Pioneer FH-P8000BT install

I just purchased and installed this new Pioneer DDin head unit for my 05 4Runner SR5. Bought it from Crutchfield with their included harnesses and trim kit.

Sorry i didn't take photos of the install, but the finished project is attached. For the most part the install was pretty seamless. Here's the steps:

Sat down at the kitchen table and soldered the Crutchfield provided harness to the new Pioneer harness. I like to use the heat shrink tubing to cover the solder joints. All went smoothly with a couple of notes (below) regarding remote antenna and ground.

Dash disassembly is cumbersome but pretty straightforward. Crutchfield's sheet is spot on, but the instructions are also here on the forum, so it was pretty simple to do.

Here's a few notes for the install:
1) The factory wiring harness has a ground wire with a spade on the end for the ground. I had initially intended to ground that directly, but once I got the dash open, there's so much stuff in there, I couldn't find a decent place to attach it. Also the lead was a little short. So I soldered it to the ground in the Crutchfield harness.

2) The unit comes with a microphone for the bluetooth phone function. I've included a photo of where I mounted the mic. haven't made any calls yet, but the routing was a little tricky at first. I finally just tucked it behind the pillar trim.

3) The factory Toyota head (non-JBL) has two antenna leads of different sizes. The Pioneer only has one input and only one lead fit, so I plugged that in. The other's danglin' behind there doin' nuthin'...

4) The unit comes with a USB cable that plugs into the back of the head (male) and has a female end (with a nice cover) to plug your iPod in. This was the primary reason I wanted this unit. I ran the cable inside the center console, drilled a hole to poke through into the armrest for the iPod. You use your original iPod cable to connect (see photo).

Initial thoughts:

The iPod functionality seems excellent. Navigating in not intuitive (yet) but will be fine. The interface seems very fast.

I think I'm going to like the Bluetooth function for my phone...time will tell.

Problems/issues:
I have no AM reception to speak of. I'm going to get in touch with Crutchfield on this. I suspect it's an antenna or ground issue. I'll confess I'm a 40 something man who likes his talk radio....maybe an HD tuner would help.

The unit is lit up in blue...not a great match for the orange T4R dash, but....no biggie.

I'll post up more comments as I get used to the unit, but an initial thumbs up!

Microphone install

Microphone photo

iPod Connection

After a few days with the Pioneer, I'm really liking it. I did have the problem with nonexistent AM reception. After doing some research, here and elsewhere on the web, I learned about the Toyota "diversity antenna" with the two separate antenna leads. I also learned that somewhere back in there is an antenna amplifier or booster, that I did not hook up....

Disassembled the dash this morning, pulled out the unit and spliced the factory power/remote lead to the head unit power antenna lead. I had not previously connected these two, because I assumed it was only for the old school power extending antenna (like in my old 93 Runner...). Put it all back together and now AM is better than stock. FM is clear as well.

I've also had a really good experience with the Bluetooth phone function. it's a nice handsfree experience, sounds great through the unit and my call recipients report that the sound on their end is very clear.

All in all, I'm giving this unit a thumbs up...

I have a HU installed and have the same problem w/the AM reception. Can you give a little more detail about what you did with splicing the antenna to the power antenna wire, so I can repeat it on my 4runner this weekend?

thanks.

if u trace the antenna power wire back to the harness, and looking at ur new harness, u see the blue and white antenna power lead , they are already connected back to the antenna power wire on the stock harness.

WHen I first installed the Pioneer, I did not connect the antenna wire from the head unit to anything. In my old 93 4Runner, I had the power antenna on the front right quarter panel that extended when you turned the radio on, and collapsed when you turned it off. Since the 05 doesn't have this type of antenna, I assumed the antenna wire didn't need to be connected to anything, so I just left it dangling.

After talking to the Crutchfield folks, they indicated that the 4Runner has some kind of a built in antenna booster that pulls stations in better with the in glass antenna, and that this antenna wire provides power to that feature. So I pulled the unit, spliced the antenna wire to the appropriate wire on the wiring harness, plugged it all back in and have had great reception ever since....

Hope that helps.

Well....I took the headunit out today to change up my system and took the opportunity to wire in the power antenna lead like you said and guess what? You're right and now I get AM reception. Thanks man.

txtroutbum, did you connect the auto-dim wire from the head unit to the headlight wire? If you did can you please let me know where the headlight wire is? I've been looking for it for hours with a volt meter. I have the 980BT.

I used the Crutchfield provided wiring harness, so connections were very easy. on the Crutchfield harness, the Dimmer wire is listed as orange/white.

hope that helps...

I recommend not connecting the dim wire because then, when you drive with your lights on during the day the stereo never gets too dim to read (although at night it never dims either :bash: )

Very Nice :bigok: Follow up on how you like this h/u. I'm waiting to see more double dins without the DVD and Nav come out, I have no use for either. I like that this h/u actually built in the blue tooth and ipod controls insteading of charging extra like everything else

004, in short, I've really enjoyed this hu. The ipod functionality has been great, and I've been surprised how much I've enjoyed the bluetooth function with my phone. The only thing I've not figured out, is when I've got other people in the truck with me, I don't want to take a call on the bluetooth, but don't know how to 'disconnect' and take the call on my handset.

In short, i've been very pleased and looking forward to my Texas to Colorado drive with my iPod in a few weeks.

I don't know the specifics for you phone, but there's an option to choose where to route the audio (you have to select it on the phone during a call). You can usually route it to the headset, speakerphone or Bluetooth.

Good to hear and thanks! And check the manuals on your phone and h/u, that option should definitely be on the phone but I would hope you can disconnect at the h/u as well.

Yeah, I'm going to look further into the phone connection issue and see if there's a quick way to disconnect from Bluetooth. I have a Blackberry, so I need to do a little research on that.

Also, one other issue I'm looking into: You can download your phone address book into the HU, but when a call comes in, the display only shows the phone number, not the name. I would have assumed that, with the names/numbers dumped into the phone book, that the incoming name and number would display. I'll let you know what I find on this too...

Hello Everyone,

I am seriously considering buying this unit. I was curious how the ipod navigation worked with the 3 line display. Does this unit allow you to surf through all the normal ipod menus (i.e. by artist, song title, gendre, etc)?

I'm also curious, how do you like the steering wheel control adaptor? I've heard there's a slight delay when using the factory controls with any adaptor and wanted to know what you thought. Thank you for the awesome information and pics.

I'm pleased with the ipod control. I don't have the steering wheel control, so I can't comment on that, but the large center wheel, while initially a little strange, is pretty easy to get used to. I usually set my ipod to "shuffle" and go, but it's fairly easy to select artist, album, genre etc from the head unit itself.

claytonb78 said:

Hello Everyone,

I am seriously considering buying this unit. I was curious how the ipod navigation worked with the 3 line display. Does this unit allow you to surf through all the normal ipod menus (i.e. by artist, song title, gendre, etc)?

Click to expand...

It seems to be faster than previous generations... but to be honest, the reason I did this same install was because of the 'passenger-control' option that the new Pioneers give you. You can control it through the HU, OR control it through iPod directly. The direct control is my preference, as I have a bracket mounted for my iPhone to be visible on dashboard as well. The stereo controls still let you pause, play, skip tracks though, just doesn't show the information. For my purposes, it's fine.

Ok, well if everyone uses their IPOD to pick/navigate through their songs...why bother getting this unit when a SCION headunit would pretty much do the same thing (except bluetooth of course). Right now I am trying to decide between the Scion 1808 and this unit. Both are Pioneers and all I'm really looking for is a clean looking unit, works with my steering wheel controls (I know I'll need an adaptor for the 8000BR), sounds nice, and works with an IPOD/XM unit.

The Scion seems to keep it pretty straightforward and simple. BTW, I'd pipe my XM in through an AUX adapter for the Scion unit.

And advice on which to go for? Thanks again for helping this noob make a decision.