With @jerryb and other forum members having hammered out the process for a factory nav delete, I thought I might pick up from there and show the complete process of a head unit install.
The goal of my install was to be minimally invasive, so I reused as many of the factory components as possible. I will be reusing the factory amp, speakers, and backup camera. The backup camera will be covered in a later post. This install is also well connectorized to simplify installation and removal, should you want to upgrade the head unit again in a few years. I wanted to use the factory microphone as well, but I couldn’t get it to work. I suspect it needs to be supplied with accessory power but I don’t want to open everything back up to try it.
This guide covers the installation of an Alpine iLX-W670 into a 2004 Land Cruiser. It assumes the original nav has been removed and the non-US A/C controls and trip computer have already been successfully installed, along with a double DIN bezel and brackets.
If you are working with a different model year or head unit I highly recommend double checking EVERYTHING against your specific wiring diagrams.
—
Parts needed:
Recommended supplies:
You may also want:
—
STEP 1:
BUILDING YOUR RADIO HARNESS
Done at the bench:
Fortunately it seems like there has been a decent amount of standardization in radio connectors. Most of the colors match on the Metra harness and the two harnesses that came with the Alpine unit. If you want to use the parking brake bypass now is the time to integrate it into your harness.
Use the butt connectors to connect all the wires, and plug the RCA jacks in. You’ll also be incorporating the 3.5mm socket from the Axxess kit and adding the 2-pin connector to the ground and accessory wires. Don’t be afraid to shorten things more than I did here, everything is going to be pretty tight behind the dash so the longest you’ll need to reach is 6” max. I would recommend testing your harness before you tape it up into a neat-ish bundle.
The reverse wire we will use later for the backup camera. All other unused wires that aren’t connectorized should be covered with tape and bundled inside the harness.
—
STEP 2:
CONNECTING THE AWSC-1 HARNESS
WITH BATTERY DISCONNECTED
Locate the R38 20-pin connector, formerly the bottom center connector on your old nav unit. Find pins 6 (brown wire), 7 (white/red wire), and 8 (black/red wire) and cut them 1-2 inches back from the connector. Using the butt connectors, connect the AWSC-1 harness. Green/orange to white/red and black/green to black/red. Add the other half of the 2-pin connector to the black and red wires on the AWSC-1 harness, splicing in the brown wire from R38 to ground. Tidy up with harness tape, be sure to cover the unused wires (there will be several).
—
STEP 3:
CONNECTING
WITH BATTERY DISCONNECTED
Start with removing the gateway ECU, it no longer does anything now that you’ve removed the factory nav. In its place mount the AWSC-1 control unit but do not plug it in yet.
Find a place to stick the GPS antenna that came with the head unit. If you want to use the USB port on the back of the head unit, now is the time to run a usb cable back to the center console, or anywhere else you prefer. I ran it back and put in a USB bulkhead connector for a tidy appearance. This is where I’ll plug in the Motorola MA2 for wireless android auto. You can also plug it directly into the back of the unit if you prefer. You’ll need to find a place to put the supplied microphone. I took down the overhead console and used the same spot as the factory mic, running the wire down the passenger side and through the glovebox area. Honestly the sound quality isn’t great; could be the mic, or location, or something else. YMMV.
Now you should be ready to connect everything. Use the antenna splitter and micro adapter to connect both antennas. The microphone will plug directly into the head unit, and the AWSC-1 harness will plug into the harness we made in step 1. All other connections should be self-explanatory. Do not fit everything up into the dash yet.
—
STEP 4:
FIRST STARTUP
Reconnect the battery. With the driver's door open, turn the key to the accessory position. The head unit should start up, let it finish and come to the radio screen. Your power antenna should have elevated a little bit automatically, and you should hear music or static depending on what channel the head unit started at. Seek to a station and check your sound quality. Connect to bluetooth or android auto and check functionality. Make a phone call to check microphone functionality.
With the driver's door still open, plug the harness into the AWSC-1. It should start flashing a series of green and red lights. Wait for it to reach a solid red light. At that point it should be done programming and ready to use in a limited capacity, you’ll only be able to map three or so buttons before the head unit gets confused and cancels them all out. Download the Axxess updater software onto a laptop and connect to the AWSC-1, you’ll want to update the firmware (to 5.1 in my case) and then program it for Alpine 2. After this all the buttons on your steering wheel should work, you’ll just need to map them to functions in the head unit.
—
STEP 5:
PROFIT!!!
You can now fit everything up and close up the dashboard. Congratulations, and enjoy your modern conveniences!
If you're lucky, you'll have a garage and not have to do this in the rain like I did.
—
Final comments:
In addition to the original Nav/Radio control unit, the following units can be removed from the vehicle and sold to recoup costs. All part numbers are for my 2004, yours may vary:
Total cost of all parts, including the nav delete, was $1705. If I were to do this all again I could probably trim a few hundred off by being patient and lurking on Ebay, Partsouq, and Impex for non-nav parts to become available.
Of special note, I was able to source some of the rarer and more expensive parts from overseas through Facebook marketplace. I met Zubair Safdar there, and he was able to source a complete center console in Pakistan for a reasonable price. He was extremely communicative and helpful, and sent me tons of pictures and a video of the unit working before it was packed up and sent over.
Happy modding, folks!
ADDENDUM:
If you are keeping the stock stereo system, you will need to jump pins 1->2 (pink to pink) and 10->11 (violet to violet) on the N2 connector, formally into the navigation ECU. The nav ecu uses only the front left speaker for voice guidance, this will reconnect the speaker after pulling the unit.
The goal of my install was to be minimally invasive, so I reused as many of the factory components as possible. I will be reusing the factory amp, speakers, and backup camera. The backup camera will be covered in a later post. This install is also well connectorized to simplify installation and removal, should you want to upgrade the head unit again in a few years. I wanted to use the factory microphone as well, but I couldn’t get it to work. I suspect it needs to be supplied with accessory power but I don’t want to open everything back up to try it.
This guide covers the installation of an Alpine iLX-W670 into a 2004 Land Cruiser. It assumes the original nav has been removed and the non-US A/C controls and trip computer have already been successfully installed, along with a double DIN bezel and brackets.
If you are working with a different model year or head unit I highly recommend double checking EVERYTHING against your specific wiring diagrams.
—
Parts needed:
- Alpine iLX-W670
- Metra 70-8113 Harness
- AXXESS ASWC-1 steering wheel control adapter
- 2-pin connector set with pigtails
- DIN 1 male to 2 female radio antenna adapter
- GM micro antenna adapter
- ALP-BP parking brake bypass (optional)
Recommended supplies:
- Spare wire (just in case)
- Fabric harness tape
- Heat shrink butt connectors
- Quality pair of wire strippers
You may also want:
- Motorola MA2 wireless android auto adapter
- Long USB cable
- USB bulkhead fitting
- USB hub
—
STEP 1:
BUILDING YOUR RADIO HARNESS
Done at the bench:
Fortunately it seems like there has been a decent amount of standardization in radio connectors. Most of the colors match on the Metra harness and the two harnesses that came with the Alpine unit. If you want to use the parking brake bypass now is the time to integrate it into your harness.
Use the butt connectors to connect all the wires, and plug the RCA jacks in. You’ll also be incorporating the 3.5mm socket from the Axxess kit and adding the 2-pin connector to the ground and accessory wires. Don’t be afraid to shorten things more than I did here, everything is going to be pretty tight behind the dash so the longest you’ll need to reach is 6” max. I would recommend testing your harness before you tape it up into a neat-ish bundle.
The reverse wire we will use later for the backup camera. All other unused wires that aren’t connectorized should be covered with tape and bundled inside the harness.
—
STEP 2:
CONNECTING THE AWSC-1 HARNESS
WITH BATTERY DISCONNECTED
Locate the R38 20-pin connector, formerly the bottom center connector on your old nav unit. Find pins 6 (brown wire), 7 (white/red wire), and 8 (black/red wire) and cut them 1-2 inches back from the connector. Using the butt connectors, connect the AWSC-1 harness. Green/orange to white/red and black/green to black/red. Add the other half of the 2-pin connector to the black and red wires on the AWSC-1 harness, splicing in the brown wire from R38 to ground. Tidy up with harness tape, be sure to cover the unused wires (there will be several).
—
STEP 3:
CONNECTING
WITH BATTERY DISCONNECTED
Start with removing the gateway ECU, it no longer does anything now that you’ve removed the factory nav. In its place mount the AWSC-1 control unit but do not plug it in yet.
Find a place to stick the GPS antenna that came with the head unit. If you want to use the USB port on the back of the head unit, now is the time to run a usb cable back to the center console, or anywhere else you prefer. I ran it back and put in a USB bulkhead connector for a tidy appearance. This is where I’ll plug in the Motorola MA2 for wireless android auto. You can also plug it directly into the back of the unit if you prefer. You’ll need to find a place to put the supplied microphone. I took down the overhead console and used the same spot as the factory mic, running the wire down the passenger side and through the glovebox area. Honestly the sound quality isn’t great; could be the mic, or location, or something else. YMMV.
Now you should be ready to connect everything. Use the antenna splitter and micro adapter to connect both antennas. The microphone will plug directly into the head unit, and the AWSC-1 harness will plug into the harness we made in step 1. All other connections should be self-explanatory. Do not fit everything up into the dash yet.
—
STEP 4:
FIRST STARTUP
Reconnect the battery. With the driver's door open, turn the key to the accessory position. The head unit should start up, let it finish and come to the radio screen. Your power antenna should have elevated a little bit automatically, and you should hear music or static depending on what channel the head unit started at. Seek to a station and check your sound quality. Connect to bluetooth or android auto and check functionality. Make a phone call to check microphone functionality.
With the driver's door still open, plug the harness into the AWSC-1. It should start flashing a series of green and red lights. Wait for it to reach a solid red light. At that point it should be done programming and ready to use in a limited capacity, you’ll only be able to map three or so buttons before the head unit gets confused and cancels them all out. Download the Axxess updater software onto a laptop and connect to the AWSC-1, you’ll want to update the firmware (to 5.1 in my case) and then program it for Alpine 2. After this all the buttons on your steering wheel should work, you’ll just need to map them to functions in the head unit.
—
STEP 5:
PROFIT!!!
You can now fit everything up and close up the dashboard. Congratulations, and enjoy your modern conveniences!
If you're lucky, you'll have a garage and not have to do this in the rain like I did.
—
Final comments:
In addition to the original Nav/Radio control unit, the following units can be removed from the vehicle and sold to recoup costs. All part numbers are for my 2004, yours may vary:
- Navigation ECU 86841-50090
- Television ECU 86792-60050
- Gateway ECU 89111-60030
- DVD 5-disc changer/player (Non DVD console box 58913-60010)
- Rear audio controls (Cover plate 55549-60030)
Total cost of all parts, including the nav delete, was $1705. If I were to do this all again I could probably trim a few hundred off by being patient and lurking on Ebay, Partsouq, and Impex for non-nav parts to become available.
Of special note, I was able to source some of the rarer and more expensive parts from overseas through Facebook marketplace. I met Zubair Safdar there, and he was able to source a complete center console in Pakistan for a reasonable price. He was extremely communicative and helpful, and sent me tons of pictures and a video of the unit working before it was packed up and sent over.
Happy modding, folks!
ADDENDUM:
If you are keeping the stock stereo system, you will need to jump pins 1->2 (pink to pink) and 10->11 (violet to violet) on the N2 connector, formally into the navigation ECU. The nav ecu uses only the front left speaker for voice guidance, this will reconnect the speaker after pulling the unit.
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