GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Bought this for my wife's birthday, for installation in her new '09 AWD Vibe, back in August. Finally finished the installation today...wasn't tough, I just have commitment issues. Got this particular unit because (a) my wife didn't like the rear visibility of the Vibe, and I thought a backup camera would be an excellent addition, (b) she loves the Garmin navi interface, and (c) I wanted her to have a quality bluetooth handsfree setup.The unit came from Crutchfield ($1100) with a free Boyo backup camera ($0) and a Metra GMOS-LAN-01 GM Onstar LAN Data Bus Interface (half-price at $65 ... lets you keep your OnStar functionality...hardly necessary for most people, but as long as we're still in our free year...), free shipping, free adaptive wiring harnesses, free antenna adapter, free faceplate kit, etc. Also, a $100 rebate.Here's the unit installed:Powered on, showing the tuner function:The GPS antenna, snaked easily enough through the dash to the far right end of the defroster vent. They supplied a small flexible metal sticky pad so you could mount the antenna to your dash; I cut the pad so it fit perfectly in the little divot right next to the vent.The Garmin navi interface:The Boyo backup camera ... I don't expect it to remain shiny, as that seems to be the biggest complaint about it on Crutchfield's site, but it does the job. Had to drill a hole in the plate, an extra hole in the bumper skin, and I ran the wire for it through the same grommet that the license plate light is fed through. Then through the trunk area behind all the plastic trim to the passenger side, down the wheel hump, under the sill plates (routed along the same path as the wiring harness and the rear washer fluid hose), up under the glovebox and across the passenger footwell (under the carpet) and then up through the dash. Easy.And the view of the backup camera. It comes on automatically (after some wiring and some setup menu magic) when you put the car in reverse. Or when you press the NAV button for a second or longer. Kinda fun to turn it on while driving and watch the view from the license plate bracket.The microphone for the handsfree. Sounds great. Wife gave me a scare when she tried it out for the first time and couldn't hear me *at all*, but she had forgotten to turn the volume back up... Also, ignore the key scratches.The unit has a USB connector...attach a thumb drive with music on it, and it automatically plays. The connector is currently just loose in the glovebox. One of the source selection screens:It plays DVDs. You only need to ground the parking brake sensor wire...I just soldered it directly to the ground wire in the harness, since I was already there soldering the backup camera ground wire.Haven't gotten this to work completely, but you can send text messages through the bluetooth-connected phone.And, completely unrelated, my cat Porthos:--Chris

holy crap that's a nice setup!!!nice work chris

Damn!!! that's slick slick slick!

That is awe-some!

The Mrs. won't let me install an aftermarket setup in the 09 Vibe. She does not like the Pioneer HU that in the 2008.

Very nice...

Quote, originally posted by ou.grizzly »The Mrs. won't let me install an aftermarket setup in the 09 Vibe. She does not like the Pioneer HU that in the 2008. Mine generally lets me do what I want with the cars...that's my 'department', I suppose. But I made it more palatable by playing up the rearview camera and the Garmin navi on a BIG screen.The only thing I don't like about it so far is that when I start the car, the Kenwood shuts off and then comes back on again...like the radio is on the load reduction circuit. I want it to stay on while the car is cranking. Come to think of it, it doesn't come on when I have it on ACC, so I must have something wired wrong, still.--Chris

That is down right freaking fantastic Chris!BTW... the key scratches Does your wife drive drunk a lot??? lol JK... I haven't seen scratchs that bad in years.

I should say! Porthos is an understatement.

Fantastic job. That is one sweet set-up.

Very cool, thanks for sharing! Was it tricky to run the wire for the camera from the door to the frame? Did you need to take the door off to get access?

awesome.

Hi. I'd like to update the software and download maps, etc. to the Garmin Navigator in my dnx6140. I have tried putting the update file on the CD, but the unit doesn't recognize it? Any suggestions? Thanks

Looks nice, im putting in the 418 with a non kenwood backup camera, where did you tie in the reverse sensor wire to behind the dash?

cool cat!ah.. and nice setup too.

Wow. Nice install! Wish my install was as nice. My clarion radio is to wide for the dash kit so it sits recessed, not flush like yours. I guess its time for a new deck.

Nihilator wrote:Bought this for my wife's birthday, for installation in her new '09 AWD Vibe, back in August. Finally finished the installation today...wasn't tough, I just have commitment issues. Got this particular unit because (a) my wife didn't like the rear visibility of the Vibe, and I thought a backup camera would be an excellent addition, (b) she loves the Garmin navi interface, and (c) I wanted her to have a quality bluetooth handsfree setup.The unit came from Crutchfield ($1100) with a free Boyo backup camera ($0) and a Metra GMOS-LAN-01 GM Onstar LAN Data Bus Interface (half-price at $65 ... lets you keep your OnStar functionality...hardly necessary for most people, but as long as we're still in our free year...), free shipping, free adaptive wiring harnesses, free antenna adapter, free faceplate kit, etc. Also, a $100 rebate.Here's the unit installed:Powered on, showing the tuner function:The GPS antenna, snaked easily enough through the dash to the far right end of the defroster vent. They supplied a small flexible metal sticky pad so you could mount the antenna to your dash; I cut the pad so it fit perfectly in the little divot right next to the vent.The Garmin navi interface:The Boyo backup camera ... I don't expect it to remain shiny, as that seems to be the biggest complaint about it on Crutchfield's site, but it does the job. Had to drill a hole in the plate, an extra hole in the bumper skin, and I ran the wire for it through the same grommet that the license plate light is fed through. Then through the trunk area behind all the plastic trim to the passenger side, down the wheel hump, under the sill plates (routed along the same path as the wiring harness and the rear washer fluid hose), up under the glovebox and across the passenger footwell (under the carpet) and then up through the dash. Easy.And the view of the backup camera. It comes on automatically (after some wiring and some setup menu magic) when you put the car in reverse. Or when you press the NAV button for a second or longer. Kinda fun to turn it on while driving and watch the view from the license plate bracket.The microphone for the handsfree. Sounds great. Wife gave me a scare when she tried it out for the first time and couldn't hear me *at all*, but she had forgotten to turn the volume back up... Also, ignore the key scratches.The unit has a USB connector...attach a thumb drive with music on it, and it automatically plays. The connector is currently just loose in the glovebox. One of the source selection screens:It plays DVDs. You only need to ground the parking brake sensor wire...I just soldered it directly to the ground wire in the harness, since I was already there soldering the backup camera ground wire.Haven't gotten this to work completely, but you can send text messages through the bluetooth-connected phone.And, completely unrelated, my cat Porthos:--Chris

How did you fish that GPS antenna through the defrost vent?