2012-15 Tacoma Radio Upgrade; Camera Tips

My Parts;
Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX
Maestro RR Module
Maestro HRN-RR-T01 Harness
Metra 40-LX11 Antenna Adapter
Metra 95-8235 Dash install kit
Metra AX-TOYUSB (If you want to retain your original USB port - I didn't because the orignal usb port doesn't support Carplay or AndriodAuto)


Solder the Metra 40-LX11 Antenna adapter BLUE wire to the blue wire coming off the Pioneer main harness that connects to the BLUE wire on the T01 Harness; creating a T. This supplies a signal/power to the amplified antenna so I am told.


WIRING CAMERA(REARVIEW) Notes;

There is a 24 pin Plug with only 4 wires attached to it;

Interior Harness
Camera Power = Black(Use Red Wire off Radio Harness or Yellow/Black off the T01 Harness)
Ground = (Shield) or just a Bare Wire(Use Black Wire off Radio Harness or Black off T01 Harness)
Video + = Red (Attach to T01 RCA video plug - Yellow Wire)
Video - = White (Attach to T01 RCA Video plug - Brown Wire)

(DO NOT FOLLOW THE Maestro Instructions as the blue/yellow wire from the Maestro harness does not supply enough voltage to power the camera(you need to follow the steps below in BOLD lettering, flash it and use the Yellow/Black wire instead as the original Blue/Yellow wire is only pushing nearly 5volts, you need 6volts

If you want to keep the Maestro RR to power the camera; Do these steps - I figured this out after I had already found a different way to power the camera; Otherwise Skip.

Flash the RR from the Desktop app https://maestro.idatalink.com/weblinkdesktop/en. When it shows the page for recommended firmware select show all and find the firmware titled Test Camera Output on SD; Flash it.

This changes the Camera power output from the Blue/Yellow wire to the Yellow/Black(Which is originally designated for FOOTBRAKE signal off the Maestro Harness_ This Yellow/Black wire supplys 6volts of power to the Camera but will require the custom flash as described.

If you want to supply power to the camera like how I did it because I didn't feel like taking it all out and redoing it; Make sure to solder an additional Wire to the RED accessory power wire and an additonal Wire to the black ground wire basically T taping into these wires- So Red goes to Camera Power and Black goes to Ground (Do not use the ground from the Maestro Harness if you do it this way); I just sent it 12volts from the red wire off the radio harness; no ill-effects as this camera can take 6 or 12volts)

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I hated putting the radio in; all those wires needs to go somewhere and tucking them behind thet dash was a pain in the ass; With this Pioneer 4500nex and the Metra install kit; I couldn't retain the OEM metal radio brackets as they push the radio too far out and the dash kit wouldn't clip back in place; The flimsy plastic brackets were okay but requires a bit of adjusting to get the radio to sit correctly and not tilted, it didn't help any that there was some wires in the back of the radio in the way; required a lot of shifting things around;

Another tip; Make sure you don't obstruct the flow of the REAR cooling fan on the radio; so try to keep wires away from it when you go mount the radio.

The only way I got the radio in was to tuck all the connectors from the interior harness that hooked into the T01 harness into the right side of the dash(Behind the vent); there is space there; limited but will fit; Then route the Maestro RR unit along with the wires that goes into it all the way to the left of the left of the Dash; tucking it behind the left Vent area.

Mount the GPS antenna to the top of the radio and bundled the extra wiring; tucking that into what little space you have on the left side of the dash behind the Air vent.

I wish I took photos; but I was so annoyed with the wiring I just wanted it done and over with.

Also the Maestro RR supports Transmission Temp display =]

 

I have the 4500 and Maestro as well. I really like the SD slot. I have 70 CDs stored as FLACs with room for more. Awesome sound and convenient to use.

 

Is there a better dash kit other than the Metra 95-8235? I used it too, it sucks!

 

The guys at Best Buy used a

$24 99-8251B Mounting Kit for Toyota Tacoma 2016 & Up,Black

99-8251B on my 2016 and it looks OK to me.

 

I was told SCOSCHE makes one

$40 TA2111BPB Compatible with 2012-15 Toyota Tacoma ISO Double DIN & DIN+Pocket Dash Kit; Black Pearl

TA2111BPB

that's the part#; says its 2012-2013 Tacoma, not sure why they didn't include the 2014-2015 but its basically the same.

 

It means purchasing both kits but I bought the Scosche kit for the metal brackets and the Metra kit for the better quality bezel. It looks really great and fits like OEM. I know its probably OCD but the Scosche kit just looked a little off for the color on my 2015. Put the two together and its an OEM fit.

 

@httuner What's your 30 day review of this setup? I'm looking for a new HU for my new 2015 and like the idea of staying with the NEX line after several years with a AVIC-6000NEX

 

So far its great; I highly recommend it; DO NOT BUY THE 8500Nex; The additional cost of having the navigation is worthless; Apple Carplay works just as amazing if not better; if you want stand-alone GPS I'd recommend a Garmin GPS unit instead because the software in the 8500nex sucks for navigating; My wife has the 8500nex in her SUV and we never use the built in GPS since Carplay navigating is more smooth and better.

Sound quality is right on; definitely much better than the OEM head unit; the Matte screen is a MUST HAVE for these trucks; even with the Matte screen the sun still hits it in a way that sometimes makes it hard to see so I can only imagine what the gloss screen will do.

The readout of the trans temp is dead on when compared to my OBD2 diagnostic computer(Snap-On Solus)_ Everything has been working smoothly.

Steering Wheel controls work well; sometimes I wish there was a knob on the headunit so you can turn up and down the sound; I find myself looking for the knob every now and then, but you get use to using the steering wheel volume adjustment after a while.

I say go for it; it was a head-ache doing the install since the stupid brackets on the metra dash kit sucks really bad; you have to find the correct adjustment just to get it right, I had to use washers and shims to get the radio to sit perfectly square with the dash since it sat crooked with those usless brackets. Buy the Scosche kit if you want the metal brackets (or modify your OEM brackets to work) Requires drilling/measuring ect.

 

Oh and adjust your fuel to 19.1 Gallons on the Radio for the Maestro read out; it gets it pretty accurate; if you put 21.1 like what your tank actually is; It'll be off on the Fuel percentage.

 

Thanks for the update. I bought both dash kits based on what I read elsewhere about the brackets and face plates. I like having the offline maps but Gaia has carplay functionality now so that's less of a concern. I use the nav in the black truck as a backup to a backup.

 

so regarding the mounting brackets... i was kinda pissed when i saw the brackets that came with my metra kit were plastic. could i re-use the stock metal brackets if i cut off the extraneous parts and add the appropriate holes? Also, since the head unit isn't actuall connected to the trim piece, any issues with vibrations or rattles between the two?

 

No vibrations or rattles; You can re-use the OEM metal brackets; they do mount up; however they do not position the radio correctly thus causing the plastic faceplate trim to not want to latch back into place. If you have more patience then me you can redrill the OEM brackets to work; however I was in no mood to be attempting it. I did however cut the OEM bracket and mount it to the radio only to find out it doesn't position the radio correctly.

 

Yeah I tried redrilling the OEM and gave up, epic pain in the ass. Ended up using the cheapy plastic ones and they are fine. Seems like it would be a piece of cake for a theif to pull off the trim piece then just rip out the stereo

 

@Prayn4surf