GX-204KH backwards compatibility

[Chplat]

Hey guys, been looking around the site for awhile, haven't posted really because my car is still quite stock but hopefully that will end these holidays.

Anyway, has anyone tried putting a newer GX-204KH head unit into a older version lib, particularly one with a GX-203KH? Looks to me like it will plug straight up except the fan controls are around the passenger side knob/demister as opposed to being two buttons under the aircon display.

Any info or links to other threads is appreciated cus I have turned up a blank

-Chris

[tangcla]

You might be better off just getting the double DIN facia unit and an aftermarket head unit

[Chplat]

Yeah had planned on that, but for the same price as the fascia kit alone I can get a one of these which has easier AUX in ability

[mihai]

Yeah had planned on that, but for the same price as the fascia kit alone I can get a one of these which has easier AUX in ability

May have easier AUX in ability, but the cable alone costs anywhere between $100-150 depending which Subaru dealership you go to. And they are VERY hard to come across used.

For the extra price of the AUX cable, you can buy a really low end head unit, or a used mid-range single DIN headunit and you will have better sound with AUX in and possibly even iPod control.

[Chplat]

Good point, but would also like to keep the interior looking stock.

So any ideas if it is compatible?

[tangcla]

Good point, but would also like to keep the interior looking stock.

So any ideas if it is compatible?

Not sure, but I have a feeling it's like flogging a dead horse

I know which I'd rather, the stock headunits are nothing fancy (even the Mcintosh)

[Chplat]

Yeah I know what you mean.

Been researching though and the Parrot MKi9200 seems like a better option for keeping it stock looking.

[mihai]

I know for a fact that the heater controls works (provided you get the single zone climate control), however I have no clue about the headunit itself.

My mate had a facia kit with pre-facelift heater controls running on his post-facelift Liberty. No issues, just had to get used to the different locations of the buttons.

In theory, the headunit wiring should be the same, but short of me going to someones place and testing their headunit in my car, I wouldn't know.

Maybe meet up with someone that has a post-facelift headunit? And see if you can test it out in your car for 5min. Its only a 5min job to take it out.

[da5101]

Hi today my GX-204KH and i attenpted in replacing my GX201KE,
Sound, radio, cd stacker, aux. everything was fine H/C screen came on but the H/C buttons did not work i believe it may just take abit of wiring to configue it to recognise from the buttons to turnable nob, auto electrition i will contact to help me out.

I ordered the aux part from chris rogers for 69 including postage.

Any help would be appreciated

[garbo41610]

huh?

[SVXdc]

Hi today my GX-204KH [arrived?] and i attenpted in replacing my GX201KE,
Sound, radio, cd stacker, aux. everything was fine H/C screen came on but the H/C buttons did not work i believe it may just take abit of wiring to configue it to recognise from the buttons to turnable nob, auto electrition i will contact to help me out.

Umm, you're trying to go from the single-zone OEM GX201KE to the dual-zone GX-204KH. It's not going to work. There is no difference in the wiring for the A/C (H/C) controls. The problem is that your car's A/C control module (the part that actually controls the blower, compressor, opens/closes the vents, etc.) won't talk to a dual-zone panel.

In general, people who want to do this kind of swap need to find a newer HU that has exactly the same type of A/C controls as your original HU had (manual or automatic, single- or dual-zone).

If you go with one of the JDM double-DIN kits, you need to choose one with the same type of A/C controls as your OEM HU had.

[mihai]

Hi today my GX-204KH [arrived?] and i attenpted in replacing my GX201KE,
Sound, radio, cd stacker, aux. everything was fine H/C screen came on but the H/C buttons did not work i believe it may just take abit of wiring to configue it to recognise from the buttons to turnable nob, auto electrition i will contact to help me out.

Umm, you're trying to go from the single-zone OEM GX201KE to the dual-zone GX-204KH. It's not going to work. There is no difference in the wiring for the A/C (H/C) controls. The problem is that your car's A/C control module (the part that actually controls the blower, compressor, opens/closes the vents, etc.) won't talk to a dual-zone panel.

In general, people who want to do this kind of swap need to find a newer HU that has exactly the same type of A/C controls as your original HU had (manual or automatic, single- or dual-zone).

If you go with one of the JDM double-DIN kits, you need to choose one with the same type of A/C controls as your OEM HU had.

The GX-204KH had single zone climate control. I know because I have the one that came out of my car sitting next to me on my bookshelf.

And in regards to a dual-zone panel not working in a single zone car, that is rubbish as I have seen it work. I think the drivers side would be taken and sent to the control module and the passenger side temp knob would have no effect.

The issue for him is that the facelifted version had 1 knob for temperature and 1 knob for fan. The pre-facelift version had 1 knob for temperature and two buttons for fan control.

[its_just_ryan]

I realise this is an old thread, but has anyone successfully done this swap? I just installed the GX204 SINGLE climate control unit into a MY05 which had a GX201 single climate control unit in it and the climate controls are ineffective.

As all previous posters state, the connections are the same, but the panel buttons don't have any effect. Short of pulling apart the internals of my GX201's climate control and somehow installing them in the GX204, is there any way to get this to work???

Cheers