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Pioneer dvd head unit install issues, MFD flickering ect..

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Lance DiBitetto, Jun 26, 2016.

  1. Lance DiBitetto

    Lance DiBitetto Junior Member

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    Location:
    ocala, Fl
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Hello everybody I hop I can get some help, right now my whole dash is disassembled and I really don't want to put it all back together until I have this fleshed out.

    This is the parts list for the install

    Metra radio install kit (brackets, fascia and resistor) model 95-8240B

    Pac RadioPro4 RP4.2-TY11 radio interface (to integrate stock JBL amp and steering wheel controls.

    Pioneer AVH-X3600BHS (2013 model)

    siriusXM interface (haven't installed yet)

    I followed the instructions to the letter, I went and updated the firmware in the radioPro and set the Pioneer E brake setting to "on"

    set jumper 1,2,3 on for Pioneer radio

    Installed the resistor so the ac controls work

    Solder and shrink wrapped all connections

    Figured out that you need to set the volume on your old radio to max before you disconnect it or the factory amp will be set very low. (this wasn't in the instructions, I found out the hard way by stumbling across it on the internet somewhere)

    I have everything working.....but now when the radio plays anything it will play for about anywhere between 10 to 30 seconds and then the sound will quit for about 10 to 15 seconds and then it will repeat that over and over. and that is for every source.

    Also, the MFD will flicker on and off as well, (the radio and MFD aren't synced, it flickers on and off at a different pace, also it will default to the gps no matter what screen I go to after a bit of time it will go back to the gps screen.

    The only thing I see that might be in question is that I have the Programmable
    12v+ Output (red and white wire) connected to the Yellow constant 12 volt wire, rather than the red ACC 10 amp wire. ( but, for my install it is disabled in the pac settings screen (when connected to app with usb on my PC.)

    Does anybody know what it could be??? I am throwing some error codes because the dash is disassembled and some things are unplugged. but, would that cause the sound from the stereo to cut out as well as the MFD to flicker on and off?

    Thank in advance!

    Lance D.

    2004 Prius with JBL and NAV.






     
  2. Lance DiBitetto

    Lance DiBitetto Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2016
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    Location:
    ocala, Fl
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    OK, through pain and much gnashing of teeth, I was able to get every one of my issues resolved
    Below is the stuff that is NOT in the install manual for the PAC RadioPro4 RP4.2-TY11 radio interface, If you have never installed a radio in a newer car You will need this information or your install will not go well. One more thing, before you do anything else take the radioPro4 set all the dip switches to the "ON' position, connect it to a pc and do a firmware update, you will need the firmware from PAC as well as the PAC app to install the firmware.
    when installing the Pac RadioPro4 RP4.2-TY11 radio interface, there are a few things that are not in the manual which will give you major issues if done incorrectly, First, before disconnecting the OEM radio, set the volume to max, then turn off the car and disassemble dash and remove radio. If you don't do that, you will need a windows laptop to connect to the Pac RadioPro with PAC's configuration software while installed in the car and connected to the harness to adjust the OEM amp's settings.
    The blue and white wires (called remote out and remote in) there is one out coming from the radio harness, and there are 3 in's, one bypasses the PAC interface device and then 2 that are next to each other on the Pac harness. all these wires should be tied/soldered together, only one actually runs to the amp to turn it on, the other 2 lead nowhere, You tie them all together because there is no easy way of telling which one is the one is needed so Pac suggests to solder them all together. The 12 volt output (the red and white wire) should be cut and taped off because it is not used. also. with the PAC RadioPro4 You do NOT NEED TO WIRE IN A SEPARATE RESISTOR, the radioPro4 takes care of that. adding a separate resistor will result in MFD getting all funky and flickering on and off.

    If you have an issue with the volume from the oem amp pulsing up and down On the MFD, you will see it cycle between 45 to 50max volume. if this happens, go into your radio settings and disable your high pass filter. In my car, it fixed the problem but, if it doesn't you will have to disable fade in the oem amp...meaning, you will have to use a windows laptop with the PAC configuration software app while connected to the car to do that. also, after every change or adjustment you will need to cycle the car on and off a couple of times for changes to take effect.

    I hope this helps someone, I went through a lot of trouble calling PAC as well as scouring the Internet to get this information.
     
    #2 Lance DiBitetto, Jun 27, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2016
  3. 3prongpaul

    3prongpaul Hybrid Shop Owner, worked on 100's of Prius's

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
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    Having volume on the MFD bounce around 45-50 with similar setup (Pioneer double din radio). Tried making changes you mentioned, same issues intermittent. Is your setup stable?
     
  4. Lance DiBitetto

    Lance DiBitetto Junior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    ocala, Fl
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Unfortunately, The volume bouncing is back for me, it seems to go away after driving the car for a little bit but, it is still an issue, sorry I didn't update this issue. I am going to contact PAC again, I did everything that they suggested and I am still having the problem, What I have been reading on the Internet is that this could be a component failure on the Radiopro4, I am hoping that I can get them to swap out the unit, That is all that is left that I can do, also, there is still radio screens displayed on the MFD like FM and the presets, from my reading all those screen dissappear and you should have the radio off screen all the time when you press the radio button on the MFD.
     
  5. 3prongpaul

    3prongpaul Hybrid Shop Owner, worked on 100's of Prius's

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
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    Location:
    Boulder Hybids, Boulder, CO
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
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    We got nowhere talking to PAC. Crutchfield who sold the package to my customer was also no help. If you can get this resolved please let us know.
     
  6. Lance DiBitetto

    Lance DiBitetto Junior Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
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    N/A
    That is just wonderful, Sounds like your customer and I have a lot in common. I purchased from Crutchfield as well, I hope I don't have to go to extreme measures to get them to stand by their product. (Pac, that is)

    I just have to ask you, have you downloaded the Pac software onto a windows Laptop and connected it to the RadioPro4 while it was installed in the car and powered up, went into the settings in the software and turned off fade (it's a check box) after that you need to refresh the Radiopro4 with the software while still connected to it and then restart the car once or twice. If that doesn't fix it, then it is a problem with the unit itself, There is nothing else to do short of bypassing the Prius amp (which is another headache unto itself.) Im going to call Tomorrow and push for either a resolution to this problem up to and including replacement of the Radiopro4. I'll even give you the name of the tech if everything go's well, so you don't have to explain what the problem is over and over again.
     
  7. 3prongpaul

    3prongpaul Hybrid Shop Owner, worked on 100's of Prius's

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2010
    954
    716
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    Location:
    Boulder Hybids, Boulder, CO
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Could not get the PAC RP4.2-TY11 to work with a Pioneer FX-X30BHS in an 04 Prius with JVC factory OEM amp. MFD would still randomly show volume changing.

    Ended up using an Axxess TYTO-01 for the radio/Amp interface along with PAC SWI-RC steering wheel control interface. Also used the Scosche TAAXB interface cable to make hooking up the SWI-RC easy (no cutting factory wires and built in resistor so climate control works properly without manually adding resistor)

    Print out "custom" instructions from the PAC website for the SWI-RC and your year of Prius along with your make of radio.
    Instructions may print out as SWI-PS but they will work.

    SWI-RC
    wire color -- TAAXB wire color
    Black Black (pin 6 on Toyota side)
    White White (pin 7 on Toyota side)
    White/Black Brown (pin 8 on Toyota Side)

    You also need to hookup the other black wire from SWI-RC to ground and Red wire to Red wire powering aftermarket radio.
    The White/Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, and Blue wires from SWI-RC are not used in a Prius.
     
  8. 4bande

    4bande Junior Member

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    Was there ever a solution to the intermittent cutting out of the sound regardless of signal? I installed the RP4.2-TY11 along with a Pioneer FH-X830BHS in my 2007 Prius Touring with JBL. I followed all the instructions. The signal initially cuts out when the radio turns on and then turns off and everything has been okay. But just today I'm getting the intermittent cutting out of the sound regardless of input. I haven't done anything different since the install. I do have the resistor installed and the have turned off the fader on the RP4.2.

    Thoughts?

    Thanks!
     
  9. Lance DiBitetto

    Lance DiBitetto Junior Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    The suggestion I got from five star audio was to NOT use the Pac RadioPro4 RP4.2-TY11, It does NOT work properly and to go with the older solution, o the post above from 3prongpaul.
    With the exception of bypassing the JBL digital amp altogether, use the "Axxess TYTO-01 for the radio/Amp interface along with PAC SWI-RC steering wheel control interface."

    The RadioPro4 just doesn't work properly, If you can, return it. It's trash and Pac has no plans to fix the issues that are specific to the Prius.
     
  10. 4bande

    4bande Junior Member

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    Thanks for the information, Lance. Looks like I will have to go the alternate route. I got an email out to Pac so I will see what they say, but I won't count on them doing much. I'll have to talk to Crutchfield also and see what they are going to do about the return.
     
  11. Lance DiBitetto

    Lance DiBitetto Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2016
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    Location:
    ocala, Fl
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I had absolutely no problem returning Pac RadioPro4 to Crutchfield, that "should" go pretty smooth.
     
  12. 4bande

    4bande Junior Member

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    Just got off the phone with Crutchfield and they are going to exchange it out and give me the alternate setup as described above at no charge. Awesome! Hopefully it will work. Thanks again for the quick reply and solution!
     
  13. Suds

    Suds Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XLE
    I purchased from Crutchfield and installed a Pioneer AVH4400 NEX (LOVE THE HEAD UNIT) with a RadioPro 4 RP4.2-TY11 interface for Steering wheel controls (SWC) in a 2008 Prius Level 2 with smart key. NO Nav, NO JBL.

    I replaced the speakers with a direct fit OEM style NO modifications PowerBass OE652-TY 6.5" 120W 2-Way OE Series Coaxial Speaker System. SOUNDS GREAT 5 Stars. If you replace tweeters you have to mod. but I left the factory tweeters, I do not think you can wear out a tweeter but maybe someone will correct me.

    The problem even Crutchfield cannot figure out is I have no steering wheel controls for the radio. The lights on the RadioPro box blink when you push the SWC buttons but no response from head unit. We have checked all the wiring and all the connections are in the right holes.

    At this point they are sending all new stuff with a SWC unit made Axxess ASWC-1 which I'm told folks have FAR better luck with. I'm also posting hoping to share upgrade ideas with other folks wanting to upgrade their sound system in the Prius and maybe figure this problem out.

    Any ideas?