Pioneer Double-DIN Head Unit Install (w/pics)

[custom Lftback]

Well yesterday all my shipments arrived for my new head unit.. Pioneer AVH-P3100DVD (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...s/AVH-P3100DVD)
Since I haven't had any experience installing a stereo, I had a buddy of mine help me out this afternoon. I bought the stereo from Amazon for $287, as well as the iPod cable for $45. I bought the Metra Double DIN kit and wiring harness from eBay (thanks SodiumDuck for the link!).
Alright on to the pictures (there is a lot but I tried to go through each process). Sorry in advance for the crappy quality of pictures, it was taken from my phone.

Here is the box that arrived:



First things first, gotta take apart the dash:



Here is my friend Tino who helped me install it. We did it at his fire station since they had tools :)



They got fluorescent yellow fire trucks!



haha I had all the doors and hood open:



Disconnect the negative battery cable:



Here is the stock HU:



The cables left behind from the stock HU:



Here is the wiring harness:



And the wiring process:





The new beautiful HU :



Connect it up to make sure it's working and that we did it right:



And it does!!




We had to install a switch to bypass the "safety" feature:




It's pretty much invisible:



Gotta put on the Metra spacers:



Screw it back in:



Put the rest of the dash back together:



And turn her on!!!!





oh yeah, gotta love the background :



Needless to say, I LOVE IT! my favorite purchase so far! comment please

[TinyGiant]

do you have to plug in the ipod and stuff in the front of the unit?

[custom Lftback]

yes unfortunately, that's one of the few flaws. but it's alright I just keep it in the left cubby right there. but a good thing is that it works with my iphone perfectly. :)

[AlexNet0]

What safety feature are you referring to?

[custom Lftback]

the fact that you must have the parking brake on to view any video. but trust me, i don't plan on watching any movies while driving!

[uncleyaris]

congrats DD is the way to go!!

[TheUnGroomed]

Nice DIY. And. . . Nice Rubix Cube!

[custom Lftback]

Originally Posted by TheUnGroomed

Nice DIY. And. . . Nice Rubix Cube!

haha thanks

[Sodium Duck]

Nice!

[Pitt Yaris]

Great DIY, and looks awesome. I just searched this on Amazon and $287 seems like a good deal. I have no ipod and stock hu so I've though about just getting a PSP or Iphone touch instead of such a head unit, but thinkin it over.

[Slick]

I bought the same radio from Amazon for the same price. Came in yesterday and installed the same day My father is an instrument technician and suggested that I should wire the parking brake safety wire to the red ignition wire to bypass having to run it to the brake. He explained that the parking brake wire reads the positive current that is activated when the parking brake switch is pressed (switch is activated by engaging the parking brake). He says that the red wire to the ignition will always have the positive current because it is what turns on the radio with the key. I still have to run my RCA's and remote wire to it for my amp tomorrow so will try it out.

One question for the radio gurus and maybe for you custom Lftback is what did you wire the reverse senseing wire to?

Anyway, its a sweet radio and I hope you enjoy it, I know I am. BTW, the buttons on the left change color if you haven't already figured it out. I set mine to amber to better match the rest of the interior lighting.

[Slick]

Correction!!! I finished wiring up the speakers. Wiring the reverse wire to the ignition wire will not bypass the safety feature. We tried, its no good. So we ended up wiring it to the parking brake wire like it said and what do you know,it worked. idk.

[uncleyaris]

Just find a good ground to bypass.

[808_Yaris]

^ what he said :) you just have to wire the safety feature wire to any ground or negative wire.

-no need for switches

[kuyachris84]

Looks great! I wanna do this.. he he

[custom Lftback]

Originally Posted by 808_Yaris

^ what he said :) you just have to wire the safety feature wire to any ground or negative wire.

-no need for switches

Tried that, still didn't work. so that's why we just put in a switch. it's no biggie tho.

[808_Yaris]

Originally Posted by custom Lftback

Tried that, still didn't work. so that's why we just put in a switch. it's no biggie tho.

Oh, well congratulations on a nice install! Any more upgrades to your sound system?

[custom Lftback]

Originally Posted by 808_Yaris

Oh, well congratulations on a nice install! Any more upgrades to your sound system?

not yet, this is the first part of the sound system. Taxes killed me this month, so the rest will have to wait a couple of months, but I'm in no hurry!
I am going to be getting a single Alpine Type R 12" subwoofer, and still looking for a fairly inexpensive amp to power it.
But I might tint my windows first before I do that, because it is starting to get hot!!!

As far as using the stock AUX input, I might have to play with it, because this ipod control wire that works with the HU doesn't allow my iPhone to play through the speakers of the car, it just takes over the iPod portion. So I could possible rig the stock input so I can have a sort of "handsfree" system lol.
I am currently watching Iron Man on the head unit, and the picture is awesome!!