2004 NON POLICE impala headlight flasher?

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:32 pm

I can't seem to find a consensus on this. I know whelen and sound-off make a headlight flasher for the police package Impalas, However, this car I'm working on now is not a police package. Will the flashers designed for the police package work in this car?? How and what do I need to do different?

007 · Post by **007** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:47 pm

Yes, they will. The only difference between the 9C1 and civvie Impala is the lack of plug-n-play connectors on the RH side where the flasher mounts.

On the civvie car, you have to physically cut the headlight harness and make the splices.

It works....I had one in my '02.

Post by Pj » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:24 pm

Due to the wonderful knuckleheads who can't read, we ordered a 05 Impala thru the state contract.

What we got, and no one realized (and it was basically spelled out in the contract) was NOT the 9C3 package, but the run of the mill Impala.

We found this out when the car was sent down to Whelen to get its install. According to the dealer, it was only going to cost under $200 (I think it was actually under $100) to swap out the computer/harness section for it to "become" a 9C3, which they elected to do. Now, if this was a real price or a "oops we screwed up" price, I dunno. I do remember suggesting the computer swap out to avoid any future problems, and they did that.

I just remember its being fairly inexpensive. Something that you may want to look into. The flasher became plug/play after this was done.

mr.syntrx · Post by **mr.syntrx** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:53 pm

What's the price difference (if any) between a police Impala and a civvie one from the factory?

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:34 am

Not a bad idea, however I'm not swapping out the computer just to have a $40 plug-n-play flasher. It's his company vehicle anyway so it isn't really "his" to modify in that respect.

Does the 9C3 automaticly come with those stupid looking brake lights on the back deck and the flashers in the trunk?

Post by Pj » Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:17 am

No, that's an option that is ordered. When you actually go to order the fleet vehicles, there is a rather nice sized book that will let you order basically anything for the car from lightbars to tires.

Conundrum · Post by **Conundrum** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:34 am

I thought there was a problem with using flashers in a non police impala, where the computer would think that you had a blown headlight and show it on the dash. Is this only a problem if you don't use the proper flasher kit?

radiokid · Post by **radiokid** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:48 am

If you follow the instructions with the right kit for any car, you will not mess up the DRL's. There is a relay that turns them off when you turn on your wig-wags. Good Luck
Radio Kid

Conundrum · Post by **Conundrum** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:57 am

so, which is the best/proper/chevy reccomended headlight flasher for an '04 Impala, I also have one that needs to be done, but was steering away from the flasher because of the DRL problem, and was going to go with strobes.

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:15 pm

How much do you think a harness would cost to replace? I've wanted to put a wigwag box on my n/p Impala for a while, but not to keen on slicing wires. I've browsed around a little bit, but have been unable to locate the actual harness. Model #?

radiokid · Post by **radiokid** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:50 pm

Here is the link for the part you need, to use on a civilian car you need to cut off the connector and splice the wiring.

http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort= ... 38&cat=563

Radio Kid

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:05 pm

Nothing with the word "Galls" afixed to it if going within 50 yards of any vehicle I work on, so that's out of the question.

I need a Whelen or Sound-Off model that will work. I'm also still not clear on the whole DRL thing. Am I going to need to do some fancy wiring with relays and stuff or am I just splicing wires from the flasher to the vehicle harness?

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:37 pm

NM. It looks scary but its not the worst. Here is what needs to be done.

Sound off DLR compatable ground side switched flasher or simular unit from federal or Whelen this is for a sound off or federal flasher.( the same)

In the front grill there is a wiring harness. Find the pink wire that is the high beam wire. Cut it Splice flasher wires to the cut ends. Sound off is yellow and Blue.

Mount the flasher in the grill on the body not the bumper. Its tempered steel.

Ground the Green wire to the body.

Black is night time cut off if you wan to use it tap it to the parking light circut ( optional)

White wire to B+12v at the battery

Red to switched 12V with your switch in side of the car

2 orange wires go to the Harness that is on the strut tower between the battery and the coolant resivour. There is a green with a Black trace in that harness . It is the DLR circut cut that and splice in the orange wires to the 2 cut ends.

its not that hard If you buy the right flasher its all laid out in the instructions.

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:10 pm

Hrmp. Easy. You try to splice that little green wire.

radiokid · Post by **radiokid** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:10 pm

Deleted

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 5:50 pm

The more conflicting information I get, the more I want to just say "forget it" and he can go without wig-wags

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:13 pm

ESDA its easy. Just dont try it on a car that just came in from a long drive.............HOT!!!!

Been there...

007 · Post by **007** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 3:52 am

nmfire10 wrote: Does the 9C3 automaticly come with those stupid looking brake lights on the back deck and the flashers in the trunk?

RPO's 6J6 and T53, respectively...they can be ordered on the 9C1 for sure, but unknown on the 9C3. I kinda doubt you'd want the rear deck STT's on an "undercover" car anyway.

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 9:58 am

nmfire10 wrote:The more conflicting information I get, the more I want to just say "forget it" and he can go without wig-wags

After consulting with someone who has a civie version, and looking under his hood, yes indeed, it can work. The SoundOff flasher does come with printed instructions on how to wire the vehicle. It actually doesn't look as hard as it sounds. Just getting enough of that trace wire out to splice it seems to be the fun part.

Did you splice it behind or in front of that big blue harness? Does it matter?

007 · Post by **007** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 11:53 am

ESDA20 wrote: Did you splice it behind or in front of that big blue harness? Does it matter?

Are you talking about that huge connector that mounts to the RH fender brace by the battery? I don't remember any blue harness behind the grille or RH headlamp...?

If so, after it....down by the headlamp ass'y.

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:50 pm

Yeah, that big blue harness thing by the battery. Cool, I'll try splicin' it further down then towards the harness.

Oooh, this'll be fun.

DPEMA140 · Post by **DPEMA140** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:29 pm

nmfire10 wrote:Nothing with the word "Galls" afixed to it if going within 50 yards of any vehicle I work on, so that's out of the question.

The Gall's brand flashers are Sound-Off flashers with a Gall's sticker on them. Any tech support you need can come straight from Sound-Off.

Mike F

firegood · Post by **firegood** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:02 pm

DPEMA140 wrote:
nmfire10 wrote:Nothing with the word "Galls" afixed to it if going within 50 yards of any vehicle I work on, so that's out of the question.
The Gall's brand flashers are Sound-Off flashers with a Gall's sticker on them. Any tech support you need can come straight from Sound-Off.

Mike F

Its more of a personal grudge...i also have one against the crap they offer. Sticker or not, i still wouldent put one in my truck.

mokena208 · Post by **mokena208** » Mon Aug 01, 2005 1:17 pm

Not to just pile on.... it is fairly easy to do. Just follow the directions. Sound-off makes a good unit. I put one in a non 9c1/3 squad for my chief with no problems. Personally, I find it easier to work when I pull the plastic grille off. Makes it a little easier to get in and work on things! I is just the 3 or 4 plastic clips and one metal retainer clip on each side behind the grille, it comes off fairly easy and goes back on without and problems. It is also helpful to remove the grille when putting the siren speaker in too.

Good luck.

TWL911 · Post by **TWL911** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 4:23 pm

Okay, after reading all these threads about civilian Impalas and headlight flashers, I finally grew a set and decided to undertake this project on my 2000 non police pkg Impala.

I used a soundoff flasher, plug and play for the police package.

This was one of the EASIEST wig wags I have EVER installed.

The sound off instructions are great, the wires you need are all accesible at the same location, very near the mounting location of the flasher on the radiator support.

I made all connections right behind the passenger side headlight, there is a factory harness "junction" point that if you remove some tape, all needed wires are easily located and spliced.

Total install time= About 30 minutes. and it works great!

Now for my next undertaking: Wig-Wags on my 99 GMC sierra. Which is probably the second most popular wig wag thread on this board... I have an idea how to do it, but I am not so sure ????
I am thinking I can just rewire the highbeams, use the switched ground of the factory harness to activate a relay for normal use, and install a standard + flasher on my makeshift highbeam harness. Anyone see a problem with this ?????

TWL911 · Post by **TWL911** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 11:18 am

Well, a couple days later and my flasher has been REMOVED already.

Instructions were great,
Installation was easy,
the flasher worked,

the DRL cutout DID NOT,

Headlamp out, and service vehicle soon warnings in the message center when the flasher was NOT on.

Its deinstalled,,,, Not sure what I am going to do now,
It was a used flasher, so I am thinking it may have had issues from the start, but its hard to tell.

Post by **alex** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 11:53 am

Flashers are so cheap to start with, why would you even bother with a used one?

TWL911 · Post by **TWL911** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:44 pm

The soundoff Impala flasher isn't really that cheap, compared to any other wig wag flasher. They run $80-90 new. I picked up a used one for $15 and figured it was worth a shot....

Post by **alex** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 12:54 pm

That I didn't know - so pardon my ignorance there.

I guess my oppinion is that if your doing something to something that can break and it won't be cheap to fix it - spend the money upfront to do it right, before it breaks - then your not out the money for the part - PLUS - the money to fix the problem the used part caused.

Not always the case but...