how do i add an amp to a 2004 cavalier?

I've been searching the forums for the last hour looking for this trying to avoid asking a dumb newb question, but I couldn't find anything :) Anyway, I have a 2004 Chevy Cavalier. I'm putting a set of components in my doors that are going to be powered by an amp, and I want to use the stock head unit. I've never installed an amp before, but from the research I've done I know I need a switched 12V source for the remote turn on. I've gathered that there is not one of these in the factory radio harness, so where would I find this? Also, where would I splice in the remote ground? Finally, since GM doesn't use a post style battery, what is the best way to attach the power wire to the battery? Thanks in advance for your help!

I also forgot to mention that I'll be using a LOC - what wires would be best to tap into for this?

I own a 2002 cavalier so I should be able to help you out alittle. Since the battery is side mount terminal, you will need to buy a side mount bolt (not sure of the correct name though). The consists of 2 bolts. The bigger one will thread into the battery thus holding the factory power wire fast. The smaller bolt then screws inside the biger one. That is where you fasten your other terminals to. Now dealing with the factory radio, I honestly cant help you out that much since I put in an aftermarket one. But I will give you some very needed advice. Anytime you are working with the factory radio, you MUST make sure that your battery is disconnected, or you need to pull the fuse for your airbags plus the 2 plugs that run to the airbags. The reason for this is because the airbag wiring runs through the factory radio and works along with it. If you were to disconnect the plugs that run to the back of the radio without first disconnecting the battery or pulling the airbag fuse and connectors, then your airbags wont deploy when needed. It has something to do with the radio keeping memory. when you turn your car on, your airbag light on your instrument cluster will flash 7 times and then turn off. You can always tell when your air bags arent working, when that light doesnt flash 7 times. Anyways, your radio does has a switched battery. The airbag wiring color is yellow with red stripe. if you need anymore info dealing with the airbags, please let me know. Now dealing with the headunit, there is a switched battery. It is the yellow wire (same on every vehicle).

I have to inform you Audioman2007 that you are way off. You need to do alot more research on vehicles and airbags. Dlapasky, you do need to disconnect the car's negative battery terminal before working on the car. You factory radio does have a remote turn on wire which can trigger your amp, but the wire/pin may not be in the harness unless your car has the Monsoon system. If there is an amp in the trunk above the driver's rear wheel well you already have an amp that runs all the speakers. The location of the remote wire in the radio plug is B3 (they are lablelled on the plug). If the wire is not there you can insert a wire and pin from another GM plug to wire the remote turn on output to your amp. The proper way to hook the amp up to the battery is to use a side post battery tap. As Audioman2007 mentioned it is comprised of one large bolt that replaces the one currently in the postive cable. It also has a smaller bolt that threads into the end of it to add additional cables. You must install a fuse inline within 18 inches of your battery on your amps power line. Use the correct gauge of power cable for your amps current demands. Use the same gauge cable to ground the amp. Keep the amp's ground wire short and attach it to the body of the car. Scrape the paint and make a good connection to a thick piece of metal. Do not use any existing bolts for the ground. You can tap your line level converter into the front speaker wires at the radio plug. Unplugging the radio will do nothing except reset the clock. The front speaker wires are LF+ tan, LF- gray, RF+ light green, RF- is dark green.sparky

I need to do alot more research on my vehicle and its airbags? So you are trying to tell me that the airbags dont run with the factory radio? I know for a fact that the airbags run through the factory radio. That is why when you  want to install an aftermarket headunit in a newer cavalier/sunfire, you need to purchase the relocation harness so that you can relocate the factory radio. If you discarded the radio completly, your airbags defentantly wont work. It is as single as that. But I can say this now, I dont know a thing about the pins on a factory radio. I too have a monsoon radio which is relocated to my trunk, so there was no need to figure out which wire is which. I just thought I would give my advice on what I already know. I installed 3 headunits in cavalier's '01, '02, '04 all of which needed that harness. I am not on here to start a conflict with you or anyone else. I am on here to try and help people. If dlapasky doesnt agree with my post, then he can simply ignore it. But please tell me what I am way off on. Maybe I said something wrong

I never meant to upset you audioman. To clarify the issue, the airbags are on a dedicated circuit and it makes absolutely no difference if the factroy radio is in the vehicle or not. The airbags will work as long as the sensors and control module still work. Manufacturers cannot afford the liability of having such a vital safety component like airbags be reliant on another system. The factory radio does handle a number of other functions such as chimes and dash lamp dimming as well as other unnoticed functions. Removing the radio will cause some systems in the vehicle to no longer function and create problems with others. It can cause dealers to void the warranty on systems adversely affected with having the radio removed, but not the whole car. The proper procedure to disable the airbags on that car is to disconnect the battery's negative battery terminal and then pull the fuse out of the fuse box. You then wait one minute and unplug the yellow connector under the driver's side dash that is inline on the yellow harness for the driver's side airbag. There is a separate yellow connector for the passenger's side airbag. You can then safely remove the airbag. Disconnecting the battery's negative cable is a precaution that should be taken anytime any electrical work is to be done on any vehicle. Disconnecting the airbags is also a precaution taken anytime any work is done around them or any part of their circuits/sensors. If these procedures aren't followed, you can have problems with your airbag system. If the airbag light remains on after the vehicle is reconnected it means there is a problem in the system. I only suggested that you could do more research on these systems because you mentioned that you own one of these cars. Unfortunately, many people have not been formally trained on these systems and there is more misinformation usually posted that factual info. I am a trained tech with 30 years experience and I too, like yourself am trying to help people on this site.sparky

I think anyone that has been installing for years knows all the myths that have been around about the new GM vehicles. Truth is, there isn't one car out there that has the air bag systems running through the radios. I also own a 2004 cavalier. In the cavaliers at least in the base model the only thing that runs through the factory radio is the door chime. In the LS it might have oil temp and other sensor information that is running through the factory radio because it displays it on there. But no airbag. I have done extensive research on this about a year ago because I wanted to dispell the myth about there cars and radios.

seriously... Audioman, you yourself said you replaced your radio with a aftermarket one... If what you said is true, you deleted your own airbags... which clearly you did not...   I did a LOC on my girlfriends cavalier off the two rear speakers, and tapped the 12+remote right behind the stereo as well. Also... for the side post terminal. You can either get that extended side post, which is the cleanest way, or you can just rip off that big red boot, and probably fit your terminal ring tight between the main positive connection and the battery using your stock battery bolt.99 Blazer LT.   Yellow Top. Big 3. Infinity Kappa Speakers All Around. Jensen CD/DVD flip out. 2 Infinity Kappa Perfect 12DVQs powered by a Alpine PDX600.1 (in one custom box, building a FG box)