Rough Install Guide - Backup Camera/Monitors/HU/USB/Amp/Steering Wheel Control and Bike Rack

I’ll start by saying I’m definitely not a car audio expert. Others on this board (SquallLHeart) are much more qualified to write installation guides that are founded in technical expertise. I’m posting this to help others who will inevitably choose to install some of these aftermarket upgrades. No warranty is expressed or implied, follow this guide at your own risk.

We won’t waste time rehashing how to remove the door panels, that guide is here: prius C speaker size | PriusChat


Harness: TA02BCB
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_34199_Scosche-TA02BCB.html?SearchClickout%5Bquery_id%5D=9925175&SearchClickout%5BIgnore%5D=1

Antenna adapter: LSAAB
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_34174_Scosche-LSAAB.html?SearchClickout%5Bquery_id%5D=9925184&SearchClickout%5BIgnore%5D=1

Steering wheel adapter: Axxess ASWC Universal Steering Wheel Control Adapter
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_22808_Axxess-ASWC.html?SearchClickout%5Bquery_id%5D=9925190&SearchClickout%5BIgnore%5D=1

Head Unit: JVC KW-AVX840
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_33387_JVC-KW-AVX840.html?SearchClickout%5Bquery_id%5D=9925199&SearchClickout%5BIgnore%5D=1

Speakers: JBL GTO638
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_17735_JBL-GTO638.html?SearchClickout%5Bquery_id%5D=9925243&SearchClickout%5BIgnore%5D=1

Amplifier: JBL GTO5355
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_12245_JBL-GTO5355.html
Rear seat monitors: Pyle 7''
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0SM0858151

Backup Camera: Crimestopper SV-5200
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_31110_Crimestopper-SV-5200.IR-Black.html

Hitch: Torklift 2''
http://shop.tlcentral.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=157&idproduct=1064


1. BACKUP CAMERA INSTALLATION
I found the best way to run the video/power wires for the backup camera was through the tag illumination light bay. Start by removing the clips that hold the ‘carpet’ in place along the inside hatch. You can now access the light fixture. Two clips on either side hold this light in place; you can squeeze the clips together with your fingers and push out; the light fixture will push outward rather easily. Run your wires through this hole, then replace the light fixture. Unless your camera wires are especially wide, the light fixture will fit right back into place without a problem.

Here’s the hard part. I ran the cables up the inner left side of the hatch door, through the rubber insulator that leads from the hatch to the rear of the vehicle, and routed the cables through the car from there.


Getting anything through the side of that hatch to that rubber insulator was extremely difficult. There are all sorts of things in that door blocking your way and there’s no way to guide the wires with your hand. After much trial and error I got a wire clothes hanger and ran it through the left side hatch so one side came out where the rubber insulation and other wires came out, the other side of the clothes hanger was still at the insertion point where we’re going to start running the wires. I made a very small hook with the clothes hanger at the end of the insertion point side and zip-tied the RCA/power wires to the clothes hanger. This allowed me to pull the wires through using the other side of the hanger (rubber side) and the hook kept the zip-tied rca cables from sliding off. Even so, this took at least ten attempts to get the wires through. Once you’re to the insulator pictured above, it’s all easy from there. I connected the pos/neg for my camera to the amplifier pos/neg because I’m lazy like that and it works. The one thing I have yet to accomplish is the automatic camera/reverse gear triggering. I tested EVERY wire in that harness and concluded there is no signal behind the radio to initiate the reverse camera. Your only option that I’ve seen is to run a wire to your backup lights. EDIT: It seems on the 1&2 models there is not a wire behind the stereo for a backup sensor. Best bet is to wire the backup sensor to your white backup bulb in your taillights. Just strip a bit of your wire and wrap it around the contact of the bulb then push it back into the socket. I know, it sounds bad but it's worked for 2 years now without incident.


2. Rear seat monitors
This was fairly easy; would have been easier had the cable that came with my monitors been longer. In short, these are aftermarket headrests that already have a screen in them. The color matches well and the headrests are comfortable (I’m one of the 1% that actually uses them on long drives). The audio/video/powercables run through one of the poles that goes into the seat. You have to fish it a bit, but the cable can make it past all the junk in the top of the seat and fall down into the lumbar area. You still cannot access the cable without reaching into the back of the seat, and accessing that area will require us to negotiate this rod in the bottom left/right of the chair. The end of the rod has a hook shape that keeps it from sliding past clips.

I found the most effective way to remove this rod is to just straighten in and then slide out the rod (not completely) from the other side. Be forewarned – these rods are made of an Adamantium/Vibranium alloy and are unnecessarily difficult to bend. However, once you slide out the bar, you can pull up the seat fabric and access the cables for your monitors. From there just plug and play. I ran the power cables to my DC power inverter that’s under the passenger seat. because I’m lazy like that and it works.

3. Install Head Unit
I used the afore-mentioned harnesses, all color coded, no splicing necessary. It was almost too easy. Almost. See ASWC.
4. USB port preservation
I liked where the OEM port is located but the stock USB wire cannot be used without significant technical knowhow and soldering. I opted to just run a whole new wire. This was fairly easy. Reach behind the radio compartment, around a metal brace and then forward. You’ll be able to feel the usb/aux input assy. There’s a clip at the top of this box – push that down while you push out, the whole box will push forward into the cab of the vehicle. Cut the wires. Do whatever to waller out the OEM usb/aux components but be careful to leave the top and bottom clips unscathed. As long as you have these two clips it’ll still mount back into the OEM slot. I ran a new USB from my radio to the port, trimmed down the housing around my new usb cable so it would fit snugly into the OEM port and superglued it in there. Works like a charm. I don’t use Aux so I drilled out that hole enough to fit a 3.5mm plug through for the Bluetooth microphone. See ‘Other Considerations’.

5. Amplifier install
Bolted to the metal braces of the rear seat. Ran power to the battery. Ground to the same place the battery grounds at. See ‘other considerations’ for issues with power supply.
6. Speaker Install
Once the HU and rear monitors were working I began replacing the speakers. I’ll admit, the stock speakrs did not sound THAT bad once the HU was replaced. Honestly I was shocked at the sound quality increase from just replacing the HU. That said, unless you’re an audiophile like me, you might not need to replace the factory speakers. Now that I say that, take a look at them… I’ve never seen a speaker so pathetic looking in my life.

Regardless I stand by my prior commentary. Also a picture of the tweeter is attached since that has been of question.

I used 3-way speakers so a separate tweet wasn’t necessary. I just left it unplugged and forgot about it. Overall the speaker install was fairly easy and other guides have already outlined how to do this. I did have to drill my own holes and used ‘the speaker bay’ to insulate/protect the speakers. No big news here, pretty basic stuff.
7. ASWC Steering Wheel Control
This part sucked. The directions I was given are crap. Save yourself the headache and just connect the wires like in the picture. Middle bottom of the ‘unused’ factory harness have a baby blue and pink wire next to each other. Connect the pink to the green/black wire of the ASWC, baby blue to the green/orange wire of the ASWC.

Of course, you’ll need to connect the Hot and Ground wires to the appropriate places; if you’ve made it this far you know what to do there. Specific to my HU because it’s JVC, I had to connect the brown 3.5mm-connected wire to the blue/orange SWC HU wire. PM me if you need help with this because it was a real PITA. However, track and volume up/down both work, modes change correctly, phone does not work correctly. Interestingly the ‘answer’ button scrolls forward through audio folders on the usb or tracks on a dvd. I like this feature and would prefer it over a steering wheel answer button. As for the ASWC, it self-programmed and required the splicing of four wires total, including hot and ground. Not bad. As a note, do not get the ‘plug and play’ metra turbowire 70-8114 adapter for this that supposedly keeps you from having to splice anything; it doesn’t work for the C.
8. 2’’ Luggage/Bike Hitch
Installed in about 30 min, not too difficult at all if you follow the directions exactly. I do have a copy of the instructions and can send them PDF if anyone is REALLY interested.

9. Other considerations
A- Plan ahead and run a backup gear wire to the front. This will save you time from an additional tear down and reassembly.
B- I have seen no noticeable decrease in MPGs with this AV system.
C- I need to run a capacitor and anyone else who installs a mid/high level system and uses EV frequently will probably need the same. A few times my amplifier actually turned off and would not come back on until I ran on gas for a few minutes. It is not a heat or ground issue, but the amplifier is using all the juice in the 12v car battery and frequent or prolonged EV sessions don’t give the 12v enough time to recharge. This is concerning and will have to be addressed.
D- It may be possible to retain the stock Bluetooth microphone which I would really like. Look at these two pictures
These are the wires that’s in the microphone in the roof

Now see the below picture, right side of the harness.


Could these four wires be the ones that connect to the OEM microphone? If yes, how would these four wires be soldered on to a 3.5mm input to go into the back of an aftermarket HU? For reference, I cut and stripped an old crappy Bluetooth microphone and it only had one wire and insulation, not four wires.
E- I absolutely hated to do it, but ground loop isolators were necessary to squelch the substantial electrical feedback coming through the speakers.

I checked ground and ran the audio cables down the middle of the car away from power, made no difference. Ground loop isolators fixed the problem instantly but I can tell a difference in the audio quality. It sounds more flat and muffled now. My wife can’t tell a difference but I can. However, I guess it’s worth it to get rid of that feedback
That’s about it. Hope this helped a few people that decide to do the install themselves.

 

That's a huge drop in MPG! What kind of amp/sub did you get installed? I haven't seen any noticeable drop in economy with my 660w amp, speakers and 2x 8'' bazooka tubes.

As for the backup camera on the c3 stereo, I don't know for sure but it's doubtful they made a video input source for the back. Does your c3 have a button in the interface to select a backup or a/v input source?