Programming the Colour LCD HVAC / Radio for the Vauxhall VE VXR8
- Document Contents
- Introduction
- HVAC / Radio EEPROM Versions
- Tools and Parts Required
- Removing the Radio / HVAC unit from the vehicle
- Main Unit Disassembly
- Fascia Unit Disassembly
- Reading the Main Unit EEPROM Chip
- Reading the Fascia EEPROM Chip
- Making Changes to the EEPROM Chips
- Main Unit EEPROM Locations (Older Models)
- Fascia EEPROM Locations (Unknown Models)
- Main Unit EEPROM Locations (Newer Models)
- Document Information
- Information on how to program the VE Colour HVAC / Radio EEPROM to enable factory options.
- Vehicle: Vauxhall VXR8 (VE)
- Copyright Owner: Matthew Jones (Matti Jones) (ZerOne)
- Document Visits: 7970
- Created: Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:56 am
- Revised: Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:27 pm (Rev 12)
-
Firstly, a very big thankyou must go to Jezzab for providing the majority of the EEPROM locations for the different programmable Head unit functions.
Without Jezzabs help, it would not be possible to change the Startup logos or the screen colour options.
The following document describes how to program the VE Colour LCD Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Infotainment unit.
This includes the process of reading, and modifying both the VE main HVAC units EEPROM, as well as the front fascia EEPROM, allowing for the following,
a. Installing a new VE colour LCD HVAC / Infotainment system in to a VE model that does not have a colour LCD HVAC / Infotainent unit installed.
b. Pairing a new fascia to an existing main unit, or pairing a new main unit to an existing fascia.
c. Changing the startup screen animation to a different supported GM model. (Susch as HSV, Holden, Caprice, Chevrolet, Pontiac GPX, or Vauxhall VXR8.
d. Changing the text colour from Red to Blue, or vice versa.
Please Note : It has also been confirmed that it is possible to enable or disable the following functions,
e. Vehicle In Motion (VIM) function, which allows displaying the Composite Auxiliary Input on the main screen, when the vehicle is moving,
f. Reverse Camera function, which allows the composite auxiliary input to be used for reverse cameras.
The EEPROM locations for these functions are currently not publicly known, and will require someone with these functions enabled to submit their EEPROM for analysis to obtain these locations.
Please Note : If you are planning on fitting a Colour headunit to a vehicle without dual zone climate control, you will also need to
1) Fit a dual zone HVAC Control Module (Or program your Single Zone HVAC Control Module to become a DZ model).
2) And either fit the dual zone climate control sensors, or fit resistors to your HVAC Control Module to simulate the required sensors.
For more information on how to do this, please read our < href="doc-holden-commodore-ve-converting-to-automatic-climate-control-d70m19.html">Converting to Automatic Climate Control document.
-
-
There appears to be two different HVAC/Radio LCD EEPROM versions used, which can further complicate programming the main unit via the EEPROM.
Earlier VE models (Built prior to MY8.0) use the older style EEPROM locations.
VE models (Built MY8.0 and onwards, including Pontiac G8 Models), use the later EEPROM locations.
As more EEPROM dumps are submitted, this quirk will hopefully can be better understood.
-
-
To program both the Main unit EEPROM, as well as the fascia EEPROM, you will need the following tools.
1 x 3M 8 Pin SOP Clip
1 x 24Cxxx EEPROM programmer (Suitable for 24C02 and 24C16 EEPROMs)
1 x low wattage soldering iron (For fascia EEPROM removal and programming)
1 x T20 Torx Screwdriver / Allen Key
1 x T6, Screwdriver / Allen Key
You will also require the following tools to remove the HVAC / Radio Unit from the vehicle.
1 x Phllips head screw driver,
1 x Small Flat Headed screw driver, for unclipping the radio antenna connector(s)
-
-
Pull the front Radio / HVAC Fascia outwards from the bottom of the fascia.
This will unclip the two lowermost clips holding the fascia in place.
Next, swing the fascia upwards, unclipping the uppermost two clips holding the fascia in place.
Once the Fascia has been removed, remove the phillips head screws holding the main unit in place.
Next, you will need to access the right hand side of the main radio unit, to unclip the various wiring connectors.
To do this, pull the lower transmission trim downwards, as shown in the image below.
Next, unclip the trim covering the right hand side of the main unit, and remove.
Finally, Unclip the Main Radio Wiring connector by squeezing the bottom lever of the wiring connector together to dis-engage the wiring connector clip,
and swing the wiring connector clip upwards to remove the main wiring connector.
If factory Sat Nav is fitted, you will also need to unclip the VGA input connector to the main unit.
To do this, push on the center of the clip to disengage the clip from the connector.
Once the clip has been disengaged, simply swing the clip towards the back of the vehicle to remove the wiring connector.
Next, you will need to disconnect the Radio antenna connectors, which are located on the left hand side of the radio main unit, just behind the glove compartment.
To do this, first remove the transmission hump trim, by pulling the lower trim downwards, and unclipping the trim covering the radio and removing.
Next, we will need to remove the glove compartment from the vehicle.
NOTE: If you have factory navigation fitted, it will be nearly impossible to remove the glove compartment completely from the vehicle.
It is recommended that if factory navigation is fitted, that you use a box, or stand to hold the glove compartment in place when all the mounting screws have been removed, so as not to place pressure on the Navigation module wiring harness.
Firstly, remove the fascia surrounding the boot release switch, inside the glove compartment.
Once the fascia is removed, you will need to remove the screw located beneath the fascia.
Next, locate the second screw cover on the other side of the glove compartment.
Remove this cover, and remove the screw located underneath this cover.
Next, locate and remove the 2 screws located at the bottom of the glove compartment, used to hod the bottom of the assembly in place.
These screws would have been hidden underneath the lower passenger foot well trim.
Once you have these screws removed, you will need to remove the 4 upper glove compartment screws.
The following image shows the location of these screws.
Finally, with all the glove compartment mounting screws removed, the glove compartment assembly can be removed from the vehicle.
Next, locate the Antenna wiring Plug(s) connected to the radio main unit.
Note : Calais, Statesman, and Caprice models use second a diversity antenna, and therefor have two antenna wiring connectors.
Located directly in the middle of the following image is the two Antenna wiring connectors as used by the Calais Models.
These Antenna connectors are coloured white, and orange, are square in shape, and are roughly 1cm by 1cm in size.
To unplug the antenna wiring connectors, use a flat headed screwdriver, and depress the tab located at the top of the electrical connector to disengage.
Finally, with all the wiring connectors removed, the Radio/HVAC main unit should now freely move about, and can be removed from the vehicle.
-
-
To disassemble the radio/HVAC module you will need the following
A T20 Torx Screwdriver / Allen Key
A T6, Screwdriver / Allen Key
To disassemble the Main Radio/HVAC module to get access to the EEPROM using a clip will take approximately 10 Minutes on the bench.
This requires the following steps,
1) Remove the 5 T20 Torx Screws holding the faceplate in place
2) Remove the Faceplate
3) Remove the 4 T6 Torx Screws holding the CD Stacker mechanism in place.
See the following Images for exact locations
4) Disconnect the CD Stacker Mechanism Cable (By carefully pulling the cable out of its socket on the Radio / HVAC main board).
5) Remove the CD Stacker Mechanism
6) Remove the 5 T6 screws holding the LCD Backlight inverter board in place.
7) Disconnect the LCD Display electronics board electrical cable (By carefully pulling the cable out of its socket on the Radio / HVAC main board).
8) Remove the LCD Display Electronics board.
9) Remove the four screws holding the front cabinet panel in place.
These are the screws highlighted in Blue in the following images..
10) Remove the metal front cabinet panel.
11) Clip the 3M SOP Clip on the EEPROM Chip
-
-
Once the EEPROM programmer has been successfully configured and calibrated, and you have connected the 3M SOP connector to the Main unit EEPROM, and the EEPROM reader,
you can now attempt to read data from the EEPROM chip.
To do this,
1) Click (and hold the mouse button) on the COMMAND menu
2) Select the READ ALL menu option.
3) If the EEPROM Programmer has been correctly configured, the Data should be read from the EEPROM chip, and the following screen will be displayed
4) Click on the OK button to close this window.
and will be displayed on the screen, as shown in the following image.
The Final step is to save this EEPROM Data as an e2p EEPROM file, that can be opened and edited in the PonyProg2000 software.
5) Click (and hold the mouse button) on the FILE menu.
6) Click on the SAVE DEVICE FILE menu option.
7) Select a name for the file to continue.
8) Click on the OK Button to save the file.
-
-
In order to Read the Fascia EEPROM Chip, you will need to remove the chip from the fascia board, and connect the chip to the EEPROM programmer using a SOP to DIP adaptor.
For 24C02 EEPROM chips, as found on the VE HVAC / Radio Fascia, you will require an 8 SOP to 8 Pin DIP adaptor.
To fit the 24C02 EEPROM to the EEPROM Programmer, use the 8 SOP to 8 Pin DIP Adaptor, as shown below,
-
-
This section describes how you can use the PonyProg2000 software to edit a .bin EEPROM file to later upload to the instrument cluster EERPOM chip.
1) Open the PonyProg2000 Program,
2) Click (and hold the mouse button) on the FILE menu.
3) Click on the OPEN DEVICE FILE menu option.
4) Select the .bin EEPROM file you wish to edit.
5) Click on the OK Button to save the file.
The following screen should appear, complete with the EEPROM data for the .bin file that you have opened.
6) Click (and hold the mouse button) on the EDIT menu
7) Click and enable the EDIT BUFFER ENABLED menu option.
8) Double Click on the HEX character you wish to edit.
The following window will be displayed.
9) Click on the OK Button to save the changes made to the selected HEX character.
-
-
The following EEPROM Memory Locations are known to affect the following Radio / HVAC settings
Vehicle VIN Number
Hex Location Value Setting 00F0 -> 00F7 Last 8 digits of the vehicles VIN Number
Main Unit and Fascia Pairing Data
Please note, The data contained in this location must be the same as the data stored in the fascia EEPROM, to allow both the main unit and fascia to work together.
Hex Location Value Setting 00F9 -> 00FB Main Unit / Facia Pairing Data
Startup Screen
Setting this value will change the startup animation when the Radio / CD / Sat Nav / Aux function is switched on.
NOTE : Early model software for some main units do not support Ponitac GPX and Vauxhall VXR8 startup screens.
Hex Location Value Setting 034C 01 Holden Startup Screen (As used for SSV and Calais / Calais V Models) 034C 02 Holden Crest Startup Screen (As used for Statesman and Caprice Models) 034C 03 Chevrolet Startup Screen (As used for Export UAE and Brazil Models) 034C 04 HSV Startup Screen (As used for HSV Clubsport, Maloo and Senator Models) 034C 05 Pontiac GXP Startup Screen (As used for American Ponitac Models) 034C 06 Vauxhall VXR8 Startup Screen (As used for British Vauxhal Models)
Display Text Colour
Setting this value will change the Text Colour used on the HVAC / Radio Display.
NOTE : Locations 010B, 011B, and 012B MUST have the same value in order for the head unit to work.
Hex Location Value Setting 010B 11 Red (As used for SSV, Pontiac G8 and HSV Models) 011B 11 Red (As used for SSV, Pontiac G8 and HSV Models) 012B 11 Red (As used for SSV, Pontiac G8 and HSV Models) 010B 12 Blue (As used for Calais, Calais V, Statesman and Caprice Models) 011B 12 Blue (As used for Calais, Calais V, Statesman and Caprice Models) 012B 12 Blue (As used for Calais, Calais V, Statesman and Caprice Models)
-
-
The following Fascia EEPROM Memory Locations are known to affect the following Radio / HVAC settings
Main Unit and Fascia Pairing Data
Please note, The data contained in this location must be the same as the data stored in the main unit EEPROM, to allow both the main unit and fascia to work together.
Hex Location Value Setting 0031 -> 0033 Main Unit / Facia Pairing Data 00B1 -> 00B3 Main Unit / Facia Pairing Data
-
-
The following EEPROM Memory Locations are known to affect the following Radio / HVAC settings
Vehicle VIN Number
Hex Location Value Setting 0050 -> 0057 Last 8 digits of the vehicles VIN Number
Main Unit and Fascia Pairing Data
Please note, The data contained in this location must be the same as the data stored in the fascia EEPROM, to allow both the main unit and fascia to work together.
Hex Location Value Setting 0059 -> 0061 Main Unit / Facia Pairing Data
Startup Screen
Setting this value will change the startup animation when the Radio / CD / Sat Nav / Aux function is switched on.
Hex Location Value Setting 0022 01 Holden Startup Screen (As used for SSV and Calais / Calais V Models) 0022 02 Holden Crest Startup Screen (As used for Statesman and Caprice Models) 0022 03 Chevrolet Startup Screen (As used for Export UAE and Brazil Models) 0022 04 HSV Startup Screen (As used for HSV Clubsport, Maloo and Senator Models) 0022 05 Pontiac GXP Startup Screen (As used for American Ponitac Models) 0022 06 Vauxhall VXR8 Startup Screen (As used for British Vauxhal Models)
Display Text Colour
Setting this value will change the Text Colour used on the HVAC / Radio Display.
Hex Location Value Setting 002B 11 Red (As used for SSV, Pontiac G8 and HSV Models) 003B 11 Red (As used for SSV, Pontiac G8 and HSV Models) 004B 11 Red (As used for SSV, Pontiac G8 and HSV Models) 002B 12 Blue (As used for Calais, Calais V, Statesman and Caprice Models) 003B 12 Blue (As used for Calais, Calais V, Statesman and Caprice Models) 004B 12 Blue (As used for Calais, Calais V, Statesman and Caprice Models)