Clarion Radio Replacement

[Marshmellow]

I have a 2013 Greyhawk 31FS and the radio has stopped working. I can not access the main menu, just GPS works. It is a Clarion VX401 and I have tried to get the dealer to look at it and they refuse. They said the whole dash has to come off and they are not sure if they can put it back properly. WTF and you are a dealership for Jayco?? It is a Ford E450 chassis. I have tried to search for any videos on removing the radio but have not found one yet,
Few issues here 1. This is the dealer where I bought it from and they didn't even offer any suggestions. 2. Jayco why did you partner with a Ford chassis that sucks to repair anything. 3. Clarion, your radio sucks after 3 years the stations all reset back to factory for no reason and now not working at all.
Next step calling the local Ford dealer to see if they can offer any assistance. If not, it will be emails to Jayco,Clarion and the dealer saying goodbye when it is time to upgrade my rig.
Thanks for listening... Any suggestions are welcome.

[Sundancer330]

Read the following from a Forest River owner that was trying to get at his radio on a E-450, he took it to a car audio shop for $25 and had his problem fixed.

Radio Removal E450 Chassis - iRV2 Forums

[Randy]

Howdy- I have the Clarion in my vehicle as well, and even when working it is clumsy and slow. The dash on your vehicle is a easy removal, perhaps the dealer doesn't want to work on it? There are better ones out there, to be found at a auto stereo install store...
Randy

[crumgater]

We'll be replacing the Clarion in our Seneca, too... we bought the Seneca used, and the SIM Card is missing... the radio won't work without the SIM card that was provided with the original installation... S/N coupled, apparently.

The refurbishing dealer probably was required to remove the memory card, due to personal privacy of information issues... but that killed the radio. GPS won't work, among many other functions that were memory card dependent.

The radio controls are also a POS. Without the remote, it's nearly impossible to change radio stations.... so unless you have a passenger to help, choose your station carefully before you start driving, as that's what you'll be stuck with until your next stop.

[memphis02]

I know I've shared this before, but I never get tired of it... I was poking at our clarion head unit, last year and got the below message after it went toes up trying to start the GPS. I called clarion and the technician said to me, after describing the error calmly says "well... that's not supposed to happen." and excused himself from the call. When the DW isn't looking I plan on replacing it with a pioneer AVIC series unit; mostly likely an avic-4200nex.

After seeing the error screen in this pic, it became painfully clear to me why this unit is so horrible at its job; it's trying to run windows on a cd player!!! -No word on how well it performs doing word processing or spreadsheets, though, but when I try I'll be sure to give an update!

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by memphis02

it's trying to run windows on a cd player!!!

I'll bite my tongue on my dislike of anything Windows, but yes - that would be a terrible OS to run on a small system. Prolly Windows CE

[Tommyj]

I have a 2011 Greyhawk 31 FK Class C with the Clarion VX401 unit. There are cameras for turn signal and rear backup and it also has outside speakers. I am upgrading to a Pioneer DMH WT3800NEX. Upon completing the installation, I thought that I had the wiring correct, however I have the following issue. It radio works fine in ACC and when powered by the coach battery and I can switch from inside to the outside speakers. However, when I turn on the engine, it appears that the reverse camera triggers, and therefore I cannot use any of the radio functions until I go back to ACC or the coach battery. I do not know how the turn signal/rear view camera circuitry works, but Clarion has a single video input for the rear camera and a Purple White reverse trigger wire. I replaced the reverse trigger as it was wired into the Clarion harness, and plugged the reverse camera RCA plug to the reverse camera input of the Pioneer head unit. The transmission selection or turn signals have no effect on what I am seeing on the radio monitor. Are there any ideas on the trickery that was used to get the video working for the cameras and why the reverse trigger activates when the ignition is on with these grey hawk motorhomes?

[Scoutmaster253]

Originally Posted by Tommyj

... I do not know how the turn signal/rear view camera circuitry works, but Clarion has a single video input for the rear camera and a Purple White reverse trigger wire. I replaced the reverse trigger as it was wired into the Clarion harness, and plugged the reverse camera RCA plug to the reverse camera input of the Pioneer head unit. The transmission selection or turn signals have no effect on what I am seeing on the radio monitor. Are there any ideas on the trickery that was used to get the video working for the cameras and why the reverse trigger activates when the ignition is on with these grey hawk motorhomes?

Hi TommyJ. I also replaced the original POS radio in my 2014 Grayhawk 31FS with a Pioneer unit, an AVIC-W8300NEX. Great radio, I love it.

The RV's cameras inputs to the radio are switched via an upstream video unit which is part number CSW3014. I'll attach a print for it. In mine, this is the unit which selects which camera's video feed gets sent through to the radio. Do you have this unit?

Check under your dash for the CSW switch, and see if it might be overriding or confusing the video feed going to your new radio. Perhaps taking it out of the process entirely (by unplugging the rear camera feeds from it an moving it directly into the radio) would work.

As with your radio, my Pioneer needed to have the VIOLET/WHITE wire "to the lead whose voltage changes when the shift lever is placed into reverse". This switches from the rear camera on when I shift to reverse. I can also select a full time reverse view or a half time reverse view half normal radio display if I choose by using the RADIO's Camera Settings. This 20-ish second rotation cycle happens independent of the gear selection position. (I don't do this often because the constant view changing is distracting.) Perhaps yours has this setting somewhere?

Let us know if you sort it out.

[Tommyj]

Thanks for the quick response and diagram. This is interesting since the purple white wire was connected to the purple white wire on the Clarion connector and matches the colors on the clarion manual. I guess those could have been switched too. That said, I also released the parking brake (Green wire) and I would assume that that would deactivate the reverse if they were switched. I will check again before digging in and switching those wires.

[Tommyj]

Originally Posted by Scoutmaster253

Hi TommyJ. I also replaced the original POS radio in my 2014 Grayhawk 31FS with a Pioneer unit, an AVIC-W8300NEX. Great radio, I love it.

The RV's cameras inputs to the radio are switched via an upstream video unit which is part number CSW3014. I'll attach a print for it. In mine, this is the unit which selects which camera's video feed gets sent through to the radio. Do you have this unit?

Check under your dash for the CSW switch, and see if it might be overriding or confusing the video feed going to your new radio. Perhaps taking it out of the process entirely (by unplugging the rear camera feeds from it an moving it directly into the radio) would work.

As with your radio, my Pioneer needed to have the VIOLET/WHITE wire "to the lead whose voltage changes when the shift lever is placed into reverse". This switches from the rear camera on when I shift to reverse. I can also select a full time reverse view or a half time reverse view half normal radio display if I choose by using the RADIO's Camera Settings. This 20-ish second rotation cycle happens independent of the gear selection position. (I don't do this often because the constant view changing is distracting.) Perhaps yours has this setting somewhere?

Let us know if you sort it out.

As a second reply. I have some type of Multi-Camera Controller. I'm not sure if it is the same one in the 2011 Greyhawk. Do you know where it is located? I was not able to trace it when I put the radio in. I assume it is in the dash somewhere.

[pconroy]

My controller box is just about dangling from zip ties under the steering wheel. Clearly it was a "just stuff it up there and move on" day.

[Tommyj]

Originally Posted by Tommyj

As a second reply. I have some type of Multi-Camera Controller. I'm not sure if it is the same one in the 2011 Greyhawk. Do you know where it is located? I was not able to trace it when I put the radio in. I assume it is in the dash somewhere.

Thanks again to Scoutmaster253 and pconroy. I believe I found the Video Controller, but it is so wrapped in the video wires it is hard to see. One of wires is labeled CA1. I found where the green trigger wire is connected to the purple wire for the radio reverse trigger wire. I cut the connector off and now I can use the radio while driving. I'll just have to rely on my mirrors and the Haloview cameras. They should be good enough but I was hoping to use the mirror cameras too. Maybe I'll look into it again at a later date.

[Scoutmaster253]

Originally Posted by Tommyj

Thanks again to Scoutmaster253 and pconroy. I believe I found the Video Controller, but it is so wrapped in the video wires it is hard to see. One of wires is labeled CA1. I found where the green trigger wire is connected to the purple wire for the radio reverse trigger wire. I cut the connector off and now I can use the radio while driving. I'll just have to rely on my mirrors and the Haloview cameras. They should be good enough but I was hoping to use the mirror cameras too. Maybe I'll look into it again at a later date.

I am glad you got it working well enough to get down the road. Be safe!