The long story very short: the sucker works in USA cars. :w00t:
The Pioneer CA-R-PI.221 VW/Seat/Skoda Steering Wheel Remote Adaptor is an European only adapter for VW cars that enables any Pioneer HU with a remote control jack to use the OEM steering wheel buttons to control the basic fuctions of the HU, such as...
- Vol +
- Vol -
- Mute
... but most important, it provides the missing main inputs signals for a Pioneer standard HU and for Navigation system HU:
- ACC
- Illumination
- Reverse
- Speed pulse
Because it is designed for Euro VW's, Pioneer USA does not import these adapters so no USA vendor offers this item. Thus to get one of these adapters to test one was ordered from http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/view_product.php?partno=CARPI221 , an UK car sound online store for $107. Because it was back ordered it took a little over a month to get it... but it was worth it.
The adapter comes with three main plastic connectors: the VW Fakra Quadlock main plug, the speaker inputs connector and the power/ACC/ground connector. Speed/Reverse/Illumination outputs are separate an individually available with their own round connector jacks.
According to the installation sheet included, in Europe the Pioneer HU's already have matching connector plugs for the speakers and power. In my case, the Avic Z2 does not: both power and speaker outputs are in one combined connector. The options are to cut those two individual connectors and splice the wires or use OEM spade connectors to plug them into those connectors without cutting and splicing.
Using the standard Ebay VW radio harness, I remove all the wires from it (they have the OEM spade connectors) and used them to connect all my inputs and outputs to the CA-R-PI.221 connectors. No cutting/splicing at all...
At the same time I solved two HU issues: the Avic Z2 weak sub RCA outputs and poor FM reception.
The issue of the weak sub output in the Avic Z2 was solved by gounding to its chassis the negative side of the sub RCA jacks. This was done by the advice of a Pioneer USA tech when I complained to them about this weak sub output issue. It seems that the Avic Z2 sub output uses a ground loop that could be causing compatibilities problems with certain aftermarket amps, so in those cases the sub RCA ground (outside ring in the plug) have to be directly connected to the Z2's chassis. In the photo the black screw in the back of the chassis is that ground connection, using T-taps to connect the negative wires of the RCA's to it without cutting any wires. Now the subs are more "solid" and "deep" at the same volume as before.
The poor FM reception was solved using a Metra 40-EU55 amplified antenna cable available here http://enfigcarstereo.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/40_EU55.html . It is shown in the photo as a black antenna cable with the foam around it. It requires a 12V input signal, which I connected to one of two the Avic remote power signal outputs. FM reception now is much more stronger than before.
Once all wires are properly identified (yellow wire is 12V, green/brown is ground, red/orange is ACC, speaker wires identifications are printed in the wires) and connected, just plugged it to the Avic Z2, pressed the Reset button and the sucker just turn on. :clap:
Overall:
ACC signal works: radio is on with the key on as long as there is CAN bus traffic by opening a door for some 10-15 minutes.
Illumination signal works: switching the foglights or headlight on triggers the illumination signal on.
Reverse signal works: engaging reverse triggers the Reverse signal on.
Speed signal works: pulses can be seen on the Avic Hardware screen. With this signal now available the accuracy of the Avic GPS system is close to perfect. Before the sucker was always 100 to 150 ft feet off the actual location. No mo'...
Parking Brake signal still have to be directly connected to the Parking Brake 12V signal: there is no Parking Brake output in this adapter.
Only the left steering wheel buttons work: Unfortunately, this adapter is not programmable because it is not universal, it is only for Pioneer HU. Although this is a Version 3 I was expecting some solution to the CAN bus elimination of the Audio screen on the MFD once the OEM HU is removed, but no matter how I pressed the right buttons down (long or short press) they do not work. Only the left Mute and Vol + and Vol - work; no phone button fuctionality with the Pioneer Bluetooth module either, that's the worst part of this adapter. Because that was my previous configuration (only Mute, Vol +, -) using the PAC SWI modules this is no issue for me. But for those using the right buttons custom programmed for Track + and - this could be an issue.
No warranty in case of malfunction: this is not a Pioneer USA product, this is an Pioneer Euro product, so its use in a USA vehicle voids any warranties -explicit or implicit- that this adapter could have. Something to be seriously considered before any ordering.
IMO, this is a great adapter for those with Pioneer Avic Nav's, with most of the main outputs/inuts signals present in one place and is as close to plug n' play as possible.
However, PAC and Peripheral are supposed to introduce this year adapters in the USA that will include all of these signals also in addition to being fully programmable. The cons are that these adapters are still in two separate pieces, they require splicing of wires, and they do not include a prewired VW Fakra Quadlock main plug. Most probably these adapters are going to be slightly more expensive than this Pioneer's also because the regular PAC SWI adapters and a separate/required VW Fakra Quadlock main plug together are more expensive than what I paid for this Pioneer's.
At the end, either route is much better than what have been offered so far for aftermarket HU installations in the MKV. :thumbup:
The Pioneer CA-R-PI.221 VW/Seat/Skoda Steering Wheel Remote Adaptor is an European only adapter for VW cars that enables any Pioneer HU with a remote control jack to use the OEM steering wheel buttons to control the basic fuctions of the HU, such as...
- Vol +
- Vol -
- Mute
... but most important, it provides the missing main inputs signals for a Pioneer standard HU and for Navigation system HU:
- ACC
- Illumination
- Reverse
- Speed pulse
Because it is designed for Euro VW's, Pioneer USA does not import these adapters so no USA vendor offers this item. Thus to get one of these adapters to test one was ordered from http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/view_product.php?partno=CARPI221 , an UK car sound online store for $107. Because it was back ordered it took a little over a month to get it... but it was worth it.
The adapter comes with three main plastic connectors: the VW Fakra Quadlock main plug, the speaker inputs connector and the power/ACC/ground connector. Speed/Reverse/Illumination outputs are separate an individually available with their own round connector jacks.
According to the installation sheet included, in Europe the Pioneer HU's already have matching connector plugs for the speakers and power. In my case, the Avic Z2 does not: both power and speaker outputs are in one combined connector. The options are to cut those two individual connectors and splice the wires or use OEM spade connectors to plug them into those connectors without cutting and splicing.
Using the standard Ebay VW radio harness, I remove all the wires from it (they have the OEM spade connectors) and used them to connect all my inputs and outputs to the CA-R-PI.221 connectors. No cutting/splicing at all...
At the same time I solved two HU issues: the Avic Z2 weak sub RCA outputs and poor FM reception.
The issue of the weak sub output in the Avic Z2 was solved by gounding to its chassis the negative side of the sub RCA jacks. This was done by the advice of a Pioneer USA tech when I complained to them about this weak sub output issue. It seems that the Avic Z2 sub output uses a ground loop that could be causing compatibilities problems with certain aftermarket amps, so in those cases the sub RCA ground (outside ring in the plug) have to be directly connected to the Z2's chassis. In the photo the black screw in the back of the chassis is that ground connection, using T-taps to connect the negative wires of the RCA's to it without cutting any wires. Now the subs are more "solid" and "deep" at the same volume as before.
The poor FM reception was solved using a Metra 40-EU55 amplified antenna cable available here http://enfigcarstereo.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/40_EU55.html . It is shown in the photo as a black antenna cable with the foam around it. It requires a 12V input signal, which I connected to one of two the Avic remote power signal outputs. FM reception now is much more stronger than before.
Once all wires are properly identified (yellow wire is 12V, green/brown is ground, red/orange is ACC, speaker wires identifications are printed in the wires) and connected, just plugged it to the Avic Z2, pressed the Reset button and the sucker just turn on. :clap:
Overall:
ACC signal works: radio is on with the key on as long as there is CAN bus traffic by opening a door for some 10-15 minutes.
Illumination signal works: switching the foglights or headlight on triggers the illumination signal on.
Reverse signal works: engaging reverse triggers the Reverse signal on.
Speed signal works: pulses can be seen on the Avic Hardware screen. With this signal now available the accuracy of the Avic GPS system is close to perfect. Before the sucker was always 100 to 150 ft feet off the actual location. No mo'...
Parking Brake signal still have to be directly connected to the Parking Brake 12V signal: there is no Parking Brake output in this adapter.
Only the left steering wheel buttons work: Unfortunately, this adapter is not programmable because it is not universal, it is only for Pioneer HU. Although this is a Version 3 I was expecting some solution to the CAN bus elimination of the Audio screen on the MFD once the OEM HU is removed, but no matter how I pressed the right buttons down (long or short press) they do not work. Only the left Mute and Vol + and Vol - work; no phone button fuctionality with the Pioneer Bluetooth module either, that's the worst part of this adapter. Because that was my previous configuration (only Mute, Vol +, -) using the PAC SWI modules this is no issue for me. But for those using the right buttons custom programmed for Track + and - this could be an issue.
No warranty in case of malfunction: this is not a Pioneer USA product, this is an Pioneer Euro product, so its use in a USA vehicle voids any warranties -explicit or implicit- that this adapter could have. Something to be seriously considered before any ordering.
IMO, this is a great adapter for those with Pioneer Avic Nav's, with most of the main outputs/inuts signals present in one place and is as close to plug n' play as possible.
However, PAC and Peripheral are supposed to introduce this year adapters in the USA that will include all of these signals also in addition to being fully programmable. The cons are that these adapters are still in two separate pieces, they require splicing of wires, and they do not include a prewired VW Fakra Quadlock main plug. Most probably these adapters are going to be slightly more expensive than this Pioneer's also because the regular PAC SWI adapters and a separate/required VW Fakra Quadlock main plug together are more expensive than what I paid for this Pioneer's.
At the end, either route is much better than what have been offered so far for aftermarket HU installations in the MKV. :thumbup:
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