Brave Owner Steve
Member
This post describes what I did to install a Pioneer DMH-WT5000NEX CarPlay radio in a 2016 Winnebago Brave. The Rand McNalley GPS was no longer supported and the Jensen radio was old school as well. In a previous post I described how to remove the dash panel to access the required cables.
The Jensen radio is removed by removing two screws on either side of the front bezel. After lifting the radio out release the power/speaker connection and the antenna cable. Release the white Molex connector from the Motorhome side and then remove the connector from the radio setting it aside. You will need it later. At this point I disassembled the radio, retaining the front bezel. Keep track of the antenna cable, yellow RCA connector for the rear camera and the radio power/speaker connector in the dash.
I then took the Jensen bezel and cut a rectangle in the face the same size as the front bezel of the Pioneer chassis. I superglued together the Jensen bezel and the front of the Pioneer radio chassis creating a solid mounting/dash interface. I also fabricated two brackets for the sides of the radio chassis with 90 degree angles to match up with the two dash screws.
At this point I cut the Jensen connector off of the power/speaker cable retaining the white Molex connector to later reinstall. The Pioneer interface cable has many more wires for auto functions not used here. I connected the Pioneer cable and the Winnebago cable according to the following:
Pioneer Winnebago Function
Red Red Switched 12V
Yellow Red Switched 12V
Black Black Ground
White Green Front Left
White/Black Green/Black. Front Left -
Grey Purple Front Right
Grey/Black Purple/Black Front Right -
Green White Rear Left
Green/Black White/Black Rear Left -
Purple Grey Rear Right
Purple/Black Grey/Black Rear Right -
Pioneer uses the standard automotive color code scheme. Winnebago closely matches that however the front speakers (according to the color standard) ended up outside and the rear speakers ended up inside from the Winnebago perspective. To account for that wiring the colors needed to be cross matched from a Pioneer perspective. Using the fader balancing you will need to fade to full rear for outside speaker operation or fade to front for inside speaker operation. Why this is a problem was that in CarPlay, Sire & Map notifications only project to the front speakers. There is no method to send Siri or Map notifications to the rear speakers.
Once you have the cable fabricated connect it to the radio and the Winnebago Molex connector. I installed the Pioneer microphone through the hole left from the old GPS cables and then to the radio. Connect the Pioneer Second camera Yellow RCA connector to the Winnebago Yellow RCA connector. I ran the Pioneer GPS cable under the dash panel to the front passenger corner and attached it close to the window. Connect the Winnebago Radio Antenna cable to the antenna port on the Pioneer radio. Install the Pioneer radio in the dash using the same screw used to mount the previous Jensen Radio.
There are many detail not covered here but this is too long already. If you have questions post here and I will answer all your questions. It was a challenging project but rewarding. I just brought my 2016 Motorhome Navigation and Radio to the 2026 CarPlay standards and will enable to use my iPhone on the run. (The radio also supports Android uses as well).
The Jensen radio is removed by removing two screws on either side of the front bezel. After lifting the radio out release the power/speaker connection and the antenna cable. Release the white Molex connector from the Motorhome side and then remove the connector from the radio setting it aside. You will need it later. At this point I disassembled the radio, retaining the front bezel. Keep track of the antenna cable, yellow RCA connector for the rear camera and the radio power/speaker connector in the dash.
I then took the Jensen bezel and cut a rectangle in the face the same size as the front bezel of the Pioneer chassis. I superglued together the Jensen bezel and the front of the Pioneer radio chassis creating a solid mounting/dash interface. I also fabricated two brackets for the sides of the radio chassis with 90 degree angles to match up with the two dash screws.
At this point I cut the Jensen connector off of the power/speaker cable retaining the white Molex connector to later reinstall. The Pioneer interface cable has many more wires for auto functions not used here. I connected the Pioneer cable and the Winnebago cable according to the following:
Pioneer Winnebago Function
Red Red Switched 12V
Yellow Red Switched 12V
Black Black Ground
White Green Front Left
White/Black Green/Black. Front Left -
Grey Purple Front Right
Grey/Black Purple/Black Front Right -
Green White Rear Left
Green/Black White/Black Rear Left -
Purple Grey Rear Right
Purple/Black Grey/Black Rear Right -
Pioneer uses the standard automotive color code scheme. Winnebago closely matches that however the front speakers (according to the color standard) ended up outside and the rear speakers ended up inside from the Winnebago perspective. To account for that wiring the colors needed to be cross matched from a Pioneer perspective. Using the fader balancing you will need to fade to full rear for outside speaker operation or fade to front for inside speaker operation. Why this is a problem was that in CarPlay, Sire & Map notifications only project to the front speakers. There is no method to send Siri or Map notifications to the rear speakers.
Once you have the cable fabricated connect it to the radio and the Winnebago Molex connector. I installed the Pioneer microphone through the hole left from the old GPS cables and then to the radio. Connect the Pioneer Second camera Yellow RCA connector to the Winnebago Yellow RCA connector. I ran the Pioneer GPS cable under the dash panel to the front passenger corner and attached it close to the window. Connect the Winnebago Radio Antenna cable to the antenna port on the Pioneer radio. Install the Pioneer radio in the dash using the same screw used to mount the previous Jensen Radio.
There are many detail not covered here but this is too long already. If you have questions post here and I will answer all your questions. It was a challenging project but rewarding. I just brought my 2016 Motorhome Navigation and Radio to the 2026 CarPlay standards and will enable to use my iPhone on the run. (The radio also supports Android uses as well).
