When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I’ll be upgrading my C5 to a Double Din head unit soon and would appreciate any advice regarding the install. I have a head unit that has Apple CarPlay, Waze, and all sorts of other goodies, but the best applications require my phone to be plugged into the USB port in order for the applications to work. In most of the C5 DD photos I have seen on this forum, I don’t see any USB ports/cords and I don’t see any phone holders, so I’m curious about what others have done. I have a Pro Clip phone holder that I have been using for the factory C5 bezel set-up and I was hoping to get away from that but it looks like the best option at the moment. I was planning on routing the USB cord/port through the ashtray area, unless I hear of a better way.
So if any of you have been creative in your DD set-up, I’m interested in what you did and how you went about it. If you have experience installing a DD into a C5, I’d appreciate any tips for the install, particularly the questions below:
Your method for removing the factory bracket
Placement of the USB cord/port
Placement of the microphone
Routing of the rear camera and front camera wires
Best location to tap into the Parking Brake sensor
Last edited by FX VETTE; Dec 10, 2018 at 07:41 PM.
Your method for removing the factory bracket-Drilled out the rivits.
Placement of the USB cord/port-Ran them into the glove box.
Placement of the microphone-Mounted behind the rearview mirror.
Routing of the rear camera and front camera wires-I had the interior out so I ran the wires for the rear view mirror down the left side. The front camera, I ran through a wiring grommet behind the battery.
Best location to tap into the Parking Brake sensor-At the hand brake I think.
I can try to offer some guidance. The Head unit in my car is 4 years old and before Apple car play or android auto. It has Garmin navigation and not google maps or Waze. I do not have to connect my android phone physically to get live turn by turn navigation, I can get and receive phone calls and text messages play music and use Pandora. it lowers the volume when using navigation or when a Notification comes in, the head unit is a Kenwood it does have a USP connection which I ran into my glove box. Ive only used the USB cable to upload splash screen files I designed myself to use as a start up screen.
I just bought my wife a New car.( for our 51st wedding anniversary ).It was her choice to get anything she wanted. So she always wanted a black car. So she picked out this special edition Kia Eclaim turbo black leather , red stitching. 8 speed paddle shifter. It came with apple car play and andriod auto,.a car diagnosis package, parking location and a lot more features.. My 4 year old Kenwood without apple car play has more features and all hands free and cable free. This New car 2019 requires a physical USB connection to use apple car play or android auto.
OK to your C5
I used a Dremel to cut the brackets
I rand the USB cable to the glove box
I ran the mic cable up the A pillar and across the top of the windshield to the center of the car at the rear view mirror.
routed the camera wire through the trunk drilled one hole and under the carpet up the center consol to the back of the head unit.
I believe my head unit came with a harness that was plug and play for the parking brake, I do not remember cutting into the parking brake sensor ( I could be wrong here, I just dont remember. .
I hope some of my input was helpful. Ill tell you upgrading the factory head unit greatly increase the sensory perception of your car.
.
Last edited by Vetteman Jack; Dec 10, 2018 at 09:05 PM.
I ran the USB into the console box next to the auxiliary power outlet.
You'll notice there's a place for the cord to come out under the door already there.
99mike: Your leather bezel looks awesome! Where did you get it or who covered it? I'm wanting to go double din but I haven't been able to make up my mind on the bezel. I already installed a full custom sound system but just used a single din head unit till I make up my mind on the bezel. Not particularly fond of the Metra, cause I lean toward keeping the 2 OEM doors. Also looking at Vettenuts bezel, but I'm not sold on it completely, partially due to price. APSIS covers whatever bezel you send them, but it's a bit pricey to go that route, although if we are talking high satisfaction with finished product, it's probably worth it.
Last edited by 50thz06; Dec 11, 2018 at 10:16 AM.
Reason: additional info
Your method for removing the factory bracket-Drilled out the rivits.
Placement of the USB cord/port-Ran them into the glove box.
Placement of the microphone-Mounted behind the rearview mirror.
Routing of the rear camera and front camera wires-I had the interior out so I ran the wires for the rear view mirror down the left side. The front camera, I ran through a wiring grommet behind the battery.
Best location to tap into the Parking Brake sensor-At the hand brake I think.
I agree with 99mike above. I'll add my 2 pennies worth:
1. You may need an angle drill to drill those rivets out and it makes a mess of aluminum shavings, need to put something like a towel in there to catch as much of it as you can.
2. Relocation of HVAC controls slightly downward for DD clearance: I've looked at tons of photos on the internet where people have upgraded to DD and seems like many of them mount the HVAC control crooked, obvious once you reinstall the bezel. You might want to "measure twice" or more if you are as picky as I am.
3. I originally tried placing my microphone just inside the left vent that blows on the driver's window but people complained they couldn't hear me very well. The microphone was invisible inside the vent but it didn't work as well as I wanted.
4. Grommet behind the battery is best IMHO for getting through the firewall, but make sure you get it sealed good. I do not have a front camera yet, but this is the location I used for getting amplifier power cable to battery. You will likely need to take the battery out to get the best view of the options.
once you connect the phone and choose apple car play or Android auto, you do not need the phone, so you can leave it connected and on the seat, on the floor, put it in a holster, console or glove box.
Only things to add to the great info above since I did the entire package from Dennis last year-
USB-
Here I got a little creative and it worked awesome. The cigarette lighter plug is removed and replaced with a double USB outlet. Top is the carplay/android auto USB. It took some grinding because it was bigger than the cig lighter outlet but it fits the hole perfectly now. If I needed a 12V outlet I still have one in the console....which I've never used....
A couple additions in this area- I replaced the ash tray with a 3D printed part I found made by a forum member. Let me know by PM and I can show you how to find it. (Not a forum vendor so I don't want to violate forum rules even though I don't know of a vendor that sells anything like this.) It replaces the entire ashtray insert and gives you a flat, black surface. Here I put the seat heater switches for my Corbeau A4s and the AUX outlet from the head unit. You could put any combination of anything you want in that area of the dash if you want.
iPhone usually just ends up on the passenger floor or in my add-on double cupholder. With everthing disconnected you can still close the ashtray door and see nothing at all.
Bracket-
Most take the scalpel approach to removing the bracket but a sawzall works just fine.... really. The angle of the bracket where you are cutting through the rivits guides the blade straight. My wife looked at me like I just took a jackhammer into the dash.... she actually said "what the hell are you doing!?" but it worked fine and wasn't dangerous to the car at all. No matter what just be sure to use a fine metal blade and catch the metal shavings. and yes.... I said sawzall...
Rear camera-
If you go through the rear tub like I did, make sure to seal the hole around the rear camera RCA wire. I used the same putty stuff used to seal a wire connection into a house- it's in the electrical isle. Mortite works well too. It's basically culking/putty in a roll. I used it all over my install too. Sealed the speaker mounting plates in the doors, rear speakers, anything that might vibrate, etc.
Also- you can get your power and ground from the rear reverse light. It only powers the camera when you are in reverse.
Front camera- I installed it. Thought it would keep me from hitting parking curbs etc. but after the novelty wore off I have not used it. If doing it again I wouldn't bother with it.
Parking brake wire-
Depending on the brand you go with, that parking brake wire is just connecting to ground i.e. parking brake on=ground this tells the the radio you aren't going to kill anyone while fiddling with it. Some can just be grounded (like Kenwood) and you can do anything any time. I connected the wire to the parking brake and never had a moment where my wife couldn't do something with it while I was driving. No experience with any other brand of head unit though. I know some are much more restrictive from my reading in the audio section of the forum.
Amp-
If you replace all of the BOSE stuff and go Head Unit --> Amp --> speakers instead you will need to run signal (RCAs) to the amp and then speaker wires to all 5 locations (incl sub) from the amp. You may have a couple more if you go component at the front but I will tell you this- the C5 was the easiest car I've ever run wires through even into the doors. No coat hangers, no string, no fish tape needed. Just take the carpet out- it's easy.
At the advise of the AV section of the forum I mounted my 5-channel amp behind the passenger seat (mine won't fit under a Corbeau A4.) Remember- THERE ARE FUEL TANKS BEHIND THAT WALL. I used liquid nails and glued a piece of 3/4 mdf to the back wall under the carpet. Then I screwed the amp to the MDF. No holes in the back wall and no holes in the fuel tanks. Your mileage will suck with holes in the fuel tank... and burning to death ruins your weekend.
Research-
Before I started I read everything I could get my hands on in the AV forum and the C5 forums. It meant I didn't find any surprises. It was weird wiring a head unit with basically no harness- assuming you do not integrate into the BOSE stuff. Your power, ignition, and ground wires come from the passenger floor (depending on your car's year.)
Since I had the interior basically gutted I also took the opportunity to add some heat/noise insulation to the car also.
When we picked the car up in February from a forum member and drove it home from New Jersey one of the first things my wife said was "this stereo sucks...." Now her only complaint is usually "do we need to go this fast on EVERY on-ramp?"
Thanks for the detailed input Joe. I believe I know who you are talking about when it comes to the ashtray (Dan). I’m still on the fence about where I am going to route the USB to. I could run the USB to the ashtray and install my Pro Clip phone holder on the new bezel, but I really don’t want my phone showing anymore, plus it blocks the passengers view of the stereo and climate control. The next logical place for me would be to route the USB to the center console, but the last time I stored my phone in there it was hotter than hell. The glovebox idea is also a possibility.
I wouldn't put my phone in the console because it's like a toaster oven. Even with the vettenuts insulation and the elite engineering tunnel plate it will still melt a chapstick..... and I know even sitting in the cupholder running waze my iPhone generates a bunch of heat on it's own (I think the GPS uses a lot of power in the phone.) I would think in the console it would shut down due to thermal overload.
99mike: Your leather bezel looks awesome! Where did you get it or who covered it? I'm wanting to go double din but I haven't been able to make up my mind on the bezel. I already installed a full custom sound system but just used a single din head unit till I make up my mind on the bezel. Not particularly fond of the Metra, cause I lean toward keeping the 2 OEM doors. Also looking at Vettenuts bezel, but I'm not sold on it completely, partially due to price. APSIS covers whatever bezel you send them, but it's a bit pricey to go that route, although if we are talking high satisfaction with finished product, it's probably worth it.
Dennis at DoubleD Mods. Unfortunately, he is no longer in business.
I wouldn't put my phone in the console because it's like a toaster oven. Even with the vettenuts insulation and the elite engineering tunnel plate it will still melt a chapstick..... and I know even sitting in the cupholder running waze my iPhone generates a bunch of heat on it's own (I think the GPS uses a lot of power in the phone.) I would think in the console it would shut down due to thermal overload.
You can just attach the brake wire to the negative (black) wire in the wiring harness, it does the same thing. No need to get into the parking brake area with wire extensions. I've done this on two cars with no problems. I saw this method in several videos on YouTube.
Doesn’t the double din with navigation and Apple CarPlay use Bluetooth to connect between phone and head unit....?? And for any other apps on the phone ?
C5 Double Din experience
