AVN726e Install

[300zx2g35]

Figured I'd drop in here and share my install with the dual HVAC double-din.

 

I started off by painting the HVAC to match the shifter surround instead of going the flat black route because I think it looks better with the lighter interior. Got my paint info from this thread: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/anyone-know-good-paint-match-85376.html?p=1815789#post1815789

 

It's the paint that HighlineCA said matched but as you can tell from the pics it definitely needs to be a few shades darker.

 

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q267/300zx2g35/Subaru%20Legacy/IMG00102-20100313-0103.jpg

 

The harnesses I ordered from SVXdc were obviously the 14-pin forward and the i88 harness. He also reminded me of my steering wheel controls (don't know why I forgot) and so I also got the i85 PC board which he graciously offered to solder on leads for the SWC. He even let me know that he could get the PAC SWC interface if I needed it but the AVN726e already has 2 wires for SWCs. Definitely a great guy to do business with.

 

Got everything wired up but I couldn't figure out the SWC's. I tried hooking up the wires one way and then the other. Neither way worked so I put everything back together and just dealt with it for a couple days while I researched.

 

Found a couple things on google with the Toyota crowd and a few of them had to email Eclipse for help wiring their SWCs and apparently they needed to ground out one of the wires for the SWCs to work with the headunit. Searched on NASIOC and some Impreza owners were having to do the same.

 

I attached the brown wire from the headunit to the wire on pin 3 on the PC board and then I grounded the black wire from pin 7 using the ground for the radio harness and everything worked perfectly. The headunit was able to recognize the signals from the SWCs and I just had to set them manually.

 

Overall it was a pretty simple install especially one I figured out how to do the SWCs. I also took out the aux-in box for the stock stereo and routed the USB cable into the center console.

 

Next thing on my list is to find some paint that actually matches the shifter surround. I can deal with it for a while but it definitely bothers me. I also have to wait for JapanParts to send me the correct hazard switch as they sent me the hazard switch for the Impreza. I ordered the correct one but they just sent the wrong one by accident.

 

Sorry for such a long post but just thought I'd share my knowledge learned from my install.

[str8dwn]

I have the same h/u and really enjoy it. Nice details on the SWCs. Agree with you on the paint, but hey it's still sounds better than stock.

 

Did you ground the parking brake wire to the radio chassis? If so, you can play DVDs plus movies (or my new fav music videos) from your iPhone 3G/GS.

 

Where'd you mount the nav antenna?

[300zx2g35]

Grounding it was the first thing I did when I installed it in my other car. More so to be able to program the nav than anything else.

 

I originally mounted the antenna on the A-pillar since it called for ~20" away from the headunit. That got decent signal but I wanted to see if I could get more so I ran it all the way to the roof and it's basically right before the sunroof opening. Unfortunately it only gained me 1 maybe 2 bars in signal strength.

 

The other car I had it installed in was a 2 seater with a parcel shelf behind the seats and I mounted it under the carpet and signal strength was always full no matter where I was so that's what I'm trying to get in this car too.

 

Where did you end up mounting yours?

[str8dwn]

Right now it's under the dash on top of the metal support beam, which is too close to the radio. I'll probably mount it in the top right corner of the dash where the A Pillar meets it.