I searched and found nothing here or beyond to confirm these answers...

I plan on self-installing my Eclipse AVN unit this coming week and have a couple questions:

A) Which harness and pin #/color is the reverse signal? There are a couple SL topics that mention this pin, but no body actually gives the correct harness and pin # for it although they agree it's a pink wire. Anyone use this wire before and know for sure? Someone said the Toyota tech manual is incorrect.

B) What are some precautions for this install? Should a diode be used when tapping the reverse signal and speed pulse? How easy can the ECU be damaged when tapping wires?

C) And last, what is the proper way to tap the wires? Just remove a little rubber and wrap wires together and insulate with electrical tape? I don't tap it from the harness do I? I assume by tapping the wire we aren't actually disconnecting it from its current connection as someone suggested in another thread? I could use wire taps from Radio Shack, right?

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!! I will take pics of the whole process and do a write up with the correct info once I am done. Maybe a tech article can be made of it.

 

I'm bumping this... need some help people... especially with how to tap the wire and which harness & pin the reverse signal is.

 

Guess I will bump this one last time before I give up... I may just take this to the tC forum as it looks like more xB people are here.

 

I would use t-taps to tap into it with. Shouldn't need to tape it, except if you wanted. I hate using tape in any application because of the sticky mess it leaves, get larger heatshrink tubing if you must do something and shrink it over the whole thing.

 

A) ECM Behind glove box:

Its pink with silver stripes around it, next to brown wire.
(Credit to This post for the picture. Read that post if you have other difficulty finding the Reverse or Speed Sens wires to tap.)

B) Yes, and Absolutely. If for any reason your head unit fries you do NOT want it taking your ECU with it. You'll have a mighty big paperweight with payments to deal with. It would be very prudent to use a diode on this wire. I only have a diode on the Speed pulse because I believe the reverse is fused, but thats how the KNA-DV4100 came. They felt it was only necessary on the speed pulse.

C) As he said above, T-Taps work well, and I'd use some heat shrink tubing instead of tape if you're set on that method... I cut the wires with the battery disconnected and spliced them together with some solder and a wire splice personally since everything was closed when I was installing my head unit and navi.

 

Thanks a ton for that link. I searched hard... I can't believe I didn't find it.

Anyway, in regards to the diodes for the speed sensor and back up light -- looking at this page on Radio Shack: http://www.radioshack.com/search.asp...e=search&SRC=1

Which diode is best? I assume the first one ... 1 amp?

I feel pretty comfortable doing this install... especially since the main stuff plugs in to the factory harness, but based on these questions... should I just hire someone to do this for me?

Also, what do you guys apply to the heat shrink to get it to shrink? Cigarette lighter..? (very carefully of course)

Thanks again.

 

Honestly I'm not sure on the amperage of the diode. I don't imagine it would matter too greatly because of what they do. Electricity should only flow one way in one, but I don't know if its possible for it to not blow before allowing a burst of too much power through.

If you're not positively comofrtable I'd hire out the job, but honestly I didnt find it that difficult. There is risk in hiring out too... If you do it, make sure to find a reputable shop with a few locations or a rock solid reputation, preferably both.

For heat shrink tubing I use a butane powered pen torch I got at Menards for 10 bucks. It's handy because the flame dosent just go up and its very small and adjustable. Works perfectly and I don't have to only do it from beneath.

 

I appreciate your replies. I would take it to a shop, but how else would I learn this stuff? har...

 

It's good fun to do installs. Just take your time, don't rush anything and expect to spend a good afternoon doing it to make sure you don't fry anything.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

Hey, I just went ahead and had it professionally installed at RIVER OAKS STEREO in Houston on Richmond Ave at Wesalyn. They have been around for 15 years and are authorized and licensed. Knew exactly what had to be done for my car. So, 1 hour and $60 (after tax) later they were done. That price even included filling the side gaps! Their work has a life-time warranty, too. Anyways, I asked several of the guys there and at some other shops... all of them said diodes were not neccesary for doing the install and that they had never done it for any other cars.

I appreciate all your help, though I chickened out! Heh heh.