Factory installed Sirius Artist/Title defect

[gpohly]

I have a 2004 GT with factory-installed Sirius satellite radio and RB1 NAV unit. In this setup, the INFO function from the Sirius doesn’t display on the nav unit’s screen. According to the nav unit manual, it is supposed to display at least Title and ARtist info.

This appears to be a recurring theme among several owners in several different PT forums. I’m trying to gather more background data to figure out why some work, and some don't, to get this problem fixed for all of us.

My questions are:

1. If you have a Sirius radio, does the Title & Artist information display on your head unit?
2. What head unit is in your PT?
3. Do you also have a CD changer installed?
4. What year/model is your PT?

Thanks!

[DREAM2]

I have a DC2 with the Sirius radio and 6 CD changer. I'm not sure what the model number is for that, but I do not have the NAV option.
The radio does not have an INFO button on it, nor does it display Artist and Title on the screen when listening to the satelite radio. It will however display Artist and Title on the regular (AM/Fm) radio on some select stations that send out a signal of some sort.
I find it odd that the Sirius does not display this. Maybe mine is not working correctly? I have never questioned it before but now it does seem odd.[:I]

[JPMS GT]

g, I too have an 04 GT with a Sirius and six CD changer but no RB1 NAV. The artest/title info appears intermitently on the Sirius screen but I think this is only on good days. The worst thing is trying to drive on the 4or5 (MPH) and see where the buttons are! It seems to be something like turbo lag, by the time the satelite gets the pick-up you'r 60 feet down the road. It all stems from a semiconductor quality problem that needs to be addressed.
Have you noticed there are a lot of PT's in SD. I was there for an ophthmalic show a few weeks ago and I saw a bunch of PT's.[?]

[gpohly]

Thanks GPMS GT & Dream 2,

The recurring theme that seems to be playing out is that NO ONE that has a Sirius receiver and head unit without a CD changer is getting title and artist info on the display, regardless of head unit. But nearly everyone that has any Sirius-ready headunit, and Sirius receiver, and the CD changer, is receiving the artist and title info when in Sirius mode.

The difference appears to be the multiplexor unit that is installed when you have both the Sirius receiver and the CD changer. That leads me to believe that there is a problem with the wiring in the Sirius plug to wiring cable that goes to the head unit, when you don't have a multiplexor unit.

I guess I am going to have to order the multiplexor part from Chrysler, and start tracing the wiring differences.

Of course, I'm now going to have to take it to the dealer and let him tell me on paper i\"it's not supposed to work like that," then get the harness and prove it does, and then try to get my money back on the harness.

Sure would like to know if anyone that doesn't have a CD changer has a Sirius display that is working correctly, but haven't found that on the three different PT forums I have posted this survey in.

When I find a solution, I'll make sure to post it for all that have this problem to be able to fix it.

Thanks again,
Glenn

[AndyKay]

I have an aftermarket head unit with a Sirius receiver (I love Sirius by the way!). It's a Kenwood, but I don't have the model number right now and I don't have a CD changer with it.

I get full information on Artist and Song that is playing but maybe that is just it's becasue its an aftermarket unit? [:I]

[gpohly]

Hi AndyKay,

Thanks for your response! Yeah, aftermarket stuff is no problem - it's expected to give you what you pay for! And before my PT, I had a similar setup in my truck - that's why I'm on a mission to make Chrysler make this work in my PT, I'm used to seeing that data.

I think I am narrowing in on the problem. There is a signal from the Sirius radio called "Artist/Title," and an input on the Mopar head units by the same name. It appears that in some Mopar cars, the factory wiring cable they install when you only have a head unit an Sirius does not wire together this signal. Yet when you buy the multiplexor unit you need to also install a CD changer, this signal does get routed from the Sirius to the headunit, through the new wiring harnesses included with the Multiplexor unit.

It's beyond me why they would leave that one wire out in a 10-wire harness. I'll bet I'm going to find that there is a different cable you can buy to get the "option" of Title/Artist info. At Mopar prices and $100/hr labor to put it in, I'll bet.

I am tracing my wiring now - with no CD changer - and am trying to find someone nearby that has a CD changer installed to trace the difference between the connetors.

Today, my wife's new Jeep is getting an RB1 w/ Sirius installed at the dealer, so I may get a chance to look at a different installation then.

[gpohly]

I have found the problem, and can prove it works - you can get the "Artist-Title" info from your Sirius to your head unit, when you do not have a CD changer installed.

I found the problem this weekend - although there is a wire in the head unit harness that goes to the "Artist Title" input on the head unit radio, the corresponding output pin from the Sirius receiver DOES NOT HAVE THIS WIRE INSTALLED.

I ran a wire from the head unit to the correct pin on the Sirius - instant Artist Title info on my nav unit.

This is going to be an issue regardless of head unit, because the wire that is needed is missing from the factory wire harness that is connected to the Sirius radio.

What I don't know yet is why there is a wire connected at the head unit, and not one at the Sirius radio. I can only surmise that there is an intermediate wire harness connetor somewhere - maybe under the carpet under the rear seat - in which the wire from the head unit is not continued on to the Sirius radio receiver.

Tomorrow, I am going to the dealer, to examine wiring diagrams and physical wiring harness placement diagrams.

It's my belief Chrysler needs to replace these harnesses - the manual says the function is supposed to work, and I can now clearly prove it is not possible with the way the radio is wired from the factory - yet it can be done with the simple addition of the ommitted wire. Unfortunately, this is not a DIY fix for most people. I am lucky enough to have access to a well-equipped electronics lab, and could make a connetor pin for the factory wiring connector & wire warness that is connected to the Sirius receiver. It's not an easy task.

I'll let you know what happens.

Since I have found a solution and no longer need the "General" survey, I will move any updates to the audio forum.

Thanks for those that looked & responded.

Glenn

[AndyKay]

Great detective work! [^]

I am guessing that new owners that have never had Sirius before may not even be aware that the Title/Artist information is available (I personally use it to drive my kid nuts as I play 'name that tune' on the 60's, 70's and 80's streams!!)

Keep us up to date on your quest to get Chrysler to provide something that should have been there in the first place!!

[?]

[alceryes]

Whoa!!
I've got a DC3 with the Sirius and 6 disk changer (don't know model off hand).
Are you saying that it's *supposed* to display artist and title? Mine never has...just displays the station I'm on.

[gpohly]

alceryes,

Yes, the Artist-Title is supposed to work. The manual that came with your factory Sirius says so. The newer head units have this function, the wiring harness into the head unit is wired for this function, and the Sirius radios have always had this function. But the wiring harness to the Sirius radio does not have this wire installed.

If you have an after-market CD changer, your case may be different. If both the Sirius and CD Changer are Mopar, then this is the first I've heard of one that DIDN'T work. There is a multiplexor kit that is normally installed with the CD Changer-Sirius combo, and it is wired all the way through with the Artist/Title info.

What year is your PT, and what head unit do you have?

Glenn
glenn@pohly.net