Pioneer AVIC-D3 fits nicely! (1 Viewer)

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Joined
May 15, 2007
Threads
7
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64
Location
Virginia Beach
I installed a Pioneer AVIC-D3 HU/Nav system yesterday with Sirius and iPod cord :cool:

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After owning a few German cars, this install was cake - didn't have to open any manuals. Procedure for installing this kind of system:

  • 1. Remove Ash Tray
    2. Unscrew two bolts behind ash tray
    3. Work fingers behind black trim piece to get to the two clips above the "business card holder"
    4. Remove trim and unplug necessary plugs for full removal (you can leave a few in and fight with your shifter - I did...it sucked)
    5. Remove radio (2-4 screws depending on what you have) - if double din, be sure to remove the two side holders from the radio itself (4 screws)....don't be upset if only 3 or two of those screw spots actually fit up to your new radio (only 3 on each side fit on mine)
    6. Run all your wires and do all needed splices (easier said than done) - this includes installing any extra modules (sat radio, iPod, etc.)
    7. Plug wires into new radio and loosely screw back into dash
    8. Test fit dash trim piece
    9. Test connections (turn radio on)
    10. Finalize everything and put the car back together

The whole project took me about 3.5 hours. A half hour of it was due to the shop who sold me the radio telling me I had bypass the factory amp. I pulled the amp out and ran all my wires before discovering the harnesses didn't work on the amp plugs....helping me to realize I didn't have to bypass the amp :doh: Another 30 minutes was wasted trying to find spots to stash the Sirius module.

I couldn't come up with a better spot for the Sirius module other than the glove box because I didn't want to run wires all over the place. I can fit the iPod, Sirius box, some registration/insurance stuff, and my owners manual -that's about it now.

The Sirius and Nav antennas were ran around the glove box, around the factory amp, down past the front dash speaker and up the side of the dash to come out at the base carpeting of the A pillar - signals are awesome! The AVIC-D3 does not require splicing in the VSS wire, so no worries there - it is mostly plug and play.

I had to put two small slits in the top corners of the trim around the head unit to help it flex for fitment.

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iPod controls on the D3 are the best yet!

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<checks receipt>

Pioneer AVIC-D3: $999.95
Pionner Sirius Module: $90.75
Pioneer iPod Adaptor: $24.95
Toyota MY91+ Harness: $10.00
Extra wires and butt connectors: Free -purchased from a buddy's shop.


Not bad considering this like-combination two years ago (I had it in another car) was over $2,500.
 
Forgot to mention that part of the reason I chose this system was due to the low power, light install nature of everything. With everything running it might eat 1 amp of power. I'm seeing a total voltage of 14.1 to 14.5 with everything running. I think I already mentioned the VSS wire does not need to be cut into and I didn't need to run a power cord to my battery.....yet <fingers crossed>
 
that looks like a great set up. do you like where the screen is located for the navigation? is the screen bright enough in the glare situations?
 
that looks like a great set up. do you like where the screen is located for the navigation? is the screen bright enough in the glare situations?


This morning I noticed the navigation map is tough to see when in "night-dimming mode" in daylight, but it is easy enough to flip it back to "daylight mode" at the touch of a few buttons. I only noticed that because it is raining here and we have to have our headlights on when it is raining in VA. Other than that, it is just as hard to see as any other head unit in an 80 series. I can't comment to any glare issues yet.

Having the volume and next/back buttons on the left side make a huge difference :cool:
 
I like that a lot.

The VSS I am assuming is the Vehicle Speed Sensor? So the unit's NAV handles it's own speed using GPS? That's is a good thing, considering most of our speedo's are off because of larger tires.
 
Very nice. Only thing that keeps me from installing something similar is that I park in an open public lot all day for work, it'd be gone too quick. I wish they made a cover or somehow made the face removable.
 
that looks awsome- I like how the backlight matches the green of the truck
 
I don't have a nav. system myself but, I have rented a few suv's with them and they are really nice .

And the new setup you have really looks good with the existing stock interior.

Nice choice....:beer:
 
SWEET.......!

Does this unit allow playback of dvds? I thought for some resone the pioneers didnt. Does it allow for video out, perhaps to headrest or overhaed screens?
 
wow, looks like it plays DIVX also. freakin nice.
 
Wow, what a nice and clean installation. I would like to see that in person, what part of VA Beach you from?
 
That's an awesome piece of hardware. Good choice and that's definitely a nice clean install.

Edit: Just noticed you've got "...And Out Come The Wolves" playing. You've got good taste in music!
 
Very nice! Very clean install!
 
Awesome! Is the area available in the 95-97 dash for the double din the same in a 94?
 
Very nice. Only thing that keeps me from installing something similar is that I park in an open public lot all day for work, it'd be gone too quick. I wish they made a cover or somehow made the face removable.

I'm worried about parking myself. I'm hoping some window tint will obscure things enough to not raise suspicion....along with some other things. But, this is what insurance is for.

that looks awsome- I like how the backlight matches the green of the truck

You can change your colors, and then tweak them further. That is the simple green - I haven't played with the hues for a perfect match yet.

SWEET.......!

Does this unit allow playback of dvds? I thought for some resone the pioneers didnt. Does it allow for video out, perhaps to headrest or overhaed screens?

Yes, but only when the car is stopped. It allows for video out/in....in fact, I think it allows for two separate systems, but don't quote me on that.

I like that a lot.

The VSS I am assuming is the Vehicle Speed Sensor? So the unit's NAV handles it's own speed using GPS? That's is a good thing, considering most of our speedo's are off because of larger tires.

Yep - it has internal gyros that work with nav positioning....or something along those lines. I'm totally going off the word of the audio shop though. Everything seems to work correctly and my speedo and vehicle dynamics speedo are only slightly different.
 
A few days later review:

Vehicle Dynamics are awesome. In my old M3 (with AVIC-D1) there was an 8 MPH difference between what the head unit was saying and my speedometer - the Landcruiser and my AVIC-D3 seem to be dead on with one another (remember, this unit wasn't spliced into the VSS). I'll be putting bigger tires on the truck today so I will be able to measure the speedometer difference.

All audio is waaaay better on the stock amp and speakers! I can hear everything clearly with all windows down at over 70 MPH. With the stock stereo I had to crank the volume up so loud things became distorted. Maybe I'm going deaf.

Glare - not too much of an issue. Toyota's placement of the head unit is bad to begin with - I'd say that's the real issue at hand. With the moonroof open, and the sun blazing in, I can still see everything.

Navigation - I've had Alpine (2001), BMW (2002), older Pioneer (2006), Audi (2007), and Porsche (2007) navigation before. Pioneer still works the best for me. Maybe I just don't think like a European?
 
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