So I got my unit installed yesterday by Circuit City, but they didn't ground my parking break. I am planning on calling them to see if they can do that for me, but if they say they can't.. is this something I could do? I'm not very savvey with a full install, but just changing some wiring might not be that bad. Is this an option for me, and what exactly would I have to do?
Thanks!
Its really not that hard to do, even if you don't have a soldering iron at your disposal, just make sure you tie your wires together tightly so that they don't rattle or otherwise lose contact with eachother.
Take your parking brake wire, I believe it is green but it is labeled so it shouldn't be too hard to identify, cut it about half as long as the ground wire. Now, take an automotive quick splice (see link below for a picture) and splice the two wires together. Now, take some back electrical tape, its all of $0.99 at the local hardware store, and tape it up good.
Thats pretty much it. If you do have a soldering iron, splice them together with solder and finish up with heat shrink.
Thats it :>
Thanks for the info. As for getting the deck out of my dash, do I just pry it from the sides, or is there a special way to release it? I don't want to do any damage to it.
Thanks for the info. As for getting the deck out of my dash, do I just pry it from the sides, or is there a special way to release it? I don't want to do any damage to it.
This will depend on your make/model.
The plastic trim is usually held in by clips and can pull out. Put if yours has screws, you will break your dash trim.
Google: How do I install a radio in year/make/model to get the details as to how your dash comes apart to slide the radio out. If it's a Subaru Impreza, PM me for pics.
It's a 2008 Hyundai Tiburon. No luck with a quick google search, but I don't think there are any screws involved with this. At least I'm hoping. Should these be clamps, what do I have to do to pull this unit out? I really don't want to damage it at all.
I called Circuit City and they said it's illegal to do that, I would have to bring it to a garage that would do that for me.
Ok so I see the light green wire that looks to be coming from my parking brake. I'm going to cut that in half, and connect the back end of it to the black ground wire. The black wire is the ground wire, correct?
The parking break wire's other side will be left unconnected?
Just picked up the equipment. I'm assuming this green wire is my parking break because it says "This lead must be connected to the power supply side of the parking break switch"
Ok so I see the light green wire that looks to be coming from my parking brake. I'm going to cut that in half, and connect the back end of it to the black ground wire. The black wire is the ground wire, correct?
The parking break wire's other side will be left unconnected?
Just picked up the equipment. I'm assuming this green wire is my parking break because it says "This lead must be connected to the power supply side of the parking break switch"
Good thing you asked 
Attach the green parking brake wire coming FROM THE AVIC to the black ground wire. Then tape up the other side of the green wire.. or rip it out if you can get to it.. just dont leave it dangling where it could make contact and potentially screw something up.
Don't forget after you ground the parking brake you still have to either perform the software bypass to relocate the MUTE wire to another pin on the molex connector and then ground that wire as well.
Ok, I just tried all of that, but I can't input an address with or without the parking break on. That must mean the wire isnt connected to the ground one strongly enough?
Looks like it was at least the right green wire.
Tried pressing down harder on the quick splice.. looks like its not getting to the wires because i still can't input any address.. I don't want to cut the black wire in half though.
Thanks again for the continued help.
Do a search on this site as to how to do the bypass correctly. If your having the problem you stated, the bypass is not done correctly.
"Address" is greyed out completely with the brake on or off. I think this is because the wire isn't grounded yet. I did everything that I was told. I just think that the quick splice didn't work right. I've been pressing on it hard, but I don't want to cut a wire completely.
I think the quick splicer I bought was too big for the wires I'm cutting.. they are pretty small.
Alright I'm good to go!
It was indeed a bad splice, and the wires weren't even exposed using that quick splicer. I just took a scissor and carefully cut the side of the black ground wire, and then cut back alot of the green parking break wire, so I was able to wrap the green wire end all around the exposed section of the black ground wire. I turned the unit on, and the parking break was no longer effecting anything. Up or down, I was able to type the keypad. Now I'll just apply the software patch and I'm sure it will be working while I drive.
Thanks so much for the help! I felt really naive and unsure of myself going into this, but now I have a great understanding. I really hope this can help others as they try this same thing.
Edit: Oh yes, I was sure to wrap plenty of electrical tape to keep those wires in place, as well as to make sure my parking brake wire won't be exposed on the end.
Glad you got it all working
I had the same problem and posted on another thread about how crappy the splice connectors are. I was getting intermittent ground connection. I just cut the splices out and soldered it up.
These are in deed some great instructions. I've got the same procedure in the future and this will help a lot.
This should be added to the mod sticky!
