*note: this got booted out of the CL forum after 2hours so maybe you guys can help*

hi guys,
ive done a bunch of searching but can only seem to find half of the answers on the threads here and in the audio guru forum. so i thought i'd ask the pros...

im planning to install a pioneer avic d3 (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...264980,00.html) to my 03 cl type s. so far, i can tell for sure that i need a custom faceplate to surround the double din HU. also, i may need to bypass the bose amp (actually, this, im totally confused on). also, i can see from other installs that getting to the stock radio is a chore.

so heres the cost breakdown:
~$800 for the headunit new
~$200 for a shop to install
~$100 for the dash piece
—$30 for the ipod cable
—$180 for the bluetooth module

total estimate: $1,310

not bad considering new navigation upgrade on current models are about $3k. so i need to know if anyone has done this and if i have overlooked any cost or potential problem. also, whats the deal with the bose bypass. if anyone knows a shop in the LA area that has done good double din work for their CLs please let me know. much appreciation!

 

I don't have a D3 but I have a Z1 spent double the money for the system but have not regretted it yet. I love the way it sounds hopefully you replaced the amp and speakers of course. Haven't played with the D3 but the Z1 gives me full control over the sound. The Navi is awesome, I think my next add ons will be the bluetooth and ipod cable, didn't see the need for it since the z1 had a harddrive but now I want to bring the ipod into the car. The setup is clean and looks oem to me except the pioneer screen. I use it all the time especially since I have been on the west coast for only 19 months...

 

yeah i have on 03 TL-S with a D3 in it......if ur prices are set in stone thats an incredible deal b/c every place i went to wanted at least 500 to custom install it because there is no dash kit for our cars that fits that radio.....u have to take the single din and dremel it out and then if u want it to look stock without just slapping the trim ring on u need to bondo wet sand and spraypaint it (I opted for the trim ring) BUt as for the speakers they will wire right in when u plug in the radio but u'll lose the stock sub.....however u can pull the two wires going into the back of the sub and solder rca's to the end of em and run rca's from ur headunit to ur sub......but then again if u did that u shouldnt be driving an acura

 

You're on the right track. There is no substitute for a good install or good parts. The CL is a very easy car. Most install shops will charge you hundreds of dollars extra because of that four letter word.... BOSE. The truth is that you can pipe right into it with the right parts. Don't let anyone sell you on a custom dashkit unless they've done it many times.

Please check out this thread. It will help you quite a bit.

https://acurazine.com/forums/sponsored-sales-group-buys-10/double-din-dash-kits-tl-cl-358673/

 

see, i knew there was something fishy with the bose. thats why they call our cars money pits. i read that thread and im probably going to go the route of having you make a dash kit and wiring rig so that i get the full volume range. could i see any photos you have of a double din dash kit you've done on an 03 CL-s?

 

Hey man, do the install yourself. Buy the dashkit from UNCALD4 and have him make you the plug n play harness. He did that for me and I saved a bunch of cash. If you can take off your lower dash panels, you can easily install your deck and save $$$$!!!

 

im really tempted to go that way. i did an install of my alpine HU on my 1st gen CL and lots of beer... should be ok. LOL

 

my car sounded a lot better once i bypassed the Bose amp. did i have to bypass it?, or is there a way to use it and still have better sound quality?

 

You don't have to bypass it at all. If you use a PAC Audio OEM-2 it will allow for awesome sound quality and delayed amp turn on. The delayed amp turn on feature of the OEM-2 will keep your Bose amp from having any "turn on" or "turn off" pop.

I did this car myself last month. It belongs to AZ member REVS29K.

 

thanks, good to know

 

mohaukachi, are you going to get a module to keep your steering wheel buttons functional?

 

i didnt know that was an option! i would love that! honestly the two things im hoping to achieve with this upgrade is getting nav and getting super tight seamless ipod integration. i hate having to shuffle cds around.

 

i have the ipod cable and it's a really good thing to add

 

man thats exactly what i need. ill pm you all that im looking for and see if we can shake a deal out.

 

I got my avic d3 installed today...2 words...kick ass!!! Paid 220 for install and custom face plate.

 

got photos?

 

payment sent uncald4! you've had some glowing reviews so im looking forward to installing it when its done!

 

Awesome. Thank you very much. That glow is the heat coming off my hands and brain. You guys are definately keeping me busy. I appreciate it very much.

 

how goes the kit? im all anxious and excited to get it now!

 

It's going very well. You're D3 is on the FedEx truck right now. It should be here any minute. I'll take some pics as soon as the kit has paint on it which should be tomorrow around noon.

 

bitchin

 

I lied.... For some reason FedEx needed another day off. No delivery today. WTF?

The kit is about done. I just need that D3. Oh... by the way. A lot of AZ members have been choosing the D3 so I've been answering questions like whoa. I can wire up everything on the harnesses and do the parking brake/ video bypass. But, everyone still has to connect their speed sense wire. If you want. The speed sense wire helps the nav unit to quickly position itself on a street when you loose GPS signal. However, the GPS signal is so damn good that you may not even want to hook up this wire. On the D3 it's a PINK wire labled "Speed Pulse". It should be hooked up to a BLUE WIRE with a WHIT STRIPE at the Cruise Control module which is right above your gas pedal. Very easy.

I have installed several D3's without this wire and it's worked just fine. But.. the D3 will remind you that the wire is a "BAD CONNECTION" if it's not hooked up.

Any questions?

 

nah dude, that about covers it. thanks for the PB bypass, i was gonna ask but didnt want to goad you into illegal things... lol.

 

Pioneer finally just did the right thing and made the bypass ridiculously easy with the D3. I bet its little things like that that win them many more customers and make the D3 so popular.

Also, another note about not connecting the speed pulse wire, if you don't connect it, the unit will be stuck in the lesser of its two methods of locating your current position. I highly recommend you connect that extra wire, it is necessary for its "3D reckoning mode". But yes, even without it, its GPS is scary accurate and fast. I've had problems with it not recognizing the speed pulse wire in my highlander, so I'm stuck in the lesser mode myself.

 

got the last piece from UPS today! depending on if i need to work this weekend or not ill be putting it in the hackura saturday. thanks for the work. really top notch stuff. glowing reviews all around. ill post pics as soon as i can.

 

Can't wait to see pics!

 

so, after working 2 back to back 90+ hour weeks at work (thank god for double time) im going to do the install this week. got the ipod cable and bluetooth adapter and all the other stuff i need. really the only questions i have are these:
1) the speed sense wire is under the drivers dash near the CC box, but how is the wire to the d3 attached?
2) the power for the bluetooth module is just a pos/neg wire that needs to connect to an acc wired power source. where do i splice that in?
3) is there a better console removal pictorial than the one homeboy did for the ICE ipod tutorial?
thanks yall.

 

In reverse!

#3.... I shipped the METRA instructions for dash disassembly with the kit. They are very easy to follow. If you do not have them I can email you another copy.

#2.... The bluetooth module needs only constant and ground (yellow and black). You can cut one of the zip-ties that hold the blue butt connectors in a bundle. Grab the yellow and black. Insert your wires in the empty side of the connector and crimp it tightly.

#1.... The PINK wire in the D3 harness that is labelled "CAR SPEED SIGNAL INPUT" in the picture below is where you need to attach it. You should have a small bundle of PINK wire that came along with the D3 to run from the cruise control module to the deck. The "bullet" connector should just plug right in.

The picture below should help you quite a bit. I would use the car side harness to attach your bluetooth power wires to. Less clutter. Also... read the instructions that come with the bluetooth and ipod adapters. They will need to be connected together and also the the D3.

Please feel free to call me or send me a message for help.

 

wicked.. just what i needed to know! and just to be sure...



this bundle's yellow and black for the bluetooth power?
this is going to be easier than i thought. whooohooo!

 

That's it! Easy! I believe that your Bluetooth module has a small white plug with black and yellow wires. And a "P-BUS" cable that plugs into the deck. Just crimp your Bluetooth black and yellow into that harness's black and yellow for power. SHABOING! Your done!

FYI.... Everyone else that has purchased or will purchase in the future..... This is why I leave the butt connectors empty on one side. This makes it easy to add accessories at a later time. And, I always attach a RED "quick disconnect" plug to the AMP TURN ON wire so that you can add amplifiers easily.

 

TAH-DAH!

finally installed. and now ... PICS.




the dashkit uncald4 made me works flawlessly! it looks great. i decided to route the ipod hookup into the armrest. wasnt a fan of having to reach in the glovebox. my only issue is a high pitched whine that is somehow tied to the revs of my engine. i really hope that dosent stick around, cause its annoying as shit. i figgure that since i took my life in my own hands and did the installation myself, this is what i have to deal with.

all in all tho... freaking awesome.

 

Hell yeah! That looks awesome! Good job.

Do you only have the whine with the ipod or all the time when the D3 is on? You could get rid of most of the whine by turning your OEM-2 down more. This whining noise is called "alternator whine". It is usually a bad ground at the source, which is the deck. I have found that people that have had their dash swapped because of the warping problem have this happen more than others. When Acura has to warranty swap the dash they undo the chassis grounds in the dash. When they install the new dash I don't think that they are tightening all the ground points down well. You can probably cure this by running your own ground from a solid metal point under the dash to the BLACK ground wire of the D3.

If this does not help then something on the back of the deck is touching metal. Check your RCA cables. If one of the RCA cable ends is resting against a metal brace this would also cause a whining noise and a CRACKLING when you go over a bump.

Hope that helps. Great job though. Like I always say..... The dash kit only looks as good as the install.

 

thanks man. the on the fly help saved my ass. the oem2 is pretty far down, and the whine happens all the time. i wouldn't doubt that somethings touching the back of the amp.... theres so much crap wedged back there now. oh and the damn beeping noise is in the nav options. lol. ill try to run a ground when i get a chance to open her up again. thanks again, great work!