Aftermarket Radio Question

So I've searched and searched and have'nt found my answer so I'm throwing my frist post out to the Tacoma Forums hoping for a Guru and some help. I installed an Alpine headunit to replace the stock 6 disc changer in my 2008 Tacoma Access Cab. I wired up the amp and subwoofer. Night time came around and I realized I had no gauge lights. Checked all the fuses and they were all fine. I ended up taking the truck to Toyota and come to find out a blew the "REO stat" and had to pay $360.00. A buddy of mine told me after the fact NOT to connect the orange "dimmer" wires and that I wouldnt have this problem again. I mean I bought the dash kit, sub, amp, and stereo already and i just want to have a decent sounding system that I can be iPod accessible with. Some good advice appreciated. Thanks.

- Matt

 

360!! ouch.It's all good now?

 

Yes.. it back in full effect.. stock tho. Im really anxious for some input so I can install my alpine headunit, amp and sub though

 

oh ok,Sorry i can't help ya.Not my thing.

 

I believe that the aftermarket harness has 2 different illumination wires, 1positive 1negative. Only 1needs to be connected, I thinking negative which iirc is orange/white. Connecting the wrong one might send voltage where it doesn't belong. That sucks paying 360. I would disconnect both of them and ensure neither one grounds out on metal.

 

Yes, all of the wires I have connected match color. Except the 3 orange wires I have sitting here. One comes from the actual aftermarket headunit and it is PLAIN ORANGE, the second one comes from the bigger harness and that is ORANGE WITH A WHITE STRIPE, and the third one comes from the smaller harness that is ORANGE WITH A BLACK STRIPE.

http://www.starmanage.com/installation/tacomadash/IMG_3939.html
Looking at this picture here the orange wires are connected but the wire coming off of the the bigger harness doesnt have the white stripe like mine does.

AND

http://www.golinuxshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=7319
Looking at the harness here everything is identical to the one i have EXCEPT coming out of the smaller harness that has the purple and green wires i have the one orange with a black stripe wire.. And like I said before.. my buddy that works at at Best Buy as Mobile Installer told me not to connect ANY of the ORANGE wires.. im so torn on what to do. Im not looking forward to spending $360 on something like that again... GRRRR!

 

i would check the12volt.com forums for answers. ive always had good luck finding diagrams and connections. iirc you connect the headunit orange wire to the orange wire on the larger harness, then cap off the other orange wire on the smaller harness. but check the12volt.com first, i could be wrong.

 

Hey, thanks alot. Im going to try it again tonight .. its going to be like a hair trigger for me this time around though... $360.00 aint cheap!

UPDATE:
Just finished installing and it went perfect! Thanks for everyone's help.
(By the way I didnt connect any of the orange wires)

 

2009 X-Runner

I have a question regarding the illumination wiring on this nav unit. The installation instruction calls out for an orange/white wire to be hooked up to the head light switch (illumination (+)). On the HU unit itself there is a sticker that says orange/white to illumination (dimmer).

On the Metra wiring harness with the large connector there is an orange/white wire labeled (dimmer) and on the small connector there is an orange/black wire but on the Metra instructions it is labeled orange (illumination).

Can anyone help with this installation? This is my last wire to be hooked up and it is holding up my installation

Thanks.....

 

The OJ/Blk stripe wire may well be a ground wire(test with a VOMeter to know for sure) & I would suggest not using it. IE do not hook the OJ/Blk wire from HU to the OJ/Wht(or OJ) wire on your truck's harness, this could cause a short!!!

Hooking the OJ/Wht(or OJ) wire from the HU to the OJ/Wht(or OJ) on your Metra harness should do the trick. Both OJ & OJ/Wht wires are +12VDC illumination/dimmer wires. As you can see from the below EIA chart, wires with a small white stripe & a main color are generally positive. Wires with a small black stripe & a main color are generally negative.

 

Orange/white is the right one! Metra told me that the orange/black is negative and the orange/white is positive. Eclipse told me to use a positive illumination (orange/white.

Thanks....

 

Matt - Had 2 questions for you: When you first hooked up your new HU did you use that OJ/black wire in any way?

After installing your new HU the 2nd time not using any of the OJ illumination wires, did you notice anything different visually about the HU driving at night?

 

Check here for more illuminating info on the orange wire issue!

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/audio-video/51156-after-market-install-gage-light-not-working.html