[dhpnet]

I have had some people ask me about reprogramming the VIN number in the radio, so I thought I would write a how to guide that explains how to disassemble the radio so that the chip can be reprogrammed.

For more information on upgrading to My Link, see this thread.
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/36-g...ck-dirty-mylink-upgrade-diy-gen-1-cruzes.html

Here is a thread on how I created the My Link wire harness to upgrade from the green screen
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/36-gen1-audio-electronics/196994-how-i-did-mylink-wire-harness.html

This is for the standard My Link radio. The navigation radio that is used in the Cruze is similar, but you will notice a couple minor differences.

NOTE: The electronics inside the radio are sensitive to static electricity. If you decide to do this project, it is important to take some precautions to avoid frying the electronics. It’s actually very simple, and here are a few helpful hints that should be good enough.
- Don’t wear wool or other materials that attract static electricity.
- Avoid rubbing yourself against the carpet flooring or fabric/nylon chairs while working on the radio.
- Work on a hard solid surface (i.e. not on the carpet floor or your bed)
- - When handling the PC boards, hold them by their edges and try not to touch any of the contacts or components on the boards.
- Ground yourself by touching something that is connected to a ground, such as the bare metal side of your desktop computer case while it is plugged into the wall but turned off. Re-ground yourself every time you move away from your desk and before each time that you touch any of the PC boards. If you are concerned, you can also purchase an anti-static wrist strap online that is designed to keep you grounded.
- Don’t set the PC boards down on anything that can conduct static, such as fabric, carpet or plastic.

Do this project at your own risk. There is always risk anytime you disassemble modern electronics, and I am not responsible for any damage caused by taking apart the radio.

Tools needed to dismantle radio:
- Small Phillips Screwdriver.
- Regular Phillips Screwdriver.
- Regular flat blade screw driver.

I will be referring to the sides of the radio. The top is the side that has the sticker label. The front is the side with the CD slot. The left side is the side with the heat sink and fan.

1- Start by removing the two black screws below the CD slot. These screws hold the front of the CD mechanism in place. You will need a smaller Phillips screwdriver to remove these.

2- Remove the 7 silver screws around the outside of the front panel. There are three on the right side, two on the top, and two on the left side. See photo below:

3- Remove the heat sink with the fan on the left side. To do this, first remove the 4 black screws. Then, remove the 2 silver screws in the middle of the heat sink. Then remove the silver screws next to the fan. After removing the screws, the heat sink will come off. If you carefully reach inside, you can unclip the fan plug from the PC board. Just pull up gently and it will unplug. Set the heat sink and fan aside. Do not remove the white grease that you see on the heat sink or the amplifier chip. This is necessary to properly transfer the heat. If you want, you can re-smear the grease around a little so that the chip makes good contact with the heat sink.

4- Remove the front panel. To do this, put a flat blade screwdriver into the slots at the top of the radio between the front panel and the top panel . Then carefully pry the front panel forward about a quarter inch. Then, look for a small square hole on each side of the front panel. You will notice that there is a small tab inside (see the first photo above for location of the tabs). Slide the flat blade screw driver behind the front panel to unlock these tabs. Do this on both sides and the front panel will slide off.

Be careful when removing the front panel because there are some wires attached to it. One wire goes to the Bluetooth antenna on the front. The other is the CD control cable that is glued to the front panel. Carefully peel the CD ribbon cable from the front panel. The Bluetooth antenna wire will be removed in a few minutes. Lay down the front panel so that there is no tension on the wire to the Bluetooth antenna.

5- Next, separate the radio into two halves – top and bottom. To do this, remove 1 screw from the center of the right side. Then, remove the two screws on the back. Carefully lift up the top half of the radio and turn it so that you can see the Bluetooth antenna connector on the PC board.

6- Remove the Bluetooth antenna wire and the CD control cable. You will see where the Bluetooth antenna wire connects to the PC board. Use your fingernails and carefully lift up on the connector. The gold-plated connector will pop off. Then, slide the CD control cable out of its connector on the PC board. Just gently pull the cable out of the connector on the PC board. Set the front panel and the bottom half of the radio (with the CD mechanism) to the side.

Bluetooth antenna plug

CD Ribbon Cable

7- Remove the top PC board. Unscrew 4 screws that hold the top PC board in place. Two are toward the rear of the board. The other two are on the metal bracket at the front of the board. One connects the metal bracket to the bottom PC board. The other is on the outside of the case. Holding the edges of the board, gently pull up. The top board will unplug from the bottom board. Set the top board aside. Remember to hold the PC board by the edges and place it in a static safe area. See photo below:

8- Remove the XM Radio. The XM radio is a small aluminum box on the side panel. To remove it, first, remove the ribbon cable from the PC board. To do this, carefully lift up on the sides of the connector. This will unlock the cable. Then, gently pull the cable out. Then unscrew 2 screws on the outside of the radio that hold the XM radio in place

XM Ribbon Cable Connector

9- Remove the bottom board from the case. Unscrew 5 screws that hold the bottom board to the chassis. One is on the back of the chassis by the antenna connector. Carefully lift it out by the edges of the board and turn it over to see the chip that needs to be programmed. (See image in step 8 above for location of screws)

10. Program the chip

11. Reassemble the radio by doing everything above in reverse. When you place the top PC board back over the bottom board, make sure the connector between the two boards snaps back in place. You may need to gently press down on the board above the connector to get it to snap in place. Don’t push too hard so that you don’t break anything. When you get to the XM radio ribbon cable, slide the cable back into the connector and then push the locking bar back down. For the Bluetooth antenna, put the connector in place and gently push it down until it snaps on. For the CD ribbon cable, just slide it back into the connector. Make sure the ribbon cables go back into the connectors the same way you took them out so that they make connection.

 

[dhpnet]

How To Program the Chip

Recognition goes to @StLouisCPhT for figuring this out.

Tools you will need (both items can be purchased very cheaply on eBay):

CH341A EEPROM reader/writer, like this:

USB BIOS EEPROM SPI FLASH Programmer CH341A 24 25 series

SOIC8 EEPROM test clip, like this. The test clip allows you to program the chip without removing it from the PC board.

Soic8 Sop8 Flash Chip Ic Test Clips Socket Adpter Bios/24/25/93



The following videos show you how to setup the chip reader and program the chip. Follow the instructions in one of these videos.

This is the video @StLouisCPhT used
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NYe21nFSDI

This is the video I used. This has worked perfectly for me every time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0ChYNwunUE

Either video should work fine. They both include links in the description to the drivers and software needed.

You need to connect the chip to the reader so that pin 1 is nearest to the lever that holds/releases the chip from the reader. Some of the software will show an image of the chip which may not be correct.

Here is the location of the chip.

Here is how it looks with the test clip connected. I used a magnifying glass to make sure the contacts were fully seated on the legs of the chip. It clips on very easily.

Here is the test clip attached the the programmer.

It would probably be best to first make a backup of the chip in case anything goes wrong. Then you can view the contents of the chip. In the software, the left side of the screen shows the actual program, which is displayed in Hexadecimal numbers. The right side shows a translation in plain text.

On the right side, look for a string of numbers that look like a VIN. It is usually only a few lines down from the top. It is always missing the first number of the VIN. Replace it with your VIN (minus the first number) by simply highlighting each letter on the right side and typing in your VIN. Then program back the chip and you’re done.

NOTE: This will only work if the radio came out of a Cruze. If the radio came out of any other type of car, such as a Buick, Camaro, Malibu, etc. Then the radio will require additional programming that can only be done by people with special skills. There are threads on the forum with links to people who can do this. If you don't want to pay for additional programming, then get a radio that came out of a Cruze.

 

[Tomko]

Great work @dhpnet! Thread stickied.

 

[ChevyGuy]

On the right side, look for a string of numbers that look like a VIN. It is usually only a few lines down from the top. It is always missing the first number of the VIN. Replace it with your VIN (minus the first number) by simply highlighting each letter on the right side and typing in your VIN. Then program back the chip and you’re done.

StLouisCPhT also found that you only have to clear the VIN. (Make it "00" in the Hex portion.) When you power up the radio in it's new car, it will learn the car's VIN.

 

[dhpnet]

StLouisCPhT also found that you only have to clear the VIN. (Make it "00" in the Hex portion.) When you power up the radio in it's new car, it will learn the car's VIN.

Glad you brought that up. I forgot that he did that. I never tried it, but it might be easier.

 

[PAChevyCruze]

Thanks for the write up. Just took mine apart. Now waiting for the clip and the USB programmer. Hopefully I can get it back together. lol

 

[StLouisCPhT]

We really should just do a proper new thread with all of this information included for both navigation and non-navigation radios as well as information on doing the onstar 10 upgrade. Assuming there is a way to get the older threads killed.

 

[Blasirl]

I have had some people ask me about reprogramming the VIN number in the radio, so I thought I would write a how to guide that explains how to disassemble the radio so that the chip can be reprogrammed.

Nice add-in to your series dhpnet.

We really should just do a proper new thread with all of this information included for both navigation and non-navigation radios as well as information on doing the onstar 10 upgrade. Assuming there is a way to get the older threads killed.

Also kudos to StLouisCPhT for starting and continuing to input!

 

[dhpnet]

Nice add-in to your series dhpnet.

Thank you. It takes a while to put a how-to together. I don't know how XtremeRevolution finds the time to do all of his, but I am glad he does. They are a great resource.

Also kudos to StLouisCPhT for starting and continuing to input!

Agreed. I owe him a beer for figuring out how to reprogram the chip. I only included the instructions again in this thread so that they would be easy to find.

 

[Blasirl]

Thank you. It takes a while to put a how-to together. I don't know how XtremeRevolution finds the time to do all of his, but I am glad he does. They are a great resource.

Me neither, I've tried my hand at a few and it does take time. I have three that are partially complete and have been for quite some time. It seems as if 75% or more of the threads I recommend are his.

Agreed. I owe him a beer for figuring out how to reprogram the chip. I only included the instructions again in this thread so that they would be easy to find.

Since you're buying...ccasion14: Lordstown is coming soon...

 

[dhpnet]

Since you're buying...ccasion14: Lordstown is coming soon...

I would love to go to Lordstown, but it's a 3 day drive each way for me. Probably never going to happen.

 

[Blasirl]

I would love to go to Lordstown, but it's a 3 day drive each way for me. Probably never going to happen.

Road Trip!

 

[PAChevyCruze]

Radio programmed with my VIN and put back together. Now, just have to get the some other stuff before installing. This thread was VERY helpful! :th_dblthumb2:

 

[boges85]

Hi for everybody.
My car single Chevy Cruze station wagon , the 2013.11.05. unfortunately the mylink rádio was bad. I bought it instead one single Chevy trax 2014. mylinket. But no real. Vin code not not anymore... but if I know it well Vin the funció orders it to a code ... Szeret, if the vin to rewrite for the erdetí ... in this the somebody capable would be help?

 

[boges85]

help

Szia mindenkinek.
Az autóom egyetlen Chevy Cruze kocsija, a 2013.11.05. Sajnos a mylink rádio rossz volt. Vettem azt helyett egyetlen Chevy trax 2014-et. Mylinket. De nem valódi. Vin kódot már nem ... de ha jól tudom, Vin a függvény egy kódra utasítja ... Szeretne, ha a vin újraírja az erdetíért ... ebben a valaki képes segíteni?

 

[Blasirl]

Szia mindenkinek.
Az autóom egyetlen Chevy Cruze kocsija, a 2013.11.05. Sajnos a mylink rádio rossz volt. Vettem azt helyett egyetlen Chevy trax 2014-et. Mylinket. De nem valódi. Vin kódot már nem ... de ha jól tudom, Vin a függvény egy kódra utasítja ... Szeretne, ha a vin újraírja az erdetíért ... ebben a valaki képes segíteni?

Hi everyone.
The only Chevy Cruze car in my car, Unfortunately mylink radio was bad. I bought one Chevy trax 2014 instead. Mylinket. But it's not real. Vin code no longer ... but if I know Vin does the function tell you a code ... Would the vin rewrite the forestry ... can this one help you?


My attempt to translate the translation:

Hello,

I have a 2013 Chevy Cruze. The radio went bad. I purchased a MyLink from a Chevy Trax. I do not know the VIN for the Trax. I am not sure but I think he is asking for the security code to activate the radio, but I do not know if they are used. Otherwise he wants to know if the Trax radio will work in the Cruze.


A fordítás lefordításának kísérlete:

Helló,

Van egy 2013-as Chevy Cruze. A rádió rosszul ment. Egy MyLink-ot vásároltam egy Chevy Trax-tól. Nem ismerem a Trax VIN-ját. Nem vagyok biztos benne, de azt hiszem, a biztonsági kódot a rádió aktiválásához kéri, de nem tudom, hogy használják-e őket. Ellenkező esetben azt szeretné tudni, hogy a Trax rádió a Cruze-ben működik-e.

 

[ChevyGuy]

My attempt at an answer: The instructions in this thread were meant for the Cruze built in North America. The Cruze built in other parts have different radios. Fixing the VIN will only defeat the anti-theft system. It won't convert a radio made for one line of cars to another.

 

[boges85]

Hello. If I understand things ... the American mykins are no different from Europain, only WIN CE 6.0. I took the Factory and the Trax radio. all parts are in it .... mylink 24.5-42341011..compatible all ... the win will fetch apps ....If anyone could make a full European copy of his own Chevy Cruze and he would share it with me I would thank him very much
Hello. If I understand things ... the American mykins are no different from Europain, only WIN CE 6.0. I took the Factory and the Trax radio. all parts are in it .... mylink 24.5-42341011..compatible all ... the win will fetch apps ....If anyone could make a full European copy of his own Chevy Cruze and he would share it with me I would thank him very much

 

[ChevyGuy]

the American mykins are no different from Europain, only WIN CE 6.0.

This is an American MyLink - it doesn't run Win CE.

 

[grtpumpkin]

Wow! Great info. Got any tutorials on how to add pre-amp outputs to the factory radios? Would be nice to not have to use a line out converter.