100 Series NAV Delete – True Standalone HVAC Solution (OEM+)

Enthusiast Level vs. OEM Level

  • Enthusiast

    Votes: 21 21.0%

  • OEM

    Votes: 79 79.0%
  • Total voters
    100
  • Poll closed .

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I’m in the same boat as RiparianJoe, I came across this post just this morning, and have been reading up to current.
I am beyond excited with the concept of the project, the progress you’ve made, and the prospect of a true solution to this issue… I am awed by the skills and ability of some of you folks!
As an owner/lover of an 07 LX, and a car audio enthusiast, this single issues has been about the only thing I cannot stand about the 100.
I had spent quite some time scouring these forum before, and missed the boat on JerryBs harnesses, plus sourcing all the parts seemed a nightmare.
I am giddy with the prospect of a quality solution being a reality; I would love to put a quality system in the LX.
to your previous questions:
(1) I would definitely install Sony AVX unit as that’s what i use in other vehicles
(2) cost would be a factor, BUT, I would pay a premium for a well designed, stable and quality solution to this very irritating problem!
thank you!!!! your doing the Lord’s work, Sir!!
 
Anarchy said:
Need to sanity check something.

Right now I have a Mark Levinson (LX470) cassette-style unit in hand.
What I don’t have yet is the Land Cruiser JBL cassette version, and before I go chasing one down blindly, I want to confirm:

Are there only TWO cassette variations for 03–07 NAV trucks?
LX470 – Mark Levinson system
Land Cruiser – JBL system

Or is there anything else floating around?
Non-JBL-Non-ML LX470/Land Cruiser NAV variants?
Early/late revisions?
Market-specific differences (JDM, Middle East, etc.)?

The JBL version is physically different:
Does anyone have one they’re willing to sell? ( $300+ on eBay is insane )
Click to expand...

There is a Sat radio variation.
 
Anarchy said:
With older vehicles, knobs worked great because they were directly controlling things. If the fan knob was on “3”, the fan was on “3”.

The difference with this system is that it’s electronic and state-based. The HVAC ECU is constantly making decisions on its own (especially in Auto mode), and things like fan speed and airflow can change in the background.

That creates an interesting problem:

If you use a traditional knob with fixed positions, it can end up showing something different than what the system is actually doing.

Example:
  • You set the fan to 2
  • Turn on Auto
  • System ramps fan up to 5 on its own
Now your knob still says “2”… but the fan is clearly not on 2 anymore.

Same idea applies on startup. The system may already have a stored temperature or mode, but the knobs don’t know where to “start” from.

So the question becomes more about:

Do the controls represent a fixed position?
Or do they simply tell the system to go up/down/change state?

Modern vehicles have mostly moved away from fixed-position knobs for this exact reason, they use things like up/down controls or infinite-turn dials so the system always stays in sync.

Still working through what makes the most sense here.
Click to expand...
If you look at the pic in post 129 , there is an auto position for both fan speed and mode. That must be the perfect solution. And the position lights will indicate what fan or mode setting the Auto function has adjusted to.
OTOH, Auto is nearly useless anyhow, for my use cases at least. That's one of the problems with modern cars, they don't do what you tell them to do :) In my cruiser, there isn't enough input sensors to make the auto work in any meaningful way.
 
uHu said:
If you look at the pic in post 129 , there is an auto position for both fan speed and mode. That must be the perfect solution. And the position lights will indicate what fan or mode setting the Auto function has adjusted to.
OTOH, Auto is nearly useless anyhow, for my use cases at least. That's one of the problems with modern cars, they don't do what you tell them to do :) In my cruiser, there isn't enough input sensors to make the auto work in any meaningful way.
Click to expand...
Yeah who actually uses the auto setting on hvac units? It’s either I’m cold and I need heat, I’m hot and I need AC or the windows are down.
 
NE Snowman said:
Yeah who actually uses the auto setting on hvac units? It’s either I’m cold and I need heat, I’m hot and I need AC or the windows are down.
Click to expand...
I've used nothing but auto in my LX for the past few years! Set it at 68 and forget it. It blasts to get to the right temp and then transitions to whisper quiet, all on its own.
 
Last edited:
First off, thank you to everyone contributing here and through PMs. The level of engagement has been insane with the reddit/facebook traffic.

I am expanding the bench setup into a more complete OEM reference environment, so development can continue off-vehicle while also supporting prototype and product design decisions.

To support that, I’ve been building out a more complete setup:
  • LX470 Mark Levinson cassette unit (fitment)
  • Dash harness (82136-60B40) for proper prototype breakout and connector strategy
  • A/C amplifier (88650-60B60) for full bench testing
  • Land Cruiser JBL cassette unit (fitment)
A big part of this is getting the OEM connectors in hand early, so the prototype interface matches what the final install will look like, whether that ends up being a variant/universal plug-and-play harness or a clean breakout solution.

On the fitment side, the goal is to determine whether we can support both LX470 and Land Cruiser with a shared core design and minimal faceplate differences.

Up to this point, I’ve intentionally allowed the community to help shape direction but as we move into product development, decisions have to be driven primarily by engineering and manufacturing reality.

We’ve received a wide range of requests, including:
  • Screen vs. non-screen
  • Two-knob vs. three-knob (including input types: fixed-position rotary, continuous rotary/encoder, push-switch combinations, etc.)
  • Audio Knob
  • OEM-style vs. more modern UI
  • Auto Function
  • Smog Function
I’ve evaluated all of these. Some conflict with each other or add complexity without meaningful benefit.

As the project has progressed, I’ve now brought in additional support where it makes sense (firmware depth, and upcoming PCB + industrial design).
That does increase the burn rate, but it’s intentional, I’d rather move quickly and do this correctly than cut corners and have to redo things later.
Current development burn is roughly the equivalent of a 4 figure monthly car payment but on a weekly basis and will increase further as PCB design and industrial design are added.

I’ve had a few people reach out about buying one as soon as this is ready.
I’m usually not the type to support development-stage products myself. I prefer something that’s tested and ready to ship, and that’s still the standard I’m holding this to. That said, as development progresses (custom PCB, components like the MCU, supporting ICs, power regulation, communication transceivers, input handling, custom harnesses/connectors, enclosure/faceplate, etc.), costs ramp up extremely quickly.

I’m considering whether it makes sense to offer a small early batch / early access units possibly at a discount to help offset development and move faster into production, no decisions made yet just thinking out loud. If this were available today as a plug-and-play solution, how many here would realistically be interested in purchasing one? Trying to get a feel for what an initial batch might look like.


Shout-out @marshcat & @Hautsauce for the support
 
I would buy one now if it was done. Also curious if the old amp will work after the HVAC controls are changed. If it doesn’t will you offer a plug and play harness to put in an aftermarket amp?
 
I'd buy one
 
I'll throw in that I have the nav delete kit AC controls from a UAE truck if you want to study fitment or reverse engineer it in any way. Could work something out.
 
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