2001 deck install help

I just bought a 2001 cavalier coupe and want to put a new deck in it. I've heard some stories of there's a security/wiring feature that makes it difficult to install a deck. I had a 96 cavalier before this one and installed a new deck with no issue. Is there anything with the wiring with the 2001's that I should know about or that isn't typical for a previous cavalier?

Yes, the 2000+ cavaliers have an anti-theft feature. All I know about it is that it activates when you take the keys out and it is somehow connected to the dome light circuit and is responsible for that audible "door-open" alarm you hear when you open the door. Unfortunately, I don't know exactly how it works, but the rumors you hear are mostly true. Hopefully there is someone else here that has some better details for ya.

My suggestion is to go talk to someone at a stereo install place. They may be able to offer some advice since they have no doubt done a few. I have had pretty good luck going that route.

Good luck

find a wiring guide for your car, you can get one faxed from chevy or from a chilton book if you have one. once you have that its easy just match it up with the instructions you get with the deck. When your done i think youll have a extra black wire dont get it confused with the ground or youll get a warning light when you turn ur car on and eventually burn out the computer. Just tie off the extra wire really good with electrical tape. when your done you wont have any of the security features that run through the stock radio like the beeping when the lights are still on but everything else will work fine. just make sure you test everything before you finish the installtion.

where can you find the chilton books for a 2001 cavalier?

barnesandnobel.com

the only chilton books they have is for a 1995-2000 cavalier, can i still use that for my 2001?

That just depends I guess on what you are doing exactly. Sometimes there are small differences between model years, but the stereo may or may not be one of em.

On the other hand, I have the 2000 Chiltons, and my stereo also has that alarm feature built in, and the book APPEARS to have a wiring diagram for that. I am guessing that it is the same set-up for the 2001 cavs. It might be worth checking out. Like I said, I think I have the same factory stereo, and mine is a 2000...which the Chilton's book covers.

Excuse me..........It's not the Chiltons manual I was looking at. My book is the Haynes Repair manual. I haven't looked at the chiltons for the cavalier.......but the Haynes manual does have a wiring diagram for the stereo. Sorry for mis-speaking there

I had read numerous times about the airbags not working and asked someone I knew at a dealership and said that wasn't true. My aftermarket deck was put in my car in July 2003 and the airbags are still operational(at least as far I can tell since I haven't wrecked) and they haven't deployed accidentally either. I found the below links very helpful in removing the dash and installing aftermarket deck in my 2001 cavalier. Hope this has been some help. I am getting ready to take it apart again to install xm.
http://www.ny-jbodies.org/forum/library/How2/2kaudio.html

http://www.teamforwardmotion.com/tfmtech/j-body/audio/index.php

http://carstereohelp.net/Str/Chevrolet.htm