Tricky Double DIN Question (please help)

[etay89]

So I've done my fair share of reading the threads but my situation is a bit unique... i guess? Just read and all will be explained.

So recently, I got some belt work done and got a brand new alternator. Since then, I've had no issues. About a week or 2 later, I got some Silverstar Ultras. Since then, whenever I'm driving, say I stop at a red light for a minute or 2, my lights (headlights, dash lights, interior lights, etc.) all get dim until I start driving then the alternator recharges. I've also needed several jumps in the past few days...

..but onto the head unit. In my spyder, the factory head unit is still in (untouched), the amp is still on the floor, and there WAS a cd changer in the trunk, but the person I bought the car off took it out. Maybe that's causing my shorts...and if it is, how do I fix it?

Now finally!!! The head unit I have is the Pioneer Avic-U310BT (a double din obviously) and naturally, I wanna install it. I have experience tearing down car interiors but since I actually love my 2G (and i'm not working on a crappy Cavi or Concorde), I just want a simple, fast, but concise "walkthrough" on how I can install this without messing up the wiring or my interior. I know I can use the stock brackets or cut a single din kit if I need to. I also have the wiring harness if that helps as well. I also seen on some thread that I gotta remove the amp/trunk cd changer (well its already gone so...) but is that true? Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[bryceorbiter]

To get to the head unit is really easy, just pull the center console, which is like 6 screws, then pull the piece of trim that goes over the CD player and hvac. After that there should be 4 screws holding the stock head unit in.

I never had the in car system with the amp on the floor, but if you have a wiring harness for your model then you should be fine to just wire that to your new head unit.

 

[etay89]

To get to the head unit is really easy, just pull the center console, which is like 6 screws, then pull the piece of trim that goes over the CD player and hvac. After that there should be 4 screws holding the stock head unit in.

I never had the in car system with the amp on the floor, but if you have a wiring harness for your model then you should be fine to just wire that to your new head unit.

thanks. No one really explained how to this. Perfect. But what about my shorting issues?

 

[ttetzner]

are you sure it's a short, I think your battery is dead, It should hold a charge regardless of a short. As for the altenator, I just blew mine but I have 1000 watts of bass in my spyder, the altenator actually doesn't kick in at base idle speed, if you can raise the Idle RPM 100 and you should notice it kicking in, But it Definatly sounds like you need a battery, especially because a dying altenator relies on the battery to run the car

 

[etay89]

are you sure it's a short, I think your battery is dead, It should hold a charge regardless of a short. As for the altenator, I just blew mine but I have 1000 watts of bass in my spyder, the altenator actually doesn't kick in at base idle speed, if you can raise the Idle RPM 100 and you should notice it kicking in, But it Definatly sounds like you need a battery, especially because a dying altenator relies on the battery to run the car

could cold weather also play a factor into my dying ass battery? i'm in pennsylvania..where we got over 30" of snow in the past week.

 

[kimcheefists]

Cold weather COULD be a factor but like ttetzner said, you're battery is most likely the culprit. The battery not holding a charge is taking away most of the amperage from the alternator. You even said you needed some jumpstarts. Swap out the battery and get back to us.

 

[etay89]

Cold weather COULD be a factor but like ttetzner said, you're battery is most likely the culprit. The battery not holding a charge is taking away most of the amperage from the alternator. You even said you needed some jumpstarts. Swap out the battery and get back to us.

i figured it was the battery from the start and i will swap it out but what if the alternator isn't charging it correctly?

 

[kimcheefists]

As long as the alternator is putting out more than 12v, it's good. I thought you said your alternator was brand new.

 

[95'RS-T]

its definitely the battery. If the alternator was bad it would not charge the battery, and then the car would run on only the battery which would still run the car until the battery is dead.

For the head unit thing. If you got the wiring harness that plugs in the the factory harness you should be good. The only thing you might have to do is run a ground for the head unit separately. My last 2 DSMs were like that, so just in case you wire it all up and it don't turn on and your stumped with a wiring problem that's just as simple as a ground.

 

[etay89]

its definitely the battery. If the alternator was bad it would not charge the battery, and then the car would run on only the battery which would still run the car until the battery is dead.

For the head unit thing. If you got the wiring harness that plugs in the the factory harness you should be good. The only thing you might have to do is run a ground for the head unit separately. My last 2 DSMs were like that, so just in case you wire it all up and it don't turn on and your stumped with a wiring problem that's just as simple as a ground.

ok it's the battery. Gotcha.

and I used the factory brackets to put it in. It looks sick but now I ran into a different set of problems. So now when I turn the lights on (headlights and dashlights), nothing comes on. On the wiring harness, there was an orange wire that said 'illumination dash' and ### I didn't know what it meant, I connected it to the groud wire (since I cudnt find a good ground...ideas?). Should I splice the power cable with that wire? My screen lights up on the head unit..but no other dash light comes on.

 

[etay89]

so i used the stock mounting brackets which worked better than i thought..but there's a small gap near the bottom and when i turn my heat on, it makes this high pitched sound

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[bryceorbiter]

Did you tape off the wires on the harness? It shouldnt make a noise when the heats turned on.

 

[etay89]

Did you tape off the wires on the harness? It shouldnt make a noise when the heats turned on.

every wire is taped to it's appropriate wire. all unused wires were just taped at the ends. then i taped all the wires together....so i dont think it's rubbing against anything. i checked all my fuses for blows and stuff...and no dice...

i'll live with it.. this will be the last winter this car sees anyways

 

[Meztwo]

disconnect the illumination wire if theres two orange wires dont connect none of them and ## dash should light up again

 

[Butterfinger]

I think that the illumination wire is positive, if you ground it could cause a noise or worse. I think it goes to a dimmer switch so the lights dim with your gauges

 

[IluvmyEclipse]

Do not ground that illumination wire. It's positive voltage and it goes with interior lighting. You're lucky you only have problem with no headlights and such. Unground that and hopefully your lights will work properly. If not, check your fuses and relays. Didn't you have an installation guide come with the head unit?

 

[etay89]

everything was rewired last thursday and its all back to normal. thanks for the help...i just made a dumb 'hurry up and finish so i can see what it looks like' mistake. this was also my first double din install (no different from single)

 

[ttetzner]

could cold weather also play a factor into my dying ass battery? i'm in pennsylvania..where we got over 30" of snow in the past week.

cold only usually effects start up, the battery heats up as it's used, I'm from RI it snows like that all the time here

cold only usually effects start up, the battery heats up as it's used, I'm from RI it snows like that all the time here

and if you ground a power supply wire it won't do a thing, it draws power not supplies it, because there's no power flowing through it,the power is supplied from the dimmer switch to the headunit.

 

[IluvmyEclipse]

Good to hear that you got it taken care of. Just wonder why did you buy the 310? With a couple hundred more, you coulda buy the X910bt and have more options. I'm loving mine

 

[etay89]

Good to hear that you got it taken care of. Just wonder why did you buy the 310? With a couple hundred more, you coulda buy the X910bt and have more options. I'm loving mine

well i just wanted a navi, aux input, and usb input, which it has all 3. plus the detachable faceplate makes it attractive when i gotta go in ghetto ass areas