My DIY Overhead DVD installation w/ pictures - 2012 LE AWD

[TonyVir]

I just completed installing a Planet Audio P11.2AIO Flip-Down DVD with 11“ screen in my wife's 2012 LE. The DVD unit, 3 Farenheit HP-12S Dual Channel Wireless Headphones, wire taps, shrink tubing and such cost a little over $300. It took me about 4 hours to complete. The scariest part was cutting into the pristine headliner of my wife’s brand new car!

Basically I followed what fellow board member, 94z32xtt did HERE. Thanks 94z32xtt!

Here's what I did.

To avoid messing around under the dash and staying clear of the side curtain airbags and HVAC ducts I took power and the dome light trigger from the rear power outlet. The DVD manufacture recommends a switched and constant 12V but the unit seems to work fine connecting both leads to the switched 12V. It remembers where the DVD left off when I shut off the car.

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I popped out the plate that houses the rear dome and power outlet and determined the green wire to the dome light was a negative trigger. This will be used to switch the dome lights in the DVD unit.

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With a wire tap I spliced into the black 12V lead to the power outlet. The fuse is accessible through the jack access panel.

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I then snaked the wires up behind the rear pillar cover, around the rear center seatbelt and down the center of the headliner using an electrician's snake.

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Even though I had a pretty good idea where the cross-member was, I probed through the headliner with a large pin just to make sure BEFORE I started cutting.

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I removed a little paint with a Dremal Tool and mounted the ground wire. (I know, the ground wire should not be red!) Then I attached the DVD mounting plate. It was necessary to drill new holes through the plate so I could catch both high spots of the cross-member and mount it securely as possible. The plate is mounted ABOVE the headliner so that the headliner is sandwiched between the plate and the DVD unit making for a neat install.

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Then I wired and mounted the unit with the 4 supplied machine screws. Sorry, no pictures here, I only have two hands!

Here’s the finished product. I’m very pleased with how it came out and the kids love it! The DVD unit came with different snap-on covers, the gray matched the best. The 11" screen does somewhat limit the use of the rear-view mirror when it's in use.

I may go back in and snake the audio output wires down the front door pillars and under the seat so I can plug it into the 3.5mm accessory port on the radio because the FM modulator is junk and there is lots of interference. Until then the wireless headphones work just fine.

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