Installing Pioneer AVH-2330 NEX with AndroidAuto

[TheLaughingMan]

Alright, after I already completed my install, I decided to go back and "redo" everything with pictures so I could post a write-up on here.

This write-up should be more or less the same for the following models:

• Pioneer AVH-2330 NEX
• Pioneer AVH-2300 NEX
• Pioneer MVH-2300 NEX

The only real difference between the AVH and MVH models is the ability to play CDs/DVDs (the AVH supports it, the MVH does not). The difference between the 2300 and the 2330 is HD Radio and ability to support front facing camera (2330 has them, 2300 does not).

What you will need:

• Head unit
• Bezel kit
• USB retention cable
• (Optional) Micro bypass
• (Optional) Wiring harness

The bezel kit will allow you to mount the head unit relatively flush with the dash and give a much cleaner look; technically it's optional, but I don't know why you would want to skip it.

The USB retention cable allows you to keep the stock USB port and have it work with the new head unit. I didn't care enough to preserve the stock AUX port, so if you want that, you will have to do a little more research. It shouldn't be too hard to do though.

The Micro Bypass allows you to override the "parking brake lockout" that Pioneer has built into these head units. Simply grounding the wire won't do the trick as it's looking for a pulsed signal. Now I'm not saying you should do this to watch DVDs while you're driving, but they did go a bit safety-crazy with the lockout. You can't get to some basic features and it can cause a lot of headaches.

The wiring harness I linked requires a call to Crutchfield (if you order from them, you can add it to cart at checkout). I strongly recommend this. It's $20 (plus shipping) and will save you so much time and potential mistakes. It also allows you to keep your stock harness looking like new without a bunch of shoddy wire taps for if you decide to ever revert back. They will custom make it for you to plug-n-play with your particular car and head unit. The only reason you would skip this is because you're a masochist or extremely cheap and like spending time cramped into your car soldering and tapping tons of wires.

Tools you will need:

• Dremel with sanding or cutting bit
• 10mm socket wrench w/ extension
• Philips screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wire taps OR solder
• (If soldering) Heat shrink tubing or electrical tape
• (Optional) Trim pry tools
• (Optional) Super glue
• Light

Step 0 - Preparing the brackets
Before we even get into the car, we have to prepare the plastic brackets that come with the bezel kit. The instructions that come with it should let you know that you have to dremel out some of the plastic so they can fit around the stock brackets. Use a steady hand, a lower power setting on the dremel, and either a sanding or cutting head (I used sanding as it just melts the plastic nicely) and try to make them look like I have below. Once we have the stock brackets off, you may need to come back and trim some more of the plastic away if they don't sit right.




Step 1 - Remove stock head unit
Like I said, I went back and did this after I had already installed the new one, so just pretend I'm removing the stock head unit...

Use your pry tools to remove the plastic cover from the passenger side (this makes it easier to remove the center cover). The important thing to remember when removing plastic paneling is to never force it; it will require a little bit but if you feel like it's not coming off, stop before you break something. Pulling cover pieces more or less straight off is the way to go. If you don't have pry tools, you can use the grip in your fingers. Grip the panel at the top and bottom and pull, using your thumbs on the bottom edge of the cover to pull those tabs out first.




Once you have the plastic panels off, set them aside and use the 10mm socket and extension to remove the 4 bolts on the head unit brackets.



Before you remove the head unit, place a cloth as such. This will help protect your shifter and silver trim pieces from getting scratched up while you undo the connections at the back of the head unit. (Trust me, take it from someone who has scratched these trim pieces doing this very thing and take a second to protect them).



Remove all the connections from the back of the stock head unit. Now it's time for the philips head screwdriver to remove the stock brackets from the sides. There should be 4 screws in total per side. Once done, put the stock head unit somewhere safe - we're done with it.




Step 2 - Attach the brackets to the new head unit
You will want to take the stock metal brackets that we removed from the original head unit and place one on the appropriate side of the new head unit. They should have LH or RH inscribed on them depending on if they are for the LEFT or RIGHT hand side. There are four small bumps on the brackets that should line them up nicely and hold them in place while we attach the bezel kit brackets.

Place the plastic bezel kit brackets on top of the stock metal brackets as shown below. This is where you find out how you did at trimming away the plastic with the dremel. Once they fit nice and flush without any interference from the metal brackets, you can screw them together. For some reason, I only had 6 new screws but this should be fine. Just place them how I did and it will be plenty. You should be using the screws that are FLAT on the bottom, not the others. You could probably also re-use the stock screws but for some reason I didn't think of this at the time.



Be very careful with these plastic brackets attached as you wouldn't want to snap one. If you broke one when dremelling it, see the instructions that came with the brackets to see if/how you can still use them.


Step 3 - Hooking up the Micro Bypass
I used simple wire tap connectors to hook up the Micro Bypass to the Crutchfield wiring harness. Start with the green parking brake wire on the Micro Bypass and connect that to the one clearly labeled "Parking Brake" (should be lime green) on the harness. You can either solder these and then use electrical tape or heat shrink tubing to cover the connection OR use wire tap connectors. I started with soldering (parking brake wire) then moved onto connectors for the other two as I was less sure about these connections at first and figured I might have to move them later. If you aren't sure how to use the wire tap clip, check out this video:

Next attach the blue wire on the Micro Bypass to the blue wire shown below on the wiring harness. Be careful! There are two other blue wires, one that simply loops back to the connector and one that goes off to the antenna plug. Don't connect to either of these two!



Finally, attach the black wire on the Micro Bypass to the black wire on the harness shown below (this is ground).



Step 4 - Connecting the wiring harnesses
Get the nice plug-n-play wiring harness you ordered. You did order it right? The plugs should pretty much only have a single thing they can plug into - just find the matching connections and hook them up.



If you are left with a single stock connection with nowhere to plug it (see circled below) - DON'T PANIC - these are the steering wheel controls. For some reason, despite not having steering wheel controls I had a connection for them. If you have steering wheel controls then hopefully your Crutchfield harness does have a place to plug them in - if not I would contact them.




Step 5 - Connect the USB retention cable
This one is pretty straight forward. Look for the square, gray connector and plug it into the USB retention cable. You don't need to mess with the USB port at all.




Step 6 - Running the microphone
I chose to use the aftermarket microphone that came with the head unit as I heard the quality was much better. However, I didn't want to just have it clipped or mounted somewhere visible when we already have a stock microphone location. If you don't mind clipping it or mounting it to the steering wheel, you can skip this part (mostly) and just make sure you run the wire so that it ends up with all our other connections where the head unit will go.

Start by removing the stock microphone. This can be easily pried out of the ceiling and pulled down. Undoing the stock microphone connector is a bit of a pain in the ass though as you have to reach up in the hole to do it. It may help to also pull out the interior light if you're having trouble. Once you have the stock microphone unplugged, simply remove it from the mount by using the little tabs. Put it with the stock head unit. I decided to pull out the dremel again and modify the clip so that I could glue the aftermarket microphone to the stock mount. I used generic super glue to mount it as shown below.






I then pushed the cable through the hole in the headliner, ran it along the windshield (shoved into the headliner), down the pillar, behind the glove box, and finally to the back of where the new head unit will be.




To make running it behind the glove box easier, you can open the glove box, squeeze in the sides and open it past where it normally opens. I forgot to take pictures of this, but you will understand if you just open your glove box and look at the catches that stop it.


Step 7 - Hooking up the reverse light wire
Stop! If you don't have a backup camera (or plan on getting one), you can completely skip this step! It's probably the most pain in the ass step so save yourself the time.

Start by removing the paneling under the steering wheel. Pop the side cover off with the driver side door open and remove the philips screw from there. There's one other philips screw located underneath, towards the center console, remove this as well.





Pop the cover off by applying force and going around the edges popping out the clips one by one.





Disconnect the trunk and dimmer switches (if you have a fancy version, you may have additional switches to disconnect). Set the plastic piece aside.



Run the purple wire from the harness down and behind so that it comes out at the drivers side of the center console. Run the wire however you want so it doesn't interfere with the pedals or hang down and get it over to where the hood release is.



Use the flathead screw driver to pop out the plastic rivet thing that holds the cover around the hood release on. Once this is removed, you can kind of "swing open" the cover as I do below. Don't bother completely removing it unless you want - it can be a pain in the ass to fully remove and put back.




Next, crawl up under there so you can see the BACK side of the two white connectors shown below. You are looking for an ORANGE wire with SILVER/WHITE markings on it. Use a wire tap (I used a different type here) to connect the purple wire to this wire.



Leave these covers off for now, just in case you need to come back later and re-tap the reverse wire.

Step 8 - Hooking everything up
Place/hold the head unit near the shifter (be sure to use your cloth again!) and connect up the various connections. Use the diagram below to make sure you get the correct input for your reverse camera RCA especially.



You should have connected:

• The main black connector
• The USB cable
• The microphone (3.5mm)
• The reverse camera RCA cable (if you have one)
• The antenna

Now, you can start shoving the loose wiring back into the hole - there's probably a "neat" and "organized" way to do this, but I just kind of shoved them back in there. Once all the wiring is in, gently slide the head unit into the slot. (My cloth fell down when I took the pic, but you better believe it was there!)



Don't start bolting anything up just yet, we need to test.

Step 9 - Testing
Turn your ignition to ACC and verify that the head unit powers on. You can go ahead and complete the setup prompts like language, etc.



Try out stuff like the radio and if you have a USB cable and your phone handy, AndroidAuto. When your phone is connected via USB it should put the head unit automatically into AndroidAuto mode (you might need to download it on your phone first).

Mess around in the menus and verify that you have the "Restore Settings" option available - if it's grayed out, then it means you didn't wire up the Micro Bypass correctly. Go back and try that part again making sure that the connections are all good



Once you are satisfied with the operation, now turn your ignition to ON (but don't start the car). We are going to test the reverse camera. With the parking brake on, put the car into reverse. With any luck, the head unit should automatically switch into reverse camera mode (there's a warning about the image being reversed and you should see the backup camera's view). If NOT, then don't panic - go into the Settings (gear) -> Setup (tools) -> Camera settings, you may need to turn the backup camera ON (I believe I had to). You will want to make sure the camera polarity is Battery and not Ground. Parking assist guide can be turned on and off here depending on the type of camera you have (my camera includes it's own guide, so I left it off).




Take the car in and out of reverse a few times, just to make sure it is working as expected. If it is not, then go back to Step 7 and make sure you tapped the correct wire and got a good solid connection.

Once satisfied, go ahead and turn the ignition off.

Step 10 - Reassembly
Starting with the plastic panel near the hood release, swing it back into place and give it some firm pushes. Then reinsert the plastic rivet.



Continuing with the plastic panel under the steering wheel, do the reverse of what we did before. First reconnect the switches, then making sure the tabs are lined up, push it back into place. Give it a few smacks here and there (especially around the edges) to make sure it's secure. Replace the two screws and the plastic panel near the driver side door.







Get the glove box back where it belongs by hooking the bottom hinges onto the plastic rods and pushing it back up until it pops. Close it.

Use the 10mm socket with extension to replace the 4 bolts that hold the head unit in. Make sure these are snug, but don't over-tighten them.



Replace the plastic cover around the head unit and the cover on the passenger side. Wipe everything down.



Grab a beer or whatever and enjoy your new fancy head unit! Maybe watch a movie or something?



Hopefully I covered everything in here. If you have any questions, please shoot me a PM and I will try to respond. It might take me a few days to reply, but I will do my best!

[JoeC]

Heck of a post! Thanks for taking the time to put this together! I just may tackle this project

[pa11adin]

Thanks for the detailed post and the links to the components you used. I had installed a Pioneer 4100NEX last year. The Audio speaker phase settings had to be tuned with a Auto-tune Mic for music to sound ok. However, I was never able to get the subwoofer to work properly. Is it working properly for you with your current install? How does music sound in general compared to OEM head unit?

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by pa11adin

Thanks for the detailed post and the links to the components you used. I had installed a Pioneer 4100NEX last year. The Audio speaker phase settings had to be tuned with a Auto-tune Mic for music to sound ok. However, I was never able to get the subwoofer to work properly. Is it working properly for you with your current install? How does music sound in general compared to OEM head unit?

Unfortunately, I don't actually have a subwoofer so I couldn't tell you one way or the other. My ears also aren't good enough to pick out if it sounds any different from the OEM head unit. I mainly wanted this one for the Android Auto functionality. That being said, I think music sounds great and after a few months of use I'm still very happy with it.

One thing I have noticed is that it seems to keep track of volume as a global constant...meaning going from Radio -> USB -> Bluetooth is all going to be the same volume which I usually have to readjust. The stock head unit seemed to track these separately.

[Na_fets86]

Will this wire harness do the same thing basically make it plug and play?
Scosche TA02B Wire Harness to Connect An Aftermarket Stereo Receiver for Select 1984-Up Toyota Vehicles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009UHKW..._exOYBbK7CZ5GB

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by Na_fets86

Will this wire harness do the same thing basically make it plug and play?
Scosche TA02B Wire Harness to Connect An Aftermarket Stereo Receiver for Select 1984-Up Toyota Vehicles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009UHKW..._exOYBbK7CZ5GB

I'm not quite sure. It doesn't look like the one I used, so you'd be taking a risk. However, at $8, not a very big risk.

[Na_fets86]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMan

I'm not quite sure. It doesn't look like the one I used, so you'd be taking a risk. However, at $8, not a very big risk.

I’m trying to order stuff that is going to be delivered tomwrro with the radio can you buy these harnesses anywhere in a store or anything ?

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by Na_fets86

I’m trying to order stuff that is going to be delivered tomwrro with the radio can you buy these harnesses anywhere in a store or anything ?

Generally no, you cannot. A harness isn't 100% necessary as it's obviously just wiring connections that can be done other ways.

However, as with most car projects I would say take the time to do it right and have a clean install. Even if it means waiting on having the fun thing. I had this radio sitting around for a couple weeks before I had everything I needed to install it. I'm glad I waited and couldn't be happier with the install.

[Na_fets86]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMan

Generally no, you cannot. A harness isn't 100% necessary as it's obviously just wiring connections that can be done other ways.

However, as with most car projects I would say take the time to do it right and have a clean install. Even if it means waiting on having the fun thing. I had this radio sitting around for a couple weeks before I had everything I needed to install it. I'm glad I waited and couldn't be happier with the install.

Last question
Will this work
Metra 70-1761 Radio Wiring Harness For Toyota 87-Up Power 4 Speaker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002BEQJ8..._eDPYBbKV8A9GS

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMan

The Micro Bypass allows you to override the "parking brake lockout" that Pioneer has built into these head units. Simply grounding the wire won't do the trick as it's looking for a pulsed signal. Now I'm not saying you should do this to watch DVDs while you're driving, but they did go a bit safety-crazy with the lockout. You can't get to some basic features and it can cause a lot of headaches.

You're not kidding on this. Some of them lock out basic functions like putting in an address for the GPS. It is particularly aggrevating because most of the time when I'm using the NAV I have a second person in the car doing the work. Unfortunately a lot of them use speed and not a parking brake lock now.

Great write-up @TheLaughingMan. I've used the Crutchfield harnesses on the last couple of installs I've done. They are real time-savers and much cleaner.

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by Na_fets86

Last question
Will this work
Metra 70-1761 Radio Wiring Harness For Toyota 87-Up Power 4 Speaker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002BEQJ8..._eDPYBbKV8A9GS

Again, I'm not sure on any of these Amazon.com harnesses. I did note it says "For select 1987-2007 Toyota and Scion vehicles" which would not include our cars. It's possible it would, but I couldn't say for sure. I really do recommend sticking to a Crutchfield harness - as Dadhawk mentioned, they're cleaner and save a lot of time in the end.

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

You're not kidding on this. Some of them look out basic functions like putting in an address for the GPS. It is particularly aggrevating because most of the time when I'm using the NAV I have a second person in the car doing the work. Unfortunately a lot of them use speed and not a parking brake lock now.

Great write-up @TheLaughingMan. I've used the Crutchfield harnesses on the last couple of installs I've done. They are real time-savers and much cleaner.

Thanks! I'm glad to see the write-up is hopefully helping some people out. I can't imagine using this headunit without the bypass. I do find that Spotify still locks me out sometimes from scrolling around too much - it must be doing that based on speed or something like you said.

[tommewin]

Great write up! I do have a question about having to tap the reverse signal down by the kick panel. Is that signal not available behind the stock head unit? Trying to understand how the OEM camera works with the OEM head unit and apply the same principal with an aftermarket setup.

The AutoHarnessHouse harness that they sell also has provisions for a reverse signal, which I assume is being grabbed from behind the HU as well.

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by tommewin

Great write up! I do have a question about having to tap the reverse signal down by the kick panel. Is that signal not available behind the stock head unit? Trying to understand how the OEM camera works with the OEM head unit and apply the same principal with an aftermarket setup.

The AutoHarnessHouse harness that they sell also has provisions for a reverse signal, which I assume is being grabbed from behind the HU as well.

I'm not quite sure how the OEM camera works as I've never had one. I have a 2013 FR-S so I had to add mine in. You're probably right in that the signal (or at least some signal - the reverse light thing might just be an aftermarket thing) is probably available behind the headunit if you already have a camera.

I do know that some work based on the concept of the camera turning "on" which they then have the camera hooked up to turn "on" when the reverse lights come on, then the "on" camera is what the head unit can look for. If that's what the OEM one is like then I'm less sure how to get that working.

[LimitedSlip]

Originally Posted by tommewin

Great write up! I do have a question about having to tap the reverse signal down by the kick panel. Is that signal not available behind the stock head unit? Trying to understand how the OEM camera works with the OEM head unit and apply the same principal with an aftermarket setup.

The AutoHarnessHouse harness that they sell also has provisions for a reverse signal, which I assume is being grabbed from behind the HU as well.

Take a look at this excellent thread:

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128374

Perhaps the 28 pin connector, pin 2 is what you are looking for?