My iMIV installation walkthrough.

How I installed an iMIV interface, an OEM look-a-like LCD, and a Garmin GVN-53 GPS unit in a Volvo S60 (model year 2004)

note to reader: you can view a larger version of any picture in this write-up by clicking on the small images.

Before You Begin

If you wish to emulate my installation in whole or in part, here are a few things to know before you begin:

All I am describing is my installation process. The arbitrary wiring connections were merely my choices, and are not necessarily the best possible way to do things. I make no guarantee or warranty that this is the ‘best practice method’ or safest way to do everything. I also make no warranty that you will not damage your car if you choose to copy my method and install electrical components yourself.
The device manufacturer's recommended method for installing any of these devices is to disconnect your battery first and let the system discharge 20 minutes before beginning. Remember to move your gear shifter back a notch or two before unplugging your battery. Remove only the battery pole connection indicated in your owners manual, and be careful not to short your battery. Please wear protective eyewear; batteries can be dangerous.
If you unplug your climate control module in order to have more space to work, make sure it is plugged back in before reconnecting the battery. Reconnecting a battery without the CCM plugged into the car will trip an SRS error message on your dash which can only be reset by a dealer.
Once everything is installed, make sure you put your key into the ignition switch and turn the key to position II before reconnecting your battery. This is the Volvo recommended method for reconnection (according to their owners manual). It allows all the vehicle’s systems to be reset properly so that things like your power doors, sun roof, alarm, and etc will be operational afterwards.

Tools and Parts used

Parts For the iMIV installation:
an iMIV (www.imiv.ca)

an iPod interface cable (various lengths available, depending on where in the car one wishes to mount their unit)

a Melbus cable for connection to the head unit (hint: I got a longer one than I thought I'd need, just in case)
an iMIV power cable

Parts for OEM look-a-like LCD installation:
a LCD (qualitymobilevideo.com or electronics-pluz.com)

a shielded composite video cable (or two)
a electronics or appliance switch (rated for at least 3amps)

a Volvo NAV screen mounting frame

a Volvo center speaker grille that matches the colour of the interior

Parts for aftermarket navigation:
a headless GPS navigation unit. In my case a Garmin GVN-53: info can be found here at garmin.com
a GPS antenna (may or may not come with unit , depending on the brand)
a remote control (may or may not come with unit , depending on the brand)
a shielded composite video cable
a RCA stereo audio cable

Other parts used:

self tapping screw for ground wire (not required if using RTI power cable)

Add-a-circuit fuse adapter, with 2 Amp fuse
adhesive backed Velcro

Tools used:

protective eyewear (**battery manufacturer warns to never disconnect/re-connect a battery without these)
wire strippers
wire cutters

automotive trim removal tool (aka 'bone tool')

heat glue, and heat glue gun

wire ties

Torx screw driver

insulating tape (aka ‘electrical tape’)

other tools:

soldering iron and solder

Selecting a source of power

iMIV power pre-wire

My first important consideration was where to draw power from. It was possible to tap into an existing source such as the rear 12 Volt cigarette lighter, or create a new source using an ‘Add-a-circuit’ and plugging it into the fuse panel. The best option depended on whether I was mounting the iMIV in the front or the rear (trunk) of the car. I chose to provided power for my iMIV by installing an add-a-circuit in the rear fuse panel; this method did not even require an cutting or splicing, just one quick crimp. The rear fuse panel is on the drivers side at the back of the car behind the removable trunk wall trim. I chose to use the CD-changer fuse for my power source. First I grounded the ground wire (green wire) to exposed metal in my trunk using a self tapping metal screw. Then I crimped the add-a-circuit to the end of the positive wire (red) and plugged it into socket number 10.
note: This could alternatively be done from the front fuse panel (behind the removable panel on drivers side of dash) using the same method.

Power sources for LCD and/or NAV

These units both require a source of ‘switched’ power, and a source of ‘battery’ (unswitched) power. Since their power draw is quite small I chose to run my LCD and NAV off the main harness for the head unit. I removed a section of the insulating sleeving on the harness (using a wire stripping tool) and spliced the power lines from the LCD and NAV directly into the wire. In my car, the Volvo power harness has a green plastic connector on the end.

Important: although many Volvo models have this same green connector and wire colours, in some model years the wire colours are different. **if imitating this installation, before you start splicing, verify the colours for your particular car with your local Volvo dealer service desk.

Wire colour coding in my car:

The HU harness wire colours for S60/V70/XC70 (model year 2004) :

Volvo Red = battery power (unswitched)

Volvo Purple = switched power

Volvo Brown = ground wire

ISO wire colours of the accessories:

Accessory Yellow = battery power (unswitched)

Accessory Red = switched power

Accessory Black = ground wire

So, on my car the proper hook up is:

Yellow to the Volvo Red wire, Red to the Volvo Purple wire, and Black to the Volvo Brown wire.

iMIV installation

My first consideration was determining where to mount the iMIV processing unit. Options included: under the passenger seat, trunk area, glove box, dash side pocket, etc. I chose to mount in the trunk for two reasons, ease of access for connecting accessories in the future, and ease of mounting.

Trim removal

Once the mounting location was chosen the wiring process could begin. The door sill trim panels, front floor mat, and radio head unit needed to be removed in order to run the wire cables. The door sill trim pieces came off relatively easily using only my hands. I took my time, since going too quickly or forcefully can result in breakage of the attachment points or even the trim piece itself. To remove the rear door sill trim panel required the removal of the rear seat cushion (or at least it has to be pried up a little). Next, I removed the trim along the passenger side of the centre tunnel. It is held in place by several plastic latches and a twist lock. The lock turns 90 degrees using a quarter, then after prying the rear of the panel out a little, I was able to slide the trim piece towards the rear of the car to unlatch the plastic clips, and remove the panel. Removal of the front floor carpet required the lower trim underneath the dash to be removed first. There are two Torx screws which hold it in place, once the screws are removed it comes out by pulling downward toward the floor (note: the console side trim piece had to be removed before this one, or else it wouldn’t come out). Once the trim was all removed, the front end of the floor carpet could be bent back wards in order to run wires underneath. Complete carpet removal was not necessary, which was a relief since the rear of the carpet is bolted down under the passenger seat.

I/O wiring

Once the trim was removed, I ran wires (iMIV Melbus cable, etc) along the passenger side of the car by prying the edge of the floor carpets up a little. There is a pass through at the at the rear edge of the rear seat cushion to allow the wiring into the trunk area. For my installation I located my GPS unit in the rear of the car, so the wiring for it (antenna line, power lines, and dimmer line) runs parallel to the iMIV wiring. I also ran a shielded 5 metre long component video cable from the front to the rear of the car to allow connection of my iMIV to the LCD.

Connecting the iMIV

1. plug in the Melbus cable from the HU

2. plug in the iPod cable
3. plug in the aux cables if connecting a second audio/video device
4. plug in the iMIV power cable

summary of my iMIV connection wires.

Main Melbus cable runs from iMIV in trunk to HU at front of car.

Shielded composite Video cable runs from trunk to LCD in front of car.

iPod cable runs from iMIV to armrest in centre of car (under rear seat cushion and under centre tunnel carpet).

iMIV power cable runs from rear fuse panel across trunk to right side of car where iMIV is installed.

All of the above were then plugged into the iMIV unit.
I mounted the iMIV unit using a piece of adhesive Velcro. It simply ‘sticks’ onto the felt liner on the side of my trunk.

Head unit removal

Removing the head unit (S60/V70/XC70 models 01-04)
1. move the gear shifter backward and then remove key from ignition

2. disconnect car battery.

3. remove lower trim piece using a trim tool (bone tool)

4. remove Torx screws at base of climate control module. Be very careful not to drop the screws into the gear shift console, they are tough to fish out.

5. remove climate control module using trim tool. It is held in place quite tightly by two pressure clips at the top, but it will come out.

6. remove Torx screws at base of head unit.

7. pull base of head unit out a little and then pull head unit down and out.

8. connect Melbus cable from iMIV. If only installing iMIV then reinstall the HU and this potion of your installation is finished. If you are installing the LCD, release the connections at rear of HU and remove HU to allow easier access to the dash for installing LCD wiring.

Reassembly
1. make sure Melbus cable (Black), antenna (grey), and wire harnesses (one green, one grey) are plugged into the HU and replace HU into dash.

2. replace CCM into dash (without screws for now).

3. put key in ignition and turn to position II

4. reconnect car battery

5. Test and make sure hardware is operational before you reinstall rest of trim and bolt things down.

Testing

Hint #1: the iMIV unit expects the iPod to be either paused or not playing at the point in time when it is attached to the iPod wire.
Hint #2: iPod video output requires TV channel 1 to be selected on the HU and ‘enable TV out’ to be selected on your iPod.

If everything tests out fine, reinstall your bolts and trim.

LCD Installation

Dash grill removal for LCD installation
1. place a hard object along side of the grille to distribute the force and prevent dash damage (I used a thin wood board)

2. pry side of grille out using a bone tool, much force is required due to tight pressure clips. Then remove grille.

3. remove the four Torx retaining screws from the speaker grille frame

4. remove frame

LCD installation

1. disconnect car battery

2. remove radio head unit (see iMIV instructions above for details)

3. thread LCD wire harness through opening in top (between the vents)

4. connect wire harness to power source and composite video wires

5. install LCD unit into new frame (fasten with screws)

6. place frame over top of dash opening and connect wire harness

7. put frame into resting place and replace stereo HU (do not screw either unit back in yet until testing is complete)

8. reconnect CCM if it has been unplugged.

9. put key in ignition and turn to position II

10. reconnect car battery
11. test functionality of LCD using a video input source
12. fasten down LCD mounting frame with Torx screws

13. place new grille onto frame (install speaker first if desired)
14. replace screws in HU and CCM
15. replace any remaining trim

NAV installation

Garmin GVN-53 'headless' GPS installation

1. disconnect car battery

2. remove trim and run wire harness cables from GPS box location to power source and LCD input location

3. run antenna wire from GPS box to mounting location (dash in my case)

4. connect to LCD composite video input jack

5. connect wire harness to power source (install on/off switch if desired)

6. connect antenna to GPS box

7. connect wire harness plastic plug to GPS box, and affix box to chassis (i.e. under passenger seat, in Dash, in Trunk)

8. reconnect car battery
9. test GPS functions
10. replace screws in HU and CCM
11. replace any remaining trim pieces

NAV on/off inline switch

I did not wish to have my NAV unit running all the time, so I added a rocker switch in the circuit for my NAV unit. This is installed in the ‘switched’ power line (red wire from Garmin) to allow me to turn the unit on and off manually.

LCD dimmer switch

I added an inline switch for the dimmer wire to enable dimming when driving at night. When the circuit is closed (switch 'on') the voltage triggers the LCD to dim. I figured this was a requirement for safety during night time driving. I found the LCD is too bright in dark conditions for the driver's eyes to adapt quickly when changing focus from the road to the screen and back again. Without a dimmer, the effect is temporary blindness (like from a camera flash bulb).

some pictures of NAV in action

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The iMIV, its associated naming, product logos, intellectual property, and manual are property of Sensolutions Inc. No original iMIV photos, logos, or documentation has been reproduced on this site; all photos herein are original and taken by the author during the installation process. All iMIV copyrights remain property of their owner.

Volvo, its associated naming, product logos, intellectual property, and design are property of Volvo Cars. No original Volvo photos, logos, or documentation has been reproduced on this site; all photos herein are original and taken by the author during the installation process. All Volvo copyrights remain property of their owner.