Wire questions

[Henn28]

Looking for some guidance and QA on tapping into three wires that the kenwood receiver will need to be spliced into for full functionality. The harness kits from Crux look pretty straight forward, and color coded for a monkey like me. However, it looks like I’ll need to tap into the following, at the listed locations according to crutchfield:

Vehicle speed sensor lead (tightens up the nav) - the back of the instrument cluster near the connector is listed as the place to do this.

Reverse light (installing a back-up camera) - at or near the connector to the light control module in the passenger side kick panel.

Parking brake sensor (see below) - at the parking brake switch at the base of the hand lever.

The first two don’t seem to bad since the cluster is easy to remove, but the parking brake sensor lead seems like it will be a nightmare as it will entail pulling the center counsel. Maybe that job isn’t as hard as I think it will be, or better yet, maybe this lead passes through the dash where I can tap it more easily.

The parking brake sensor input into the Kenwood is only needed once, to set up Android Auto for the first time. The unit will not allow the initial set up without a parking brake signal.

Thanks all

[crystalworks]

The parking brake one is the easiest. Unless Kenwood has changed it, it just wants a ground. Ground it to any fastener in sheet metal or tie into the radio ground wire.

The reverse lights on a pre LCI might not be PWM like the later models so you might be okay tapping into those. Later models it's a problem. Hopefully someone with an early model will chime in to confirm.

The VSS should be unnecessary but I haven't installed a Kenwood nav setup (do they still use Garmin?) in a long time. I think I'd try the install without it and then revisit if need be.

[wpoll]

Is there even a VSS signal to tap into? I'd bet the speedo get data from the ABS/DSC unit, via the bus....

[Henn28]

Originally Posted by wpoll

Is there even a VSS signal to tap into? I'd bet the speedo get data from the ABS/DSC unit, via the bus....

Thanks for the replies gents.

I was told by the install tech that the speed sensor lead was used by the unit to tighten up the nav a bit. The unit doesn’t have nav built in, but uses your phone via android auto or Apple. Not too critical a connection, but shouldn’t be too hard I think since the guy gave me the PIN number and color of the wire at the instrument cluster plug. I plan on using the snap on taps to keep it simple, if possible.

The same goes for the reverse light, which he said was at pin 10 of the 15 pin plug on the light control module. What is “PWM” that you refer to Chrystalworks? Sounds like it could preclude tapping into this wire? I’m adding a backup camera and I’m guessing this is where the unit gets the signal from to display the camera video and lines.

Finally, The dude said the unit needed a signal that the parking brake was on before it would let you do the initial set up for Android auto. After that the initial set up it will let you access the system without this signal. I figured this wire must run up front from the hand brake, so why tap it at the brake as Crutchfield recommends rather than somewhere in or near the dash? However, he sent me pictures of the wire and sure enough, it looks like it is just a ground, attached to the tunnel metal. But the unit must need this specific ground?

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by Henn28

Thanks for the replies gents.

I was told by the install tech that the speed sensor lead was used by the unit to tighten up the nav a bit. The unit doesn’t have nav built in, but uses your phone via android auto or Apple. Not too critical a connection, but shouldn’t be too hard I think since the guy gave me the PIN number and color of the wire at the instrument cluster plug. I plan on using the snap on taps to keep it simple, if possible.

The same goes for the reverse light, which he said was at pin 10 of the 15 pin plug on the light control module. What is “PWM” that you refer to Chrystalworks? Sounds like it could preclude tapping into this wire? I’m adding a backup camera and I’m guessing this is where the unit gets the signal from to display the camera video and lines.

Finally, The dude said the unit needed a signal that the parking brake was on before it would let you do the initial set up for Android auto. After that the initial set up it will let you access the system without this signal. I figured this wire must run up front from the hand brake, so why tap it at the brake as Crutchfield recommends rather than somewhere in or near the dash? However, he sent me pictures of the wire and sure enough, it looks like it is just a ground, attached to the tunnel metal. But the unit must need this specific ground?

PWM = pulse width modulation. The light control module on late models doesn't send a full 12v to the reverse lights at all times (ever?). Try tapping into the reverse wire at the LCM first. If you get weird behavior, you'll need a relay to trigger the reverse cam on the head unit. Been discussed here more than a few times, a search will turn up lots of info. But again, I'm not sure how the pre-LCI modules handle the reverse bulbs. I know I needed a relay on the 2 post-LCI installs I did.

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by wpoll

Is there even a VSS signal to tap into? I'd bet the speedo get data from the ABS/DSC unit, via the bus....

Speed signal A (DFAHL) originates from ABS module (rear left wheel speed) and is routed behind glovebox to connector X1011 (brown/red). From that connector to instrument cluster for speedometer and to GM3 for Servotronic control.