Hello TGO - I have an 88 GTA and have been trying to go back to my factory radio for appearance purposes.

From everything I have read here the Delco-Loc radios that came on the 88-89 GTA's with steering wheel controls are notorious for both having issues and then the specific cancel cam + turn signal assembly not being reproduced.
Thus, since the MUTE button will no longer work you are unable to unlock your factory radio.

My GTA turn signal assembly broke long ago and have since been using an 87 3-spoke GTA wheel.
Is it possible to splice a live wire that I can activate or run as a switch for the Mute wire itself to the back of the radio? For the sole-purpose of unlocking the radio when the battery is disconnected.

 

My other solution is to buy a 1990+ Pontiac radio - I believe the Bonneville's have a similar radio or move to a 4th gen's radio.

 

Yes, you should be able to use the Wires that go to the Steering Wheel mounted Mute-Button.

 

Think if I spliced into the Mute wire to feed it full power from another live wire/switch that would work?
I think at the base of the steering shaft would work there..?

 

Might look into removing the security code once you do get it unlocked?

 

No, do not do that.

The Radio Circuits do not usually operate as 12V Circuits...
Different Circuits operate at different Voltages.
They could be 1.0V, 3.3V, 5V, or something else.

 

One of the earliest Contracts, that we (GM) established for (Radio, Gauge, Instrument Panel Cluster, HVAC Control-Head, Etc) Electronics Repair...
was with: "Model Electronics" (a small Business in New Jersey).

They are a much larger Business now, that offers Repairs and Replacement Electronics (IPCs, Radios, Etc).
Here is a Hyper-Link to their Website:
Link

I would contact them, and see if they can help you in any way.

 

Pretty sure that these radios don't have one. It's only the mute button that unlocks it.

 

I will have to send them an email, thanks vorteciroc.
I also reached out to another member on here that has been able to use the same year Bonneville radios that look similar but don't have the delco-loc.

 

Will it work with the steering wheel controls? I think some Bonneville and 6000STE radios will. That radio is the only Pontiac, and only radio from any GM car, that will work with the steering wheel controls..

I was going to switch out my GTA radio for a later Pontiac model with a CD player. It worked except for the steering wheel controls, and I ended up returning the radio. Having that bank of non-functional buttons in front of me would have just annoyed me every time I drove the car. I ended up getting the original radio refurbished, and had an AUX jack added so that I could play music off my SmartPhone, including from the SiriusXM app.

 

According to the other member he said that while almost exactly the same, the Bonneville radios do not work with the GTA steering wheel controls because of some unique components in the radio.

 

I might be wrong, but I think there were some high-end Bonnevilles and 6000s that had the same steering wheel controls with this same radio. I might be wrong, but I think if you found one of these radios it would work with the buttons.

There is another model radio that looks exactly like the GTA one, same equalizer, same functionality. Really the same model, but it doesn't have the SWC control circuit.

 

As an update, I ended up getting a modified Bonneville radio from a member on here that fixes them. It looks exactly the same but don't have to worry about the GTA Mute button on the steering wheel any longer!