K2xx SUV Center Console Cooler Retrofit

[2003 SSEi]

I will say that this mod is almost 100% plug and play, WITH the exception of the modification to the center console 12v and Media location.  

 

There is a lot of hate from the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade folks and the cooler.  Most say they don’t use it and or it doesn’t work.  With that being said I grabbed a entire Center Console Cooler with harness off eBay for a pretty reasonable price.  Took a few measurements and determined that it would drop on to the truck center console.  

 

This post will be a few different posts because of the pictures so here we go.........

 

here is the SUV cooler dropped into the truck console.  The SUV console is similar but very different than the truck console, as a result there needed to be some trimming to the cooler lip 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by 2003 SSEi

[2003 SSEi]

Next is the only mod needed done to the truck console.  You need to remove the 12v and Media moulded parts from the console.  The SUV s have these as a part of the insert 

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by 2003 SSEi

[2003 SSEi]

[2003 SSEi]

So once the cuts are made, you can see there is a large plastic panel that is removable at the bottom of the console.  This just happens to work perfectly for the exhaust of the cooler 

[2003 SSEi]

Since I had a wire harness from a SUV,  the center console harness shares the same connector and harness plug as the Trucks.  The cavities of the SUV match up to the trucks perfectly.  That makes it nice.  

 

The Cooler only needs power and ground to operate.  The switch takes directly to the cooler module needing only 12v.  

 

I only needed to add to add one wire from the Truck harness and populate the SUV harness 

[2003 SSEi]

After the harness modification all that was left was to finish the install.  I chose to put the OEM Switch inside the center console as in the SUV it’s underneath the climate control forward of the cup holders.  There is really no room in the trucks to properly install the switch.  This being said I chose to omit the media slots as I never use them anyway

 

Final product

[2003 SSEi]

So all in all not a mod for everyone, I did some testing and the cooler gets to about 20* below the truck interior temp.  When I tested the ambient temp was 62* and after 30min the interior of the box got to 40*.  

[Nasty]

What is the cooler?

[2003 SSEi]

18 minutes ago, Nasty said:

What is the cooler?

The cooler was an option for the SUV’s to keep drinks or whatever you want cold in the center console.  It’s an insulated box and uses a Thermoelectric device mounted on the box to keep the inside of the box cool 

[tmo]

How big is the cooler on the inside? Any pics?

[Ravenkeeper]

Where'd you relocate the Audio Jack, USB, 12V, & Card Slot to?

[bndawgs]

13 hours ago, tmo said:

How big is the cooler on the inside? Any pics?

I think the more important question is how many beers can you fit in it? 

[Darmichar]

On 5/9/2019 at 8:29 PM, 2003 SSEi said:

So all in all not a mod for everyone, I did some testing and the cooler gets to about 20* below the truck interior temp.  When I tested the ambient temp was 62* and after 30min the interior of the box got to 40*.  

It's a peltier cooler, that differential is pretty much standard for them.  When I drove over the road many moons go I had an igloo plug in cooler that was peltier, would maintain about a 20° differential as well.

[2003 SSEi]

On 5/10/2019 at 1:30 AM, Ravenkeeper said:

Where'd you relocate the Audio Jack, USB, 12V, & Card Slot to?

I chose to not reinstall the Audio Jack, USB and Media card slot.  The 12v power Port is retained in the Cooler insert

[2003 SSEi]

On 5/10/2019 at 2:49 PM, bndawgs said:

I think the more important question is how many beers can you fit in it? 

It fits 8 water bottles.  Same for the beers lol 

On 5/10/2019 at 12:51 AM, tmo said:

How big is the cooler on the inside? Any pics?

The cooler is 7” wide by 10” long and 9” deep