Any luck with this? I'm in need of an upgrade. I too have read the long long long threads but most of the info isnt for the 06 lx and tbh, im not wild about those tesla style screens...
06/07 LX470 Nav/Radio upgrades?
- Thread starter WatchTimes
- Start date
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This is the best upgrade you can make: Compare GROM Car Audio Integration Kits - https://gromaudio.com/store/all-toyn_lex4_.html
Keeps everything stock but brings the system into 2020 with Carplay and Android auto! I just installed one and my '04 feels like a new vehicle. The install process is incredibly easy.
Hi all, I'm after ordering the Head Unit. They didn't end up upgrading the unit so I went with the PX6.
I also had to fix the steering wheel motors (tilt and telescoping).
I started with the motors, a pretty simple installation. The tilt is easily accessible, but the replacement part doesn't sit as tightly as the factory part, still works. The shaft seemed a bit stuck and once I had removed the existing motors, I forced it in and out a few times to loosen it up. If there is someone here who could recommend a good shaft grease, please let me know. This is an excellent write-up, I got my motors on ebay
The telescoping was difficult to get at, lie down on your back driver side floor, move the black AC box out of the way and you should be able to see it.
---- If ye want a full write up on this fix, let me know.
To the head unit. I'm halfway through, I'm going to add photos here, comment there if you'd like any specific photos
I'm a weekend warrior DIYer, mostly I rely on these forums and Youtube videos for instruction.
The unit cost me $520. It arrived in a week or so. It included the HU, the two faux-wood side trims, and the mounting brackets.
Easy enough to remove the existing HU, and plugging up the new one was pretty simple too. Loads of unused wires and slots etc., but the steering wheel buttons, the ac (+rear ac),seem are working plug and play.
- I tried retaining the original wood panels, but in trying to add a USB slot and halving them, I cracked them
- The Speakers are sounding shocking, I am going to attempt to retain the factory amp for now, but even going through all the settings, they still sound crackly. I'm open to suggestions though, has someone had success with updating the amp and speakers?
- I'm going to try and retain the factory backup camera too following this
- I'm going to add USB chargers: this one, USB c and USB 3.0 for charging, and this for the HU USBs, I'm replacing the existing cigarette slots
- The four physical buttons at the bottom of the HU are not working, though the lights are on and the functionality is found within the HU, they are a nice-to have
I also had to fix the steering wheel motors (tilt and telescoping).
I started with the motors, a pretty simple installation. The tilt is easily accessible, but the replacement part doesn't sit as tightly as the factory part, still works. The shaft seemed a bit stuck and once I had removed the existing motors, I forced it in and out a few times to loosen it up. If there is someone here who could recommend a good shaft grease, please let me know. This is an excellent write-up, I got my motors on ebay
The telescoping was difficult to get at, lie down on your back driver side floor, move the black AC box out of the way and you should be able to see it.
---- If ye want a full write up on this fix, let me know.
To the head unit. I'm halfway through, I'm going to add photos here, comment there if you'd like any specific photos
I'm a weekend warrior DIYer, mostly I rely on these forums and Youtube videos for instruction.
The unit cost me $520. It arrived in a week or so. It included the HU, the two faux-wood side trims, and the mounting brackets.
Easy enough to remove the existing HU, and plugging up the new one was pretty simple too. Loads of unused wires and slots etc., but the steering wheel buttons, the ac (+rear ac),seem are working plug and play.
- I tried retaining the original wood panels, but in trying to add a USB slot and halving them, I cracked them
- The Speakers are sounding shocking, I am going to attempt to retain the factory amp for now, but even going through all the settings, they still sound crackly. I'm open to suggestions though, has someone had success with updating the amp and speakers?
- I'm going to try and retain the factory backup camera too following this
- I'm going to add USB chargers: this one, USB c and USB 3.0 for charging, and this for the HU USBs, I'm replacing the existing cigarette slots
- The four physical buttons at the bottom of the HU are not working, though the lights are on and the functionality is found within the HU, they are a nice-to have
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I really love my SL3B it runs just like factory. Always connects when I get in, always works, etc. Install time is only minutes, it's super easy just plug and play two wires. Only downside is it doesn't do bluetooth calling like some of the others but to me that's not a big deal: Amazon.com: VAIS Technology SL3b-L Bluetooth Audio Streaming add-on Adapter Compatible for Most 2001-2009 Lexus Models - https://amzn.to/30r24Hb
Nobody posted this thread yet?
forum.ih8mud.com
The difficulty in 03-07 US based LCs is the stereo is integrated with the nav system in the touch screen, so you can't change out the head unit directly. It's sort of a two step process where you first have to convert a nav equipped 100 (LC or LX) to a non-nav 100 by adding button style controls for your HVAC (parts sourced from outside the US where there were many non-nav 100s being sold), then you can add a head unit from a traditional manufacturer like Alpine, Pioneer, or Kenwood. Jerryb here on this forum is the authority figure on this and makes a harness that greatly simplifies the process.
I would trust this kind of conversion much more than a Tesla stye screen because at it's core, you're using established companies - standard double din head units and the same Toyota HVAC controls the rest of the world uses. I'd be much more comfortable with the long-term stability of that kind of system even though the Tesla screen looks really cool.
post 2003 nav delete how to.
Nov 1, 2023 update PSA for the current assemblies flooding the USA from facebook. narness set is 220+ shipping. Anyone with the pigtails and the connectors that come with your FB assemblies has an easy task of hardwiring it with the PDF non nav workbook posted. I will continue to make...
forum.ih8mud.com
The difficulty in 03-07 US based LCs is the stereo is integrated with the nav system in the touch screen, so you can't change out the head unit directly. It's sort of a two step process where you first have to convert a nav equipped 100 (LC or LX) to a non-nav 100 by adding button style controls for your HVAC (parts sourced from outside the US where there were many non-nav 100s being sold), then you can add a head unit from a traditional manufacturer like Alpine, Pioneer, or Kenwood. Jerryb here on this forum is the authority figure on this and makes a harness that greatly simplifies the process.
I would trust this kind of conversion much more than a Tesla stye screen because at it's core, you're using established companies - standard double din head units and the same Toyota HVAC controls the rest of the world uses. I'd be much more comfortable with the long-term stability of that kind of system even though the Tesla screen looks really cool.
This is an unbelievably cool solution. Had I seen this first, I may have gone with it. have you an idea of total cost? There are 35 pages on that forum, a lot to digest, but I would have preferred to go with the hardware ac controls and be able to use brand double dins tooNobody posted this thread yet?
post 2003 nav delete how to.
Nov 1, 2023 update PSA for the current assemblies flooding the USA from facebook. narness set is 220+ shipping. Anyone with the pigtails and the connectors that come with your FB assemblies has an easy task of hardwiring it with the PDF non nav workbook posted. I will continue to make...
The difficulty in 03-07 US based LCs is the stereo is integrated with the nav system in the touch screen, so you can't change out the head unit directly. It's sort of a two step process where you first have to convert a nav equipped 100 (LC or LX) to a non-nav 100 by adding button style controls for your HVAC (parts sourced from outside the US where there were many non-nav 100s being sold), then you can add a head unit from a traditional manufacturer like Alpine, Pioneer, or Kenwood. Jerryb here on this forum is the authority figure on this and makes a harness that greatly simplifies the process.
I would trust this kind of conversion much more than a Tesla stye screen because at it's core, you're using established companies - standard double din head units and the same Toyota HVAC controls the rest of the world uses. I'd be much more comfortable with the long-term stability of that kind of system even though the Tesla screen looks really cool.
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It's been well over a year since I bought all my parts so I don't remember for sure (plus I bought them over the course of maybe a year), but I seem to recall the conversion parts themselves were in the $1500 range plus the cost of the stereo system itself. There are a few of the parts that have become quite difficult to find and pricey. I've heard you can recover a good chunk of the conversion cost by selling off the touch screen and some other parts, but I haven't done that yet... they're still sitting in a box in my garage.
I have an '06 LX470. I went with the Tesla style from Phoenix.
Pros:
- Like having access to modern technology (gaia, waze, pandora, etc.). All can run natively.
- On screen air controls work (front/rear, rear defrost, etc.)
- Options to add front/side cameras and other devices via USB (NEW emulators, etc.)
- I've had no issues with sound quality or integration with the ML amp
- GPS works well
Cons:
- Limited install instructions, basically plug stuff in till it works. Lots of unused plugs.
- Join the facebook group. Get Sergey's software
- Backup camera does not work out of box, but I will be trying the writeup on other threads to leverage the OEM camera. Worse comes to worse I'll put in an aftermarket one
- Carplay (if you use it) can be spotty via zlink
- Side panel fitment is not great but i can live with it
- Radio reception isn't great, looking at adding a booster at some point
- Hard buttons do not work (some folks have gotten it to work but i can't)
Overall, I'd still do it again. I tried the gromline and couldn't live with the resolution and tactile issues. Not gromlines fault as that is screen driven.
Hit me up if you have questions.
Pros:
- Like having access to modern technology (gaia, waze, pandora, etc.). All can run natively.
- On screen air controls work (front/rear, rear defrost, etc.)
- Options to add front/side cameras and other devices via USB (NEW emulators, etc.)
- I've had no issues with sound quality or integration with the ML amp
- GPS works well
Cons:
- Limited install instructions, basically plug stuff in till it works. Lots of unused plugs.
- Join the facebook group. Get Sergey's software
- Backup camera does not work out of box, but I will be trying the writeup on other threads to leverage the OEM camera. Worse comes to worse I'll put in an aftermarket one
- Carplay (if you use it) can be spotty via zlink
- Side panel fitment is not great but i can live with it
- Radio reception isn't great, looking at adding a booster at some point
- Hard buttons do not work (some folks have gotten it to work but i can't)
Overall, I'd still do it again. I tried the gromline and couldn't live with the resolution and tactile issues. Not gromlines fault as that is screen driven.
Hit me up if you have questions.
a $400 mistake for me. I got one, the sounds wouldn't work, the seller wouldn't respond, the carplay stopped working, it kept messing with the on/off on the car amp, the ac screen was static and wouldn't visually respond to input... AVOID
I would love this. All the wiring does seem very complex to me, I'd need about 4 clear Saturdays, but I'd be future-proofed then
Yeah those are garbage from what I hear. Although the stock screen resolution isn't the best, the Grom Vline was definitely the cheapest/simplest solution to add a reliable infotainment experience to my LX. I would love to adapt the whole system to analog HVAC controls but the time and over $1k cost is prohibitive.
It's probably not as bad as it looks if you started reading that thread at the beginning and didn't make it to the end. Early on, Jerry and a couple others were still perfecting all the differences between various versions (LC vs LX, 2003 vs 2007, etc). The thread is just sequential as things happened and sometimes goes off on tangents, so isn't well organized with only the latest and summarized collective knowledge. It is a pretty well documented process once you weed through it, though. My recollection is the wire harnesses you buy from Jerry require maybe 1-2 wire splices plus one loose pin where you need to open up one of the wire bundle connectors to insert the pin, then close the connector back up. Other than that, it's just connecting together the appropriate wire connectors together and you have new HVAC controls. I wish sourcing the parts were so easy.
Installing the stereo IMO turns out to be more difficult than the actual nav deletion, especially if you go all out and do everything - new amp, speakers, USB port, etc.
I'd rate this project high on the fear and intimidation scale, but not really that technically difficult. At some point midway through the project, it will look like somebody tossed a live grenade behind your dash as you'll see a gaping hole in the center console with tons of wires sticking out, but I was able to do it and I had never done anything more complicated than a stereo install... and that was very poorly done and in 1990 (and no, it was not an 8-track). Planning is the key... read the thread multiple times and really think about everything you need to do - mic location for calls, USB location to connect to the deck, power for your amp (assuming you add one), backup camera (new or convert OEM), etc. I think when I did a writeup of my experience in that other thread I estimated I spent about 80 man hours on the project, but half of that was wasted because I did a crap job of planning ahead and only thought about things after I got inside the dash.
Cost is an issue for sure. The end result is really rewarding - google maps, high quality hands free calling, Spotify, etc. plus the confidence your car is future proofed should new tech come out or Apple / Google make major changes, but it's a good chunk of the value of an older car that most buyers will not fully appreciate should you need to sell your LC. I'd only recommend it for people who plan on keeping their LC for a number of years and who's primary complaint about their car is the lack of modern stuff.
Hey, I'm new to the forum but when I had my stereo replaced on my 04 GS430 they had to mount the stock unit inside the dash Because of the integration. I also replaced all the speakers and got a new Amp. Everything worked great! Never knew the deck was in the dash if they didn't tell me. Based on what I've read so far, I think I'll do the same for my 05 Lx470.
