Ground Parking Brake

[banker1]

I read in this thread (http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33444) that if I ground the parking brake on my 07 4R the Navi can be used while moving.

My wife and I travel a ton on the weekends (nice to get out of the NYC area after working all week...) and one thing that has always bothered me is that she can't use the Navi while I'm driving (the hack doesn't work either since I have a 6.1 navi disc).

As a work around, I usually input my destination before taking off however, there have been numerous time we wanted to get off the highway or detour from our route for food, gas, etc. and I've been forced to pull off the road to change my destination.

With all of that said, how do I ground the parking brake? Will the parking brake light be on all the time? Has anyone successfully tried this? Will it effect the DRL's?

I guess the only way to test this prior to grounding the parking brake would be to manually set it at the highest point and drive around...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[nserpa9248]

that feature may be annoying, but it saves accidents, and lives :-/

 

[MI4Runner]

I have a navigation unit with a grounded brake wire. In my opinion, grounding the brake wire is the only way to go. I did not want to deal with having to pull over to input an address. Also, I believe (but am not 100% certain) that without grounding the parking brake wire, I could not have played a DVD while the car was moving.

Unfortunately, I had the unit professionally installed so I am not able to tell you how to do it. However, I can tell you that it has no effect on my parking brake light. I would assume that it would not have an effect on DRLs as well.

Good luck.

 

[banker1]

that feature may be annoying, but it saves accidents, and lives :-/

Thanks for your concern although I don't think pulling onto the shoulder on the interstate is much safer...

As noted in my original post, I'm looking to do this so that my wife will be able alter our destination moreso than I.

 

[banker1]

I have a navigation unit with a grounded brake wire. In my opinion, grounding the brake wire is the only way to go. I did not want to deal with having to pull over to input an address. Also, I believe (but am not 100% certain) that without grounding the parking brake wire, I could not have played a DVD while the car was moving.

Unfortunately, I had the unit professionally installed so I am not able to tell you how to do it. However, I can tell you that it has no effect on my parking brake light. I would assume that it would not have an effect on DRLs as well.

Good luck.

I see you have an after market nav system, I'm running a factory nav system... any idea if it will still work for me? I know you said you had it professionally installed, not sure if it might have come up with the installer?

 

[MI4Runner]

I am not sure how factory navigation units works as this topic did not come up with the installer. My guess would be that it would work the same way as the aftermarket units. The parking brake wire seems to be the most logical way of telling the unit that the car is in park mode (versus a computer signal).

 

[dheeter]

Does anyone know what the product is called that grounds the wire without the parking brake being on? I will be getting a screen soon and definitly need that. I heard of one that has a switch so you can reactivate the safety feature if you are pullifed over. But I dont know what it is called so I cant search for it. If anyone knows please let me know.