I have Pioneer AVIC-x930BT that I purchased for my 2002 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner. I purchased a Metra harness #70-1761 to hook this up to my factory wiring.

The pioneer instructions say to hookup the Orange/White wire from the radio to the "lighting switch terminal". I see a "Orange/White" on the Metra Harness that is labeled "Dimmer". Would these to go together?

I also have a "Orange/Black" on the Metra harness, that is not listed on the Metra Packaging. However, it does list a "Orange" as "Illumination". But I don't have an Orange on the Pioneer unit (just White/Orange).

My understanding is that the Pioneer x930BT supports a "night mode" where when I turn on my lights the brightness on the radio dims.

Do I hookup the Metra Orange/Black wire to the radio White/Orange OR do I hookup the Orange/White with the Orange/White? Also what gauge are these wires as I need to extend one for my vehicle VSS wire and wanted to match it.

Thank you very much for your time.

Best Regards

DataCrypt

you may have to contact Metra to find out what wire is supposed to be used out of the 2 that are orange but if one is labeled orange illumination on the Metra harness that im going to go ahead and assume that is the one you wan to connect your orange white pioneer illumination wire to

Thanks. I did contact Metra and they are unsure (which hasn't been helpful). The response they gave me was that if I hookup their Orange/White that say it is for "Dimmer" then that is the wire from my dashboard dimming switch. I never use that (i.e. adjust the dimming of the dashboard lights), but they say if I hook it up then dim my dash lights, the radio display would flicker and turn off. That makes sense.

The other wire I have on the Metra Harness is a Orange/Black wire which is NOT specified in the Metra wiring list. I wish I knew what that one was for! Instead of the Orange/Black wire, it lists an Orange wire as the "Illumination" wire, but I don't have a solid orange wire on the Metra harness.

Furthermore, I'm not sure what the Orange/White on the Pioneer AVIC-X930BT is really used for. The Pioneer documentation says to hook it up to the "lighting switch terminal" but does not give a purpose for it. Does it dim the display of the radio from a day/night mode? I'm believing that this is what it's for. If so,I need to know if it's supposed to be at 12V for the night mode or at ground (i.e. a positive or negative connection)? Maybe then I can find a connection point to when my lights are on and hook it up correctly.

Any thoughts or information about this is greatly appreciated!

Kind Regards,

DataCrypt

2002 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner

From what i understand the Orange white wire on the Pioneer harness is meant to be hooked when it is hooked up right when you turn the headlamp on your system should go to nite mode

best thing i can say to do is if i you are not sure try and find the wire diagram for your car make and model and see what pin that wire on the metra each orange one goes into on the car harness then track down and see on the OEM main harness what that pin wire is for

that might help you out there

also check the connector see if that evne goes to anyting maybe one of the orange wires on the Metra unit does not connect to anything on the Main Harness perhaps

Thank you ThumperPup. The only wiring diagram I found for my Toyota 2002 Tacoma is

http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/Toyota-Wiring.pdf

(referring to the "1987 and up" diagram)

However, it does not list any wires for illumination or dimming on the factory side of the list. In fact, the Orange/White and Orange/Black wires on the Metra harness are in slots that are indicated with "do not use". I don't think this diagram is completely accurate though as there MUST be a wire to the radio that goes to the dimmer/headlights. Because when I turn on my headlights, some lights around the radio knobs and behind the buttons light up. I did try using the dimmer switch on the dash tonight and as I dimmed the dashboard lights, the lights on the radio dimmed too. So, I could use this wire (since I don't every mess with the dimmer switch and it's always all the way up) and I think it would work fine. Just if someone dimmed the dash lights, it could cause radio display issues.

Like you said, I just need to determine which wire it is on the factory harness that is providing this headlights "on" signal and if it's positive (+12V) or negative (ground). My only other option is to find another wire that is NOT affected by the dimmer switch and only indicates if the headlights are on/off. Unfortunately, I've been unable to find any helpful wiring diagrams for my truck on this. Any help on that would be great!

Thanks again,

DataCrypt

you could plug your factory radio back in and snipp the wires 1 by 1 and see wich one is for the Ilumination dimmer

but have some crimps and but connectors to put them back togethere unless you want to hard wire the metra into your car

but this would be the last resort i would take

this is another reason i choose to go with PAC over Metra much easier to use and on those rear ocasions that Metra is bad quality with the car like the GMOS06 sometimes does not work properly all the time but pac always does this is just why i choose pac

might want to order a Pac harness and put it inplace of the metra

pac only has 1 orange wire on the harness that do come compatible with illumination

OP: What appears to be the entire factory service manual for your year is online at TTORA (Toyota Territory Off-Roaders Association).

http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/index.html

Thanks, but that full factory manual that I download for what says 2001 - 2004 Tacoma does not appear to be correct. When I open, it's specifically referencing 2003 (which I believe is when the 2nd generation Tacoma's started). I need 2002. I would really like to verify where to find my Reverse signal wire and my VSS wire for my 2001 Tacoma PreRunner. Any help is appreciated.

Best Regards,

DataCrypt

Data, This is a simple fix. Remove your center console in your Tacoma. Tap into the wire that powers up your shifter illumination when your parking/headlights are turned on. I can't remember the color of the wire but I will be taking my center console out this week end and I will post back asap.

I'm sure this issue was solved a while back but in case it wasn't it's simple. The orange wire on the pioneer gets connected to the illumination wire on the harness. Done deal lol. Dimmer, don't use it. The orange/black, don't use it.

If you still can't figure it out, get a multimeter, you want to connect the orange wire on the pioneer to the wire that shows no voltage with headlights off, and 12 bolts with them on. This tells the radio it's dark out and dims itself. Do NOT connect to the dimmer wire. This wire will show variable voltage as you increase/decrease your dash lights.

I'm sure this issue was solved a while back but in case it wasn't it's simple. The orange wire on the pioneer gets connected to the illumination wire on the harness. Done deal lol. Dimmer, don't use it. The orange/black, don't use it.

 

If you still can't figure it out, get a multimeter, you want to connect the orange wire on the pioneer to the wire that shows no voltage with headlights off, and 12 bolts with them on. This tells the radio it's dark out and dims itself. Do NOT connect to the dimmer wire. This wire will show variable voltage as you increase/decrease your dash lights.

I'm having the same issue -- 2000 4Runner. There is no 'illumination' wire on the Metra harness despite what the packaging says. On the Metra harness, there is an orange and black wire, labeled dimmer ground, and and orange and white wire, labeled dimmer. But the same Metra instructions say Dimmer: Orange/white; Illumination: Orange. WTF. There is no Orange, and there is no wire labeled Ilumination, and there is no wires that color match the Pioneer harness I'm trying to install, so which do I use?