Ok, here's the backstory:

Long ago (Dec) I installed the AVIC-Z1 into my tC using a wire harness (You know the ones you use so you don't have to cut your factory wires). I have done a ton of stereo installs, and this one was no different. Everything worked great, and I had no problems at all. Until this weekend....

This weekend, I turned on the car, and noticed the Z1 was in 'night' mode. Meaning that the Z1 thought I had turned on the parking lights. The Z1 has a connection status screen that allows you to see what the wires coming into the unit are doing (Example: Reverse engaged, illumination on, GPS signal, etc). Anyways, it said the illumination was on, although my parking light switch was off.

So, I shift into reverse, and the illumination wire shows off. In the ACC mode on the ignition, the illumination wire shows off when lights are off, on when lights are on (the correct way). The Z1 shows the reverse mode as on. (All it does is monitor the current through the reverse lights).

I take the unit apart to find there's 3volts coming through my illumination wire at the factory harness. It should be 0 when off, and 12v when on.

So basically my problem is:

1. ILL wire is showing 3v when it should be 0

2. Ignition ON, Parking lights OFF = 3v to go through the ILL wire (EXCEPT when reverse is engaged)

3. Ignition ACC = 0v when parking lights off, 12v when parking lights on

4. Ignition ON, Reverse Engaged = 0v going to ILL wire


Anyone measure their ILL wire from the factory harness? I'd like to see what comes through it when the car is on, and parking lights are off.

 

Interesting problem. I wish I could help because I have the Z1 and I would like to keep an eye for this problem. But I can't, so I will just be watching...

Did you install anything else recently that may be causing this voltage?

 

^^^^ Nope. This just started at random this weekend. I'm going to try and troubleshoot it more tonight if it doesn't rain (no garage, yet... )

If someone gets a chance, could you measure the voltage of the green wire (corner of the harness. could be top, left, bottom, or right depending on how you look at it). It's the larger harness from the factory.

 

Well, we had rain last night, so I didn't get a chance to test. This is a bump for more ideas!

 

I have similar problem after I got my quad projector install, I imagine it's just a minor glitch, it didn't bother me much I figure if I get fed up with it, I'll reset the deck and things should be back to normal.

 

I should probably make it more clear that I don't think this is related to the Z1 at all. Even a desk reset didn't clear the problem up.

I just want to see if anyone else's ILL wire is showing 3v.

 

Bump for more ideas. I haven't been looking this that much; but I'm still having the problem.

 

I plan on doing some work to my car soon - the type of work that will require me to take apart the interior. It may be a while from now, but if you still don't have an answer by then I will make sure I measure it for you. The soonest I will be able to get to is Wednesday.

Just curious, what is the voltage when the ignition is on, reversed is engaged and parking lights are on?

If all else fails, you could simply add a 3v resistor in the line. After all, if the deck is going to night mode with only 3v, then when you apply the full 12, 3 less isn't going to make much of a difference. I realize that this is not the preferred method, but I don't see what it would hurt.

 

wow thats a very wierd problem. maybe its a bad harness? i remember when my bro and i worked on his z1 in his highlander we had some wierd problems too (sometimes this speaker would work, but when we did this it would be fine) even if they looked visually correct. we ended up just getting a multimeter and seeing if some of the pins were connecting to eachother or if the pin had continuity. hope this helps and good luck! :D

 

I remembered testing my ILL wire on my z1 when I was installing my edcf and it should read 12v. You will read 0 when parkinglights/headlight is off, turn it on and it will read 12v. recheck all wires, if it happended all of the sudden then it could be the wires/harness
So Ok here is what I think, you are in the night mode always because your ILL wire is receving constant voltage when it shouldnt (light off) from your switched/ignition, just recheck wirings, pins and harness for some peeled wires or dirt or something or maybe some abnormal contact

 

Yeah, It's entering night mode because there is voltage on the ILL wire. Doesn't matter if it's 1v or 12v, if there's any voltage, it will go to night mode.

I thought about adding a 3v resistor to it, but that's really just a band-aid. If it's a bad harness, then it's gotta be the factory harness, because I measured from the factory plug. Would be kind weird that a factory harness would go bad like that....

 

If it's the factor harness, you should take it back to the dealer and let them know about it. Electrical problems are prolly something you don't want to deal with...