Retaining Date on DIC and Fan Speed/Temperature Controls on Steering Wheel with Aftermarket Headunit:
 
 
 
Everybody knows or will come to find out that after replacing the stock stereo in a Classic you lose the date on the DIC. As well as all of the steering wheel controls. The solution is here.
 
This write-up is for retaining the date on the DIC and the fan speed/temp controls on the steering wheel. All in all this a fairly simple procedure that will cost you about $10.00 if you do it exactly how I have done.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Materials Needed:
 
(1)    Factory Stereo
(1)    Factory Stereo Wiring Harness
(9)    Wire Nuts
(1)    Roll of Electrical Tape
(1)    Four (4) Pin Male Interlocking Connector[/url]
(1)    Four (4) Pin Female Interlocking Connector[/url]
(2)    In-line Splicers
 
Tools Needed:
 
    Wire Strippers
    Wire Crimpers
    #2 Phillips Screwdriver
    1/4 Nut Driver/Socket
    3/16 Nut Driver/Socket
    T8 Torx Driver
 
 
1. Disassembling Stock Stereo:
 
Disassembling the stock stereo is pretty much self explanatory. Just disassemble until
only the main circuit board resides in the housing. You will need the 3/16" and 1/4" Nut Driver as well as a T8 Torx Driver.
 

 
 
2. Reassemble Stock Stereo:
 
After you have disassembled the stock stereo with only the main circuit board remaining, reassemble the housing. Remember to put the heat sink back on as well!
 

 
 
3. Prepare New Wiring Harness:
 
3A. Separate Required Wires From New Harness:
 
Harness Connector View
 
 
E1 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]E16
F1 [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]F16
 
 
Labels & Identification: 
E1-----Dark Green-----Diag. Sig. Ent. & Comfort
E5-----Light Green----Remote Radio Ctrl Sig.
F4-----Brown---------Inst. Panel Lamp Feed #2
F5-----Yellow---------Inst. Panel Lamp Feed Tertiary
 
You also will need power, ground. and accessory wires.
 
F1-----Orange--------Fuse Output Battery
F2-----Yellow---------Fuse Output Accessories
E16----Black/White--- Ground
 
 
 
Instead of removing the pins and wires that were not going to be used on the harness, I chose to wire nut the ends of all unused wires not listed above. I also folded them back and wrapped the unused wires in electrical tape. {I did this because I was thinking if I some how render the factory harness in operable I would have this one to fall back on and splice into place} The choice is yours to remove or wire nut/tape.
 

 
3B. Making Interlocking Connector:
 
 
Take the four wires (Dark Green, Light Green, Brown, and Yellow) that you have separated out and not taped. 
 
Use a Four (4) Pin Male Interlocking Connector[/url] to create your own connector. I found this to be the best way to do this and not use butt connectors or wire nuts. It seemed more safe. Also if you ever want to reverse  your actions of the install, all you have to is unplug it!
 
 

Leave the Power and Ground wires as is for now. The wiring harness is now prepared.
 
 
4. Remove Your After Market Head Unit:
 
MAKE SURE YOU DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE BATTERY TERMINAL!!
 
I think I am safe to skip over this step. If you have managed to remove your stock stereo and install an aftermarket, you are good to go on this step.
 
 
5. Place Stock Stereo in  New Home:
 .
5A. Remove the kick panel on the passenger side. 
 

 
 
5B. Place some Velcro (just the hook side on the stock stereo). Connect the wiring harness you just prepared and set it in it's new residence.
 



5C. Run the prepared wiring harness up near the factory harness already in place.
 
 
6. Merging Wiring Harnesses:
 
6A. Relocate the four wires listed in step 3B. and snip the off about 4 inches from the factory harness.
 
6B. Proceed to strip the wires and use a Four (4) Pin Female Interlocking Connector to create your own connection to mate with the new harness previously prepared. 
 

Connect the male connector from prepared harness to the female connector you just created on the factory harness.
 
6C. Use wire nuts to cap off the 4 inches of wires you left on the factory harness and tape them up.
 
 
7. Connecting Power,Ground & Accessories:
 
Now take the three remaining wires that have been separated from the new prepared harness. Find the matching wires on the factory harness (Orange, Black/White, & Yellow). Use an in-line splicer to connect the power, ground, and accessories wires. The in-line splicers are the little red plastic things. The in-line splicer is not shown in this picture for the accessory wire. I did this a day later.
 
 
 
8. Reassemble
 
 
Make sure all of your connections are correct and good to go. Reinstall your after market head unit/dash kit. Reconnect the negative battery terminal. You will have to wait two or three minutes when you start up the vehicle for the date show up on the DIC. 
 
You will need to reset your DIC Date at midnight for it to work properly. Otherwise it will cycle days 24 hours from the time you set the date if it was not midnight. Meaning if you set you DIC date at 7 PM it will change to the next date until 7 PM the next day.