FAQ

A MicroBypass® is an electronic controller that emulates a parking brake signal procedure when a compatible aftermarket car stereo and/or navigation system is used in an off-road (non automobile) application (e.g., utility vehicle, golf cart, retail store display, boat, RV, etc).

MicroBypass® electronic controllers do NOT connect to a vehicle's actual parking or foot brake wires (it will cause irreparable damage to the MicroBypass®).

MicroBypass® electronic controllers do NOT defeat, bypass, or otherwise interfere with any vehicle road safety features, or vehicle safety systems.

In a typical vehicle radio installation, all of the required connections are available (e.g., power, ground, accessory, speaker leads, and parking and/or foot brake wires), and there is no need for a MicroBypass® (all of the necessary connections are already present in a typical automobile installation).

However, a utility vehicle, golf cart, retail store display, boat, or RV, will not have the necessary parking and/or foot brake wires present and few options to create these essential connections exist (such as an obtrusive toggle switch that needs to be drilled in the dash). This is when a MicroBypass® can be used to automatically emulate the parking and/or foot brake lockout routine and activate the normally restricted features of the radio (such as bluetooth setup, clock settings, EQ, video playback, etc).

A diode is a device the allows power to travel one way and is labeled on one side with a band or stripe. It is used to prevent another accessory (that is also sharing the connection with the remote wire) from back-feeding power (such as an aftermarket amplifier). Installing a diode will prevent this type of back-feeding from happening. Think of a diode as a one-way street, check-valve, or a subway and amusement park entrance turnstile, but instead for electricity.

To install a diode along with the MicroBypass, you can use a standard 1N4001 general-purpose rectifier diode. You would connect the aftermarket radio's remote wire (blue/white) to the MicroBypass remote wire (blue/white on the Alpine MicroBypass, and blue on Pioneer MicroBypass), and then connect these two wires to one side of the diode (the side without the stripe). You would then connect the other side of the diode (the one marked with the stripe) to the wire that runs to you amp or aftermarket acessory. This will solve the issue, if it is your amplifier back-feeding. Please let us know if you need any help using the "Contact Us" link.

Yes! The MicroBypass can be used on Alpine restyle radios as well. However, the parking and/or foot brake wires coming from the maestro module need to be capped off and not connected to anything. This way only the MicroBypass will send a signal to the Alpine radio's foot and/or parking brake wire. Please contact us if you need any help with your wiring.

Yes, it will! However, you must cap off or insulate the end of the yellow/black foot brake wire on the MicroBypass to prevent damage (it is not used on an Alpine radio that only has a yellow/blue parking brake wire).