SCION XD Navigation Bypass - Write-Up/How-To/Instructions...

fraychild · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 9 Location: NY

I've been trying to research this for a while, unless I'm missing something.. I haven't seen anyone who's done this in their XD or better yet, who's posted pictures...
I decided to take a shot at my wife's new 08' and also share a few things with you guys here...
I decided to locate the VSS in the XD and add a switch in between in order to be able to access certain menus and watch DVDs while in motion... Of course this is strictly for passenger use and entertainment... this is a safety violation for a driver, so don't hold me responsible for anything... :tap: Do it at your own risk!

The instructions below may serve two main purposes -
1- Help you by-pass the motion lockout on your stock navigation aka SNS
2- Help you locate the VSS if you're installing an aftermarket navi such as Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine etc.

-or-

3 - Possibly show you how to pull apart your dash and center console ... :P

You'll need a phillips screwdriver, a 10mm socket, a prying tool, extra wires, a toggle switch, female connectors, electrical tape, wire cutter etc.

First - Remove the radio Bezel - VERY easy. just pull on that nice shiny looking trim around the radio... start off the top and work your way down - No special tools needed.... Unlug the wire for the Clock and Airbag Light

Second - Remove the four screws that hold the radio bracket into place... Phillips screwdriver there... One with a magnet tip would be better... trust me.

Third - Unplug the four connectors from the back of the radio -

The connector you're looking for is the 4th one from the right - See below pic:

Navi from the back - you're looing for the fourth connector from left to right:

CAREFUL - When reassembling, the third connector is NOT TO BE USED!! The plug from the Clock/Airbag Light fits in there but will blow your fuses to hell!

Fourth - See the purple wire, located in pin 3? - That's the VSS for the Scion XD. It controls the volume, the navigation lockout, the DVD lockout etc..

Five - I stripped it and cut it in half - and attached a wire to each end and taped it up -

Six - This is how I removed the center console - VERY easy in the XD... Scions are so easy to work with... I remember her XA was also a piece of cake...
A - I pulled the console with the 4 button covers (she has an automatic)

B - Put the car in Drive and pull off the shiny trim around the shifter - smoothly.

C - Remove the 4 10mm screws hoklding down the consle from the front -

D - Remove the one cupholder 10mm screw holding it from the back -

E - Your baby should look like this...

F - Now remove that front holder by pulling on it -

G - Run the wire from under the A/C controls through the back of the radio:

The rest is easy - just attach the female connectors to the ends of the wires and plug them to the toggle switch -
It's a bad pic, but I took a drive down the block watching a moving at about 15mph to be safe -

The switch works great - At first, the navi didn't seem to work when the VSS wire was switched off... So, If we wanted to input an address while driving, we flicked it and once we were done, we flipped it back - However.....

The navigation WILL work even with the VSS wire "disconnected" - All you'll need to do is drive around for about 5 to 10 mintes and the GPS antenna will kick in and move just as accurately as if it were connected to the wire..

Had a lil' help from this:

Wire Harness Diagram I got from TIS.com

ChelsDS · Joined: 21 Aug 2007 Posts: 2825 Location: SoCal

:clap:

I don't have the cahones to attempt something like this but its great that you did something like this.

fraychild · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 9 Location: NY

Trust me... there is nothing to the scion but light flexible ABS plastic pieces to pull apart... I can't stress enough how easy it is to do this...

GeoUSA · Posted: 8/7/08 8:46AM Post subject:

Great documentation; thank! I'm curious what happens if you start the car with the toggle already flipped? Does the nav system refuse to start or something similar to when the purple VSS wire is disconnected?

fraychild · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 9 Location: NY

IT WORKS!!
The navigation works even if the VSS wire is switched off or "disconnected"!! Therefore, there is no need to keep switching it on and off!!!

ALL you have to do is drive the car around for about 5 to 10 minutes tops!

The system will "learn" to switch to the GPS antenna for motion and it is just as accurate!!!

Now I Do have to mention that by disabling the VSS wire... you're also affecting the "auto-volume" option that Scion likes to brag about... a feature that I've never been too crazy about personally....
There are also some of the maintenance information that will not be accurate, such as "Oil Changes", due to the fact that the wire is not sending the signal for the system to calculate. But if you're handy like me, I'm sure you won't need your radio to tell you when to change your oil.... and BTW, the XD's gauge also provide that same information... :eyebrow:

GeoUSA · Posted: 8/8/08 6:41AM Post subject:

Cool! I would miss the "speed sensitive" volume. It's a feature I've wanted but missed in my past several cars. Funny how the small things can be important sometimes. My only complaint with the xD so far is with the turn signal. The click sound is too soft and it fails to automatically turn off on some milder turns. Okay, so I'm 40 -- but I'm not THAT old!

fraychild · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 9 Location: NY

LOL - I wouldn't know, it's my wife's car, I try not to drive it as much ... LOL - I'm 29 and I drive a Ford Edge - that's my big boy's toy and I love it - :)

xDrug · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 77 Location: Miami Beach, FL

1. does anyone know exactly how this mod affects the warranty ? Does it bother any of you guys ?
2. any suggestions for a good,clean,stock looking switch and its install location ?

Thank you !

breadbooze · Posted: 8/23/08 6:19PM Post subject:

Most nav systems will work without the VSS buts its accuracy will be significantly diminished. It doesn't "learn" per-se, it's like the GPS looking for satellites based on last known position as opposed to referencing the VSS and gyros to "guesstimate" where the car is now and thus, where to look in the sky for satellites.

Older nav systems will freeze and lag without a VSS signal, newer systems as stated will have trouble with warm starts.

At least the SNS locks you out based on VSS, other nav systems have GPS based lock out and there is no way around those short of switching the antenna on/off.

LouGPS · Joined: 22 Sep 2008 Posts: 2

Hello,

I am about to install the 2008 Scion Navigation System (SNS).

I have also located the Toyota Scion Nav installation instructions at the below link:

http://www.trdsparks.com/install/08545-00931inst.pdf

Those are the official Toyota installation instructions for the Scion. However, pages 8 and 12 of the instructions CLEARLY indicate that it is NOT necessary to connect the Scion's VSS ("SPD") lead to the unit.

I am confused about this. I know with 100% certainty that the unit has a built-in gyroscope, but normally the gyro works in conjunction with the VSS/SPD input to improve navigation accuracy (this is referred to as "dead reckoning").

Does anyone know if connecting the VSS/SPD wire will do anything at all? Or will the nav unit simply ignore the input, or worse- cause a malfunction? Does the Scion nav unit get the vehicle's speed in some other way?

I see older posts here indicating that the SPD connection is required. I also know there were 3 revisions of the SNS unit. I am wondering if the latest revision that I purchased does away with the VSS/SPD input altogether?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

fraychild · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 9 Location: NY

The VSS wire does work in conjuction with the Unit's gyro, however, it is not necessary to have it for the unit to function. The VSS helps with proper speed coordination - while the gyro helps with your positioning i.e. Making Turns, Going Up or Down Hill etc. - The GPS antenna alone can capture the most important information, which is your position on the map (through lattitude/longitude) - However, you are also signal dependant - Once you lose signal, like going under a tunnel for example, you will be dead in the water... Combining VSS + Gyro + GPS signal provides ultimate accuracy and avoids... "dead reckoning"...

LouGPS · Joined: 22 Sep 2008 Posts: 2

So I just installed the Scion GPS nav unit in my 2009 Corolla (believe it or not), and it works great. Except for two things:

One: when playing my own mp3 disc (created on my computer), as soon as the vehicle starts moving, the radio no longer gives me access to navigate through the CD's folders. It also gray's out the little arrows at the far left and right sides...so I only have access to play the 4 songs that were listed at the bottom before I started driving. This can't be normal for the unit, can it? When I stop the vehicle, the arrows light up again to scroll to other mp3 tunes, and I can also navigate folders up or down again.

Two: the AUX icon on the "Mode" screen is grayed-out, and therefore I can not select this input. Even though the same harness that was originally plugged into the back of my Corolla (which included AUX capability) is now plugged into the back of my new Scion nav radio, the Scion unit does not recognize the AUX input. My Corolla's in-dash 3.5mm AUX input plug worked fine with my old factory radio. Again, ALL old harness plugs that were plugged into my old Corolla factory radio are now plugged into the back of my new Scion nav radio.

Anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Any help would be greatly appreciated.