The Great HU Install of 2023

On the 20/21 trucks (at least, might actually be 18+) the navigation system that sends that data to the instrument cluster is the lower unit attached to the head unit. Taking the head unit out takes out that signal to the cluster

 

I finally had a chance to install the Kenwood 1037s from my DMX907s. My question is what did I do wrong that the radio is sticking out so much? I have a 2011 CM using the Metra dash kit.

 

https://manual.kenwood.com/files/IM406_ref_K_En_00.pdf
Page 86 shows you how to adjust the slider position

 

Wait….you can make the 1037 go IN more?

heck I’m gonna have to try that

my wife says hers sticks out to far as well

 

Gotcha, thanks.

I'm assuming I messed up because I watched the 5 Star Car Stereo video on youtube but for a 2.5 gen. He does use the extension like how mine is currently. I will mess with it this weekend and slide it back in.

 

I don’t think it goes in any farther because of the metal braces you put on it. I thought it was just pushed in like that to protect it during shipping. I futzed with mine for a long time to find the correct mounting on my Dasata trim piece to make it sit flush to the trim opening. Mine seems to sit farther back than yours.

 

Wait - it looks like your radio trim sits flush to the dash while mine sticks out. Must be a 2.5 Gen difference.

 

Im not getting a reverse signal/power out of my Maestro for the backup cam on a Pioneer install, where can I tap a wire (in the dash hopefully) for a 12v signal in reverse? 2019 Platinum.

 

Signal comes from the purple white wire. Need to check the box for reverse interrupt on the HU settings too.

 

Yeah I got that far, if I push 12v directly to the purple/white wire at the back of the Maestro, the camera comes on. The camera is working, I can manually turn it on as well with the wheel button. So I was just going to hot wire it.

Do you think it is a Maestro issue?

 

Specific to 2018-8/2019 JBL trucks, the REV signal going to the head unit is pin 2 in connector J135 (28-pin white connector). That wire should be yellow (but trust pin number over color).


I would confirm that the Maestro has a counterpart wire (it should) going to the unit, and then coming from the maestro you have a corresponding wire that goes to whatever the REV lead is for your head unit (check the head unit instructions for that).

Also look for settings in the head unit itself for activating a reverse camera or for reading a reverse trigger.

 

Check the harness for a bent pin.

 

Which harness, going into the Maestro? By powering the out from the Maestro and getting camera I confirmed that the wires from the Maestro to the HU are good.

 

See above response, I think that is all good based on the diagnostics I did, but I will check pin 2.

 

All of them. Probably not the HU harness since jumping at maestro works but check the OEM to maestro harness connections and the connections going into the maestro box.

 

When all else fails, reflash the maestro

 

Like this:

 

Really can't tell Joel the meme is blurred.

 

Well, nothing is connected to pin 2, so I tapped that yellow wire and connected it to the purple/white going to the HU, and now I have back cam when put in reverse. Thanks for the intel! I feel like it should have worked without doing this, but whatever.

Now however, I cannot get the backup cam to come on with the steering wheel control, don't know if this is coincidence or if I pinched a wire or messed with too many setting trying to get the reverse to work. Front camera isn't working either, but this was the first time hooking it up. Flashing the Maestro again tonight and will see if that solves everything in the morning. Thanks for everyone's input.

 

I’m not familiar with steering wheel control of the backup camera…

 

Are you talking about the Maestro shortcuts you can program? Only the left side of the steering wheel worked for me. The right side would ignore the customization.

 

You can program the steering wheel controls to turn the cameras on and off, as well as other functions.

Yes, I have it programmed for a hold of the track skip forward/backwards to turn on/off the front and rear cams.

Spent an hour on the phone with Crutchfield this morning and didn’t get it figured out . . .

 

Ok, so it’s the custom programmed maestro button functions you’re referring to. Gotcha.
If you bypassed the maestro unit input and sent the truck reverse signal directly to the head unit, that would explain why the meastro-controlled steering wheel function doesn’t work.
To me, the real question is why doesn’t the meastro harness have the reverse signal wire going into the unit.

 

Well the funny thing the wheel control did work before I started messing with things trying to get the reverse function to work.

Indeed, I’m going to call Crutchfield back when I have some more time. Install is so close to complete, just need to get this sorted out!

It sounds amazing though, JL 400W powering Focal 3-ways and the Pioneer 3800NEX.

 

This would make sense. The head unit is looking for a trigger on the reverse signal wire to turn it to the rear camera screen and send power to the camera. That reverse signal wire WAS connected from the Maestro to the HU, so when you give it the input on the steering wheel controls it passed that signal to the HU and that turned on the camera.

What is supposed to ALSO be happening is that the original reverse signal from the truck should be passing into the Maestro as well (or the Maestro needs some other way to know when the truck is in Reverse), so that under normal operation that signal gets sent through the Maestro and on to the HU. When you connected the HU reverse wire directly to the truck reverse wire, you bypassed the Maestro completely for that function so there's nothing making it to the HU from the Maestro to turn on the rear camera at all.

 

You should do side work for Kenwood.

They escalated my outgoing call/siri audio issue to the people behind the curtain that know shit. I talked to a lady yesterday and she immediately said “It’s the Maestro” (even though one of the email reps said Maestro would have nothing to do with it). She told me she had this happen to somebody once before and it had something to do with the Maestro sending a signal to the JBL amp.

I went in and looked for Amp settings in the Maestro settings on the Kenwood and it had a gain setting of 0 through 6. Pumped it up to 6 and didn’t do shit. I reflashed the Maestro and it still didn’t work. I reflashed the Maestro again and turned off the factory amp setting. This time it gave me a few more Gain options bud didn’t do anything.

Reflashed the Maestro AGAIN, this time turning back on the factory amp setting. This time the Kenwood gave me gain options up to 100. I put it at 100 but didn’t notice any improvements yesterday.

I had to run an errand for my wife just a minute ago and called her. The sound is perfect now. I can hear her loud and clear, Siri sounds great, and my audio still sounds perfect. I guess I just needed to restart the truck after putting the gain to 100.

I can now say that I’m completely happy with my Kenwood.

 

I had a tricky time with my Maestro as well! It took a few tries wirelessly via Bluetooth, ultimately achieving actual success in flashing it via USB. Worth the tinkering though! I'm glad yours ended up working out!

 

Thanks. I found that when I’d try to flash with Bluetooth, I had to wait for it to find the Maestro and then I’d have to turn the truck off and back on again for it to actually allow me to connect to it.

 

Anyone use one of the screen protectors on their Alpine 11? Wondering how they work and if it is worth it

https://www.alpine-usa.com/product/halo11-screen-protector

 

I have this one on mine
https://a.co/d/gEqmNH8

It's a soft matte finish. So far I am happy with it.