Does anyone know the part number for the AM/FM/CD head unit for the 91-02 "S" series? The AM/FM/CD/Cassette radio was P/N 22684453, according to the remanufactured unit I just pulled out of my silver 02 SL2. I bought TWO AM/FM/CD units, and they are both P/N 15219738. But neither one worked.

Is part number 15219738 the wrong part number for the AM/FM/CD? Did later Saturns use the same radio but a different pin-out? Should I buy an aftermarket unit from Crutchfield? They offer a wiring harness where I can use sleeve connectors or shrink tubing, and it would give a good result -- playing CDs, and may even have Bluetooth, which of course my smart phone has.

Did I get two bad eBay / junkyard AM/FM/CDs in a row? I have ONE adapter to convert from the smaller 16-pin connector at the back of the AM/FM/CD to the larger 24-pin connector at the back of the AM/FM/CD/Cassette unit (so I can use whatever matches the car's wiring harness). Any thoughts?

(I have the P/N for the standard AM/FM around here somewhere but can't find it at the moment.)

 

The AM FM CD shown above works, at minimum, from 95 to 97. I know this because I owned a 97 SC2 and still own a 95 SC2. I don't know if the radio fits cars earlier than 95. I'm guessing it does because my 95 originally came with the AM FM cassette and I swapped in the radio for my '97.

The following am fm cd came with the 00 to 02 s cars (and was also used later for the VUE, l series, and the ion.



Has GM part number
although your part number is valid, The fitment information for your part number states it only works for the s series for 00 and 01.

It appears the radio above will work in the s series 02. There must be an internal difference.
it is the version of that radio that is compatible with the 02 s, l, VUE and ion

The following a.m. FM cassette player came in the 91 to 94 s series cars. The form factor is different than 95 so I don't think they offered a CD player until 95 if they even did.

Part number is 21020540

21020540

Conclusion
91 to 94 = AM FM cassette
95 to 98/99 depending on not sure what = AM FM CD version 1
00 to 02 = AM FM CD version 2

Version 2 and version 1 highly unlikely to interchange given the difference in form factor. Additionally, there would be no point in designing a new radio for the 00 to 02 If the 95 to 99 would fit. Nor would it be specified that version 2 is only for 00 to 02.

 

Here's a picture of the tag from the AM/FM/CD unit that was in my 97. The units for Gen 3 are different. I upgraded to a Kenwood unit from Crutchfield so I could have a backup camera and connect my phone.

 

Darn it, somehow I knew this would happen. I just got off the phone with Crutchfield after completing the deal and I saw an eBay listing that claims it is a "working pull from a 2002 SL2". So for $30 plus $18 shipping, I could have had a good one. But I got a good deal at Crutchfield. Sony MEX-N5300BT, wiring bits and trim pieces, 2-day shipping for like $118.

Interesting, the Sony has bluetooth AND a headphone jack. My Galaxy S10+ is one of the last phones made with a headphone jack.

And according to the eBay listing (item number 387207773378), P/N 21025330 was the Saturn part number I needed. The two eBay units with part number 15219738 appear to be correct for the 04 Saturn Ion.

Thank you for your kind help guys !

 

The connector on the back of the later Saturn radios is smaller and different from the S-series. From eBay and junkyard visits, I have several later radios (Ion, I think), and a couple of adapter cables for the Ion, but I got a good deal from Crutchfield on a Sony indash head unit. Basically, the wiring harness on my 00-02 "S" series has 24 pins. I'm going to count them as 1-12, and 13-24. You may need to flip the wiring harness upside down for this to make sense:

Pins 1-5 = unused
Pin 6 = yellow
Pin 7 = unused
Pin 8 = black (might be brown). Appears to be left rear positive wire.
Pin 9 = yellow. Appears to be the left rear negative wire.
Pin 10 = dark green. Appears to be the right front positive wire.
Pin 11 = light green. Appears to be the right front negative wire.
Pin 12 = black

Pin 13 = heavy gauge orange, likely power
Pin 14 = unused
Pin 15 = orange
Pin 16 = grey
Pin 17/18/19 = unused
Pin 20 = tan. Appears to be the left front positive wire.
Pin 21 = grey. Appears to be the left front negative wire.
Pin 22 = light blue. Appears to be right rear negative wire.
Pin 23 = dark blue. Appears to be right rear positive wire.
Pin 24 = brown (or maybe black)

Pin 13 is heavier, it is probably the main power wire. My info suggests black is ground, headlight dimmer = grey, ignition wire = yellow, and "battery wire" = orange. I'll use a voltmeter in the next few days to learn more about these. I have two wiring harness bits that came with the junkyard radios. I could post that info here, and it might help someone diagnose their ION, but I don't want to muddy this thread with a whole different model.

If anyone has further hints, let me know. Is it possible to dim the display like the rest of the instrument cluster?

Thanks in advance !

 

If you've got some of those later cd players on a bench, maybe you could help me answer a question. Do the ones from '00 onward use the same cd drive as the '95 - '99? It's conceivable to me that they would change the face plate but use the same internal part. I'm hoping they did because that's all I need.

 

What's up with your CD player? Does it not recognize the discs?

I've had that issue with both my 95 and 97 SC2 CD players.
I eventually determined that the problem only occurred when the temperature was 50 or below. And it was intermittent. Once the car got warm enough on the inside, it stops happening.

 

The motor doesn't spin. The laser pickup Seems to be trying to read the disc, but if it isn't spinning, well, that ain't going nowhere. I have nudged the spindle and it isn't frozen, so the conclusion is the motor has failed somehow.

 

Probably just a bad start capacitor in the circuit that brings the motor up. Just like the blower motor on your HVAC in your house, just like a twin stack compressor in my basement.

Is this thing discrete components on the circuit boards or is it all miniaturized? If we're talking circa year 2000, I think it would have discrete components on the boards.

If you can figure out which capacitor it is, you can order one from electronics parts supply houses and snip one end of the suspect capacitor and patch in the new one temporarily to see that it fixes the problem. You'd think that a failed start capacitor would still allow you to spin the motor by hand and have it catch on once it's moving, but it doesn't because the capacitor almost always shorts out and they're just is not enough stored charge to keep the platter rotating let alone at a constant speed.

Wait, is this a Saturn forum?

 

I'm pretty sure start capacitors are only a thing on AC motors.