Hey guys I'm going to be doing an install on my xa. Putting in a Pioneer Premier DEH-P8MP Head Unit. I got my metra kit 99-8209 and my wiiring harness. I wanted to ask a question.. Only asking this because no question is a dumb one and you don't learn if you don't ask. Do I need to unplug my battery to do this install? Anything I shou8ld be prepared for?

-Thanks Everyone Pics coming soon!

Daniel

 

yes i would unplug your battery.. just to be on the safe side, you don't really have to, but it's just to be safe.. to unplug the battery, start with the black cable, then undo the right one.. in that order

anything else to be prepared for.. not really.. i know on the tC with the power windows and moonroof, it has to be re-intialized after the power is disconnected, but on the xA i am not sure..

as for the radio install, after the battery being disconnected, the other thing is to make sure the install kit supports the rear of the headunit.. like a U or L bracket to keep it secure from the rear.. also make sure you hook up the BLUE wire to the wiring harness to the power antenna lead from the radio.. I have heard that (i think it was the xA) the scion's have antenna power boosters (to get a better radio signal).. I know the xB has it and i've heard the tC has it.. so just assuming the xA has it as well..

to connect the wiring harness from the radio to the factory adapter harness wires, i've used crimp-on bullet connectors.. Some people say that soldering them together is better but it's just quicker for me to crimp the connectors.. either method would be fine for the long run.. Also.. don't just twist the wires together and use speed nuts or black electrical tape.. that's a bad idea.. if you don't know how to crimp or solder just ask for the crimping i picked up a great crimper at Sears (good ol' Craftsman) and i get the bullet crimp on connectors at radio shack.. hope that helps

 

That's a big help! I wish I had a detailed wiring guide with pics. I want to see what blue wire you're talking about and what L bracket?

Thanks man
Daniel

 

hey daniel.. yeah the L bracket is just a support for the rear of the radio.. the mounting kit should have one or it might be in the shape of a U (on its side).. either way serves the same purpose.. just to provide more stability that's all..

the blue wire.. your wiring harness instructions for the radio would show you which wire coming from the radio is for the power antenna.. and as for the wiring harness adapter you got (to plug into the factory wiring) it would have instructions as well telling which colors are for what.. it might not be a blue wire.. i am just used to it being that color from aftermarket radios..

 

Gotcha Thanks! I got the metra kit which I'm sure comes with the bracket. Have you heard good things about the Pioneer DEH-P8MP? It's the unit I'm looking at.

 

is it the deh-p80mp? i couldn't find a deh-p8mp.. if its the 80mp. yeah thats a very nice unit, wow! I haven't kept up with Pioneer's headunits, i'm more of an alpine headunit guy myself. but the 80mp looked nice.. if no one responds to you with this post, you may want to search or put up a new post asking specifically about the deh-p80mp and see what people say..

for me looks great.. it looks familiar I wonder if i have seen pictures either here or at cardomain.com that shows this in a tC.. hope that helps oh and about the help? sure, no problem.. you're welcome..

 

Yeah that's the one! It looks great. The only thing im iffy on now is the bazooka sub i have installed from the dealer. I heard that i can still keep it hooked up as long as I have a wiring harness. It's gonna be great and it has ipod capabilities. I'm pretty jazzed especially since the headunit is so cheap on ebay.

-Daniel