Im going to be installing the Z1 tmrw and I was just going over the directions. I noticed there is a REVERSEGEAR wire, do I really need to run that wire all the way to my tail lights? Is that wire even really needed? Im going to be using ducatiboys circuit so do I need to connect the parking brake wire? Thanks for the help.

civicsedan said:

Im going to be installing the Z1 tmrw and I was just going over the directions. I noticed there is a REVERSEGEAR wire, do I really need to run that wire all the way to my tail lights? Is that wire even really needed? Im going to be using ducatiboys circuit so do I need to connect the parking brake wire? Thanks for the help.

You don't need to connect the reverse gear wire unless you plan on adding a backup camera. The only thing it does is automatically display the view of the backup camera when you put your vehicle into reverse. Just coil it up and tuck it out of the way if you don't plan on using that feature.

From all that I've read, if you plan on using the "flasher" method with ducatiboy's circuit, you don't actually "need" to ground the parking brake.

You might benefit from the install document I wrote based on ducatiboy's work. You can find it here:

http://www.tljhome.com/AVICZ1SafetyBypass.doc

It's in MS Word format and can be printed out for ease of use.

I think that if you don't have a backup camera and you don't hook up the reverse wire, if you put your car into reverse and back up the position arrow will invert saying you are going foward in the direction you are backing up. If you do hook up that wire, your position arrow will "backup" when you do.

As for my circuit, if you install it, you DO NOT want to connect the ground. It's not that you don't need to do it, but if you do ground the parking brake wire (either by physically grounding it or hooking it up to your parking brake like they say and engaging your parking brake) it will deactivate my flasher (until you remove the ground from that wire and restart the car).

Lhaff's document is more of a "do I need the ducatiboy flasher circuit or should I just ground 2 wires". Once you figure out which one you need, the installation instructions for my circuit are here:
http://www.sminntech.com/z1fcinstall.html

Thanks alot for the replies. Ducatiboy for now your circuit seems to be working fine, although I didnt get a chance to take the car out for a drive, I put the car in drive and I could still watch a dvd. I managed to find the reverse wire and tapped into it, I just dont know if it supposed to do this: When I put the car in reverse theres is power on the violet/white wire before it reaches the fuse resistor that is on the wire. After the fuse resistor there is no power, is this wire supposed to work like this? I opened up the fuse and there is what looks to be like a diode. Also, how do I know that I connected the VSS wire correctly and is there any way to turn the unit completly off while the car is on? Thanks.

civicsedan said:

Ducatiboy for now your circuit seems to be working fine, although I didnt get a chance to take the car out for a drive, I put the car in drive and I could still watch a dvd.

Well, then it's not working fine. When you turn on the headlights does the nav go to night mode? What month was your Z1 made in?

If the parking brake is off or the wire is not even connected.....

Hit menu and look for the address search and poi search buttons... are they there? If the circuit is working correctly, they will be stationary or in motion. You should also be able to watch DVD's while parked with the parking brake off.

My Z1 was made in May 2006. I just backed the car up and moved it fwd to see if the dvd would still play. I didnt turn my headlights to see what would happen. I did not connect the parking brake wire. If I have time tmrw I will test it. Can you answer my question above about the vss and reverse wire? Thanks.

civicsedan said:

My Z1 was made in May 2006.

Well, then you need either a flasher circuit or to manually flash the lights (as long as my circuit is not hooked up).

civicsedan said:

I just backed the car up and moved it fwd to see if the dvd would still play.

You won't need to physically move. If the parking brake wire is not connected to anything, just playing a DVD will need the unit bypassed. You can test it stationary. You can test it even easier by hitting MENU and looking for the ADDRESS SEARCH and POI SEARCH buttons. If they are available then you are good to go.

civicsedan said:

I didnt turn my headlights to see what would happen.

That is important. If that works then the circuit is working, if that doesn't work it's possible that you didn't connect the circuit to the right ILL wire from your car. If you want to test the circuit, take the white wire and connect it to 12V and the nav will go into night mode, if the circuit is hooked up right.

civicsedan said:

I did not connect the parking brake wire. If I have time tmrw I will test it.

Do not connect the parking brake wire, everything will work without it. If you do and you activate the parking brake, the lockouts will return till you deactivate the parking brake and restart the car. So its easier to tell people not to connect it at all.

civicsedan said:

Can you answer my question above about the vss and reverse wire? Thanks.

I can try, but it's not super easy.

civicsedan said:

Also, how do I know that I connected the VSS wire correctly

Hit MENU-SETTINGS-HARDWARE-CONNECTION STATUS and look at that first line, I believe it's called SPEED PULSE. It should increase with the speed of the vehicle. If it increases and decreases with the vehicle, and the warning message doesn't come on telling you your speed pulse wire is not working or not appropriate, then you should be ok.

civicsedan said:

and is there any way to turn the unit completly off while the car is on? Thanks.

Nope, it's on all the time.



What kind of car do you have?

Did you solder these connections?

Do you have anything like alarms or auto starts?

Does your circuit have a white dot on it?

Thanks for the reply. To answer your questions, I have a 93 Honda Civic. I didnt solder the connections, I used butt connectors and wire taps for all the connections. yes I have an alarm with remote start. I dont think my circuit has a white dot on it, I got it from you in july, been sitting in my room since I didnt have time to install the unit. Ill have to check what you said tmrw since. One last question, whats night mode?

hmmm

civicsedan said:

Thanks for the reply. To answer your questions, I have a 93 Honda Civic.

That should be fine.

civicsedan said:

I didnt solder the connections, I used butt connectors and wire taps for all the connections.

It's not the best, but it should do.

civicsedan said:

yes I have an alarm with remote start.

This could cause an issue, depending on how it's installed. Normally these don't cause problems, but it's possible.

civicsedan said:

I dont think my circuit has a white dot on it, I got it from you in july, been sitting in my room since I didnt have time to install the unit. Ill have to check what you said tmrw since.

If you bought it that long ago, then you wouldn't have one. Just changes some of my troubleshooting ideas.

civicsedan said:

One last question, whats night mode?

The map background goes from off-white to black and streets go from black to white. It makes it less bright so it won't blind you at night.


When you are testing this, try just turning on the key and not starting the engine, and see if the unit is bypassed. And see if it's not bypassed if you crank over the engine. But while you are having issues, try just turning on the key and seeing if it's bypassed, don't crank the engine over... at least while you are having issues.

if this helps any at all...
i have a chevy silverado. i did not connect the backup wire yet but i did connect the vss wire. when i back up the unit shows my arrow moving backwards, not flipping around and pointing the wrong way, just backing up. I guess it knows this based on vss info. I have ordered a cam and plan to run the back up wire just havent yet. im too busy playing with my new toy to take it out again. lol
hope some of this helps.