>the
> > negative terminal and the terminal marked with the "S." He gave me the
> > jumper wires with the correct ends to insert into the factory connectors
>and
> > everything.
> >
> > Well, to make a long story, this afternoon, I did as he suggested. The
>new
> > radio still doesn't do anything. I plug it in, turn it on,
>and....nothing.
> > Nothing on the LCD screen. No mild thump from the speakers when the unit
>is
> > turned on. Nothing. Any ideas?
> >
> > I'd really like to use this head unit for several reasons (factory look,
> > cassette and CD capability, and the price is right).
> >
> > Any VW radio geniuses out there think you can help me with this problem?
>If
> > we can get this solved you will have my eternal gratitude!
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Bruce
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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>max!
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> >
>

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