Sony XNV-770BT install
07-29-2012, 04:36 PM
#1
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Join Date: 06-26-2012
Location: Saint Peter, MN
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Sony XNV-770BT install
Today I installed a Sony XNV-770BT head unit in my 2006 (2LT with the Pioneer system) and thought I'd post some info here in case it helps someone else. Note that the parts I used (listed below) are specific to my install and different years and/or different option packages (base stereo, OnStar, whatever) may require different parts. Note that I only replaced the head unit and kept all of the other stock components. This isn't intended as a complete step-by-step but rather an overview of what needs to be done. Specifically, the wiring isn't documented and is up to you to figure out. If you can solder and follow directions, you're good to go. 
The first step was gathering up all of the components. Here's what I ended up with for my 2LT:
As for tools, aside from whatever you need to do the wiring, the rest can be accomplished with a 7mm socket or nut driver, Phillips screwdriver, and a cutting tool of some sort (hacksaw blade, Dremel, whatever works for you).
I then followed the directions to wire everything up. (I also hardwired my Valentine 1 radar detector into the same harness while I was at it.) I ended up with a huge mass of wires, which is to be expected with a full-featured nav unit like this.
NOTE: There are a million "brake bypass" kits available for sale on eBay for this unit. Save yourself the $10 and just wire the parking brake wire into the common ground. If you read the fine print in the instructions for the head unit, it tells you to do this. Obviously this is only for video viewing in the with additional monitors in the back seat, since it's illegal (in some / most? / all? locales) to have video in the front seat when the car is in motion.
Next step is to remove the factory head unit. Start by pulling off the bezel around the stereo and climate controls by carefully pulling from the vents at the top and work your way down. Officially I think you're supposed to remove the stuff around the shifter first, but if you're careful you won't need to -- but understand that this bezel kinda tucks into the one around the shifter and if you just yank on it like a gorilla you may break something, and you'll need to be careful during the reinstall as well. You've been warned. There are several wires that need to be disconnected at the top and bottom before the panel can be set aside. When the bezel is removed, you'll have something like this:
You have to remove the climate control panel before the head unit will come out. Four 7mm screws hold it in.
You don't need to disconnect the wiring, but you can if you want to. With that out of the way, you can remove four more 7mm screws and pull the factory head unit out after disconnecting the wiring connectors and antenna.
One thing you'll notice when disconnecting the head unit is that the antenna may be different than you're used to. The factory antenna uses a snap-lock connector rather than the good old-fashioned connector that had been used since the beginning of time, so that's why you'll need the adapter listed above.
At some point you'll need to trim the top tabs off of the double DIN adapter (don't worry; it's in the directions that come with it).
Now comes the scary part. The Sony head unit (and presumably a lot of other aftermarket units) is deeper than the factory unit, so you need to do some trimming of the plastic. You can probably get away with just cutting out the back. I decided to remove some material from the bottom as well to give me an easy place to shove all of the adapters, wiring, etc.
I had hoped I could get away with only trimming out the bottom, but ultimately I had to take out a lot of the back as well because the Sony unit wouldn't go in far enough because of the wiring harnesses at the back. No big deal; no one will ever see it unless they too decide to replace the stereo. It's not integral to the structure, either, and there's not much wiring behind it to worry about, so cut carefully but don't worry too much. I used a hacksaw blade in a handle (rather than a traditional hacksaw frame) and it made quick work of the thin plastic. I cleaned it up a bit more after taking this pic, but not much. As I said, no one's ever gonna see it.
Now you've got a decision to make: Where do you want the iPod and TomTom unit to be stored? You obviously need both to be accessible. (Remember, the TomTom has to come out so you can connect it to your computer for updates, so you don't want it buried under the dash.) In my research I saw lots of different configurations in lots of different vehicles. Ultimately I decided rather than drilling a huge hole in the side of the dash storage bin and running the wires through it I would use my Dremel to make an unobtrusive notch in the frame for that bin.
If you close the bin, you'll see there's quite a gap between the lid and the frame, plenty to run some wires across while still allowing the lid to close.
I ran the connectors for the iPod and TomTom up through existing holes underneath the bin, then routed them into the bin, reinstalled the bin, and plugged in the TomTom unit.
(Continued in the next post, since I'm limited to 15 pics per post.)
The first step was gathering up all of the components. Here's what I ended up with for my 2LT:
- Metra (Axxess) GMOS-LAN-04 amplified interface
- Metra ASWC steering wheel interface
- Metra 40-CR10 antenna adapter
- Metra 95-3302 double DIN dash kit
As for tools, aside from whatever you need to do the wiring, the rest can be accomplished with a 7mm socket or nut driver, Phillips screwdriver, and a cutting tool of some sort (hacksaw blade, Dremel, whatever works for you).
I then followed the directions to wire everything up. (I also hardwired my Valentine 1 radar detector into the same harness while I was at it.) I ended up with a huge mass of wires, which is to be expected with a full-featured nav unit like this.
NOTE: There are a million "brake bypass" kits available for sale on eBay for this unit. Save yourself the $10 and just wire the parking brake wire into the common ground. If you read the fine print in the instructions for the head unit, it tells you to do this. Obviously this is only for video viewing in the with additional monitors in the back seat, since it's illegal (in some / most? / all? locales) to have video in the front seat when the car is in motion.
Next step is to remove the factory head unit. Start by pulling off the bezel around the stereo and climate controls by carefully pulling from the vents at the top and work your way down. Officially I think you're supposed to remove the stuff around the shifter first, but if you're careful you won't need to -- but understand that this bezel kinda tucks into the one around the shifter and if you just yank on it like a gorilla you may break something, and you'll need to be careful during the reinstall as well. You've been warned. There are several wires that need to be disconnected at the top and bottom before the panel can be set aside. When the bezel is removed, you'll have something like this:
You have to remove the climate control panel before the head unit will come out. Four 7mm screws hold it in.
You don't need to disconnect the wiring, but you can if you want to. With that out of the way, you can remove four more 7mm screws and pull the factory head unit out after disconnecting the wiring connectors and antenna.
One thing you'll notice when disconnecting the head unit is that the antenna may be different than you're used to. The factory antenna uses a snap-lock connector rather than the good old-fashioned connector that had been used since the beginning of time, so that's why you'll need the adapter listed above.
At some point you'll need to trim the top tabs off of the double DIN adapter (don't worry; it's in the directions that come with it).
Now comes the scary part. The Sony head unit (and presumably a lot of other aftermarket units) is deeper than the factory unit, so you need to do some trimming of the plastic. You can probably get away with just cutting out the back. I decided to remove some material from the bottom as well to give me an easy place to shove all of the adapters, wiring, etc.
I had hoped I could get away with only trimming out the bottom, but ultimately I had to take out a lot of the back as well because the Sony unit wouldn't go in far enough because of the wiring harnesses at the back. No big deal; no one will ever see it unless they too decide to replace the stereo. It's not integral to the structure, either, and there's not much wiring behind it to worry about, so cut carefully but don't worry too much. I used a hacksaw blade in a handle (rather than a traditional hacksaw frame) and it made quick work of the thin plastic. I cleaned it up a bit more after taking this pic, but not much. As I said, no one's ever gonna see it.
Now you've got a decision to make: Where do you want the iPod and TomTom unit to be stored? You obviously need both to be accessible. (Remember, the TomTom has to come out so you can connect it to your computer for updates, so you don't want it buried under the dash.) In my research I saw lots of different configurations in lots of different vehicles. Ultimately I decided rather than drilling a huge hole in the side of the dash storage bin and running the wires through it I would use my Dremel to make an unobtrusive notch in the frame for that bin.
If you close the bin, you'll see there's quite a gap between the lid and the frame, plenty to run some wires across while still allowing the lid to close.
I ran the connectors for the iPod and TomTom up through existing holes underneath the bin, then routed them into the bin, reinstalled the bin, and plugged in the TomTom unit.
(Continued in the next post, since I'm limited to 15 pics per post.)
07-29-2012, 04:37 PM
#2
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Join Date: 06-26-2012
Location: Saint Peter, MN
Posts: 161
(Continued from previous post.)
(No pictures, but I put the GPS antenna kinda under/behind the bin between the hinges, a perfect fit and about the best possible place for a good signal while still being hidden out of sight. I've seen some people put it right on top of the head unit, but I didn't want it buried that far in the dash and have all that unnecessary signal interference. The GPS antenna connects to the TomTom unit, which is why there are three cables running into the bin.)
For the Bluetooth microphone, I considered several less-than-ideal locations before coming across this lovely spot right in front of the steering wheel. By popping the dash cover loose (two more 7mm screws) and removing the cluster bezel (two short Phillips screws) I was able to clip the mike in place and reassemble without having to modify anything visible. This install is 100% reversible if I ever want to go back to the factory head unit, with no outward sign (aside from the small notch in the bin frame that can't be seen when the lid is closed) that it was ever there.
I tested everything before I had even mounted the unit, but before buttoning everything up for good it was time to test the various functions. Not pictured here are the Metra adapters required to retain the factory warning chimes, turn signal clicker, and steering wheel controls. You'll need to be sure that the steering wheel controls work before you close everything up, because if the auto-detect doesn't work you'll need to program the Metra unit manually. My testing showed that DVDs play without the parking brake being applied (again, for show or off-road use only
) and the unit shows all of the songs, albums, playlists, cover art, etc. from my kid's iPhone.
(Bonus points if you recognize the movie!) Once everything is confirmed to be working, reconnect the various connectors and carefully reinstall the dash bezel, noting the stuff that has to be tucked in and the alignment posts that need to be gently coaxed into place at the bottom. Enjoy your new unit!
Hope this helps someone!
Brent
(No pictures, but I put the GPS antenna kinda under/behind the bin between the hinges, a perfect fit and about the best possible place for a good signal while still being hidden out of sight. I've seen some people put it right on top of the head unit, but I didn't want it buried that far in the dash and have all that unnecessary signal interference. The GPS antenna connects to the TomTom unit, which is why there are three cables running into the bin.)
For the Bluetooth microphone, I considered several less-than-ideal locations before coming across this lovely spot right in front of the steering wheel. By popping the dash cover loose (two more 7mm screws) and removing the cluster bezel (two short Phillips screws) I was able to clip the mike in place and reassemble without having to modify anything visible. This install is 100% reversible if I ever want to go back to the factory head unit, with no outward sign (aside from the small notch in the bin frame that can't be seen when the lid is closed) that it was ever there.
I tested everything before I had even mounted the unit, but before buttoning everything up for good it was time to test the various functions. Not pictured here are the Metra adapters required to retain the factory warning chimes, turn signal clicker, and steering wheel controls. You'll need to be sure that the steering wheel controls work before you close everything up, because if the auto-detect doesn't work you'll need to program the Metra unit manually. My testing showed that DVDs play without the parking brake being applied (again, for show or off-road use only
) and the unit shows all of the songs, albums, playlists, cover art, etc. from my kid's iPhone.(Bonus points if you recognize the movie!) Once everything is confirmed to be working, reconnect the various connectors and carefully reinstall the dash bezel, noting the stuff that has to be tucked in and the alignment posts that need to be gently coaxed into place at the bottom. Enjoy your new unit!
Hope this helps someone!
Brent
07-29-2012, 04:52 PM
#3
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Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 36,580
awesome job, looks great , why not look up Canuck Motorsports lowering coils, they work awesome are very comfortable in ride and don't bottom out, just a thought! Enjoy, and the bonus points, Avitar
Last edited by Oldblue; 07-29-2012 at 04:57 PM. Reason: darned spell check!!
07-29-2012, 07:14 PM
#4
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Join Date: 06-26-2012
Location: Saint Peter, MN
Posts: 161
On a note more related to this thread, I took the HHR for a drive tonight and there's some barely-but-very noticeable alternator whine. Looks like I'll be pulling it apart and rerouting some wires and/or adding a ground. (I didn't ground anything to the chassis; just used the factory ground built into the harness.) *sigh*
07-29-2012, 07:33 PM
#5
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Join Date: 03-09-2012
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 1,430
Great write up! I went to a local stereo shop on Friday and has him price me out a full custom system with a nice new nav unit. I don't see me spending the $4k anytime soon but I think I've got to change my head unit out with a touch screen.
07-30-2012, 03:09 AM
#6
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Join Date: 12-14-2007
Location: Toronto ON Canada
Posts: 2,964
Nice install.
I just put in an alpine and was wondering, did you happen to check what is connected to the two clips on the back of the stereo cubby? (they are in your pics)
The alpine has a large heatsink on the back, it looks like I may have to remove the entire back including those clips.
Oh, I believe its Serenity, awesome movie, and tv series.
I just put in an alpine and was wondering, did you happen to check what is connected to the two clips on the back of the stereo cubby? (they are in your pics)
The alpine has a large heatsink on the back, it looks like I may have to remove the entire back including those clips.
Oh, I believe its Serenity, awesome movie, and tv series.
07-30-2012, 08:05 AM
#8
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Thread Starter
Join Date: 06-26-2012
Location: Saint Peter, MN
Posts: 161
Nice install.
I just put in an alpine and was wondering, did you happen to check what is connected to the two clips on the back of the stereo cubby? (they are in your pics)
The alpine has a large heatsink on the back, it looks like I may have to remove the entire back including those clips.
I just put in an alpine and was wondering, did you happen to check what is connected to the two clips on the back of the stereo cubby? (they are in your pics)
The alpine has a large heatsink on the back, it looks like I may have to remove the entire back including those clips.
Ding ding ding! We have some winners!
07-30-2012, 10:05 AM
#10
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Join Date: 12-14-2007
Location: Toronto ON Canada
Posts: 2,964
But if those clips are supporting the duct off the back, I would try to rig up another means, as it feels flimsy already when the waterfall is removed, could be the only support.