DIY: TSX Homelink on CR-Z EX

[ITEM9]

Introduction

The interior light switch on the 03-05 Acura TSX has an integrated Homelink module along with blue ambient lighting and a HFL microphone. This module can directly replace the interior light switch assembly on the CR-Z EX with no irreversible changes to your vehicle. I got this idea from some threads over at fitfreak.com. This will add Homelink capability to your CR-Z without sacrificing any major features like HFL and ambient lighting.

This modification can be done with the stock wiring and connectors of the EX model of the CR-Z. However, it does need a pin reconfiguration along with an additional pin added to supply un-switched battery power to the Homelink. Fortunately +12V power is available a few inches away via the switched ground map light's +12V power supply. With the right tools, this is a very simple and easy mod with no wire splicing into your stock harness. The Base model CR-Z has a totally different 4 pin connector instead of the 10 pin one that the Homelink module requires, so this cannot be done as easily without splicing wires or maybe buying an EX roof harness.

The only thing that you will lose from doing this mod is the "ON" position for the interior lighting, leaving you only with "OFF" and "DOOR". You can still individually turn on the map lights up front, but the lights in the rear will only turn on upon opening the doors when switched to "DOOR."

Also the color is not an exact match with CR-Z trim. The CR-Z with gray interior uses "Light Gray" while the TSX/Accord/Fit use "Clear Gray." It's a very subtle difference; this can be seen in the pics above and below. We can help alleviate this slight difference by also replacing the map light casing with the one available from the GE8 Fit /w nav to match the "Clear Gray" of the TSX homelink module. The difference may not be as noticeable if all the adjacent plastic matches each other. The "Clear Gray" headliner fabric probably isn't an exact match to the "Clear Gray" plastic trim anyways, so we can probably get away with no one noticing the difference as much. I haven't done this part yet, but I plan on it and will post pics when I do.


TSX Module vs. CR-Z EX Module


Homelink module PCB w/o microphone on the left vs PCB w/ microphone on the right.

Parts Needed

Acura TSX Homelink Module (39180-SEC-A51ZB) - Buying new will cost at least $240. I bought my TSX one used for $70, but I discovered even though this one had a mic screen, it actually had no mic inside of it. The picture above shows the absence of a microphone on an otherwise identical PCB. I guess the NAVI TSX and NON-NAVI TSX still use the same switch cover or something, so be aware of that when buying a used one online. I'm not really sure how you can easily do that though, since from pictures they will look identical to each other and a seller would either have to know about the car it came from or take it apart to find out for you.

I then bought an Accord w/ Navi one (39180-SDA-A52ZA), which is pretty much identical to the TSX one, but with an amber LED instead of the blue LED of the TSX. I got this one for $45 and luckily it had a mic in it. I swapped over the blue LED into the Accord one and reassembled.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the LED from your stock interior light switch cannot be removed like the TSX/Accord modules, as it is instead soldered to the PCB; so no swapping of your stock blue LED into an Accord one. I think the LED bulbs are a standard twist lock instrument cluster bulb, so perhaps these are available individually on the web somewhere if you need to swap LEDs.

Honda Fit Map Light Case (34404-SNA-A21ZD) - Optional if you want to color match the Homelink module. Around $20 new from Honda.


Green connector and the pins extracted from it.

(1) Pin from a "green" connector - An additional pin needs to be added to the connector. Obtaining this can be an issue as you can't just simply buy one from Honda unless you want to sacrifice an OEM harness. The best case scenario is when you buy a used Homelink module from a wreck and it comes with a pigtail connector cut from the vehicle harness. I actually got my extra pins from the JDM Honda accessory backup camera wiring project that I'm working on, where I needed to remove a 5 pin green connector from the camera wiring harness. Another option to get one may be from other forum members who may have a few of these pins left over from some of their wiring projects. Your last avenue is to just buy the cheapest sub harness that you can find which contains the pin you need; the cheapest I've found is the steering wheel harness from the base model 6MT. The MID controls in this sub harness use a 6 pin green connector and can be had for under $20, which isn't too out of the question for a project like this. Plus you'll have left over wiring bits that you could use for other wiring projects down the road; I'm always pulling bits from my wiring harness graveyard.

Tools Needed

Small Precision Screwdriver - To unlock the connector body for releasing the pins.
8mm Socket Wrench
Basic Wiring Tools - You'll probably need to add an additional length of wire to your extra pin, so have some basic wiring tools to do this.


Depinning tool shown with green connector. A .050" hex key wrench can be used instead.

Depinning Tool - Having this tool is the difference between this mod being completely impossible or super easy. I have no idea where such a tool can be obtained, but I'm sure it exists somewhere; I'll leave that for someone else to figure out. I actually made mine from a thin piece of scrap aluminium that I had laying around. I just sanded it down to size until it freely slid into the square holes above the pins. The dimensions of the tool that I made are 1.36 mm x 1.27 mm to fit into the holes and it needs to go in about 13 mm deep. The idea is to spread apart two opposing tabs on the pin by fitting this tool between them so they can move past a small catch inside the connector. The tool needs to be just smaller than the square opening and be able to move freely inside of it, because you'll need to be able to feel whether you've spread the tabs apart or not. Don't try to force something too large for the opening, because you'll just end up damaging the connector body. The depinning tool I made is shown in the pictures above. If you are making this tool, having a spare green connector to test fitment on while sanding the tool down to size will make your life a whole lot easier as you would otherwise have to run to the car every time to see if it will fit into the connector. Also it's nice to have a little practice with removing the pins from a connector not attached to the vehicle to get a feel for depinning them.

UPDATE: A .050" hex wrench can be used instead of making a tool like I did above and the ball end hex wrench seemed to work particularly well.

On to the install...

[ITEM9]

Module Removal

The map light assembly is pretty easy to remove and replace. The map light lenses need to be popped off to expose the (2) 8mm screws which hold everything in place. Remove these two screws and the assembly should be free to drop from the headliner. Remove the 10 pin and 3 pin electrical connectors and it should come free. This 10 pin connector is the one you will be re-configuring. If you are reusing the stock map light casing then you will need to pop the existing map light switch out of it to replace it with the Homelink module. Otherwise, snap your Homelink module into your GE8 casing and set it aside, because you have some pinning to do...

The following diagrams are the stock configurations for the TSX and CR-Z interior light switch modules. You must change your stock harness connections around a bit to get it to work with the TSX module. The wire colors that go into each socket of the connector body are represented on the diagrams below. The "X" represents a vacant socket.

Stock 03-05 TSX/Accord configuration


Stock 2011- CR-Z configuration


Wiring Harness Reconfiguration

If you have your depinning tool this part should be easy. The following diagrams should illustrate how the pins need to be reconfigured to work with the TSX Homelink module. First, the 10 pin green connector must be "unlocked" by prying the small strip of plastic on top of the connector away from the main body of the connector. A small flat head screw driver works well for this. Once it's unlocked, the depinning tool can be inserted to release the pins from the connector body and you can begin re-configuring the pins as specified in the diagrams below. You can't really do one pin at a time, since there isn't much slack in the harness, so work from the outside-in to get a few out at a time. The pins just snap back into place and work them back into thier new position from the middle to the outsides. Notice that the red wire is the only wire that doesn't need be relocated.

This is also the time where you need to add in your power supply pin. You'll probably want this wire to be around 5 or 6 inches long, so if the wire connected to your pin is too short, then you will need to add some length to it. Strip off about a 1/2 inch of insulator on the end without a pin and twist the strands together. Once you've moved around a few pins while re-configuring, the socket where you need to add this pin will become available. This position is in the middle of the connector, so get it in before you snap in the other pins around it, otherwise it's to difficult to add it after the other pins are reconfigured.

DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AS YOU WILL BE WORKING WITH WIRES THAT ARE HOT AT ALL TIMES

My depinning tool test fit & practice connector


Repinning diagram

The red arrow indicates where you need to add a pin to connect unswitched battery power to the Homelink module.

Connector pinouts

Use the table on the right. The two tables on the left show the stock pin configurations for their respective vehicle.

Modified CR-Z EX connector

Your modified harness should look like this. The red "+" indicates where you need to add a pin to connect unswitched battery power to the Homelink module.

Connecting Unswitched Power to the Homelink Module

The last thing you'll need to do is connect your added pin to a power supply that is hot at all times. Since the map lights are switched ground and have uninterrupted battery power going to them, you can get power right off of one of the map light bulbs directly. Lock the reconfigured green connector by pressing the plastic strip back into place and reconnect the map light assembly to your modified roof harness. Feed the stripped end of your power supply wire through the small opening shown in the 1st picture below. On the other side, pop one end of the map light bulb out and try to pinch the stripped end of the wire between the bulb end and the bulb holder, as shown in the 2nd picture.







And that's it for the wiring! Replace the map light assembly back into the headliner opening and re-tighten the (2) 8mm screws. You can now test the function of your map lights, HFL, ambient LEDs and the Homelink to ensure you reconfigured the harness properly. Once you have ensured proper function, pop the map light lenses back into place and begin setting up your Homelink!

Go to the Homelink website to find how to setup the Homelink module for your particular garage door opener or other compatible device:

HomeLink

[sandwich14]

[ShazzNADES]

I have no idea what is going on here lol

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk

[Exhell]

^ same, but I wish this came stock with the CR-Z, garage door buttons would make my life easier lol...

[gnawhdivad]

^same here. i want some one to do it for me hahaha

[SS2CRZ]

Awesome idea, but he lost me at "pin reconfiguration".

I'm good with fabrication...not electronics. I'm surprised my subwoofer hasn't burst into flames yet!

Anyway, thanks for the great idea and DIY. Another great forum contribution!

[FitStir]

Great DIY!!!! I'm surprised more people haven't done this. One of my fav mods on my 09 Fit.

I installed it with the sunglass holder.

Originally Posted by FitStir

Here's the finished install.

There's more pin swapping required for the CR-Z, but by following the pinout connection spreadsheet it should clear things up.

Great job Item 9!
How's the JDM reverse tilt coming along?

[ITEM9]

^Thanks for the comments! I remember your posts in Zalthras' thread over at fitfreak. Thankfully the CR-Z has a sunglasss holder on the dash, because I'm not brave enough to cut my headliner like you did. The CR-Z dash sunglass holder kinda sucks though; I don't get why it doesn't hold itself open, yet I still have to finish closing it by pressing down on it...

Anyways, the reverse tilt mirror has been working out nicely, but the harness for it is actually going to come out of the car soon so I can modify it for wiring up power folding mirrors. This should be my next DIY and hopefully I'll have them working sometime soon.

[ITEM9]

GE8 maplight case that matches the homelink module


The camera flash makes the different grays seem more noticeable, but when you see it in person, it looks like it belongs there. I'm pretty nit-picky about details like this and I find it completely tolerable. Homelink is so worth it...

Other Updates
There are also a few edits to my original DIY to make it read easier and whatnot, so look through it again if you are thinking about doing this. I'm open to suggestions to improve it too if there is something that isn't clear to you.

Also here is a link to the main thread that inspired this DIY and much of what I did here was adapted from the information I got from there. There are lots of similarities to the CR-Z, so it might be useful to look through it to get more familiar with what this project entails. Lots of good information there.

DIY-Complete TSX Homelink install on a GE8 Sport w/ Nav - Unofficial Honda FIT Forums