Pioneer AVH-P8400BH install

Just installed the Pioneer 8400BH. I must say this receiver is awesome. The picture quality is great and it is very user friendly.

I however do not suggest the CD-201S cable unless you plan on using the GPS while only being able to listen to your IPOD (no pandora or radio) at the same time. it is great for the person that wants to just play with there APPS on the screen of their radio. also it does not work with the relay bypass. you must create an inline switch to get past it.

On another not i switched from the Metra install kit to the Scosche and the Scoshe is much better. I spent hours trying to get the Metra to fit correctly and had to live with it not being perfect where as with the Scosche it dropped in and bolted up perfect with no modification or playing with it.

 

Your hazard button actually FITS. I have the Metra kit and I'm not happy at all with the fit.

 

I thought the same thing so i bought the Scosche one and I am very pleased with the results.

 

I installed my 8400 with the metra kit. Had to shave a few parts down on the 4 plastic clips to make it fit. It's very snug now!

However, I also noticed that the hazard button opening is slightly crooked and overall seems to have a tad bit more space between the driver's side of the headunit than the passenger's side. Gonna keep it for now, but might switch over to that scosche kit eventually.

Quick question. Does that black frame piece stick out on the top left corner? or was it just during install?

EDIT: Oh yea, looks sick man!

 

Scotty3
I just ordered this radio from my friends stereo shop this past weekend! I cannot wait to get it and get rid of this piece of junk factory radio.

Thank you very much for the recommendation to use the Scosche Kit.

Questions:
1) Can you please elaborate on why not to buy the CD-IU201S. I ordered this cable also along with the CD-MC-20 to calibrate the radio to the car parameters.

2) Did you add a microphone for the bluetooth radio function if so what mic did you use.

3) Can you please explain why the relay bypass does not work and what you mean by a switch bypass.

4) Are you using the factory speakers or are you using aftermarket speakers with a amp?

5) Do you still have your steering wheel controls. if so what interface did you use.

Sorry for all the questions but I want to get everything ready to go before my radio arrives.

Thank you in advance for all your help.

Ken.

 

im getting the exact same set up installed Thursday, looking at yours makes me that much more excited!

 

I just ordered this radio from my friends stereo shop this past weekend! I cannot wait to get it and get rid of this piece of junk factory radio.

Thank you very much for the recommendation to use the Scosche Kit.

Questions:
1) Can you please elaborate on why not to buy the CD-IU201S. I ordered this cable also along with the CD-MC-20 to calibrate the radio to the car parameters.

The usability of app mode is a little awkward. all functions on the radio stop to go into app mode and it lets you use the apps on your Iphone which is pretty cool but the thing is for some reason it looks like the picture and sound quality decreases in this mode. you are only able to use it in park unless you have a bypass switch to trick the system. I got it mainly for the GPS and it works alright but you(or your co-pilot) cant use it down the road without a hassle. In addition if i want to play with my apps i will just use the phone. I will be messing with it more to see if there is more i have missed with it.

2) Did you add a microphone for the bluetooth radio function if so what mic did you use.

It comes with a microphone for the bluetooth phone control which i suggest routing under the dash, up the A-pillar, across the front of the headliner and connect at the rear-view mirror.

3) Can you please explain why the relay bypass does not work and what you mean by a switch bypass.

the relay bypass is used to trick the system to think that you have your e-brake pulled. this lets you (or your passangers) use all the functions of the head unit while driving down the road. The way it works is the green wire on the back of the head unit must be grounded after the unit is turned on so you use a relay hooked to the amp turn on to ground the wires. when using the auto-eq function the amp turn on wire turns off until the auto-eq starts. so you need a switch for that that goes to a ground. also to use app mode you have to trip the system once. Pioneer is making it harder to trick the system is all. you can just hook up the green wire like it is supposed to but you will limit the usability.

4) Are you using the factory speakers or are you using aftermarket speakers with a amp?

I am using the gay factory things in the headliner for rears and i have an amp to the fronts that i installed. I use a JL slash 300/2 to power focal polyglass components. I will be changing to add a sub back in eventually.

5) Do you still have your steering wheel controls. if so what interface did you use.

I used the *********.com harness which is plug and play and works really well in comparison to other ones i have seen. no lag and is easy to set up. I also suggest them for speaker adapters if that is something your interested in.

Sorry for all the questions but I want to get everything ready to go before my radio arrives.

Thank you in advance for all your help.

 

The black frame piece does stick out a little but it is not as bad as the pic shows it to be

 

Scotty3,
Thank you very much for all the detailed answers.

I ordered the following last night from Amazon so I am ready when my radio comes in:
SCOSCHE Dash kit

$29 TA2053S9B Compatible with 2009-11 Toyota Tacoma ISO Double DIN Dash Kit, Light Metallic Silver

TA2053S9B ISO Double Din Installation Kit

$7 Scosche TA02B Stereo Wiring Harness Compatible with Select 1986-20 Toyota, Lexus, Scion and Subaru Vehicles - Aftermarket Radio Wire Harness for Car Stereo . Check Vehicle List Below for Your Model

Scosche TA02B Wiring Harness
Metra Axxess ASWC Universal Steering Wheel Control Interface
Parking Break Override Bypass

Ken

 

can you still use the factory bluetooth, or do you have to disable it? What about XM?

 

my truck did not have that stuff so im not sure. if you get the right harness i think it should all work the same except for maybe XM. XM tends to not work the same without the brand specific XM controller.

 

Scotty3, thanks for all the info here. I'm looking into this unit.. I just had a quick question:

So I take it when you plug in your iphone (or other smartphone), it says "accessory attached" or something like that.. So how do I go about using something like my iHeart Radio app on my phone? I know the unit has Pandora built in, but would I have to start the iHeart radio app first on my phone and then plug it in for it to play? I wonder if the album covers would show and if I would be able to have any functions.. Just curious if you had any experience with something like this with the 8400. I don't mind using Pandora but I prefer some of the options of iHeart Radio.. Thanks a ton.

 

you can use your phone through Bluetooth and control it on the phone, or plug it in using the USB on the back and control it on the unit itself but i think that works only for iphones 8400 from what i have read. I'm not sure about iheart radio. the album covers only show when it is plugged in for pandora

 

So I got this radio a couple of months ago and wonder if those of you that have had it longer can answer a question. Is there a way to turn off the little album artwork box on the display. It annoys the hell outta me, and half the time I listen to talk radio the other half is regular radio, and it takes forever for a picture to come up. If one does at all.
Thanks

 

You can go to backgrounds and set the EQ as the background and the album art won't come up.

 

looks fantastic OP!

 

Yeah, I want to keep the background picture that I have, but make the little box go away. There probably isn't a way to do it, but thought I would ask.

 

Do you need an antenna adapter?

 

If you have a 2012-2013 then yes. 2011 and below will not require any adapter

 

Oh and just for future reference, here is my scosche kit: