D3 Installed

Did an Avic D3 install this weekend. Went pretty well. Had a Canbus Adapter which made some of the connections easier. Canbus did not seem to produce a reverse signal, but that wasn't a problem. I was running wire to the back of the car for a backup cam, so I just ran the reverse lead along with the power and video signal wires. The BIGGEST pain was reattaching the friggin' bumperette after removing to run wires to the backup cam. Don't know why, but the bumperette is a attached via a floating bracket which made it impossible, for me at least, to easily reattach. I had to remove the aluminum heat shield from underneath the car to access the floating bracket and hold it in place as I snapped the bumperette back into place.....ugh...what a pain!! All in all, a pretty painless and worthwhile install. Love it so far!!! Sound it produces out of the factory speakers blows away the stock stereo output. Bass can really thump if you want it. iPod interface works with both nano and iphone. Backup camera is very cool and useful. Ran constant power to camera, so I can view at the push of a button, not just auto view when i throw it in reverse. Love the customization options as well. Here are a few custom screens I created for my D3: I'll post pics of the finished install soon.

That's awesome go-go-allen, thanks for sharing the backgrounds for fellow D3 users. What leads did the Can-Bus adapter provide you with? Just speed and illumination? Thanks, Suneet

Hey gogoallen What was the system in your car that you replaced with the D3? Was it the standard CDR-24? Did you have the Sound Package Plus or the Bose system? OJH

I had the basic sound system with Becker CDR-24. I knew I was going to upgrade and wanted to make the switch as easy as possible. I've attached a translated version of the diagram for the Canbus Interface I used in the install. This will show you what connections it helps out with. Oh, and the standard parking brake bypass where you move the mute connection up one spot and ground both mute lead and parking break, works just fine. This will allow you to watch DVD (illegal) and alter navigation route (dangerous) while you are in motion.

Sorry for the newbie question, but what exactly is a can-bus adapter and is it required for the installation of the D3? I will be installing my D3 very soon as well and would like to know..thanks!

Not required for install just makes some of the connections a bit easier. The Canbus adapter interfaces the factor audio connector bringing many of the necessary connections to one place. You get the Speed Sensor output instead of having to run a lead thru to under the hood. You get Illumination and Reverse leads so you don't have to run your own leads to the tail light connectors where the illumination and reverse wires are. Also have the 12v connections (constant & accessory) so you don't need to do a fuse tap. Check out the attachments I included in an earlier post to see all the connections. I WOULD highly suggest to get the matching wiring harness if you are going to install yourself. Will make it that much easier in the future if you decide to pull the D3 and put the stock back in. Harness kit comes with antenna connection and matching trim piece as well. Good luck.

Did you get the harness kit off the seller from japan on ebay?

That's the one. Thought I was gonna have to wait a while on my install for items to arrive. They got here from Japan in 3 days!

Way to go gogoallen. Welcome to the club :banana: I commend you on doing the work yourself! No easy feat, though you state that it went pretty well. I would not reccomend others to do this at home. Can't wait for your pics and features list. Atta'boy -Stevie

Just wanted to say thanks gogoallen for the custom screens you created. Looks and worked great with my D3. Thanks again. Frank:cheers:

Install Pics Alrighty, here are some pics of the D3 installed. Replaced BG Image: iPod/iPhone Interface: Rearview Image: Backup Camera Mount: Gauges: iPhone in console...and mine DOES charge!!!: And another iPhone screen for anyone who wants one:

Awesome work, gogoallen! The iPod/iPhone-ifiles are going to be drooling over this installation. Beautifully documented here too. Thanks.

gogoallen do you make house calls. Great work!

Gogoallen, the install looks awesome. I just helped my friend put one of these in his Solara and it was my first time actually playing around with the interface and features and I gotta say, it's an amazing unit for the price. Dual drives would be really nice to have, but nonetheless, I love the touch screen, it reminds me of my old Acura which was the best navigation system I've ever used and the iPod interface is much better than Pioneer's older units. If I didn't have Bose, I'd put one in my car in a heartbeat...

I just got my D3 installed too..finally!!!...iphone works flawlessly with the BT module and I ran the cable to the glove box instead..the install isn't as pretty as gogoallen's since i didn't get the kit from Japan and my installer went with the black suede look..anyhow, pics coming soon and my car's stereo sounds sooooooooooooo much better than before!!!!!

BB987, does iphone have voice dialing and if yes, do you hear the voice prompts thru the D3? I ask because my Blackberry Pearl will listen and respond to my voice commands but, the D3 is not conveying the voice responces from the Pearl (i.e. "Did you say 'call Frank Houseman?'"). -Stevie

the fact you can see the guages screen. is that an option on the avic? do you get that screen by tapping into the vss? i have the alpine ivaw205, and am waiting on my blackbird gps unit to combine both units. ive not seen these type of screen shots for the alpine. is that the diffrence between cd based gps vs. the way the blackbird works?

That's just a screen the Pioneer offers. You need the VSS line connected to the Pioneer for the nav functions anyway, so yeah, it's getting real data to display. I think all the Pioneer nav units have that gauge screen...I know the Z1 and Z2 do. He used the CAN bus adapter to get VSS and illumination signals (the one you can get from eBay, I presume). --Donnie

Awesome Install!!! If I was planning to install the D3 in a new Cayman, would there be any point in getting the sound package plus over the standard audio?

You get about 5 more speakers in the car (9 vs 4?). Most folks have been saying that the speakers in the car actually sound really good once you hook up decent head unit up to them.

Finally got "Dealer's Edge" installed the Pioneer AVIC D3 with bluetooth & ipod adapters into my Saab 9-3, took them many hours, as it has to be intergrated with steering wheel control. But it looks pretty good, but i still like my PCM 2.1 in my CS.

WOW! Got my D3 installed today, with the bluetooth and the ipod adapters. They are having a great deal on the D3 packages right now, bluetooth+ipod+remote, $750 or so. Even Crutchfield has it at 799. Installation did cost a bundle, but the installer did a great job. Got a black bezel that matches well with the stereo. Overall impressions; Excellent. Navigation works like a charm, even though when nav DVD is in you can not the drive, but just store the directions beforehand, and you can take the DVD out, seems to be very accurate and very fast to respond as well. The sound over the stock stereo is just years ahead. The FM reception is extremely improved as well. With the stock stereo I always had trouble with the FM reception. Seems to be really easy to use. Works great. I highly recommend this unit over the stock. I don't know of any other ipod/mp3/nav alternatives everybody was using, but definitely better than what the porsche may offer with fm modulated ipod connection. The cost is not much, especially with the specials going on right now. Make sure you call around to find a good installer, someone who worked on a Cayman or 997 etc before. The place that did my installation did previous installations on Caymans and 997s, and were recommended by local Porsche shops.

I have the bose system would the install be the same? Speed sensor is not in the bose system and was wondering how that would affect anything. Would like to do the upgrade but not sure how easy it would be with the bose

I am MOST also. I just ordered the JAP EBay Bezel. I really want to go with the Z2 though. Do you guys think since the I pod is so sluggish I should just go with the D3. I am aware I will need to run new wires etc. I have no nav and I really want to get something that sounds good with the Nav and I pod intereface. I figured if I buy the Ice LInk for the I pod I might as well just go with the Pioneer to get the Nav as well. Has anyone done it with the BOSE at all yet? I am all in at this point no turning back. That CD4 is the worst stereo I have ever had in my life. My moms old saturn had a better radio than that piece of $hit. My cds get errors all the time, just says STOP, radio takes 25 seconds between pre sets.

ExecDrew, In case you have not read all the posts on this, and that is not easy, here are the obstacles that you will need to overcome with a Bose MOST system: 1-You will have to purchase a new audio amp and discard your Bose amp because it uses fiber optics to get the audio signal from the head unit and the D3 does not output the audio with fiber optics. 2-You will have to run new copper wires from the D3 to the new replacement amp in #1 above. 3-You will have to purchase new speakers and discard ALL of your Bose speakers because they are 2ohms and the D3 (or other aftermarket amp) uses 4 or 8ohms. Bottom line, you are looking at about $4000. for the whole job (labor for installation, + $1000. for replacement amps/speakers, + $1000. for the D3 (including the bezel & rearview camera). And, don’t forget to include the $1000. cost for the Bose (that you will discard). -Stevie

will this work with the bose system

thanks I missed the earlier responses looks like I will spend my money on something else. Would the Ice be an alternative....but sounds like a lot of trouble just to use my Iphone as an Ipod in the car

Please help!!! I didn´t find someone thrustworthy to do the D3 installation job - so I tried myself. Have the Bose system and startded with the door and rear speakers. Not much of a problem. Amplifiers and Bose speakers out and Infinity speakers in. Cut the speaker wires inside the cupe and fitted them straight to the D3. Amplifier in front is also out. Now - when firing up the car I get a PSM/PASM failure. Haven´t put the D3 in since I dont know how to connect it. Must have missed something. Please look at the photo of the connections in the car an help me to get the D3 right. Have stoped here since I realized that this was far over my skill. My car is close to a Cayman - a Boxster S 2005. And the original radio is a CDR 24. Kind regards Anders T. Sweden

Ok thanks a lot so far. In sunny England now, but will put weverything back when I come home this weekend, and drive the car for a while - to see if the ( like you mentioned in PM) steering wheel sensor will configurate and all start working again. Will come back to you after the weekend. all the best anders