[DieselAzn]

Hi,

I just got a new 2006 Xterra Offroad in Night Armor and want to upgrade the stereo. I dont have the Rockford Fosgate upgrade. I have been looking at the Pioneer AVIC-N3 and have a couple questions on the install.

Is there a VSS wire for me to tap into for the GPS system to work correctly.

I've looked on a couple other Xterra forums as well as some stereo install forums but can't find an answer.

Some say there is but only if you get the RF upgrade.

Thanks for the help,

Chung

 

[B Slater]

If you can a post a picture of the wiring diagram I can probably help you.

-edit- I just did a little research and found that you need to ground the e-brake wire. As for the VSS I am still looking.

 

[Glucola]

DieselAzn,

Welcome to the club. :wave:

 

[Grunzen]

does the VSS have anything to do with the speed sensor. Because if it does there was a few problems with ours but I think they figured it out. I can't remember where I saw it discussed though. I look around about it.

 

[DieselAzn]

Thanks guys. Grounding the ebrake and the reverse wire I have no problem with. Its just the VSS or speed sensor wire. I heard that its not located behind the radio like it used to be.

Thanks again.

Chung

 

[DieselAzn]

I found some info for a VSS wire for the cruise control for a 2005 Frontier. Maybe its the same?

VSS Wire: LOCATION 4- 2ND ROW FROM TOP OF ECM 4TH POSITION TO RIGHT OF BOLT IN ECM
VSS Wire Color: GREEN/BLACK
VSS Pulse: 2000
VSS Tach Wire: LOCATION 16- 2 PIN CONNECTOR AT DISTRIBUTOR
Tach Signal Wire Color: BLACK/RED
Brake Switch Positive: RED/YELLOW
Brake Switch Negative: RED/GREEN

I got this from the12volt.com. Where is the ECM located?

 

[B Slater]

I will have to look tomorrow when I have access to the factory manuals, unless someone else can do it first.

 

[Glucola]

The ECM is located on the passanger side firewall. It should be a black box right next to the windshield washer resevior. The fuse box sits pretty much in front of it.

 

[RogueClimber]

Posts like these remind me just how many smart people are out there! :cheers:

 

[Swampthing]

I believe that the Vss signal is fed from the BCM to the instument cluster via CANN. If you have the RF stereo, there is a light blue wire that goes from the instrument cluster to the back of the radio for the speed sensitive volume control. I think that a solution other than a speed pulse generator has yet to be found in our trucks if you don't have the stereo upgrade. I haven't had to do an in car nav unit in an 05 or 06 X, yet. But, perhaps someone has found the vss wire somewhere. Usually you can find it in most vehicles at the ECM, cruise control, instrument cluster, and in some cases, at the tranny. But, if I remember right, all those units are fed by a multiplexed siganl. I could check some common vss databases that I have available to me; maybe someone has found a usable vss wire on the non-RF X's. Also, I believe the AvicN3's reverse input is a positive trip for the unit to detect your going backwards.

 

[DieselAzn]

The ECM info I posted earlier was of no help. I dont think its the same for the Xterra. I dont understand this. There has to be a usable vss wire. I am trying to do the install my self to save some money on the labor, so any suggestions would be a great help.

Thanks again,

chung

 

[max6spd]

This has been covered and beaten to death. There is no VSS wire in the 05/06 Xterras. All that information is controlled by the CAN and we do not have access to it. I remember reading from someone that he found the VSS wire, but we hadn't heard from him since on whether or not it worked. I don't think it has.

You're best bet is to install a speed pulse generator. I installed one on my Eclipse AVN5435 and it works fine.

 

[DieselAzn]

Where did you get the speed pulse generator from and how does it install onto the vehicle?

Thanks.

 

[max6spd]

Where did you get the speed pulse generator from and how does it install onto the vehicle?

Thanks.

You can find it around the Internet. They're all pretty much the same, I think. I have a Kenwood unit working with my Eclipse navi.

The installer installed it, but the way it works is half of your rim is magnatized. Then there's a sensor. Everytime the wheel turns and the sensor detects the magnatized side, it generates a pulse. The faster you go, the more pulses and that's how the navi knows how fast you're going.

 

[Glucola]

Where did you get the speed pulse generator from and how does it install onto the vehicle?

Thanks.

Here you go man.

Speed pulse generator #1

Speed pulse generator #2

Speed pulse generator #3

 

[Swampthing]

So, I called a couple of tech guys that I know that work for a couple big 12v companies that you guys have all heard of... and they confirmed that there is in fact no place, even coming off the tranny, to grab the vss wire except in the RF stereo equipped trucks. In which case, like I said, would be the light blue wire at the back of the deck, or pin #6 at the instrument cluster (which is the same wire going to the deck.) This wire is confirmed to actually work.

 

[DieselAzn]

Well looks like I have to hand this one off to the pros. Thanks for all the help. I will post some pictures when it is all done.

Thanks again.

 

[max6spd]

So, for the non-RF owners, would it be safe to say that we can take the navi's VSS wire and plug it into pin #6?

Does the RF have the feature where as you drive faster, the stereo gets louder? I'm wondering what that light blue wire does.

 

[armandov99]

DieselAzn:

Installing a speed pulse generator is a piece of cake. Just run power to it and put it near a wheel and hook up the white wire to your GPS. It's way easy.

max6spd:

The RF does have speed sensitive volume, but I don't know where the "conversion" is made from the CAN to a VSS signal. Maybe hooking into the harness pin where the blue wire normally goes on an RF-equipped X will work for a non-RF-equipped X. I sure wish I'd known to try that before getting the generator. If it works I will hook it up and sell the generator on eBay - magnetizing tires is a PITA (and they seem to get de-magnetized when wheeling...)

 

[Swampthing]

So, for the non-RF owners, would it be safe to say that we can take the navi's VSS wire and plug it into pin #6?

Negative. I inquired about that and was instucted that it would not work. I know that the instrument cluster is actually the location that the CAN signal is converted to a usable ac signal for the RF radio, so that would make sense. But, there must be something different with the cluster on the models that do have the RF radio upgrade. Of course, the information that is available to my source is based on some source he has that supplies the electrical breakdown for every available vehicle on the market. He explains that it's like having the service manual for every production vehicle. They will acquire a couple vehicles for testing for each production year of makes and models... but explains that it is not cost effective to test each trim package for all of them. Sooo, since the SE's come with RF radios and the S (and X) does not, and those happen to be the ones they tested...it is possible that the #6 pin on an OR model may work since that, I believe, is the only model that has either radio package available. But, like I said, I haven't checked for myself. Could someone with an OR with the RF radio upgrade tell me if the cluster has the trip computer also? I wonder if it has anything to do with that?

Does the RF have the feature where as you drive faster, the stereo gets louder? I'm wondering what that light blue wire does.

That's exactly what it's for. I don't have the RF system, nor have I messed with it, but a lot of makes that offer this feature will have multiple sensitivity settings which will change how much the volume will actually change with your speed. But, this is where it gets the speed info, and is a common place to grab the vss signal. With a handful of exceptions, if you see a SSVC on a radio, you'll usually find the vss wire behind the deck.

Multiplexed signals are a cool concept, but makes it harder or at least more expensive to install aftermarket equipment. Those of you who also have a 2002-3+ GM vehicle and went to change the radio out know what I mean. There is no switched power, that annoying ding for the key sense and the lights on comes through the driver side speaker (through the radio). You either have to relocate the factory deck with a T harness or buy an interface module(at least 50 bucks) that is designed to complete the data circuit so that you don't lose features running on this circuit, which include airbag functions. Some functions, on the brand new ones, won't even work with the interface module (software upgrade will be needed at some point) like the trip computer... the new grand prix comes to mind.