Mods for Ipod, Garmin Nav, Valentine1 and move 12v power socket...
 

I've been following a few threads on these various subjects, but linked them all to here to avoid duplicate posting. I bought an 06 4runner sport edition two weeks ago and am very happy with my new SUV except...

1. Need ipod integration
2. Need NAV
3. Need bluetooth for phone
4. Need power for V-1 radar
5. Thought location of 12v socket in console by shifter sucks
6. Think it sucks that 12v power is cut off with ignition (i.e. can't charge my phone overnight).

R/E Ipod integration: For anyone not familiar with how to use your iPod in your car, you can either (1) Buy an FM transmitter which takes over radio signals with sound from your iPod, (2) buy an aftermarket deck with auxiliary inputs, (4) use the auxiliary input of your factory head unit or (5) buy a module that fools your factory head unit into thinking your iPod is a CD changer. Without getting into too much detail, the FGM transmitters work intermittently and sound crappy, I want to keep my factory head unit, and the auxiliary 1/8" unit is still amplified analogue signal with no charge supplied to the iPod. This leaves option 5 which consists of a small box module that has one cord going to the back of the factory stereo and another going to the iPod. Once setup correctly the modules will send digital (CD Quality) sound through your factory head unit allowing you to control some Ipod functions (i.e. tracks and volume) with your factory radio controls. It also charges your iPod while the car is running.

I was following a few threads like snowjay's... http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...highlight=ipod talking about which unit they prefer. Some models suggested were the Vaistech soundlinq $299 (unless you wait for a group buy see www.vaistech.com ) on the high end down to $89 for a BlitzSafe model. They all have their + and - but based mostly on price, Crutchfield's support (although I didn't need it) and the fact that I didn't care about Ipod text showing up on my head unit, I chose the USA Spec PA11-TOY available for $139 at Crutchfield...

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-UfoqlT5...OY&search=pa11

This unit allows you to use either "Playlist Mode" which will select up to 5 play lists on your iPod from the head unit or "Direct Mode" which allows you to control all song selection from your iPod but control track +/- and volume +/- from the head unit or steering wheel. Setup was very easy with the master install sheet Crutchfield sent me. I would post those here, but they say (c) Crutchfield and I don't want to get anyone including myself in trouble. You do need to be comfortable with disassembling your console to get at the back of your factory stereo but eddit/whoknows and a few other members had linked the following instructions in other threads which are pretty much identical to the Crutchfield instructions (Moderators might want to make these instructions a "sticky" in Audio/Electronics)...

http://www.castulucci.com/projects/carpc/oemnaviaccess/

If you are not comfortable, I would suggest bringing your module to a stereo shop for install, but it is pretty easy and you can save allot of money doing it yourself.


R/E Navi: I had been researching and following OEMvalue's auctions for the new 2007 Solara Nav unit which will work in 4runners. I was going to buy it until my brother showed me his new Garmin Nuvi360 for 1/3 the price of the OEM Navi which did everything and more. Troy at OEM Value (www.oemvalue.com/toyota2.htm) was very helpful and you can find info on the Solara unit there if you prefer the OEM Nav unit. Basically I like the Garmin because it contains an outstanding Nav feature plus bluetooth speakerphone compatibility plus more other features than I can list here all in a unit the size of a deck of playing cards. I would have had to do some serious hacking to get speakerphone out of the OEM Navi whereas its built in to the Garmin (my phone is a verizon V3m Razr and works great with it but you can check for compatibility with your phone here... . Usually it sells for $899 which is allot but I found it here http://www.pcnation.com/web/details.asp?item=6G0210 for $680 no catch, just cheap. You can find out all you want to know about the Nuvi360 here... http://www.garmin.com/products/nuvi360/

This unit is best used mounted by suction on the windshield by the rearview mirror. It is very small but robust with its display and resolution.

A note the residents of California and Minnesota: "State law prohibits drivers in California and Minnesota from using suction mounts on their windshields while operating motor vehicles. " They have to be mounted to the dash instead. I would have been very aggrivated if I spent $$$ on the Nuvi in either of those states not first knowing those laws. California statute (as Spider5 noted) is 26708(a) and Minnesota statute is 2005 sec. 169.71.


The suction mount is provided and even integrates a power jack, but the trick is getting power to the unit without stretching the included unsightly vehicle power cable from the 12v socket in the center console up the dash and up the windshield to the nuvi. As such I decided to tap into the Map light power as shown in Abin's thread here...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...5&pagenumber=1

This way there is only a small power lead coming down out of the headliner. Unfortunately, I didn't read icsfsedod's post r/e using the rearview mirror power instead of the maplight. The difference is the Maplight power is not switched off with ignition therefore nuvi and V-1 will stay powered on for a while after car is turned off. You may want to read the thread above and ask icsfsedod more about his install before doing it.

R/E Radar Detector: I already own a Valentine V-1 www.valentine1.com and think it is the best radar detector on the market. I won't go into detail, but you can research it online and ask other members what they think. Like the Nuvi, the V-1 needs a power lead from the maplight but can be easily made out of an ordinary RJ11 phone cable.

Here are some pictures...

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/01.JPG

Before you start anything, a few things to think about...[list=1][*]Disconnect the negative terminal on your battery AND WAIT 90 seconds or your airbags could deploy.[*]GO SLOW!!! Make sure you know what you are doing with each step.[*]Do not force anything. If it requires too much force, you are probably doing it wrong. Take a break and examine the pieces you are working with. Make sure everything is properly lined up.[*]Protect all your work areas. The interior is made predominantly of plastic finish which is easily scratched, marred and broken. Watch sharp edges of screwdrivers, knives or hot irons.[*]Take extra care not to drop small pieces and screws, etc. as they tend to fall into places where they are very difficult to retrieve.[/list=1]
http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/02.JPG

Here is the driver kickpanel removed to access the center console area.

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/03.JPG

Here is the stock stereo exposed, I unfortunately did not take pictures of it removed before I put it back together. I ran cable USA Spec cable from back of stereo to PA11-TOY module which I mounted with double stick tape in space ebhind glove box. Then cable from module to Ipod under center console trim. If you want PA11-TOY install instructions for more detail, see here...

http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/Man...581PA11TOY.PDF

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/06.JPG

Here is finished Ipod mounted on a hybrid of Bracketron custom bezel mount (http://www.bracketron.com/xmain/manuals/TOY-202-03.pdf bought from http://www.gbxdirect.com/store/index.php ) affixed to a Proclip padded adjustable iPod holder item#848636 (http://www.proclipusa.com)

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/08.JPG

End result is perfect digital quality sound with ability to select music using my iPod which is easily visible and within reach on the mount. I can then use my stereo or steering wheel to control Track +/- and Volume +/-.

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/04.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/05.JPG
http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/07.JPG

Here are pictures of the additional 12v power socket I put in the larger center console compartment using $10 of supplies purchased from Radio Shack. I simply ran 18gauge leads tapped into the stock socket by the shifter with a splice and bored a 1" round hole with a stepper bit then epoxy the under dash mount that came with the radio shack 12v power socket. Finished result looks pretty good and allows cell phone charge to stay in console while wire comes out of gap in lid. My only beef is that power still cuts off when car is off so cell phone wont charge overnight. I am think of removing the relay mod as described in Kmvreter's thread here...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...constant+power

...continues...
 

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/09.JPG

... And on to the Nuvi/Map Light power splice. Here is assembly I made out of another Radio Shack 12v power socket. Note: if you try to cut up your 12v charger cable that came with your Nuvi and direct wire it that way it won't work because there is some PCB circuit inside the adapter needed to regulate nuvi operation. As such I just made this fuse protected assembly and plugged the Garmin charger into it.

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/10.JPG

... AS for the V-1, this power is very easy. Just cut and strip one end of an ordinary rJ11 phone cord, expose the two middle wires and splice the red to +12v and Green to ground. I just spliced this to the garmin assembly upstream of the fuse.

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/11.JPG

Here is the map light assembly pulled down for the power splice. This mod is well covered in abin's thread here... http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...5&pagenumber=2

... Just use the outside wires (white = Ground and Red = +12v but some additional notes are as follows...
[list=1][*] actually tested the middle two (Green and Grey) wires which also show +12v on the voltmeter and cut with ingnition switch. I took time to try and splice into these wires only to find that it screwed up the sunroof operartion (i.e. sunroof would open and shut when I plug in the Garmin or Valentine). as such I patched back up the sunroof cables and ended up just tapping the red maplight +12v.[*]the power to the Garmin and V-1 ceases some 40 minutes after leaving the car with the doors unlocked vs. only a few minutes if I lock the doors when I leave the car.[*]A pointer to pull straight down on the back (closest to winshield) of map light asseembly to release two clips before pulling outward toward the windshield to remove it.[*]icsfsedod reports in that thread today that he used the mirror compass power successfully which is switched so that may be a better option.[/list=1]

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/4runner/12.jpg

Here are finished leads and location of Nuvi and V-1. feel free to reply, PM or email me with any Q's.

JC

Additional Off Topic...
 

Anyone interested in what I did to my other ride (warning about loud engine sound when site loads)....

http://home.comcast.net/~jcage89/350z/

-JC

Thanks for the pics and info on your mods. I may have to do the same for my Nuvi. I don't think the Cali folk can use that method though because I've heard you can't attach devices to your windshield by law.

right its against the law in Cali and Minnesota...
 

see statutes above

JC

Nice installs!

Two questions, what are the buttons below the power socket you added and did you fubar the clips for the overhead console when you pulled it down? :lol

reply
 

[list=1][*]The two buttons are actually jacks for 115v AC power and an 1/8" stereo auxiliary input that are standard on the 06 4runner sport. The AC power might be useful if my wife has to blow her hair dry in the car (right!), and the 1/8" aux input is garbage because if you use a male x2 1/8" stereo cable from headphone output of Ipod to that jack, it sounds like crap because the headphone source is analogue and slightly amplified. direct line level digital input through the PA11-TOY or equivelant is definately the way to go.[*]No, I did not screw up the clips. I first tried to pull down in front, but I learned from my 350z projects not to force things so when that didn't easily go, I moved to the back and pulled straight down which the released the map light assembly. Why do you ask? does the picture make it look like they are broken?[/list=1]

I am watching, however, for an answer from icsfsedod r/e using the compass mirror pwoer instead in abin's thread here...

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...5&pagenumber=3

If that makes more sense, I will redo my wiring job. The delayed power off doesn't bug me for the V-1 because it turns off when it loses power. The Garmin Nuvi, however, will stay on until its internal battery drains (over 14 hours in idle capacity). As such, it would be Ideal to have power cut when the ignition is cut.

-JC

Oh, interesting about the 115V and stereo plug. Nothing like that in my '04.

The reason I asked about the clips is because mine bent up bad when I pulled mine down and I used a steady force to get it out. So now it sags and I haven't been able to find a source online for them. The dealer is out of my way just to get to little clips.

I originally was going to wire my radar detector to the overhead console like you did but I made my own long cable and was able to run it across the headliner, under the A pillar cover down the inside of it and have it come out right below the dash at the fuse box. I think there is less than 1/8" of cable exposed at the bottom where it comes out of the A pillar cover and goes behind the dash.

snowjay - i did the same thing with the clips on the overhead panel. bent one of em to hell, so now it isn't up there tight. its not falling off, but it does sag a bit. let me know if you ever find a source for those things.

jcage - i have a V1 also, and wired it the same way you did. I have mine mounted in a slightly different place though. also, i got the V1 remote unit, ran the wire along the top, down the drivers-side pillar, up into the instrument panel. so you can never really see the V1.... i'll post some pics later. LOVE the V1!!!

- kscott

I tapped into the inner and outer wires of the map light to run hard wired power to my Fuzzbuster also. You can barely see the wire coming out of the front of the headliner at the windshield. It worked great and now theres no wires and the Radar Detector is up and out of site near my rear view! :biggrin2:

I ended up centering it above the mirror and moved that compass to the upper left corner of the windshield. It looks better and I can fit my custom sun shield without taking it down.

I'm particularly interested in adding more 12v outlets, but I can't find any threads that are helpful in the steps that are required in doing so. I bought the extra plug from radioshack... but not too sure where to go from here. Splice into the current 12v outlet? Do I need fuses? Can I splice say, (2-3) outlets from the original source?

Thanks

Check out this thread

thanks!

Here is another thread

I added another 12v socket for the gps by splicing into the 12v outlet that exist in the middle console. All of the wiring is done under the trim, I wanted to hard wire the power cable for the gps. I added two more 12v outlets by using the mini fuse taps. They don't draw much power though or else I'd take the power directly from the battery. Radioshack sells an extra 12v outlet that already has an inline fuse attached to the power cable, yes, you need to use fuses. I wouldn't splice 2 or 3 outlets together if you are going to be tapping into the middle console, especially if the items draw a lot of power, you would overload the circuit. Hope that helps.

My apologies for bringing this thread back from the dead.

Can you please elaborate on exactly what you did here with the power cord for your Nuvi?

I can see you made another 12V socket. Where did you locate this socket though? It must be visible in plain sight unless you hid it in the headliner somehow? I can't imagine there's enough space in there to hide that....... I'm confused now :confused: