Retrofitting 2013 Nav + Intellilink

[TheRaven]

UPDATE: I have the parts. Spent 4 hours on it last night, and my prognosis so far is that this is going to be very complicated. Despite using the exact same connectors as units i've worked with in the past, pinout is COMPLETELY different than anything i've seen. Also, there are alot of missing wires in my CXL that the navigation system needs. It appears that all but two of these wires are within the scope of the system itself, so essentially, once I find solutions for those two wires, I should be able to make an adapter harness for "plug 'n play" installation.

Right now i'm pouring through GM wiring diagrams to compile all the data I need to make my own diagrams so I can build a harness. I also need to source all the connectors, some of which look like they will be pretty tough to find.

I'll keep everyone posted on progress.

 

[wierz11]

You're doing God's work, TheRaven. Keep up the good work!

 

[TheRaven]

UPDATE:

ALL WIRES ARE DECODED. As I suspected, it's not as bad as it looked at first glance. If you look at the navigation "unit" as the radio box + screen + control panel, almost all the wiring changes are within the scope of that "unit". So far, I only see one wire coming from the car that needs to be changed.

POSSIBLE PROBLEM AREAS:
- Voice recognition is handled completely differently within the UYS (nav) unit as compared to the UWG (stock radio) unit. The wires are just not there on the UWG-equipped car. However, this may not be an issue due to the design of the GMLAN. The USB system is a great example - in the UWG car, USB is handled by an external module (known as the PDIM). In the UYS car, USB is handled internally by the nav unit. However, the Nav unit is also able to address the PDIM, so nothing will have to be changed there, I just won't use the USB port on the back of the Nav unit. I'm hoping the voice recognition will work this way too.
- the UYS unit deletes an entire Linear Integration Network (LIN) loop that exists on the UWG unit. From what I understand, the LIN is not interlocked to the high or low GMLAN, therefore this shouldn't be an issue. However it's possible that the car could freak out with the absence of that loop. Even in that worst case, I should be able to re-establish that loop with an EOL effectively making it a dummy loop to make the car happy.

DEFINITE PROBLEM AREAS:
- It doesn't look like I will be able to make a Plug 'N Play harness set for this install. The problem is that I need male versions of several of the connectors, and they just don't exist. As it stands now, I can get the Male X1 connector, which is the big daddy...so I can at least make a partial harness and give instructions on where to tie in the remaining tails.
- There is also an entire cable that connects three pins to the Nav screen that I have been completely unable to source. This is an absolutely necessary cable, and it's even designed in such a way that you can't "rig" a connection...it's a must-have. If I can't find this cable, it could very well kill the whole project for anyone else.

So that's where we stand now. I'm going to start making up my adapter harness, but this will take a few days because I need to wait for some parts. I'll post up when I have new progress to report.

 

[ImminentFailure]

Rep this man for great info! So awesome. Thank you.

 

[WHITEGS13]

This is some serious work that's being done here by TheRaven. Hell, I have intellilink and nav, but I'm taking ImminentFailure's suggestion and clicking the "REP" button on this one! Awesome job TheRaven

 

[TheRaven]

What a terrible time for bad luck!

I got the harness done, tested it twice. Hooked everything up in the car for test run - BLANK SCREEN. The Nav unit powers up, the controls work fine...but no picture! Turns out the screen I bought is DOA. This sucks particularly because I got the screen as part of a navigation unit "package" that included everything. Everything is warrantied, so i'll be able to return it. But I don't know if they'll allow me to just return the screen for a replacement, or for a partial refund. I think they are going to require me to return the ENTIRE SYSTEM, which is really going to set me back because then I have to start from scratch sourcing all the parts I need.

This may take awhile, folks. The good news is that as far as I can tell, the harness worked.

 

[GTPprix]

I'll sell you an 11/12 Nav Silverbox super cheap VIN unlocked and all function all unlocked if you want 🙂

 

[TheRaven]

I'll sell you an 11/12 Nav Silverbox super cheap VIN unlocked and all function all unlocked if you want 🙂

I WOULD have taken you up on that, but the seller got back to me today and is willing to send me a new screen. So all is not lost, the project will go on.

It will probably be a week or more however before I have the replacement.

 

[GTPprix]

Well thats good news then!!!!

 

[mikecat]

GTPprix and group, So I read through the thread multiple times. I have a 2012 GS with Nav. If I get a new 2013 Nav Silver Box I should be good to go with Intellilink. Correct?

 

[TheRaven]

GTPprix and group, So I read through the thread multiple times. I have a 2012 GS with Nav. If I get a new 2013 Nav Silver Box I should be good to go with Intellilink. Correct?

Nope. I haven't delved much into the Regal yet, but your question prompted me to compare a 2012 Regal Nav print to a 2013, and they are indeed VERY different. An adapter harness will be needed here also.

I will get there, but first I want to establish that this is even worth pursuing by proving for sure that it's even possible to change units at all in these cars. Assuming my bad screen was my only problem, and the 2012 Nav unit I have works in my non-nav Lacrosse, that means that it is possible, and that it will be possible to put the intellilink system in your regal. However, it will definitely not be "plug 'n play".

___________________

CONTINUED:

One of the problems i'm having with the Regal is decoding the RPOs. I have not been able to determine definitively which RPO corresponds to which option. It's not as clear cut as the Lacrosse. On the Lacrosse I had one RPO for the standard radio and one RPO for the navigation unit, plus an RPO for the outboard amp (Harman Kardon system). The Regal has 5 different system RPOs and 4 different "add-on" RPOs (the add-ons could be an amp, or some external controller, perhaps one necessary to facilitate the operation of Pandora...etc). First I have to figure those out so I know what print i'm looking at.

 

[mikecat]

Thanks. I couldn't quite make heads or tails from the thread and wanted to get an answer consolidated.

 

[TheRaven]

Thanks. I couldn't quite make heads or tails from the thread and wanted to get an answer consolidated.

I know it sucks because i've been on the other side like you are, waiting and waiting seemingly forever to get the answer you need, but you just have to be patient because it appears that i am the lone pioneer on this journey. I'm going to get my lacrosse done to prove that the swap works, then i'm going to get to work on the regal. It's going to be tough to do the regal though since I don't actually own one. But i'll get the wiring figured out and hope that there's a brave Regal owner out there willing to be the first to try the swap on his car.

Again, I have no doubt that the swap to intellilink is possible, but I know it's going to require moving of wires and possibly the addition of a module or two. Also, I cannot guarantee that features like Pandora will actually function because I am not aware of how the radio gets that feed. That's something that could be answered by current owners of intellilink. Does the Pandora function require a user's smartphone in order to work?

 

[wierz11]

Does the Pandora function require a user's smartphone in order to work?

Yes, the Pandora app uses the 3G/4G internet connection of the smartphone in order for the service to work. I don't actually have Intellilink in my Regal (only Nav), but one of my loaner cars had it and I tried it out.

 

[Buick Customer Service]

GTPprix and group, So I read through the thread multiple times. I have a 2012 GS with Nav. If I get a new 2013 Nav Silver Box I should be good to go with Intellilink. Correct?

Hi mikecat!

I looked up this information for you, and yes, the 2013 Buick Regals with navigation have the IntelliLink touch-screen display. The Regular Production Option (RPO) code is UHQ. I hope this answers your question. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Jessica
Buick Customer Care

 

[TheRaven]

UPDATE:

Got the replacement screen today and....

IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!

...and locked, of course. But, the point is, it worked. So it can (and will) be done.

Issues left to work out:
- Unlock unit
- Install GPS antenna
- Terminate VSS wire (and determine if it's even necessary)
- Test TCIM functionality (could be another can of worms)

That's what i've got right now, though that list could get longer once I get the unit unlocked and start testing functionality.

Stay tuned, i'll try to keep this train rolling full speed.

 

[TheRaven]

OH and...

...one other little bonus discovery. With the Nav unit installed, the heated steering wheel is Plug 'n play. I can't pass that one up.

 

[TheRaven]

Hi mikecat!

I looked up this information for you, and yes, the 2013 Buick Regals with navigation have the IntelliLink touch-screen display. The Regular Production Option (RPO) code is UHQ. I hope this answers your question. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Jessica
Buick Customer Care

Jessica -

Would you be able to lay out the RPO codes for the different radio options on Regals? It would be very helpful to me to know these RPOs because all the GM schematics are labeled only with the RPOs.

Here's what I really need:

- 2011 Regal standard radio RPO
- 2011 Regal navigation radio RPO
- 2011 Regal "uplevel amplifier" (like the Harman Kardon on my Lacrosse) RPO
- 2013 Regal Standard radio RPO
- 2013 Regal Intellilink radio RPO
- 2013 Regal Navigation radio RPO (if different from the intellilink option)

Thanks.

 

[Craiguar]

Hi TheRaven,

Been lurking on the boards for a year, created an account to post so I could thank you for all the work you have done for these radio retrofits. You deserve an award!

Not sure if you still need them or not, but I have the RPO codes for the 2013 Regal:

UFU - Audio system, AM/FM/SiriusXM stereo with MP3 CD player, USB and AUX port
UHQ - Audio system with navigation, AM/FM/SiriusXM stereo, single CD/DVD player and MP3 player with navigation
UP9 - Bluetooth for phone and music

I've done a lot of research into these radios myself prior to finding your posts here, otherwise I would have attempted to be of more help - from what I can gather from the FCC approval filings from Panasonic (the manufacturer of these radios), UFU is the base hardware, UFU&UP9 adds the bluetooth antenna on the 2012 models and IntelliLink, and on the 2013 models a bluetooth antenna and a wi-fi antenna and IntelliLink (the wi-fi antenna doesn't appear to be used with the current software/apps), and then UHQ has the navigation. I'm not sure if the RPO for UHQ says UHQ&UP9 or not as I've not personally seen the UHQ radio. Did the one you install have UHQ&UP9 on the label?

If you look at the front of the radio, you'll see a wire with a silver piece of metal - that's the bluetooth antenna. If there's two wires with silver pieces, one is bluetooth, the other is wi-fi.

It's important to note that if you get a radio that says UFU only and doesn't have UFU&UP9 this is the base radio that does not have IntelliLink or NAV. If it has UFU&UP9, it has IntelliLink, but not NAV. If someone can confirm that the UHQ radio also says &UP9, then we know there's a difference between them, that would be great. I don't know if GM had a UHQ without Intellilink or not (the other nav system without IntelliLink might have a different RPO code, I'm not sure)

Are you able to shed some light on the programming your GM friend did? I have a friend that's a GM dealer tech, and another friend that's a tower operator, and they are both willing to see if they can get mine programmed, but they say they've never done it before and aren't sure they can get it to work. Obviously it is possible. Is it just a matter of hooking up the MDI and using Tis2Web/Service Programming System to install the correct radio calibration? Does this clear out the VIN as well, or is clearing out the VIN a seperate process? It would be awesome to have some steps to lead the way, if you're willing to provide.

Thanks again for all your work on this.

 

[TheRaven]

Hi TheRaven,

Been lurking on the boards for a year, created an account to post so I could thank you for all the work you have done for these radio retrofits. You deserve an award!

Not sure if you still need them or not, but I have the RPO codes for the 2013 Regal:

UFU - Audio system, AM/FM/SiriusXM stereo with MP3 CD player, USB and AUX port
UHQ - Audio system with navigation, AM/FM/SiriusXM stereo, single CD/DVD player and MP3 player with navigation
UP9 - Bluetooth for phone and music

I've done a lot of research into these radios myself prior to finding your posts here, otherwise I would have attempted to be of more help - from what I can gather from the FCC approval filings from Panasonic (the manufacturer of these radios), UFU is the base hardware, UFU&UP9 adds the bluetooth antenna on the 2012 models and IntelliLink, and on the 2013 models a bluetooth antenna and a wi-fi antenna and IntelliLink (the wi-fi antenna doesn't appear to be used with the current software/apps), and then UHQ has the navigation. I'm not sure if the RPO for UHQ says UHQ&UP9 or not as I've not personally seen the UHQ radio. Did the one you install have UHQ&UP9 on the label?

If you look at the front of the radio, you'll see a wire with a silver piece of metal - that's the bluetooth antenna. If there's two wires with silver pieces, one is bluetooth, the other is wi-fi.

It's important to note that if you get a radio that says UFU only and doesn't have UFU&UP9 this is the base radio that does not have IntelliLink or NAV. If it has UFU&UP9, it has IntelliLink, but not NAV. If someone can confirm that the UHQ radio also says &UP9, then we know there's a difference between them, that would be great. I don't know if GM had a UHQ without Intellilink or not (the other nav system without IntelliLink might have a different RPO code, I'm not sure)

Are you able to shed some light on the programming your GM friend did? I have a friend that's a GM dealer tech, and another friend that's a tower operator, and they are both willing to see if they can get mine programmed, but they say they've never done it before and aren't sure they can get it to work. Obviously it is possible. Is it just a matter of hooking up the MDI and using Tis2Web/Service Programming System to install the correct radio calibration? Does this clear out the VIN as well, or is clearing out the VIN a seperate process? It would be awesome to have some steps to lead the way, if you're willing to provide.

Thanks again for all your work on this.

PMed you.

Everyone - i'm on vacation until the 27th, so you won't hear alot from me. But once i'm home, i'm going to finish up the Regal how-to.