Pioneer AVIC-N4 wiring install help...

[robains]

I got the Pioneer AVIC-N4 and I'm in the process of installing it in my Exige S. Will also be doing the plate backup camera. Got a few questions:

1. Does anyone know what wire (location and color) is the Car speed signal (AVIC-N4 says pink)?
2. Parking brake switch -- assume this is used to prevent use of DVD and/or Nav programming while driving? Yes/No? If Yes, can I simple just ground this wire to make the unit think it is always in park?
3. Reverse Gear wire (for use with triggering the backup camera)?
4. And finally, removing my exiting head unit -- any hints here?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Rob.

[schodrow]

Just completing a similar install - AVIC N4 +bluetooth +iPOD +SIRIUS
Alpine PDX5, JL Audio Stealthbox and Polk MOMO Front/Rears

1) There are four light green wires running down the center console, I spliced right before the stick shift. I used the light green with pink stripe... not sure if this works yet as the system is still learning. Optional connection regardless - increases accuracy of positioning.

2) refer to AVIC411.com for more tips - you need to ground the parking brake lead and also the second pin on the top left of the white connector to the display unit (if looking at the back of the unit). You can pull out and use one of the unused leads to make a better connection (yellow/black mute wire?). Make sure the connection is tight since it can easily come out and break the connection - some recommend a drop of super glue, I used a small needle to jam the pin in tighter. This is currently working and WAY cool.

3) Didn't connect since I didn't add the rear view camera - I ran the wire to the trunk in case I change my mind later. Should be easy to identify since the wires are all fully exposed in the trunk.

4) Since I got the car used, I didn't have the "key" to release the head unit (I had an aftermarket Alpine unit). I slid a butter knife along each side of the unit to release - was very easy. Regardless, since you need to take the dash apart anyway you can easily remove the radio and entire bracket once apart.

Good luck!

[charliex]

the parking brake trick shouldn't work on any of the later firmwares of the Avics, it detects the speed sensor or the GPS moving indicator and switches off the video, i have the same unit and my speed sensor isn't hooked up and i have the parking brake wired in, if i apply the brake it'll work for a few seconds then say its incorrectly wired or you're moving,.

[schodrow]

Parking brake bypass seems to work for me. Can watch videos and enter nav while driving. System also registers the speed correctly (avic vehicle dynamics display is more accurate than lotus speedo).

[schodrow]

Sorry, just noticed in the previous post that you have a 2007, you can get the speed sensor right from the radio harness... don't need to splice into the wires in the center console.

[robains]

Yes all good now, including watching movies. Not sure about the GPS vs. Lotus speedo, GPS shows about 2-3 MPH lower than Lotus speedo, BUT police speed traps show speed to be exactly the same as the Lotus speedo. But in either case it's within 2-3 mph, so that's good enough for me.

I love this AVIC-N4, my only complaint is that I have to have the approapriate NAV DVD in the unit if I want to get navigation -- was hoping it would just load the NAV DVD data into non-volitle RAM (heck 4GB and 8GB sticks are so cheap these days that I'm surprised they didn't have one in unit).