This may seem convoluted and I may be obfuscating the issue, but, then again, I drive a Crossfire...

First, let me say that many folks on this site have been very helpful (ppro, in particular). After much deliberation and searching, I finally decided on a Pioneer DEH-P7000BT. But, when I was about to pull the trigger at the Crutchfield site I received the warning shown below. I tried other receivers and kept getting the same message. I 'd really like to keep the factory amp as I'm not sure I have the knowledge to perform the steps outlined

I have the Factory Stereo w/Navigation.
I want to keep the factory amp, but when I input my car with this unit at the Crutchfield website I get this warning:

I thought I'd see what would happen iif I input to the Crutchfield website that I have the factory radio without Nav or Infinity system. When I do this the only warning I get is:
Even though I have the stock system with Nav/Inifinity system, I'd really like to keep the factory amp mainly because of cost and my limited knowledge of the wiring required.

The stereo installs I've seen on this site merely swap in the Schosche VW-01B. However, the stock system with Nav/Ifinity seems to require a lot more.

Since I have hearing problems a good sounding unit is not a priority. I'm looking more for a unit that will pair with my iPhone 3G and USB input, satellite radio and a couple of aux in ports.

Does any unit out there keep the factory amp?
If not, what can I use as a substitute for the factory amp to meet the requirements above and keep the factory speakers?

 

hey Veloce i am using the factory amp i have a clarion head unit the factory harness is kinda funny because it doesnt have negative wires in it for the speakers either way you will be able to use the factory amp.....

 

The factory Infinity system sends Left/Right speaker level outputs to the factory amp. Those left/right outputs are split so there are 2 identical left/right inputs to the amp. One of those inputs goes to the door speakers, the other goes to the rear speakers.

If you replace the factory nav head unit with the Pioneer and connect the wires in the Schosche harness the same way the factory head unit did (including swapping the power wires and connecting the remote amp turn on wire), you won't need to bypass the factory amp or run any new wires. There are plenty of great posts here with instructions how to connect the wires to the Schosche harness. You'll end up with the same setup -- Front L/R speaker level outputs from your Pioneer getting split up and going into the factory amp and on to the factory speakers.

It gets more complicated if you want to bypass or replace the factory amp, or replace the rear speakers. That would require running more wire and tapping into other existing wires.

 

Thanks for the quick replies.
This is the best explanation I've seen on stereo installation.
But, if I can just put in the Schosche harness (with red/yelow switch), why in the world does Crutchfield say it won't work with factory Infinity system (w/nav), but will work with the basic system? When I've read posts on stereo installation it has not been clear which type of factory system is being replaced.

If you want to test it, just go to the Crutchfield site and input a car w/o Nav/Infinity and the identical Crossfire w/o Inffinity/Nav system. I can't explain it and neither can the Crutchfield CSR (Customer Service Representative). The system I'm eyeballing is the Pioneer DEH-P7000BT.

 

Crutchfield has outsmarted themselves and confused youo You simply install the VW-01B connector (Schosche) harness plug onto the wires for the head unit and plug it into the harness. You're done. You will have to check and if necessary, swap red and yellow. I'd shop elsewhere to since Crutchfield charge list price for everything.

As for the GPS antenna - if you are buying a head unit with GPS antenna then it will come with the antenna and you have two choices - put it up where the factory one is or run it to the outside of the car (very easy). If you are buying a hand-held GPS, the internal antenna will be fine. I use the Garmin GPS-MAP 76CSX and it works great without the external antenna.

 

PPRO,

Thanks for support; I need it. I also noticed on the Master Sheet from Crutchfield (posted elsewhere here) that it shows on page 2 the incorrect end of the removal tool to be used in the radio. It shows using the long pointed end when the short pointed end is correct.

I guess I'll bite the bullet and order the stuff.:
Pioneer Receiver: DEH-P7000BT
Pioneer HD: GEX-P10HD
Pioneer XM: GEX-P920YM
Pioneer Aux: CD-IU50
Pioneer USB: CD-RB10
Metra Antenna Y-Adaptor
Schosche VW-01B

I could do as you suggest on the GPS antenna, but I think I think is has become more of a quest to find out what it is. I sure would like to find out the name of the connector and see about a connector adaptor, but everyone I call needs to know what type (name) of connector I'm already using.

Also, do you think the Panvise (75104-804 + 767-AL05) will fit without pulling out the glovebox? I can't get anyone here to tell me how to pull out the newer style glovebox.

 

I was not aware there was a different style glovebox. I have a 2004 and the bracket installed just as I described on my site. The Panavise is easy to install. You don't need to remove the glovebox - just remove and put back a couple screws. You slip the bracket behind the glove box edge without taking it out.

You may not need the 767-AL05 extension bracket, but you will need a cradle for any handheld GPS or phone you want to put on there - I like the RAM Mount line of cradles. They have pretty much everything and standard mounts to the Panavise and they're very rugged. All the brackets in places like Best Buy (Bracketron) are rubbish.

The GPS antenna is necessary for the factory unit you have but isn't going to work with anything else. If you did find an adapter (unlikely) it would probably cost about what an external antenna costs. And you want to keep that antenna for the factory nav unit you're talking out.


Make sure the CD-IU50 is the right way to add the iPod (the manual will tell you, so will the Pioneer site)

Check the manual - you might not need the CD-RB10 to get an AUX input - I don't have the manual handy. It's a nice to have for sure though.

You won't need it for the HD radio or the XM or Sirius radio - those go through the IP-BUS connectors that come with those units.

You're going to need install supplies.
A good wire connector crimping tool. Don't skimp on the tool - you want the crimp to stay on.

Connectors. You will need connectors for the red, yellow, and black wires on the components. Don't just twist it all together - eventually they come apart or corrode.

Put eye connectors on the grounds, and connect them all to ground.

The red and yellow are a different matter. You are going to have to get power from the battery and one of the connections in the fuse box. The power comes through the firewall. You must put fuses on both sides of the firewall. My site covers all that. I recommend an aux fuse panel - Painless Wiring sells them already put together. You need two separate power sources so two small panels - one for the battery power, and one for the power that is controlled by the key (comes out of the fuse box).

Once you have red and yellow power sources properly wired you can put spade connectors on the ends of the red and yellow wires and connect them to the respective power sources, making sure that the spade connectors you use completely cover the connector so the power doesn't ground out on the car.

It's a good idea to have a test meter to identify the red and yellow leads function coming out of the harness.

 

There are 3 types of factory systems: Base system, Infinity System w/o Nav, Infinity System with nav. The base system doesn't have an extra amplifier -- the door speakers are powered by the head unit amp. So you don't have to worry about any amp to bypass -- its just a regular speaker level connection to the door speakers just like any other stereo install.

The infinity systems have the amplifier underneath the passenger floor, and add the 6 1/2" dual voice coil low range speakers behind the seats. So the speaker level outputs from the head unit don't go directly to the speakers, they go to the amplifier as I've described. There doesn't appear to be many differences with system between the nav and non-nav infinity head units besides a few extra wires at the head unit (GPS antenna, speed pulse wire, etc). The audio connections should be the same between the nav unit and the regular unit.

I suspect that Crutchfield probably thinks its a bad idea to put the amplified head unit signal as the input into the amplifier, which is why they say you need to bypass the amp. But considering this is how it's done in the factory system, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

Great advice.

The unit ships on Monday, so I'm hoping to get it by Wednesday (fingers crossed)

Yep, some time during the production run the glovebox changed from your "drop down" unit to my unit which has a door and the box looks like all other cars. The knee airbags are below the glovebox now. It looks like I have the same screws, but when they're removed nothing budges. It is still rock solid in the the dash. The Panvise looks like I need to at least be able to pull the box out slightly to get it in behind the screw that holds it. I might just order it and see.

I appreciate your watching out for me. I'll let you know how I get along when I actually get the factory unit and the wiring harness.

 

some of the new Pioneers have USB built in. i was going to get the USB adapter box for my system but it doesn't look like it plays WAV files. i do not like lossy audio files and storage is cheap enough that i can stick with WAVs.

 

Everything is installed and everything works just peachy keen.

The XM radio fit under the floorboards nicely above and slightly to the left of the amp or just to left and above the drain hose. I now have paired the iPhone to the DEH-7000BT and the wife thinks I am a miracle worker! I ran the antenna between the glove box and the side by removing the passenger kick panel and the airbag access door. I used the grounding location behind the passenger kick panel for the XM radio ground. The USB will control the iPhone, but it will not allow the iPhone to send or receive calls (maybe I'll try thru the HU) In any case, I'm running the iPhone thru one of Aux ports and it works just fine. Besides, it's nice to see the album pics on the iPhone as they do not show up when it is hooked up through the USB. For now, we're using the USB to attach a flash drive.

So, what do we have?
AM/FM/XM/CD radio with BT, USB, and 2 AUX Ports.

I made two AUX ports using this site:
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f133...nt-jack-64745/

SInce our consoles are too thick to accept the Radio Shack AUX ports I drilled two 3/4 inch holes in the side of the console and inserted two 3/4 inch plugs that I bought from Lowe's. I drilled a 1/8" hole in the center of each plug and inserted the Radio Shack AUX Port in each one. It looks factory! And, if I want to remove them it's just a matter of putting in two more blanking plugs (without my holes drilled in them).
Note: I've shown two bags of plugs. The one on the left is the black plastic plug I used and the one on the right is a metallic looking one which also could be used--it is just a matter of choice of looks. The Radio Shack Aux Input plugs are shown above the bags: the one on left shows the back side with a 1/8 inch hole drilled and the one on the right side shows the front with Aux In Port inserted in the plug.

Very simple, but I think elegant solution to Aux ports.

 

Hehehe... Somebody's been shopping at Lowes in the big hardware cabinets...

 

Sometimes surfing there pays of (pun intended)

And, how would you know (tee, hee)?

BTW, I've really appreciated all your help!!!

 

Hi, has anyone pulled out the original amp, not to use the wiring, but just to use the location for another amp and leave the wiring just there? I've seen that the amp It's supossed to do more functions other than powering the speakers alone, can I take out the amp with out afecting anything? Thanks!

 

Bump bump.

Hey Veloce,

Do you have any photos of the finished product? I am very interested in the same headunit and would love to see how it looks in our cars. Also, while you're at it, what about a pic of your sleek new aux ports? I'd appreciate it! Thanks!

 

I got a lot of help from members and threads on this board (ppro - thanks).

 

Cool! Nice job!

 

Thanks for posting! Everything looks great!

 

So the plug you get from crutchfield is all you need. Been tracking this post for a while just inquiring because Im interested in swapping out my head unit as well.

 

There are a few things needed, the plug being one.

Check here:


Click

The removal tools (cheap)
The harness plug (cheap)
Radio Antenna adapter (cheap)
Small volt meter (optional but cheap)