Universal iDoing Android Head Unit Full Install: Subaru BRZ 2016 (Reverse Camera & Wiring)
A full DIY install of a universal tablet-style iDoing Android head unit in a 2016 Subaru BRZ: pull the old unit, plug in the Toyota-style plug-and-play harness, test audio and Bluetooth, mount the screen, wire the factory reverse camera, then add the GPS, radio antenna and a USB CarPlay/Android Auto adapter.
Full video (18 min): FULL INSTALL Android Head unit DIY | Carplay Adapter | Reverse | Wiring · John's YouTube channel
Get the parts
- Search Amazon for iDoing CarPlay 2016 Subaru BRZ with the factory reverse cameraSearch on Amazon ↗
- Universal Android head unit from the video (AliExpress, link from the description)Buy ↗
- Apple CarPlay / Android Auto USB adapter (AliExpress, link from the description)Buy ↗
CodeiDoing coupon code (NGOOYEN) — NGOOYEN
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links are affiliate links.
Yes — you can install iDoing on the Universal single-DIN mount Android head unit with a large floating screen (AliExpress link in the video description) with a 18 min DIY job. A full DIY install of a universal tablet-style iDoing Android head unit in a 2016 Subaru BRZ: pull the old unit, plug in the Toyota-style plug-and-play harness, test audio.
Overview
John replaces the tablet-style unit in a 2016 BRZ with a universal iDoing Android head unit and walks through the whole install. The old unit comes out with 10 mm bolts or Phillips screws depending on the car. Unplug everything at the back first. The plug-and-play harness for Toyotas connects like Lego pieces: main harness, antenna and the steering-wheel-control plug. He explains how the reverse camera works: when the car goes into reverse, a signal goes to the reverse wire and tells the head unit to switch to the camera, and the video comes in over one RCA jack. Before mounting anything, test audio. If the car has a factory amp and you get no sound, the amp's remote-on wire needs power. He pairs Bluetooth (the unit shows up as iDoing, PIN 0000), tests music and the equalizer, and sets the clock and time zone. Since this is a single-DIN mount, fitment takes some creativity. He wanted the screen to sit out a bit further (washers would help), but it ended up close to how the old unit sat. The reverse wire included is short, so he extends it by twisting and taping. He keeps the BRZ's OEM camera, but there are also front and rear camera inputs. To finish, he adds the radio antenna adapter and GPS antenna and tests Android Auto (wired, with a Samsung S10) through the adapter. He uses the built-in navigation only as a backup and CarPlay or Android Auto for everything else.
Vehicle & fitment
- Product
- Universal iDoing Android head unit (single-DIN mount, tablet-style screen) plus a USB Apple CarPlay / Android Auto adapter
- Shown on
- 2016 Subaru BRZ with the factory reverse camera (uses the Toyota-style radio plugs)
- Universal single-DIN mount Android head unit with a large floating screen (AliExpress link in the video description)
- Used with a plug-and-play harness for Toyotas (the BRZ shares the Toyota plugs)
- Reverse camera wires come off the 28-pin plug; check the wiring diagram for your car
Always confirm fitment for your exact year and trim with the seller before buying.
Tools & parts
Tools
- 10 mm socket and/or Phillips screwdriver (depends on the car)
- Plastic trim tools
- Electrical tape (or heat shrink) to extend the reverse wire
- Washers (optional, to bring the screen out further)
Parts
- Universal Android head unit
- Plug-and-play radio harness for Toyota/Subaru BRZ
- Radio antenna adapter
- GPS antenna
- USB CarPlay/Android Auto adapter
- Microphone (optional)
Video chapters
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:21Removing the old unit
- 1:25Understanding wiring
- 2:46Installing the new unit
- 4:01Initial testing
- 7:28Mounting the new unit
- 8:28Finalizing fitment
- 11:57Wiring the camera
- 14:55Connecting accessories
- 16:35Final setup and review
Step by step
- 1
Pull the old unit▶ 0:27
Unplug everything, then remove the 10 mm bolts or Phillips screws (depending on the car) and pull the old head unit out.
- 2
Understand the reverse camera wiring▶ 1:58
The camera wires come from the 28-pin plug, along with the reverse signal wire. When the car is in reverse, that wire signals the head unit to show the camera. Video comes in over a single RCA jack.
Tip: Wire colors depend on your car, so use the wiring diagram for your car.
- 3
Connect the plug-and-play harness▶ 2:40
Plug the Toyota plug-and-play harness into the head unit harness (it goes together like Lego pieces), then the antenna and the steering-wheel-control plug.
- 4
Test audio before mounting▶ 4:08
Check that you have sound from every speaker. Cars with a factory amp need the amp's remote-on wire powered, or you'll get no sound.
- 5
Pair Bluetooth and set the clock▶ 4:49
Open Bluetooth, select iDoing, enter PIN 0000, and play a song. Adjust the equalizer, then set the time and time zone (it matters in the US).
- 6
Mount the screen▶ 8:20
It's a single-DIN mount, so you have to get creative. John wanted the screen to stick out a bit more. Washers behind the mount would push it out.
- 7
Wire the reverse camera▶ 11:56
Plug the camera lead into the camera-in socket (it only fits one way). The included reverse wire is short, so extend it. John twists the wires together and wraps them in electrical tape.
- 8
Test reverse▶ 14:06
Put the car in reverse and check the image. The 2016 BRZ's OEM camera works, or you can add a new front or rear camera.
- 9
Antennas and microphone▶ 15:06
Plug in the radio antenna adapter, which uses your OEM antenna socket, and the GPS antenna. The microphone plug is there if you want it.
- 10
Test CarPlay / Android Auto▶ 16:01
Plug in your phone through the adapter. Android Auto came up with Spotify and navigation, so the install was done.
Wiring notes
- Plug-and-play Toyota-style harness: main power/speakers, antenna and steering-wheel-control plug.
- 28-pin plug: reverse camera video plus the reverse signal wire; the camera goes in over one RCA jack.
- Factory amp: power the amp remote-on wire if there's no sound.
- Separate GPS antenna, radio antenna adapter and optional microphone.
Get the parts
- Search Amazon for iDoing CarPlay 2016 Subaru BRZ with the factory reverse cameraSearch on Amazon ↗
- Universal Android head unit from the video (AliExpress, link from the description)Buy ↗
- Apple CarPlay / Android Auto USB adapter (AliExpress, link from the description)Buy ↗
CodeiDoing coupon code (NGOOYEN) — NGOOYEN
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some links are affiliate links.
FAQ
What vehicle does this head unit fit?
It is shown for the Universal single-DIN mount Android head unit with a large floating screen (AliExpress link in the video description). Used with a plug-and-play harness for Toyotas (the BRZ shares the Toyota plugs) Always confirm your exact year, trim and factory audio with the seller.
How long does the install take?
John's full video is 18 min. Plan on that much time for a careful DIY install, plus extra if you are new to dash work.
What tools do I need?
Tools called out in the guide: 10 mm socket and/or Phillips screwdriver (depends on the car); Plastic trim tools; Electrical tape (or heat shrink) to extend the reverse wire; Washers (optional, to bring the screen out further).
Does it support wireless CarPlay or Android Auto?
Check the product listing for wired vs wireless CarPlay / Android Auto before you buy; John shows what worked in the video.
Where do I get the parts?
Use the buy links on this page for the unit and any harnesses John used. Some links are affiliate links.
Is this beginner-friendly?
The guide breaks the job into 10 steps with timestamps into the video. If you can remove trim panels carefully, you can follow along.
Full transcript
Show the full transcript (148 lines) +
0:05and I've been chilling watching the ocean with you baby up with his low motion crew
0:11and we up in the clowns when people change and we just chilling kicking in
0:18kiss body a son could be so to all right so we have the tablet style right
0:24here so we're just gonna be right here
0:28make sure you unplug it
0:31you have it unplugged and then let's put this face up for the Subaru BRZ and most
0:40cars they're held and held by trim pieces this one's actually really easy to get to
0:44just pull straight out and and this should expose some screws like four of
0:54now this could be 10 mil,
1:09I like to use a microfiber towel to kind of protect the interior because it is these
1:18brackets are actually very sharp yeah so I'm gonna unplug all of this and yeah
1:23we'll continue from here all right once you have this assembled the hardest
1:27thing is it did come with a plug-and-play harness that we saw earlier this puppy
1:32right here but notice how I have some black tape right here let me go over that
1:38reverse cameras isn't exactly easy to install you notice how we have like two
1:44wires hanging out it's because I just took out the original install but let me
1:57now the reverse camera is going to be on the 28 pin and you
2:01and you're going to be able to get these wires from the 28 pin
2:05I'm going to put a wiring diagram below because it does depend on your car
2:08your car which goes where and then you also want to get the reverse signal wire
2:15too so the way the reverse camera works on a car is, the car' when your car is in
2:21reverse like this it'll shoot a signal to this wire and then it'll tell the head
2:30unit, hey the car is in reverse and then it'll automatically boot up that
2:33reverse screen. Now to get reverse screen to be working, to have videos you just the one RCA Jack
2:40that's pretty much it in the nutshell. So let's install the pre-plug and play harness for the Toyotas. So it should be like Lego pieces right here. And then we have the antenna. And we have... This is the steering wheel controls that we do not
3:01steering wheel controls that we do not have on this car and even if
3:04this plug did not fit you would have to splice these three wires just kind of
3:09that's how it is universally bam now with these two plugs alone it should be
3:15able to power the unit the power harness so what I would like to do is I would
3:21like to test the unit before we have everything but now yes the reverse
3:24camera is not set up yet all that jazz and you can kind of get just like a
3:28dry fitment of how it's gonna look it's plugging that billet back harness right
3:36there and we're just gonna put that bad boy in a rough spot you still need to
3:43transfer the mounting spots put this in neutral so hopefully this thing fire up
3:49yes it does so this is a big step I know there's some glare so I'm gonna see if
3:55I can cover a little bit I'm still gonna leave a screen protector on there just for now
4:03let's see now the first things I like to check is audio depending on your Toyota
4:13or just any head unit in general some cars come with aftermarket not after
4:19market but built-in amps this car for example does have a built
4:22amp and you and just see the volume so we do hear
4:28now the aftermarkets are not aftermarket fire the built-in OEM amp needs to get
4:32the built-in amp needs to get powered
4:37so you gotta make sure that if your car does not have sound
4:40make sure, make sure your OEM amp has the remote on, wire on, so I'm gonna hook up this little
4:49Bluetooth real quick, so you're gonna see some glare, we can try other things too like, like
4:57, like Android-Auto and all that, but let's try Bluetooth because honestly, Bluetooth
5:02is a huge staple, if you don't have Bluetooth, you're pretty much doomed, so I'm gonna
5:09the brightness on a little bit, see if will come back some of that Glare. So we are going to go to Bluetooth. It's A2DP for the audio player but for you to set up. Let's if I can hit this widget.
5:39says I-doing. I'm going to click on I-doing.
5:41What's the pen? The pen is right there. Very, very secure.
5:470, 0 0. Nice. And it automatically goes through this little thing right here.
5:55So I'm going to just play a song and see if audio comes through.
6:08make sure all your speakers are working making all all the wires like it's
6:12correct right so we know that the head
6:15head unit does work that's great we checked out the audio we
6:23messed with the fader you know you can use this equalizer and move it left and
6:28up down right IBA that's cool it actually sounds really good because it does have a
6:33built-in DSP and let's just check out our settings a little bit make sure
6:38everything's good make sure everything is everything you want it to be now
6:44this is a px5 so it's and the resolution is 1024 by 600
6:49andrew 9 all this good information octa-core 4.0 gigs of RAM and I'm gonna change the time real
7:00quick here we live in the United States it's actually very important to set your
7:06time clock so don't don't snooze that now the touch screen does feel
7:15kind of weird because I have the screen protector on but once I take that
7:18off it's! it's gonna be good we live in the LA yeah so then we got this
7:27super smooth feels really good mmm very good now you do have that autoplay that's
7:36a little the little thing that I have right here so I'm gonna have andrew auto right
7:40so I do have some construction in the
7:43so have you hear that I'm sorry but we want to remove the OEM brackets now the holes
7:51might not always line up especially because now we're doing basically a
7:56a double-din kind of a mounting system into a single the single then so you're just gonna have
8:00to try your best judgment to see how that fits let's you guys know how it fits if
8:05you guys have a car similar this and how I will tackle such trivial things so
8:31that's the old head unit and we're gonna be transferring the new notes but
8:39there is a single then so we
9:11something about this just really relaxing
9:56don't drop anything you drop a screw oh you be looking trying to fish that out in
10:03there it's a mess it's pretty it's pretty mad yeah so like just to you know the trim
10:20just eventually starts to sit on so that's kind of like the fitment it's not
10:30it's pretty good I do want it to come out a little bit more so let's see if we
10:37could make it you see
10:39kind of in there see if we can do anything to make it stick out a little bit more but
10:44I doubt it I wonder if I might mount this you could put washers to right here which I
10:58don't have currently to get washers to make it stick out a little bit right
11:07there because the ideal fitment that I would want-want is have it pretty much man
11:24this thing's on my nerves probably Nira's there soon if you're watching this come
11:30if you're
11:31come on Toyota.
11:36Get some better glue.
11:38So ideally I, I would want it to look like some like this.
11:43Which is actually kind of close to what it was, honestly.
11:47it's kind of just in there generally.
11:50This is me pushing on it as maximum as possible.
11:54So I guess I will just leave it like that
11:56Come so wiring if you guys remember we need to have the backup camera
12:03backup camera so I have this thing called cam something something now these little
12:10like sockets make it so you can only fits one way and front camera rear camera in
12:18so we're going to do or camera in it which was this and then a reverse remember I
12:27was talking about how you need to tell the system a I'm in reverse so you want
12:32to wire this to I have that one ugly green wire so what mine does is it this
12:42green wire is basically the reverse wire only problem is this things really
12:57short unfortunately they give you a really short
13:03You don't get too much clearance.
13:09Yeah, you can heat wrap it and all that goodness, but you know me man
13:18Twisting and then
13:20Tying is how I
13:26Twist and then electric tape
13:29The reason why I do that is I could you see me I go through all these installs and imagine if I solder
13:37and each drink it just too so much it's too and to time consuming that I go you, I a lot alright so once you have the video you, you have the reverse signal in and then yeah you should be good also you do need a camera to get a power to so something to keep in mind I'm on throw this car in reverse
14:06power to so something to keep in mind I'm on throw this car in reverse but so
14:13you do you can reverse and the car so this car uses it's orf it uses its own OEM camera
14:19this is a 2016 BRZ so it came with a reverse camera and you'll be able to
14:24make it so you can use existing OEM hardware or you
14:29add a new camera if you saw those plugs earlier you can add a front cam you got a
14:31plugs earlier you had a front cam got reverse camera and all that jazz but
14:36we're just in the reverse camera because it's easy it's simple and that's all I
14:40need to do so yeah it's looking good
14:43I like it just wrap everything the
15:03There's the microphone which is right here
15:06which I'm not going to install but you can plug it in right there.
15:10There's also the, there's also the antenna which I am going to install.
15:21So this is how the the antenna piece looks like right here zoom out of it.,
15:24and, and, and that, and that use is your OEM little socket right there you want to
15:31it into right here it came with this cable too so I'm gonna plug this in and this
15:36has the other end to get power so let's plug this black boy in I can find the
16:01So I have a Samsung S10 plugged in and
16:11as you can see, I do have Android Auto up, it's the,
16:17it's the latest one,
16:18you got the Spotify and all of that goodness.
16:22Very cool.
16:23And it's just like yeah, very cool.
16:27So I'm gonna have this all hooked up and
16:31We'll see how it goes and proceed from there.
17:01Clips in I usually just have it right there
17:04picks up the GPS signal good enough and I'll so
17:09to be honest
17:11Be the navigation is just kind of like for emergencies
17:15I like to use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay for everything else
17:31So we have the head unit in, and let's fire it up.
17:45Now of course we're going to clean that up a little bit.
17:48Zoom.
17:49Cool.
17:50Well that kind of concludes the install, thank you guys for thank you
17:56guys for watching.
17:57If you guys were thinking of buying this, link is down in the
18:00in the description below, and thank you guys, for watching.
18:02See you guys in the next one.
18:03Peace.
Machine-transcribed from the full-length video and lightly cleaned (product names fixed). Watch the video for exact wording.
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