[twn2]

My wife wants XM for a Christmas present. We have an 2007 XR. I notice when I hit the CAT button, the comment XM Features pop up, but nothing else. I hit the BAND button and only get FM and AM, so I'm assuming I have no XM equipment. I don't have the high end touchscreen radio, just the stock one.

I was thinking of adding this: http://www.myradiostore.com/p/xm-direct-general-motors-ipod-gm-xmgm3.html to the car (and the add-on piece that page recommends) but will this give me XM capability on my radio? (of course taking into account that I would order the XM service). If not, would I need to do more? Do I need a new antenna or can I use the stock one?

Thanks!

After posting this I did a little more research. It looks like it will cost about $220 for the hardware to get XM in my XR. Does anyone have an external receiver like the XpressEZ? How do these connect, via the headphone jack in the front of the radio?

 

[khansen30]

My wife wants XM for a Christmas present. We have an 2007 XR. I notice when I hit the CAT button, the comment XM Features pop up, but nothing else. I hit the BAND button and only get FM and AM, so I'm assuming I have no XM equipment. I don't have the high end touchscreen radio, just the stock one.

I was thinking of adding this: http://www.myradiostore.com/p/xm-direct-general-motors-ipod-gm-xmgm3.html to the car (and the add-on piece that page recommends) but will this give me XM capability on my radio? (of course taking into account that I would order the XM service). If not, would I need to do more? Do I need a new antenna or can I use the stock one?

Thanks!

After posting this I did a little more research. It looks like it will cost about $220 for the hardware to get XM in my XR. Does anyone have an external receiver like the XpressEZ? How do these connect, via the headphone jack in the front of the radio?

You should have XM equipment already, especially on an XR. Did you buy this used?

You just don't have the subscription. When you hit the band button and XM pops up you need to go to channel 0 and your receiver ID will appear. With that number, go to XM.com and subscribe (you will need that ID number to do it). I ask if you bought this used, because if you didn't you should have gotten xm free for 3 months in the beginning. You might also go back to the dealer to have them help you get all the info if you can't find it. You should not have to buy any other equipment.

 

[twn2]

I bought the car thru Enterprise car rental sales. I believe it was a rental first.

I did check the Band and only get AM and FM, no XM option except I get "XM Features" when I hit the CAT button. Does this help?

 

[khansen30]

I bought the car thru Enterprise car rental sales. I believe it was a rental first.

I did check the Band and only get AM and FM, no XM option except I get "XM Features" when I hit the CAT button. Does this help?

I will check on that. Do you have onstar? If you do, go to onstar.com and login using your account number and zip code. That will also show you the XM radio ID if you have an XM receiver.

 

[twn2]

I have Onstar, on the mirror, but I don't have it activated.

If I didn't have XM equipment, would I still have the XM Features thing appear when I hit the CAT button?

 

[khansen30]

The XM Features comment means that button is only active if you have XM programing. My wife does not have XM active in her car (didn't renew hers after trial period) and I get the same message as you do when I press the cat button.

When I hit the Band button it toggles through the AM, FM and then XM channel 1 (preview channel).

I did rent a chevy envoy a little over a year ago, and a saturn aura (before my wife got hers) and they both had the XM preview and id channels (XM 0 is the id for the unit). So I find it hard to believe that some rentals and some don't. However, as cheap as Enterprise is they might not have them, I had rented from Hertz as my company paid for it.

I would try contactin a Saturn dealer and have them do a search on you VIN and see if that tells you if yours is equiped with XM receiver. What type of antenna do you have? A 4 inch post with what looks like an additional wire wrapped around it. The thick post is the sat and the wrapped wire is the am, fm antenna.

 

[twn2]

I will check with my local dealer on the VIN. Thanks!

She has the antenna you described, thick with a wire wrapped around it.

 

[khansen30]

I will check with my local dealer on the VIN. Thanks!

She has the antenna you described, thick with a wire wrapped around it.

Sounds to me like you have it, but something has been reprogrammed or discontected. Good luck.

 

[ednunez]

Your Outlook might not have the required XM hardware. The Digital Radio Recevier (DRR, option code U2K) is located in the rear left quarter panel, where the power liftgate motor is. Behind the OnStar module is where the DRR is installed on vehicles that have it. If you have the original window sticker which listed all the options in the vehicle it will tell you if XM is installed. Or any Saturn dealer can pull up the build info on your car and tell you if XM came with the vehicle from the assembly plant.

When the hardware is present but not activated the radio will show the XM module ID on XM channel 0. It will also allow you to listed to channel 1, the demo channel, by using the BAND button if the hardware is there.

From 2008 on XM came standard on all Outlooks, Acadias and Enclaves. Most 2007 Outlook XR's and some XE's came with radios that can control the GM XM module but without the module. If you have one of those the GM XM module can NOT be added since the wiring that goes from the radio to the module is not in the vehicle, nor is the XM antenna in the roof antenna module. Ask me how I know.

Since you radio has the CAT button your best bet is to get an aftermarket XM kit that included the XMDirect tuner, an adapater for the GMLan interface from the radio to the XMDirect tuner, a harness that goes between the radio and the adapter, and the XM antenna. Check ebay, quite a few listed for less than $200. you other option is to use a standalone XM receiver, like a RoadyXT type and feed it through the auxiliary in on the vehicle radio. Another option is to replace the factory radio with an aftermarket radio with XM capability, either built in or with an add-on XMDirect tuner.

Good luck.

Ed N.