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The following is a bit of a diary of my head unit installation. Hopefully this will help out another member, as the forums helped me!
If you plan to do a similar build, please read the whole thing before you begin! Plus I’m sure there are some tidbits here which will apply to any head unit installation.
I drive a 2014 Wrangler JK Sahara with the uConnect 730N. Let me start off by saying that the 730N is a dud. It's a bad design even when it works and I've had numerous problems with it, including:
I shopped around for a new head unit and ended up picking the Pioneer AVIC-8000NEX. Almost went with the 7000 but the big difference there is the 8000 has a capacitive touch screen which is much nicer looking, allows pinch/zoom, and therefore will work better with AppRadio Unchained. I almost went with Kenwood and then read that it only has a 3-channel EQ. (What year is it Kenwood?) One of the other selling points about the Pioneer is the SD card slot. I can put all of my music on a 32 GB card (at least as much as I would want to listen to while driving) and don’t need to fumble with my phone. Faster response too.
The next part would be reaching out to professionals to find out what harnesses and adapters I'd need. Stereo shops used to be on every corner 15 years ago in my area (NYC/LI metro), and now it's down to nothing. No shops that I visited had serious interest in the audio field or were familiar with higher-end products. Most sold tires and bedliner on the side. So, I turned to the Internet (And of course WranglerForum.com!) for research on what I needed.
My build sheet ended up as:
For the installation, you may also want to have:
One thing I found out the hard way is that because of the way Chrysler wires the factory amp, you do lose fade control with an aftermarket head unit and the PAC harness. Chrysler uses the rear outputs – and what this means is any audio destined for only the front speakers, such as for Bluetooth phone calls or the navigation voice guidance, won’t be heard. I recommend either swapping the front and rear powered outputs in the harness, or turning “Rear Speakers” off in the head unit options. (For those in the know, this DOES use the powered outputs from the head unit, not the pre-outs. I was confused by this at first but this is how it works. The stock amp must be just for the sub.)
There are many videos online on how to remove the dash panel so I will spare you that write-up, but it’s really just four bolts and it comes right out. The factory head unit comes out easily from there.
One thing to prepare for is that you will need to cut some metal out of your dashboard for an aftermarket head unit to fit. There is a horizontal bar that goes under the factory head unit for support, which needs to be cut out. Use a hacksaw or Dremel tool. It’s a tough angle but you don’t need to cut it exactly in line with the vertical supports – it can be rough. Don’t worry about the weight of the head unit not being supported – it will rest on the vent tubes in the dash.
When removing your factory head unit, take note of which connector is for the FM antenna – the mini-BNC connector looks the same as the one for the factory Sirius antenna.
At this point, plan where to run your cables. I ran the GPS, Sirius, USB (x2), HDMI, and back-up camera cables down between the AC controls and the glove box. It’s tricky but bring a clothes hanger so you can snake everything down easily. In a pinch, the factory antenna works well for this also – I had already replaced mine with a stubby so it was available to use.
Keep your cables hidden and tidy. Use small zip ties to tie everything down or you will get rattles. I ran the GPS and Sirius cables under the dash on the passenger side, popped the panel on the side of the dash, ran them up behind the A-pillar trim panels, then under the padding on the roll bars towards the sound bar, and placed both antennas above the roll bar metal. (Not under the metal or it will block the signal!) I did remove the sound bar for this – there are six bolts and an electrical connector to disconnect. Extra hands helps here (thanks Danny!). There is enough space between the roll bar and the freedom top, and happily both antennas are magnetic, so no drilling is needed. Re-installing the sound bar should hide them and any wires, but zip tie them down anyway for when you have the top off.
While at it, I also filled up my sound bar with poly fill to tighten up the sound.
To retain the USB port in the console, you need a converter from female USB-A to male mini-USB-B, since happily it’s just a standard mini-USB-B cable coming from the dash. Can’t find this adapter at most stores – it should be ordered online. Alternatively, one of the USB cables can be run to the glove box for passenger use using the supplied extension.
For safety reasons, I don’t condone doing anything with the parking brake wire other than what the instructions say, but it is possible to bypass this indicator. Google is your friend.
The factory microphone can’t be used as far as I can tell, as it’s 3-wire (maybe a condenser mic?) and the head unit uses 2-wire. There is an extension cable in the dash for the factory mic which can come out to give a bit more space back there. I ran the Pioneer mic down in the driver’s side footwell, popped the side dash panel, up under the trim panels, and along the roll bar a bit. The mic can be placed between the roll bar padding and the plastic trim pieces. Be sure to zip-tie it down so it doesn't come off when the top is off, and hide the wire the best you can.
It doesn't make sense to use the 3.5mm audio extension cable (for aux input) that came with the head unit since this still leaves you with a female end, so I picked up a 4-foot male to male extension and ran this into the glove box for passenger access.
Getting the head unit into the dash was a bit tight, but just gently move the cables aside as you work the head unit in, being careful not to crush any wires and break the insulation to create a short. Extra hands helps here too. The PAC module can be shoved behind where the instrument display is, and the Sirius module can be shoved behind where the passenger airbag is. Make sure nothing is in a spot where it may rattle. Be sure to keep everything clear of the cooling fan in the back of the head unit. The head unit did not sit as flush as I would have wanted with the dash mounting kit. It was a bit of a squeeze but we made it work. Turn on the ignition and make sure everything works before you put the dash back together.
For the backup camera, I ran the RCA extension cable under the console carpet, and under the rear seat and carpet. Take out all of the carpet and storage bucket in the rear area and unbolt the subwoofer enclosure. I chose my rear bumper as a spot for the camera and it works well. For this location you will need to remove your rear bumper which is 6 bolts. Extra hands helps here (thanks Joe!). Drill a pilot hole from the finished side of the bumper where you want the camera to go, then drill out a hole using a 15/16th hole cutting bit from the unfinished side, to make sure it’s a clean cut. You will need to remove excess plastic from the back of the bumper as well, so you can reach in to mount the camera on the outer surface. (See photos.) Use one of the supplied rings behind the bumper so the nut doesn't go all the way in. Don’t crank it down just yet – you will need to be sure it’s rotated correctly. I ran the wires through the holes in the frame and up under the weather seal on the right side of the tailgate. I had seen others go through the drain hole in the rear but this required cutting the drain plug and ran the wires along the hot exhaust shield, which I didn't want to do. The route I took seemed to work well and was shorter.
Find the wire for the reverse lights behind the sub enclosure (for me it was white/gray stripe) and use the supplied tap connector to connect it to the power lead (red wire from the camera). Then find a body bolt for the ground lead (black wire from the camera). From there it’s just a matter of connecting the RCA cable for the video signal and zip-tying the wires down. Be careful not to place the camera wire module directly behind the sub enclosure – it’s a tight fit and the enclosure won’t go back all the way. At this point, dry fit the rear bumper and test the camera in the head unit (put the transmission in reverse to send power to the camera) and turn it to be straight on the display. Once that’s done, tighten the nut on the camera and button everything back up.
Follow the PAC instructions on programming the steering wheel controls. I went with a custom layout. It never made sense to me that the volume buttons were on the right side of the steering wheel, since if I was going to use my right hand for that, I’d just turn the knob on the head unit three inches away. Using the custom layout option, I made the left side buttons control the volume, and the right side buttons control the tracks. The middle button on the left was set for attenuation, and the middle button on the right controls the source. The phone button on the steering wheel didn’t work for me to activate the head unit phone controls – but I didn’t care too much so didn’t look deeper into it.
This article made it seem easier than it was, but in reality this work was done over three separate days, so prepare for that.
So far I'm very happy with the Pioneer head unit. Tons of options and features. The audio quality is great. I thought I may have to swap out my factory speakers and sub eventually, but at this point I may not - it sounds much better than I expected only with the head unit replacement. Only gripe might be that the interface is more flashy than functional. Will take some getting used to. I would complain that the touch response is slow but no system will be as fast as a smartphone - it's still probably the fastest head unit on the market.
Because I’m an audio nut, I also picked up an SPL meter and audio test CD, and put a frequency generator app on my phone. This way I could test the frequency response of the system and my interior and adjust the EQ accordingly to attenuate any resonance or boost anything which may be getting absorbed. This worked well, and a frequency sweep was pleasantly flat amplitude. Only then did I find out that the Auto EQ mic is an optional add-on which can do this for me automatically, haha. I had put it on my shopping list for later, but, it really should have come with this high-end head unit.
UPDATE: I got the AutoEQ mic for Christmas and it works really well. After running the tuning process, you can turn this option on and off while playing music and the clarity difference is definitely noticeable. The instructions say that you should be outside of the vehicle during the test so you don’t influence the acoustics, but this never made sense to me since I’ll always be in the car while music is playing. But don’t do this without earplugs – the sounds that need to be made for the testing are harsh and damaging.
I will add photos to this post if I can figure out how, haha. Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any questions! Happy Jeeping!
If you plan to do a similar build, please read the whole thing before you begin! Plus I’m sure there are some tidbits here which will apply to any head unit installation.
I drive a 2014 Wrangler JK Sahara with the uConnect 730N. Let me start off by saying that the 730N is a dud. It's a bad design even when it works and I've had numerous problems with it, including:
- SLOW: Responses to touch screen are very slow, and changing tracks through Bluetooth is slow. Loading music from an external drive extremely slow - in 20 minutes I only moved about 2 GB of MP3s.
- Default State needs to be changed for navigation to search in another state. When you live near the border of three states, this is a hassle.
- Nav voice: Volume setting for voice guidance resets down to lower level randomly, and I need to set it again.
- Bluetooth doesn't auto-reconnect for playing music when getting in the car. Connects for phone always though. Sometimes have to completely remove my phone and re-pair to get music to work.
- 40GB Hard Drive, 14 GB usable? There’s a 2.5” IDE drive in the unit. I don’t know why they wouldn't just put an SD card in the unit which would be cheaper, bigger, faster, and creates less heat.
- Shuffle sometimes un-selects itself when in HDD mode, so you have to re-select.
- Phone Book claims to be syncing from phone but results do not show.
- Sometimes, audio drops out completely a few minutes after starting to drive. Changing the volume does not show volume level indicator, so problem is likely software related.
I shopped around for a new head unit and ended up picking the Pioneer AVIC-8000NEX. Almost went with the 7000 but the big difference there is the 8000 has a capacitive touch screen which is much nicer looking, allows pinch/zoom, and therefore will work better with AppRadio Unchained. I almost went with Kenwood and then read that it only has a 3-channel EQ. (What year is it Kenwood?) One of the other selling points about the Pioneer is the SD card slot. I can put all of my music on a 32 GB card (at least as much as I would want to listen to while driving) and don’t need to fumble with my phone. Faster response too.
The next part would be reaching out to professionals to find out what harnesses and adapters I'd need. Stereo shops used to be on every corner 15 years ago in my area (NYC/LI metro), and now it's down to nothing. No shops that I visited had serious interest in the audio field or were familiar with higher-end products. Most sold tires and bedliner on the side. So, I turned to the Internet (And of course WranglerForum.com!) for research on what I needed.
My build sheet ended up as:
- Pioneer AVIC-8000NEX
- Pioneer AppRadio Android Kit (CDAH200C)
- PAC 04-up Jeep Interface (Rp4ch11)
- SiriusXM Vehicle Tuner (SXV200v1)
- Audiovox Cmos2 5-In-1 Back-Up Camera
- Metra Jeep DDIN 2007 Dash Kit (95-6511)
- Metra Antenna Adapter (40-EU10)
- SanDisk 32GB SDHC Card
- USB 2.0 A Male to Mini-5 Female USB Adapter/Converter
- 6-foot male to male RCA cable
- 4-foot 3.5mm male to male stereo audio cable
- AutoEQ Mic
- Poly fill
For the installation, you may also want to have:
- Standard socket set
- Standard hand tools
- Torx set
- Wire hanger or cable snake
- Plastic panel pop tool
- Dremel/Metal cutter
- Zip ties
- Electrical tape
- Wire stripper
- Poly fill
- Magnetic screw tray
- Beer
- Get the security code for the factory head unit, in case you want to sell it or need to put it back in. They will lock automatically when power is removed from them.
- Remove any CD you may have in your current head unit.
- Delete music, picture, addresses, Bluetooth associations, etc. from the stock head unit.
One thing I found out the hard way is that because of the way Chrysler wires the factory amp, you do lose fade control with an aftermarket head unit and the PAC harness. Chrysler uses the rear outputs – and what this means is any audio destined for only the front speakers, such as for Bluetooth phone calls or the navigation voice guidance, won’t be heard. I recommend either swapping the front and rear powered outputs in the harness, or turning “Rear Speakers” off in the head unit options. (For those in the know, this DOES use the powered outputs from the head unit, not the pre-outs. I was confused by this at first but this is how it works. The stock amp must be just for the sub.)
There are many videos online on how to remove the dash panel so I will spare you that write-up, but it’s really just four bolts and it comes right out. The factory head unit comes out easily from there.
One thing to prepare for is that you will need to cut some metal out of your dashboard for an aftermarket head unit to fit. There is a horizontal bar that goes under the factory head unit for support, which needs to be cut out. Use a hacksaw or Dremel tool. It’s a tough angle but you don’t need to cut it exactly in line with the vertical supports – it can be rough. Don’t worry about the weight of the head unit not being supported – it will rest on the vent tubes in the dash.
When removing your factory head unit, take note of which connector is for the FM antenna – the mini-BNC connector looks the same as the one for the factory Sirius antenna.
At this point, plan where to run your cables. I ran the GPS, Sirius, USB (x2), HDMI, and back-up camera cables down between the AC controls and the glove box. It’s tricky but bring a clothes hanger so you can snake everything down easily. In a pinch, the factory antenna works well for this also – I had already replaced mine with a stubby so it was available to use.
Keep your cables hidden and tidy. Use small zip ties to tie everything down or you will get rattles. I ran the GPS and Sirius cables under the dash on the passenger side, popped the panel on the side of the dash, ran them up behind the A-pillar trim panels, then under the padding on the roll bars towards the sound bar, and placed both antennas above the roll bar metal. (Not under the metal or it will block the signal!) I did remove the sound bar for this – there are six bolts and an electrical connector to disconnect. Extra hands helps here (thanks Danny!). There is enough space between the roll bar and the freedom top, and happily both antennas are magnetic, so no drilling is needed. Re-installing the sound bar should hide them and any wires, but zip tie them down anyway for when you have the top off.
While at it, I also filled up my sound bar with poly fill to tighten up the sound.
To retain the USB port in the console, you need a converter from female USB-A to male mini-USB-B, since happily it’s just a standard mini-USB-B cable coming from the dash. Can’t find this adapter at most stores – it should be ordered online. Alternatively, one of the USB cables can be run to the glove box for passenger use using the supplied extension.
For safety reasons, I don’t condone doing anything with the parking brake wire other than what the instructions say, but it is possible to bypass this indicator. Google is your friend.
The factory microphone can’t be used as far as I can tell, as it’s 3-wire (maybe a condenser mic?) and the head unit uses 2-wire. There is an extension cable in the dash for the factory mic which can come out to give a bit more space back there. I ran the Pioneer mic down in the driver’s side footwell, popped the side dash panel, up under the trim panels, and along the roll bar a bit. The mic can be placed between the roll bar padding and the plastic trim pieces. Be sure to zip-tie it down so it doesn't come off when the top is off, and hide the wire the best you can.
It doesn't make sense to use the 3.5mm audio extension cable (for aux input) that came with the head unit since this still leaves you with a female end, so I picked up a 4-foot male to male extension and ran this into the glove box for passenger access.
Getting the head unit into the dash was a bit tight, but just gently move the cables aside as you work the head unit in, being careful not to crush any wires and break the insulation to create a short. Extra hands helps here too. The PAC module can be shoved behind where the instrument display is, and the Sirius module can be shoved behind where the passenger airbag is. Make sure nothing is in a spot where it may rattle. Be sure to keep everything clear of the cooling fan in the back of the head unit. The head unit did not sit as flush as I would have wanted with the dash mounting kit. It was a bit of a squeeze but we made it work. Turn on the ignition and make sure everything works before you put the dash back together.
For the backup camera, I ran the RCA extension cable under the console carpet, and under the rear seat and carpet. Take out all of the carpet and storage bucket in the rear area and unbolt the subwoofer enclosure. I chose my rear bumper as a spot for the camera and it works well. For this location you will need to remove your rear bumper which is 6 bolts. Extra hands helps here (thanks Joe!). Drill a pilot hole from the finished side of the bumper where you want the camera to go, then drill out a hole using a 15/16th hole cutting bit from the unfinished side, to make sure it’s a clean cut. You will need to remove excess plastic from the back of the bumper as well, so you can reach in to mount the camera on the outer surface. (See photos.) Use one of the supplied rings behind the bumper so the nut doesn't go all the way in. Don’t crank it down just yet – you will need to be sure it’s rotated correctly. I ran the wires through the holes in the frame and up under the weather seal on the right side of the tailgate. I had seen others go through the drain hole in the rear but this required cutting the drain plug and ran the wires along the hot exhaust shield, which I didn't want to do. The route I took seemed to work well and was shorter.
Find the wire for the reverse lights behind the sub enclosure (for me it was white/gray stripe) and use the supplied tap connector to connect it to the power lead (red wire from the camera). Then find a body bolt for the ground lead (black wire from the camera). From there it’s just a matter of connecting the RCA cable for the video signal and zip-tying the wires down. Be careful not to place the camera wire module directly behind the sub enclosure – it’s a tight fit and the enclosure won’t go back all the way. At this point, dry fit the rear bumper and test the camera in the head unit (put the transmission in reverse to send power to the camera) and turn it to be straight on the display. Once that’s done, tighten the nut on the camera and button everything back up.
Follow the PAC instructions on programming the steering wheel controls. I went with a custom layout. It never made sense to me that the volume buttons were on the right side of the steering wheel, since if I was going to use my right hand for that, I’d just turn the knob on the head unit three inches away. Using the custom layout option, I made the left side buttons control the volume, and the right side buttons control the tracks. The middle button on the left was set for attenuation, and the middle button on the right controls the source. The phone button on the steering wheel didn’t work for me to activate the head unit phone controls – but I didn’t care too much so didn’t look deeper into it.
This article made it seem easier than it was, but in reality this work was done over three separate days, so prepare for that.
So far I'm very happy with the Pioneer head unit. Tons of options and features. The audio quality is great. I thought I may have to swap out my factory speakers and sub eventually, but at this point I may not - it sounds much better than I expected only with the head unit replacement. Only gripe might be that the interface is more flashy than functional. Will take some getting used to. I would complain that the touch response is slow but no system will be as fast as a smartphone - it's still probably the fastest head unit on the market.
Because I’m an audio nut, I also picked up an SPL meter and audio test CD, and put a frequency generator app on my phone. This way I could test the frequency response of the system and my interior and adjust the EQ accordingly to attenuate any resonance or boost anything which may be getting absorbed. This worked well, and a frequency sweep was pleasantly flat amplitude. Only then did I find out that the Auto EQ mic is an optional add-on which can do this for me automatically, haha. I had put it on my shopping list for later, but, it really should have come with this high-end head unit.
UPDATE: I got the AutoEQ mic for Christmas and it works really well. After running the tuning process, you can turn this option on and off while playing music and the clarity difference is definitely noticeable. The instructions say that you should be outside of the vehicle during the test so you don’t influence the acoustics, but this never made sense to me since I’ll always be in the car while music is playing. But don’t do this without earplugs – the sounds that need to be made for the testing are harsh and damaging.
I will add photos to this post if I can figure out how, haha. Thanks for reading, and let me know if you have any questions! Happy Jeeping!
