Monsoon FAQ

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Monsoon System Components

The Monsoon system consists of a head unit (radio with single CD player or cassette player), an external amplifier, and either eight or ten speakers (depending on vehicle model). There was also an optional external CD changer available that mounts in the cubby space on the left side of the t-top storage well in a coupe or the left rear of the trunk in a convertible. All Monsoon equipped F-bodies were pre-wired for the CD changer even if one wasn't installed. You'll find the changer harness taped to the hatch speaker harness under the trim on the left side. Even though the changer was made by Pioneer, it was made to GM specs and is not compatible with any aftermarket head unit (including those made by Pioneer).

The head unit is nothing special - it's just an ordinary 1.5 DIN Delco radio with a Monsoon label on it. In fact, some of the early Monsoon systems didn't even have the label on the head unit. Camaro HUs are black with black controls and blue/white illumination. Firebird HUs are dark gray with gray controls and red illumination. Both types are basically the same and are physically interchangeable although they had some different features - Camaros came with speed compensated volume whereas Firebirds have a graphic equalizer. Both are capable of using a power antenna but only the Firebirds came with one. None of the factory head units had MP3 capability, line-level (RCA) output, or auxiliary input other than for the factory CD changer (although there are adapters available).

The amp is a small eight-channel unit mounted on a bracket on the right quarter inner fenderwell (hatch area of a coupe, trunk of a convertible). It powers a mix of 2-ohm and 4-ohm speakers. The 97 and some early 98 models came with a 200 watt amp that was physically smaller than later models. The rest of 98 through 99 came with an amp that was rated at 200-watts RMS. For 2000 and later models, GM changed their advertising to rate the very same amp at 500-watts. Some say this is a peak rating while others just consider it an ILS (If Lightning Strikes) rating. GM also claimed an RMS rating of 240-watts for this amp but the original 200-watt rating given to the amp is probably more accurate. In any case, there is no point is trying to upgrade a 98 or 99 to the "more powerful" 500-watt amp of later years - it's exactly the same amp.

The speakers vary greatly between models. Firebird coupes have ten speaker elements mounted in six locations, Camaro coupes have eight speaker elements mounted in six locations, and convertibles of both lines have eight speaker elements mounted in four locations. The eight channel amp powers all speaker elements in the Camaro coupe and all convertibles. It powers all speakers except the tweeters in Firebird coupes.

Firebird coupes have component 6.5S (6.5" oversize) 2-ohm mids and .75" 4-ohm tweeters mounted separately in the doors, dual voice coil 6.5S (4-ohm + 4-ohm) subs mounted in the sail panels (beside the rear seat), and component 4" 4-ohm mids and .75" 4-ohm tweeters mounted separately in the hatch area. The two door mids and two hatch mids account for four of the eight channels of the amp while the DVC subs account for two channels each to make up the other four channels. This leaves the front and rear tweeters to be powered directly by the head unit.

Camaro coupes have component 6.5S 2-ohm mids and .75" 4-ohm tweeters mounted coaxially in the doors (they look like ordinary coax speakers but are actually wired as separate components), single voice coil 6.5S 2-ohm subs in the sail panels, and 4" 4-ohm full-range speakers in the hatch area. All eight elements are powered by the amp.

Convertibles have component 6.5S 2-ohm mids and .75" 4-ohm tweeters mounted coaxially in the doors. The schematics show 6.5S 2-ohm woofers and .75" 4-ohm tweeters mounted coaxially in the quarter panels beside the rear seats but inspection of the actual speakers has discovered both the woofers and tweeters are actually 4-ohm. All eight elements are powered by the amp.

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Upgrading the Monsoon

The primary ways to upgrade a Monsoon system without completely replacing it are to replace the head unit, replace the factory speakers and/or add a sub, and adding an auxiliary input such as an iPod or other MP3 player or satellite radio.

Contrary to what some stereo shops will try to tell you, it is easy to replace the Monsoon head unit. Since it is just an ordinary Delco radio, replacement is the same as for any standard GM product. You will need a mounting kit to fit an aftermarket single DIN head unit in the 1.5 DIN opening. There are some 1.5 DIN aftermarket HUs available that would not need a mounting kit but they aren't very common. Although not strictly necessary, you should get a wiring harness adapter kit so that you can connect your aftermarket HU without having to cut the factory wiring harness. Finally, you will need an antenna adapter to fit the small GM antenna plug into the standard Motorola antenna port on your new HU. With these parts it is a simple matter to install your new HU and connect it to the factory wiring. Depending on the head unit you install, you should notice an improvement in sound over stock because of the reduced distortion. The difference won't be dramatic but it will be noticeable and you will be able to use higher volume levels than the stock setup without the sound becoming horribly distorted.

Replacing the factory HU doesn't necessarily mean losing the use of your steering wheel controls. PAC (Pacific Accessories Corp.) makes a series of adapters that allow you to use the steering wheel controls with popular models of aftermarket radios. There are models designed to work with specific brands and a universal model (SWI-X) that will work with most radios that have infrared remote controls.

Replacing the factory speakers is mostly a matter of finding suitable speakers that fit and sound the way you like. Much ado has been made about the different impedance levels of the factory speakers and most aftermarket speakers but this is not a critical factor. Replacing factory 2-ohm speakers with aftermarket 4-ohm ones would normally cause a significant reduction in the volume from those speakers but factory speakers are quite inefficient. Replacing them with more efficient aftermarket speakers - even though they are 4-ohm - will not result in much loss of volume and certainly will have no effect on sound quality. However, there are some things to watch out for - the sail panel subs get only low-filtered signal from the amp so putting coaxial speakers there will require some rewiring if you want to get anything out of the tweeters. Also, the door speakers are wired as components so you either have to buy component replacements or get coax speakers that can be modified to separate the wiring of the tweeters from the mids (or you can just install coax speakers and ignore the extra channel up front). There are two long threads discussing replacement speakers for Camaros and Firebirds that have good information about makes and models even though they are often inaccurate about how the Monsoon system is wired.

Camaro: For those wanting to only upgrade speakers for CAMARO'S, COME IN HERE!
Firebird: ATTN: People who want to replace or upgrade Monsoon Speakers

Adding a sub to the factory system is relatively easy. The most common method is to add an amp and mount a stealth box with a 10" sub in the cubby space on the left of the t-top storage area. You will need a line-level adapter that is available for just a few bucks from any stereo or electronics shop. It will convert the speaker-level output of the head unit to the pre-amp (line-level) input needed by most amps (you can also buy some amps with speaker-level inputs). A common place to mount the amp out of sight is with a mounting board at the back of the car below the hatch lock. There are all kinds of options if you want to show off your amp - check out sites such as subthump.com for some ideas.

Adding an auxiliary input to the factory system involves using an adapter that only works on certain models. Even the adapter manufacturers aren't clear on which models will work so here is the rundown. Auxiliary adapters that plug into the CD changer port on the back of the head unit will only work with head units that are capable of controlling the factory external CD changer. Even though all models had the CD changer port not all models could control a changer - the port was also used for an external cassette player that was offered in some GM models but never in F-bodies. All cassette head units were capable of controlling the factory changer. Only late '99 and newer models of single CD head units could connect to the factory changer. There is no easy way to tell an early '99 from a late '99 without opening the head unit so you're best to go with 2000 or newer. '01 and '02 models had the added ability to control more than one external device so you could have both the changer and an auxiliary device attached - prior to that it was only one or the other. Auxiliary input adapters are made by PIE (Peripheral Interface Electronics), PAC (Pacific Accessories Corp.) and USA Spec. The PAC adapters require a factory changer to work even though you can't use the changer after installing the adapter so one of the other two products are probably a better choice. PIE and USA Spec also make iPod-specific adapters that allow you to control the iPod from the head unit or steering wheel controls and also recharge the iPod battery.

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Head Unit Connections

There are three connectors on the back of the radio. The two 10-pin connectors are clipped together and plugged into the same socket on the back of the radio so that they look like a single 20-pin connector.

C1 is the black 10-pin connector and the pins are number 1-10. C2 is the black 9-pin connector for the CD changer and the pins are numbered 7-15. C3 is the white 10-pin connector and the pins are numbered 11-20. All these connectors are numbered from right to left when looking at the connector with the locking tabs on top and the wires coming out the back.



C1 - Black 10-pin connector
1 - GRAY - left front speaker negative
2 - TAN - left front speaker positive
3 - DARK GREEN - right front speaker negative
4 - LIGHT GREEN - right front speaker positive
5 - BLACK - ground
6 - BROWN - parking light input (lets the radio know when headlights are on so it will dim the display)
7 - GRAY - dash light dimmer input (controls brightness of radio control illumination)
8 - PINK - (Firebird) power antenna output
9 - YELLOW - ignition controlled power
10 - ORANGE - battery power (for radio memory)



C3 - White 10-pin connector
11 - GRAY - (Convertible) amplifier sensor
12 - not used
13 - not used
14 - DARK BLUE - steering wheel controls input
15 - not used
16 - DARK GREEN w/WHITE - (Camaro) vehicle speed sensor input for automatic volume
17 - LIGHT BLUE - right rear speaker negative
18 - DARK BLUE - right rear speaker positive
19 - YELLOW - left rear speaker negative
20 - BROWN - left rear speaker positive



C2 - Black 9-pin connector for CD changer
7 - not used
8 - not used
9 - Bare - drain wire
10 - DARK GREEN w/WHITE - right audio signal
11 - BROWN w/WHITE - left audio signal
12 - BLACK w/WHITE - audio return
13 - BLACK - ground
14 - DARK GREEN - power
15 - not used

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Cassette Errors
E10 : Tight tape error
Cause: A restricted cassette tape transport or broken cassette drive belt
Correction: Substitute a different cassette tape. If there still is an error code, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E11 : Broken Tape Error
Cause: A broken cassette tape
Correction: Substitute a different cassette tape

E12 : Communication Error
Cause: A vehicle/radio communication problem or an internal radio communication problem
Correction: Disconnect the battery voltage to the radio then reconnect after a few minutes. If there still is an error, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E13 : Tape Communication Error
Cause: The micro-processor is reading the speed pulses from the tape deck either too fast or too slow.
Correction: If the tape player is still playing a cassette, try a new cassette. If there is still an error, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E14 : Wrapped Tape
Cause: The tape is wrapped around the capstan. This means a tape is wound up in the tape player. This error message could appear when a CD adapter is being used. Other causes could be old or damaged tapes. Long playing (90 or 120 minute) tapes are thin and can stretch easily creating this condition.
Correction: Try playing a known good quality tape. Remove the CD adapter.

Cln Tape Indicator
Cause: This message appears after 50 hours of accumulated tape play.
Correction: We suggest cleaning the tape head. Then reset the radio by depressing the eject button for five seconds. Cleaning the heads will not reset the "Cln" display. To reset the "Cln" display, push and hold the eject button for five seconds. The display will return to its normal display.

CD Errors
E20 : Focus Error
Cause: The CD player cannot focus on the disc or there is an internal focus problem.
Correction: Try cleaning the disc or using a new disc. Make sure the disc is loaded correctly. The road could be too rough or there is too much humidity. If the problem is not corrected, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E21 : Tracking Error
Cause: There is a problem with reading the disc
Correction: Try cleaning the disc or using a new disc. Make sure the disc is loaded correctly. The road could be too rough or there is too much humidity. If there is still an error, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E22 : Motor Error
Cause: The CD motor is not handling the compact disc properly.
Correction: Service or exchange the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E23 : Communications Error
Cause: There is a vehicle/radio communication problem or an internal radio communication problem.
Correction: Disconnect battery voltage to the radio and then reconnect after a few minutes. If there is still an error, send the unit to an ACDelco® Service Center.

CD Changer Errors
E30 : Focus Error
Cause: The CD player cannot focus on the disc or there is an internal focus problem.
Correction: Try cleaning the disc or using a new disc. Make sure the disc is loaded correctly (label side down). The road could be too rough or there is too much humidity. If there is still an error, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E31 : Tracking Error
Cause: There is a problem with reading the disc.
Correction: Try cleaning the disc or try using a new disc. Make sure the disc is loaded correctly (label side down). The road could be too rough or there is too much humidity. If there is still an error, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E32 : Motor Error
Cause: The CD motor is not handling the compact disc properly or defective magazine mounting screws are interfering with the mechanism.
Correction: Reload the magazine. If there is still a problem, replace the magazine. If the problem continues, back out the mounting screws. If the condition is corrected, replace the screws with shorter screws or add washers to the existing screws. If this condition still exists, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E33 : CD Changer Communication Error
Cause: There is a vehicle/radio communication problem or internal radio communication problem.
Correction: Disconnect battery voltage to the radio and then reconnect after a few minutes. If there is still an error, determine if the problem is with the radio, the harness or the changer. Inspect for correct voltage at all connectors. If there is still an error, service the unit at an ACDelco® Service Center.

E34 : Changer Door Open

E35 : Changer Magazine Empty

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Camaro Coupe
E1 - DARK GREEN - right front speaker negative input
E2 - GRAY - left front speaker negative input
E3 - TAN - left front speaker positive input
E4 - BLACK - right rear speaker positive input
E5 - LIGHT BLUE - right rear speaker negative input
E6 - YELLOW - left rear speaker negative input
E7 - BROWN - left rear speaker positive input
E8 - BLACK - ground
E9 - BLACK - ground
E10 - not used
E11 - ORANGE - fused input feed
E12 - ORANGE - fused input feed
E13 - BLACK - left front speaker tweeter positive output
E14 - YELLOW - left front speaker tweeter negative output
E15 - DARK BLUE - left front speaker midrange positive output
E16 - LIGHT BLUE - left front speaker midrange negative output
F1 - LIGHT GREEN - right front speaker positive input
F2 - LIGHT GREEN - right front speaker tweeter positive output
F3 - PURPLE - right front speaker tweeter negative output
F4 - LIGHT BLUE w/BLACK - right rear subwoofer speaker negative output
F5 - DARK GREEN - right rear subwoofer speaker positive output
F6 - DARK GREEN - right front speaker midrange negative output
F7 - ORANGE - right front speaker midrange positive output
F8 - not used
F9 - not used
F10 - LIGHT GREEN w/BLACK - left rear subwoofer speaker negative output
F11 - DARK BLUE w/WHITE - left rear subwoofer speaker positive output
F12 - not used
F13 - RED - right rear extended range speaker negative output
F14 - TAN - right rear extended range speaker positive output
F15 - TAN - left rear extended range speaker positive output
F16 - WHITE - left rear extended range speaker negative output

Firebird Coupe
E1 - DARK GREEN - right front speaker negative input
E2 - GRAY - left front speaker negative input
E3 - TAN - left front speaker positive input
E4 - DARK BLUE - right rear speaker positive input
E5 - LIGHT BLUE - right rear speaker negative input
E6 - YELLOW - left rear speaker negative input
E7 - BROWN - left rear speaker positive input
E8 - BLACK - ground
E9 - BLACK - ground
E10 - not used
E11 - ORANGE - fused input feed
E12 - ORANGE - fused input feed
E13 - WHITE - left rear subwoofer negative output
E14 - TAN - left rear subwoofer positive output
E15 - DARK BLUE - left front speaker midrange positive output
E16 - LIGHT BLUE - left front speaker midrange negative output
F1 - LIGHT GREEN - right front speaker positive input
F2 - TAN - right rear subwoofer negative output
F3 - RED - right rear subwoofer positive output
F4 - LIGHT BLUE w/BLACK - right rear subwoofer speaker negative output
F5 - DARK GREEN - right rear subwoofer speaker positive output
F6 - DARK GREEN - right front speaker midrange negative output
F7 - ORANGE - right front speaker midrange positive output
F8 - not used
F9 - not used
F10 - LIGHT GREEN w/BLACK - left rear subwoofer speaker negative output
F11 - DARK BLUE w/WHITE - left rear subwoofer speaker positive output
F12 - not used
F13 - GRAY - right rear midrange speaker negative output
F14 - WHITE - right rear midrange speaker positive output
F15 - RED - left rear midrange speaker positive output
F16 - PURPLE - left rear midrange speaker negative output

Camaro and Firebird Convertibles
E1 - LIGHT GREEN - right front speaker positive input
E2 - TAN - left front speaker positive input
E3 - GRAY - left front speaker negative input
E4 - LIGHT BLUE - right rear speaker negative input
E5 - DARK BLUE - right rear speaker positive input
E6 - BROWN - left rear speaker positive input
E7 - YELLOW - left rear speaker negative input
E8 - BLACK - ground
E9 - BLACK - ground
E10 - not used
E11 - ORANGE - fused input feed
E12 - ORANGE - fused input feed
E13 - BLACK - left front tweeter positive output
E14 - YELLOW - left front tweeter negative output
E15 - DARK BLUE - left front midrange positive output
E16 - LIGHT BLUE - left front midrange negative output
F1 - DARK GREEN - right front speaker negative input
F2 - LIGHT GREEN - right front tweeter positive output
F3 - PURPLE - right front tweeter negative output
F4 - WHITE - left rear tweeter negative output
F5 - TAN - left rear tweeter positive output
F6 - DARK GREEN - right front midrange negative output
F7 - ORANGE - right front midrange positive output
F8 - GRAY - amp sensor input
F9 - not used
F10 - RED - right rear quarter speaker tweeter negative output
F11 - TAN - right rear quarter speaker tweeter positive output
F12 - not used
F13 - LIGHT BLUE w/BLACK - right rear quarter speaker woofer negative output
F14 - DARK GREEN - right rear quarter speaker woofer positive output
F15 - DARK BLUE w/WHITE - left rear quarter speaker woofer positive output
F16 - LIGHT GREEN w/BLACK - left rear quarter speaker woofer negative output

Amplifier Location (coupe)

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TheftLock is designed to discourage theft of your radio. It works by using a secret code to disable all radio functions whenever battery power is removed (or when the radio is removed).

You usually don't have to worry about the TheftLock feature. TheftLock is not activated when you buy a new car and most owners don't bother activating it after taking delivery. Considering how little used Monsoon head units cost, there isn't much market for stolen ones. You can tell if TheftLock is activated by the flashing red LED on the face of the radio when the car isn't running.

When TheftLock is activated, the radio will display LOC to indicate a locked condition anytime battery power is removed. If your battery loses power for any reason, you must unlock the radio with the secret code before it will operate.

Unlocking the Theft-Deterrent Feature After a Power Loss

If you know the code that was used to lock the radio then use the following instructions from the owner's manual to unlock the radio.

Enter your secret code as follows; pause no more than 15 seconds between steps:
1. Turn the ignition on. LOC will appear on the display.
2. Press MIN and 000 will appear on the display.
3. Press MIN again until the last two digits agree with your code.
4. Press HR until the first one or two digits agree with your code.
5. Press AM-FM after you have confirmed that the code matches your secret code. The display will show SEC, indicating the radio is now operable and secure.

If you enter the wrong code eight times, INOP will appear on the display. You will have to wait an hour with the ignition on before you can try again. When you try again, you will only have three more chances (eight tries per chance) to enter the correct code before INOP appears.

If you don't know the code that was used to lock the radio then you will have to use the dealer's unlock procedure as follows. The dealer code changes over time - the one listed is current as of this posting. If it doesn't work try 08359 or search the forum for messages with a more recent code.

1. Press and hold presets 2 & 3 for about 10 seconds until the first three digits of the display code are displayed.
2. Write the numbers down.
3. Press the AM-FM button, write down the next three numbers.
4. Call 1-800-537-5140. When asked, enter dealer code 202108, press the * button, and enter the six digit code from the radio. You will get an unlock code, write it down.
5. Go back to the car, press the HR button and set the first two numbers, press the MIN button and set the next two numbers, then press the AM-FM button. The display will show SEC, indicating the radio is now operable and secure.

To remove the code, repeat step 5. you should see --- on the radio face indicating the code is now out of the radio.

[WhiteBird00]

Firebird Coupe
Doors
Tan...Left Tweeter +
Gray...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -

Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Dark Green...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -

Sail Panels
Tan...Left Sub +
White...Left Sub -
Dark Blue with White...Left Sub +
Light Green with Black...Left Sub -

Red...Right Sub +
Tan...Right Sub -
Dark Green...Right Sub +
Light Blue with Black...Right Sub -

Hatch Area
Brown...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Red...Left Mid +
Purple...Left Mid -

Dark Blue...Right Tweeter +
Light Blue...Right Tweeter -
White...Right Mid +
Gray...Right Mid -

Camaro Coupe
Doors
Black...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -

Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Purple...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -

Sail Panels
Dark Blue with White...Left Sub +
Light Green with Black...Left Sub -

Dark Green...Right Sub +
Light Blue with Black...Right Sub -

Hatch Area
Tan...Left +
White...Left -

Tan...Right +
Red...Right -

Camaro and Firebird Convertibles
Doors
Black...Left Tweeter +
Yellow...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue...Left Mid +
Light Blue...Left Mid -

Light Green...Right Tweeter +
Purple...Right Tweeter -
Orange...Right Mid +
Dark Green...Right Mid -

Rear
Tan...Left Tweeter +
White...Left Tweeter -
Dark Blue with White...Left Mid +
Light Green with Black...Left Mid -

Tan...Right Tweeter +
Red...Right Tweeter -
Dark Green...Right Mid +
Light Blue with Black...Right Mid -

[VIP1]

How to tell if your headunit can control the stock CD-Changer by opening it up and looking for the ID on the motherboard.

Monsoon with changer controls only in mid-'99 and up

The following can control the stock CD Changer
1998-2002 Cassette
2000-2002 CD (some late 1999 as well)

The only way to know if a 1999 version will control with the stock CD Changer is to
A) Open it and look on the motherboard for the ID
B) Hook it up and try it.