I give up Metra, you win....

[witheringsanity]

:: Issue resolved. see below for info::

i have been defeated by this miserably bad dash kit. while i've certainly given up on trying to get this thing to work by myself, if anyone else has ANY idea what the holy hell is going on, please feel free to reply...

the issue: simple enough, front speakers won't play any music from the head unit, though the rear speakers work fine.

i've already figured out that it's not the head unit, it's not the speakers. the chimes work with the kit connected, and if i unplug the ground wire from the dash kit, the front speakers work but the chimes do not and the stereo will not turn itself off. (and customer support yelled at me for this, and told me to leave the ground wire alone).

i spent about 2 hours on the phone with metra trying to get this sorted, and they went all over the place, at first telling me that it's a common issue to telling me this has never happened, and back again. they even insulted me for not following the directions, which were actually WRONG (instructions don't mention pink wire with bullet connection OR the ground wire, both of which he said i ignored).

they gave me all manner of different things to try, none of which did ANYTHING. eventually told me to cut a wire which was supposed to be brown but was actually blue/pink (a wire that tells the kit the speaker are amplified??), that did nothing. told me i could get an update for the kit but that there wasn't a fix for my issue with the update.

so basically, i'm totally stumped. i've spent nearly 6 hours JUST trying to fix this one stupid problem. i feel like i'm gonna lose my mind if i keep messing with the stupid thing.

part of me wants to just toss it in the garbage and start over with a scosche kit... essentially throwing out $225, but who knows if that will work any better?

so congratulations, Metra, you win.

:: ended up getting this issue resolved. apparently, updating the firmware DID solve the problem. i just took it to a local audio shop and they flashed it free of charge! one thing though. if you have this issue, or if you go to get your Metra kit updated, make sure they use the "44 pin" update, not the "other GM". they weren't familiar with the camaro kit and flashed it wrong the first time. ::

[Drago77]

P.M. "Baby02" he had a lot of issues w his Metra and has it working now. I'm sure he'll be glad to help!

[OHIOSS]

Originally Posted by witheringsanity

i have been defeated by this miserably bad dash kit. while i've certainly given up on trying to get this thing to work by myself, if anyone else has ANY idea what the holy hell is going on, please feel free to reply...

the issue: simple enough, front speakers won't play any music from the head unit, though the rear speakers work fine.

i've already figured out that it's not the head unit, it's not the speakers. the chimes work with the kit connected, and if i unplug the ground wire from the dash kit, the front speakers work but the chimes do not and the stereo will not turn itself off. (and customer support yelled at me for this, and told me to leave the ground wire alone).

i spent about 2 hours on the phone with metra trying to get this sorted, and they went all over the place, at first telling me that it's a common issue to telling me this has never happened, and back again. they even insulted me for not following the directions, which were actually WRONG (instructions don't mention pink wire with bullet connection OR the ground wire, both of which he said i ignored).

they gave me all manner of different things to try, none of which did ANYTHING. eventually told me to cut a wire which was supposed to be brown but was actually blue/pink (a wire that tells the kit the speaker are amplified??), that did nothing. told me i could get an update for the kit but that there wasn't a fix for my issue with the update.

so basically, i'm totally stumped. i've spent nearly 6 hours JUST trying to fix this one stupid problem. i feel like i'm gonna lose my mind if i keep messing with the stupid thing.

part of me wants to just toss it in the garbage and start over with a scosche kit... essentially throwing out $225, but who knows if that will work any better?

so congratulations, Metra, you win.

:: EDIT P.S. i've already tried searching the forums, and apparently tons of people have had this issue... but once they get it fixed, they just post "got it all cleared up!" without actually SAYING WHAT THE DAMN FIX IS, hence making the post totally useless to anyone having the same problem.... ::

Dang everytime I think all of the bugs have been worked out of these dash kits someone posts something like this. I may just NOT buy a dash kit at all, there just seems to be way to many issues that the manufacturers just can't get fixed. No idea why some people have no problem while people like you have nothing but problems.

Russ

[dkp2LT]

I read in the vendors section that there will be a new dash kit announced next month at CES. Hopefully an improvement over the limited selection right now. All these problems are what keep me from even thinking about replacing the oem unit.

[witheringsanity]

Originally Posted by OHIOSS

Dang everytime I think all of the bugs have been worked out of these dash kits someone posts something like this. I may just NOT buy a dash kit at all, there just seems to be way to many issues that the manufacturers just can't get fixed. No idea why some people have no problem while people like you have nothing but problems.

Russ

yeah, i dunno if i can recommend them. i've decided to just bite the bullet and get a 4-channel amp and just hook my car speakers directly to that, bypassing the dash kit entirely. this will of course cut out my door and signal chimes, but i'll do what someone else suggested and just hook a tiny speaker up to those wires and stuff it in the dash.

thing is, i've hooked up at least 4 different stereo systems to cars, and never had this much trouble before. both the camaro itself and the metra kit do not lend themselves to user friendliness.

oh well, they'll probably sound better running through the amp anyway.

[witheringsanity]

issue resolved, see original post above. i feel silly now that i got so angry... but come on. poor instructions, and insulting customer support, and a problem that no one knew how to fix. anyone would have been upset.

[dkp2LT]

Glad it worked out for you and but I am convinced that I need to wait for an improved product before thinking about an aftermarket stereo.

[mikepage0007]

90%of all issues are self installed units..pay the $$$$ and let them deal with the issues and have it done right...by the time you get done and spending 10 hrs on trying to resolve the issues, you could have paid a couple hundred dollars and not had all the headache...most audio shops know what time is involved , , know all the unknown issues, and if they go over there time limit due to issues, that is there problem..i buy the unit from them and have them install it and make a deal on price and labor ......i expect to drive it out working 100% and let them know it upfront...they have to spend extra time fixing issues, not my problem..

[BigPopa71]

Originally Posted by mikepage0007

90%of all issues are self installed units..pay the $$$$ and let them deal with the issues and have it done right...by the time you get done and spending 10 hrs on trying to resolve the issues, you could have paid a couple hundred dollars and not had all the headache...most audio shops know what time is involved , , know all the unknown issues, and if they go over there time limit due to issues, that is there problem..i buy the unit from them and have them install it and make a deal on price and labor ......i expect to drive it out working 100% and let them know it upfront...they have to spend extra time fixing issues, not my problem..

I agree most issues are self installed units or second rate shops. I went to one of the best ships in Va. for my scosche kit and not one issue. It works flawlessly! I had a complete aftermarket system other than a head unit and although my equipment was high quality it wasn't meeting my needs. I had the scosche kit and my JVC head unit installed and my system came to life. I haven't had any of these so called issues and the fit is incredible. It looks and works so well everyone thinks its factory. I say spend the money on a professional and you won't regret it!

[chevy 3]

So your install was good just the software needed updating. That's great because in a few weeks ill be installing this in my car. And yea ill be doing the install my self.

[jeepguy_1980]

Originally Posted by mikepage0007

90%of all issues are self installed units..pay the $$$$ and let them deal with the issues and have it done right...by the time you get done and spending 10 hrs on trying to resolve the issues, you could have paid a couple hundred dollars and not had all the headache...most audio shops know what time is involved , , know all the unknown issues, and if they go over there time limit due to issues, that is there problem..i buy the unit from them and have them install it and make a deal on price and labor ......i expect to drive it out working 100% and let them know it upfront...they have to spend extra time fixing issues, not my problem..

A "couple hundred" for 10 hours, is $20 per hour, assuming only 1 person working on the car. That sounds like a shop I'd rather not take my car to.

A lot of people that do the work themselves don't trust a shop to touch their car. There are not many shops that I would trust to touch my car and certainly none in my area. The shops that I would trust are probably way beyond what I would budget.

[chevy 3]

Same here jeepguy.

[mikepage0007]

Originally Posted by jeepguy_1980

A "couple hundred" for 10 hours, is $20 per hour, assuming only 1 person working on the car. That sounds like a shop I'd rather not take my car to.

A lot of people that do the work themselves don't trust a shop to touch their car. There are not many shops that I would trust to touch my car and certainly none in my area. The shops that I would trust are probably way beyond what I would budget.

a good shop that has done the 2010 camaro will not need 10 hrs, i know my shop can do under 3hrs thats 250.00 labor..the 10 hrs is what doing yourself can result in and still not have the issues fixed..http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...=mikes+extreme link to my audio build, of cource this build is more then 250.00 in labor

[jeepguy_1980]

Originally Posted by mikepage0007

a good shop that has done the 2010 camaro will not need 10 hrs, i know my shop can do under 3hrs thats 250.00 labor..the 10 hrs is what doing yourself can result in and still not have the issues fixed..http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...=mikes+extreme link to my audio build, of cource this build is more then 250.00 in labor

Nice build and it looks like a top notch shop. But many local shops are no where near that caliber and I wouldn't let them anywhere near my car.