My hubby and I just purchased a 2006 H3.

We are looking into swapping out the Stereo with a more up tp date one but have come across a few foibles.

We have presently a 6 disc changer so that automatically makes it a Monsoon system right?
If so, what is the significance of it being a Monsoon system? I ask this because we were filling out the specs on Crutchfield and this was one of the questions for kitting out the Hummer.

We also realized that you cant just swap out the stereo but have to buy an adapter to enable the door chimes and OnStar to still work.
Our Hummer doesn't have OnStar, if it does we cant find it and until looking at swapping out the stereo we didn't realize that this wasn't the norm, we thought OnStar was an option but now realize that there was no choice, so why don't we have it?
So......If we dont have OnStar, what would we lose if we didn't put in the adapter when we fit a new head unit?

We have also been looking at the iSimple ISGM575 but on site it says that it wont work with the Monsoon System.

We are totally confused now!! All we wanted to do was put in a stereo that would play from a thumb drive and we have finished up in a whole load of confusion

Hope there is someone out there who can help clear up some of our confusion

Mandy

 

Mandy, let's startoff determining if you have a Monsoon system.

I the cargo area in back do you have small compartments with doors over BOTH rear wheels or just a door on the right (passenger's) side?



If you have only the right compartment w/ door, then on the left (driver's) side there would be a grill area. This houses the sub-woofer and would make this a Monsoon system.

If you have the 2 compartments then your system is the standard non-Monsoon system.

As for Onstar, there would be small buttons along the lower edge of the rear view mirror which activate the Onstar system.

 

Many/most rental trucks were ordered without OnStar.

 

I'm not sure if you want or don't want Onstar but, I recently received an email from Onstar advertising that you can buy the system to add to vehicles. It shows the mirror and says it's a new product special loyalty offer to add it to other vehicles you drive.
Shows Best Buy, Crutchfield and other sources. Subscribers and their loved ones get $75 off.
Of course does not show the price!

 

I'm betting it's at least $800. I think they were trying to sell the digital upgrade for the H2 to replace the analog stuff for a pretty penny. I threw the letter away a long time ago so I forget the price.

 

Just checked the cargo area and we only have one compartment with door and a Grill with Monsoon on the drivers side. Thanks for that info, we never noticed that.
We do not want onstar

We wanted to put in another stereo unit until we found out that it wasnt as straight forward as it has been in the past.
Crutchfield says that we need a $99 GM VT-GMOS-04 to make the Onstar and door chimes still work, but we havent got Onstar so will it just be the door chimes that dont work or will other things be crippled also if we dont buy it.
Another option is to do the ipod interface (USA Spec iPodŽ Interface for GM), this is a poor second as we really wanted the USB thumb drive capability.

Whatever we bought we would have to go through Crutchfield as we are not savvy enough to do it without the instruction sheet