Steering wheel volume controls and aftermarket stereo - ?
Michael
JVC aftermarket stereo (with mp3 playback).
And, of course, the volume/function controls on the steering wheel no
longer work.
Is there a wiring harness I could buy to correct this? Or is it more
complicated than that?
Thanks,
Michael
JoeSpareBedroom
news:926fdace-c381-451f...@x1g2000prh.googlegroups.com...
The steering wheel controls don't adjust volume & other functions directly.
Rather, they work like a TV remote control, accessing internal circuitry in
the OEM radio. It would be possible for the stereo mfr (like JVC) to design
their radios to function with the steering wheel controls, but if the JVC
manual mentions nothing about it and you saw no interesting accessory
sockets on the radio itself, you're out of luck.
Michael
wrote:
> "Michael" <mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
Ok, thanks. I'll just live without the steering wheel controls.
Michael
Ray O
"Michael" <mrda...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:926fdace-c381-451f...@x1g2000prh.googlegroups.com...
The answer depends on the aftermarket stereo's capabilities. Go to
www.pac-audio.com for a list of adapters for your vehicle. You have to do
some searching to find out which adapters work with which aftermarket
stereo. Basically, the aftermarket stereo has to have a remote capability
built in.
--
Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
Michael
wrote:
> "Michael" <mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:926fdace-c381-451f...@x1g2000prh.googlegroups.com...
>
> >I removed the Toyota factory stereo from our '02 Sienna, and put in a
> > JVC aftermarket stereo (with mp3 playback).
>
> > And, of course, the volume/function controls on the steering wheel no
> > longer work.
>
> > Is there a wiring harness I could buy to correct this? Or is it more
> > complicated than that?
>
> > Thanks,
>
> > Michael
>
> some searching to find out which adapters work with which aftermarket
> stereo. Basically, the aftermarket stereo has to have a remote capability
> built in.
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)
I was worried about that...
http://www.pac-audio.com/Products.aspx?CategoryId=29
$85.95 just for the interface, huh... on the other hand, I was pretty
proud of myself for finding an MP3 CD player for $99.
:D
Thanks,
Michael
Ray O
:D
Thanks,
Michael
********
Hopefully, you didn't cut the factory harness so that you can re-install the
original factory radio for someone who wants to be able to use the steering
wheel controls.
JoeSpareBedroom
:D
Thanks,
Michael
===========
Notice the words "equipped with a wired remote control input."? Does your
stereo have one? What does the manual say on the page where it shows a
picture of the back of the unit?
Michael
> Hopefully, you didn't cut the factory harness so that you can re-install the
> original factory radio for someone who wants to be able to use the steering
> wheel controls.
>
> --
>
> Ray O
> (correct punctuation to reply)
'Course not. I only cut the wires on the aftermarket harness.
When I sell our Toyotas, I plan to re-install the original Toyota tape
players & keep our mp3 cd players. :D
Michael
Michael
wrote:
> "Michael" <mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:fa72e70a-5167-48c2...@p21g2000prn.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 12, 11:56 am, "Ray O" <rokig...@NOSPAMtristarassociates.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > "Michael" <mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> >news:926fdace-c381-451f...@x1g2000prh.googlegroups.com...
>
> > >I removed the Toyota factory stereo from our '02 Sienna, and put in a
> > > JVC aftermarket stereo (with mp3 playback).
>
> > > And, of course, the volume/function controls on the steering wheel no
> > > longer work.
>
> > > Is there a wiring harness I could buy to correct this? Or is it more
> > > complicated than that?
>
> > > Thanks,
>
> > > Michael
>
> > The answer depends on the aftermarket stereo's capabilities. Go
> > some searching to find out which adapters work with which aftermarket
> > stereo. Basically, the aftermarket stereo has to have a remote capability
> > built in.
> > --
>
> > Ray O
> > (correct punctuation to reply)
>
>
> $85.95 just for the interface, huh... on the other hand, I was pretty
> proud of myself for finding an MP3 CD player for $99.
>
> :D
>
> Thanks,
>
> Michael
>
> ===========
>
> Notice the words "equipped with a wired remote control input."? Does your
> stereo have one? What does the manual say on the page where it shows a
> picture of the back of the unit?
It doesn't have one.
Actually I cannibalized the JVC from our '99 Camry, which didn't have
steering wheel stereo controls (and which we don't drive so much
anymore).
Thanks,
Michael
Ray O
I didn't think you'd cut the factory harness, but I've seen quite a few cars
with messed up electrical systems because of cut harnesses.
Michael
wrote:
> "Michael" <mrdarr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
Although, when I removed the wires from the '99, I was horrified to
find the electrical tape covering my soldering jobs (on the JVC
harness) was peeling off. Maybe all those hot summers did a number on
that tape.
I re-did the electrical tape, tightly wrapping about 1 inch to the
left and 1 inch to the right of my solder joint. That was the most
time-consuming part of the stereo swap.
While looking for a fix for the steering wheel problem, I read that
cutting the factory harness may void various warranties. Whew.
Doubly glad I didn't do it.
Thanks,
Michael
Ray O
Thanks,
Michael
*******
I've had good luck with heat shrink tubing, and Toyota used to recommend
using silicone tape on electrical repairs (I assume that has not changed).
Silicone tape does not have any adhesive and sticks to itself, kind of like
plastic cling wrap.
Cutting the factory harness, or any other modifications, doesn't really void
the warranty, but any repairs needed as a result of the harness being cut or
as the result of some modification or improper repair would not be a
warrantable repair and would have to be paid for by the owner. For example,
if you reversed the polarity on some of the wires and ruined an ECU, the
diagnosis and ECU replacement would not be warranted because it wasn't
defective. On the other hand, if the harness was cut and re-wired properly
and the work on the harness did not have any effect on the ECU and the ECU
was defective, then it would be covered.
Good luck with the tunes!
JoeSpareBedroom
================
Although there's always someone who says they've had great success with
electrical tape, it has absolutely no place in mobile installations such as
cars, boats & trailers. As you've found, it does not hold up. If you were
doing installations professionally at a reputable store and were caught
using tape, you'd be told to learn to use crimp connectors, or fired.
Top quality crimp connectors are the only way to go. Besides being secure
when installed correctly, you can use matching male & female crimps when
cutting factory harnesses, and make it a snap to reconnect the original
wiring when you sell the car.
The problem with crimps is that it's extremely difficult to find a correctly
designed installation tool in a retail store nowadays. Most tools have a
flat compression area which does nothing but flatten the crimps. The right
tool will have a channel in which the crimp sits, and a tooth on top which
shapes the crimp instead of just flattening it. Here's an example:
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c197/ancientangler/P3080036.jpg?t=1244842553
That tool came from either Mac or Matco - I don't recall. Snap-On probably
has one like it.
Ray mentioned heat shrink tubing, which is a secure option except that
soldering the wires and heating the tubing can be interesting in the cramped
quarters under & behind a dashboard. Interesting like root canal surgery.
And if you're already working with wires that are annoyingly short, they're
going to become even shorter if & when you decide to put them back in
factory order.
The best crimp connectors on earth come from www.panduit.com.
Michael
>
> That tool came from either Mac or Matco - I don't recall. Snap-On probably
> has one like it.
>
> Ray mentioned heat shrink tubing, which is a secure option except that
> soldering the wires and heating the tubing can be interesting in the cramped
> quarters under & behind a dashboard. Interesting like root canal surgery.
> And if you're already working with wires that are annoyingly short, they're
> going to become even shorter if & when you decide to put them back in
> factory order.
>
> The best crimp connectors on earth come fromwww.panduit.com.
I'll have to check those out.
Are the tubes and crimpers sold at, say, Home Depot?
Michael
JoeSpareBedroom
Michael
=============
Most home & hardware stores sell crimp terminals, but probably not Panduit.
It's worth a call to the company to see if there's a distributor near you.
Most of the time these distributors sell very large quantities to commercial
users, but where my audio store used to buy, they broke down the bigger
quantities into small bags for smaller users.
My problem with some of the retail crimps is that they often seem brittle
right out of the package. Not always, but you don't know until you've wasted
your money.
http://www.panduit.com/Products/ProductOverviews/Terminals/index.htm
The butt splices (which you called tubes) are for connections you're
unlikely to disassemble, or situations where you have plenty of extra wire
and wouldn't mind losing an inch or so if you had to undo the connection. In
rows 3 and 4 are female and male disconnects which can be unplugged without
cutting wires.
Incidentally, many municipalities allow the use of crimp terminals for house
wiring. There's no good reason NOT to use them unless you don't feel your
connections are physically strong enough. That takes just a little practice.
You should be able to pull the wires unbelievably hard without them coming
out of the terminals.
Jeff Strickland
The problem isn't the wires, it's the radio unit.
You have to buy a radio unit that can accomodate the wires you already have.
Is there such a thing? I don't know, but my guess is, no there isn't.
Ray O
"Jeff Strickland" <crwl...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:h0umur$8gj$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
You buy the adapter that goes between the factory harness and radio unit.
No cutting, soldering, crimping, or taping is necessary, just unplug and
plug.
JoeSpareBedroom
news:elmop-A1B63C....@mara100-84.onlink.net...
> In article <o2AYl.9125$f36....@newsfe19.iad>,
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <news...@frontiernet.net> wrote:
>
>> Ray mentioned heat shrink tubing, which is a secure option except that
>> soldering the wires and heating the tubing can be interesting in the
>> cramped
>> quarters under & behind a dashboard.
>
>
> You get a harness adapter, and solder its wires to the aftermarket head
> unit harness, and shrink tube it all--and you do that on the bench.
>
> Then you plug the whole thing into the factory harness, and bolt the
> radio in.
>
> Please let me never have you working on my car...
When I was in the business, there WERE no harness adaptors. Along with a
handful of other guys around the NYC metro area, I pretty much invented high
end installations when the industry was in its infancy.
Sharx35
"JoeSpareBedroom" <news...@frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:VrHYl.16076$jT6....@newsfe17.iad...
YOU are still in your emotional infancy.
JoeSpareBedroom
> In article <VrHYl.16076$jT6....@newsfe17.iad>,
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <news...@frontiernet.net> wrote:
>
>> >> Ray mentioned heat shrink tubing, which is a secure option except that
>> >> soldering the wires and heating the tubing can be interesting in the
>> >> cramped
>> >> quarters under & behind a dashboard.
>> >
>> > why in hell would you be doing that?
>> >
>> > You get a harness adapter, and solder its wires to the aftermarket head
>> > unit harness, and shrink tube it all--and you do that on the bench.
>> >
>> > Then you plug the whole thing into the factory harness, and bolt the
>> > radio in.
>> >
>> > Please let me never have you working on my car...
>>
>>
>> When I was in the business, there WERE no harness adaptors. Along with a
>> handful of other guys around the NYC metro area, I pretty much invented
>> high
>> end installations when the industry was in its infancy.
>
>
> Talking about buggy whips in the middle of a discussion on the space
> shuttle just gets everyone confused and imparts bad information...
The results can be magnificent.
Tell me how you would create perfect connections for a very large car audio
amplifier TODAY. It's being mounted in your trunk.
Jeff Strickland
"Ray O" <roki...@NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote in message
news:h0ves3$939$2...@news.eternal-september.org...
That makes sense, but the radio must support the additional inputs for
volume control and station changing, etc., that do not originate from the
radio's own front panel. The OP may very well have purchased such a unit, in
which case the installer and/or the sales-person should have told him that
the harness you speak of would be needed, or the features would be lost.
I always buy the harness adaptor that either directly connects or splices to
the connector of the radio, then directly connects to the harness of the
car, This allows the car radio to be replaced again at some future date
without having to rewire again, simply unplug the adaptor that was
previously installed and plug in the new adaptor.
Ray O
The OP's audio unit apparently does not accommodate external inputs. He is
using the radio from another car that did not have steering wheel controls.
I haven't installed an aftermarket radio in one of my personal cars since I
replaced a broken one in my '72 Chevelle since I haven't had a need to.
JoeSpareBedroom
> In article <eCPYl.13543$ke5....@newsfe18.iad>,
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <news...@frontiernet.net> wrote:
>
>> Tell me how you would create perfect connections for a very large car
>> audio
>> amplifier TODAY. It's being mounted in your trunk.
>
> harness in any way, shape, or form.
There is no factory wiring harness for this hypothetical, but everyday
situation. How would you create perfect connections?
Steve
JoeSpareBedroom
news:20090613151758.258$l...@newsreader.com...
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <news...@frontiernet.net> wrote:
>> How would you create perfect connections?
>>
> My ass and your face.
Clean out your locker, boy.
Hachiroku ハチロク
Poor Ray....stuck listening to a stock sound system...
Ya know how some people are with their computers? At the end of a post
they have a small dissertation that lists every part inside the thing down
to and including the cooler...You've been here long enough to know I'm
like that with my stereos. There's just no excuse for bad sound. The
Scion's unit was one of the best I've heard, and I replaced the speakers
with MB Quarts. Talk about a chore! I had to make 'adapters' to make them
fit the doors...
But, I gave in and a year later installed a JVC with a little more
functionality. To anyone else it would have sounded good, but since I was
a kid 'flat' music has always sounded like an AM radio...
Still haven't put a woofer in it...yet... ;)
Hachiroku ハチロク
>
> While looking for a fix for the steering wheel problem, I read that
> cutting the factory harness may void various warranties. Whew.
> Doubly glad I didn't do it.
Back in the goodle days, you didn't have a choice!!!
My '85 Corolla's wiring has been cut down to nubs!
Of course, the idiots that stole my $1200 'home engineered" sound system
didn't exactly take the time to undo the wiring properly...
Ray O
"Hachiroku ????" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
news:pan.2009.06.13....@e86.GTS...
Since I mostly listen to AM radio, I'm hesitant to spend time, money, and
effort on a sound system.
Hachiroku ハチロク
Actually, I built a lot of these systems before I started listening to AM.
And, your hat looks a little tilted...
But I also have XM, and when I get tired of listening to Rush it sounds
great...
Ray O
"Hachiroku ????" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
<snipped>>
>>
>> Since I mostly listen to AM radio, I'm hesitant to spend time, money, and
>> effort on a sound system.
>
> Actually, I built a lot of these systems before I started listening to AM.
> And, your hat looks a little tilted...
Only after I moved back to Chicago and started listening for traffic
reports.
>
> But I also have XM, and when I get tired of listening to Rush it sounds
> great...
>
>
Satellite would be nice on my camping trips when I'm away from areas with a
decent selection of radio stations, but for now, I just use the handy dandy
steering wheel controls on the LS and Sequoia to search for stations.
Hachiroku ハチロク
>
> Satellite would be nice on my camping trips when I'm away from areas with a
> decent selection of radio stations, but for now, I just use the handy dandy
> steering wheel controls on the LS and Sequoia to search for stations.
XM receiver right in front of me. Push a button. Even tells me whan my
favourite songs come up. Even has Glann Beck.
But no 'Penis Boy'. Thank God.
Ray O
"Hachiroku ????" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
news:pan.2009.06.14....@e86.GTS...
Hachiroku ハチロク
...Otherwise known as Howard Stern. Seems he has made it his life's goal
to say "penis" at least 1 million times on any medium he can.
For a smart guy, he sure plays to the Lowest Common Denominator....
Michael
$1,200 gone... man. I don't buy car audio systems worth more than
$100 precisely to avoid that kind of pain.
Besides... car audio quality isn't as good as home stereo quality. I
learned only about a year ago to pay attention to THD (total harmonic
distortion) specs. Some jokers at Sears were advertising a JVC home
stereo unit with 10% distortion at full output power. 10% garbage in
the sound. The electrical engineers over at sci.electronics.design
said that HAD to be a mis-print. I called the tech folks at JVC, and
no, that really was correct.
My Kenwood manual specifies 1% THD at full output power.
My Onkyo system at home is something like 0.08% THD at full output
power.
Then again... with road noise and such, who'll notice distorted sound,
eh?
Michael
Ray O
"Hachiroku ????" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
I think I'd rather listen to non-stop weather and traffic ;-)
Sharx35
"Ray O" <roki...@NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote in message
Precisely. Most FM in my market area is pretentious and over-modulated, i.e.
compressed and just plain distorted.
Sharx35
"Ray O" <roki...@NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote in message
Then *I* must be REALLY old because I haven't heard of Penis Boy OR Glann
Beck.
Sharx35
"Hachiroku ハチロク" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
news:pan.2009.06.15....@e86.GTS...
Ah, good old Howard. I recall when he was getting those babes to ride the
Sybian. YESS!!!!!
Hachiroku ハチロク
You'd probably like Glenn Beck. He's more of a Conservative than a
Republican.
Tune in to your favourite AM station south of the border, 9AM to 12 PM.
Hachiroku ハチロク
Can't stand him. I must really be a Republican...
Hachiroku ハチロク
>
> "Hachiroku ????" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
> news:pan.2009.06.15....@e86.GTS...
>> On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:37:26 -0500, Ray O wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> "Hachiroku ????" <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote in message
>>> news:pan.2009.06.14....@e86.GTS...
>>>> On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 20:58:30 -0500, Ray O wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Satellite would be nice on my camping trips when I'm away from areas
>>>>> with
>>>>> a
>>>>> decent selection of radio stations, but for now, I just use the handy
>>>>> dandy
>>>>> steering wheel controls on the LS and Sequoia to search for stations.
>>>>
>>>> XM receiver right in front of me. Push a button. Even tells me whan my
>>>> favourite songs come up. Even has Glann Beck.
>>>>
>>>> But no 'Penis Boy'. Thank God.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> I must be getting old... haven't heard of P.B.
>>
>> ...Otherwise known as Howard Stern. Seems he has made it his life's goal
>> to say "penis" at least 1 million times on any medium he can.
>>
>> For a smart guy, he sure plays to the Lowest Common Denominator....
>>
>>
>
> I think I'd rather listen to non-stop weather and traffic ;-)
He started on WCCC in Hartford CT back in 78 or 79. He was pretty amusing
then, not heavy on the sophomoric humor, and definitely intelligent.
Somewhere along the way he found the way to make the most money is to
appeal to knuckle-draggers.
Hachiroku ハチロク
> On Jun 13, 12:35 pm, Hachiroku ハチロク <Tru...@e86.GTS> wrote:
>> On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:15:29 -0700, Michael wrote:
>>
>> > While looking for a fix for the steering wheel problem, I read that
>> > cutting the factory harness may void various warranties. Whew.
>> > Doubly glad I didn't do it.
>>
>> Back in the goodle days, you didn't have a choice!!!
>>
>> My '85 Corolla's wiring has been cut down to nubs!
>>
>> Of course, the idiots that stole my $1200 'home engineered" sound system
>> didn't exactly take the time to undo the wiring properly...
>
>
> $1,200 gone... man. I don't buy car audio systems worth more than
> $100 precisely to avoid that kind of pain.
>
> Besides... car audio quality isn't as good as home stereo quality. I
> learned only about a year ago to pay attention to THD (total harmonic
> distortion) specs. Some jokers at Sears were advertising a JVC home
> stereo unit with 10% distortion at full output power. 10% garbage in
> the sound. The electrical engineers over at sci.electronics.design
> said that HAD to be a mis-print. I called the tech folks at JVC, and
> no, that really was correct.
The rub lies in "full rated power". What was the rated power? If it was
like 400W, you're probably never going to go over about 25W. The extra is
'headroom' for the bass. We us a 250W/channel PA system, and it's about 5%
THD, but we only hit about 65W. At levels like that, the THD is about .01%
and isn't really audible.
Also, look up exactly what Harmonic Distortion is. It's not a big deal.
Actual signal distortion is more of an issue, and now one ever publishes
it. One of the amps that got stolen was a 100W/channel 4 channel amp with
a total of 1% at rated power. I doubt I ever went over 20W!
I used to be a real spec freak myself (I have been in bands for 20 years,
had some really poor audio equipment (Radio Shack) that had worse specs
but sounded better than higher priced stuff.) Use your ear. The 1% amp
sounded really good because it was attached to a high-quality head unit.
I have MB Quarts in most of the cars, and they are REALLY good, but one of
the best speakers I ever had was...Craig. You know, K-Mart stuff!
>
> My Kenwood manual specifies 1% THD at full output power.
>
> My Onkyo system at home is something like 0.08% THD at full output
> power.
>
> Then again... with road noise and such, who'll notice distorted sound,
> eh?
>
> Michael
I have to admit I like clean sound, but again, bear in mind the output
power. See if there are specs for like, half rated power and see what they
are. And use your ear! @
Michael
And then there's Bose, who refuses to publish any specs at all...
sounds nice though.
Vash the Stampede
At those prices, they don't have to give specs.
I worked for an electronics company, and one of the guys was a tech at
Bose. He said you wouldn't believe it. And security is *tight*.
One of the projects he worked on was the first audio system Bose made for
automotive use. The "new" Corvette, back in 1982. Only Bose got a
prototype in 1978...they couldn't say a word...
Sharx35
Well, I couldn't care less about his political pronouncements, if any.
However, I related to his obsession about getting various babes to ride the
Sybian. Cathy, for example, needs one of those machines to mellow her out.