I want a new Head unit or radio but what harness to get for the LX450.

[Qball]

LIike the title says I just Got new speakers installed but now i want a new HU. So what harness to get for the LX450?

I would like to keep all the current OEM factory if possible(factory dash speakers and that thing Lexus called a sub). Most harness I see only has 4 speaker output which is ok I guess, the dash speakers are garbage anyways. Also I don't see a way to keep the "sub".

So what have you guys done? And what harness to use? Did you add a sub? I would love to add a sub but I don't want to lose cargo space......at this rate I am keeping the 18 years old radio.



Thanks in advance.

 

[greentruck]

LIike the title says I just Got new speakers installed but now i want a new HU. So what harness to get for the LX450?

I would like to keep all the current OEM factory if possible(factory dash speakers and that thing Lexus called a sub). Most harness I see only has 4 speaker output which is ok I guess, the dash speakers are garbage anyways. Also I don't see a way to keep the "sub".

So what have you guys done? And what harness to use? Did you add a sub? I would love to add a sub but I don't want to lose cargo space......at this rate I am keeping the 18 years old radio.



Thanks in advance.

The key here is whether you're keeping the factory amp or not. If so, then it may be just like on the 80. You get a short harness available through any installer that stocks parts that plugs in between the HU and the harness to the amp. Got my HU at Best Buy and they had the harness right there. Yes, it only carries that many channels, but the amp is what distributes the noize. So long as you go through it, you're not missing anything.

That said, I don't know if the 450 is different than the 80, but I suspect not.

If you have something different than the OEM amp set-up, then it depends on what feeds it needs if they're different than OEM.

 

[Delancy]

Not trying to parlay my wares, but towards the bottom of the thread is a link to 2 E L O's efforts for the Scion, which is the closest HU, aesthetically, to OE.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/sale-parts/733765-2-e-l-o-scion-wiring-harness-lx450-40-a.html

 

[Qball]

The key here is whether you're keeping the factory amp or not. If so, then it may be just like on the 80. You get a short harness available through any installer that stocks parts that plugs in between the HU and the harness to the amp. Got my HU at Best Buy and they had the harness right there. Yes, it only carries that many channels, but the amp is what distributes the noize. So long as you go through it, you're not missing anything. That said, I don't know if the 450 is different than the 80, but I suspect not. If you have something different than the OEM amp set-up, then it depends on what feeds it needs if they're different than OEM.

So what you are saying is the HU doesn't power the speakers, the stock amp does? If that is true the there shouldn't be that many wires coming out of hu then.

Where did you get the harness? Best buy?

 

[NLXTACY]

The LX is NOT cut n dry with stereo swaps. Your best bet is to eliminate to stock amp that is by the passenger right knee.

 

[Qball]

The LX is NOT cut n dry with stereo swaps. Your best bet is to eliminate to stock amp that is by the passenger right knee.

If I get rid of the amp then how does the new HU connect to all the speakers? Don't all the speakers connect to the amp down at the amp?

This might be more work than I am bargaining for.

 

[NLXTACY]

I originally got all of the harnesses and connectors and did ALL the wiring just so I could swap in a Scion radio that for LC owners is plug and play. It's everything but for LX owners. I had the Scion for a few years til it died. Once I decided (ok my wife decided) to get a high end Pioneer HU, that installation was cake because I already did the hard work eliminating the amp and getting the harnesses and crap together. There are a lot of LX radio threads. I would scour through them first or else you will get very frustrated.

 

[greentruck]

So what you are saying is the HU doesn't power the speakers, the stock amp does? If that is true the there shouldn't be that many wires coming out of hu then.

Where did you get the harness? Best buy?

Yes, that's correct. The HU drives the amp by the passenger's right knee behind the dash. Dropping the glove box start's to get you access there, if you want to deal with it. That's where all the wiring to the speakers originates from if you do want to replace the factory amp.

But if you do want to keep it simple, I think Best Buy or other respectable car audio shop should have a harness to adapt your HU to the Lexus harness plug. You can reach it just by taking the HU out IIRC plug in the back of the radio, then connect the old audio plug to the harness.

 

[Qball]

Yes, that's correct. The HU drives the amp by the passenger's right knee behind the dash. Dropping the glove box start's to get you access there, if you want to deal with it. That's where all the wiring to the speakers originates from if you do want to replace the factory amp. But if you do want to keep it simple, I think Best Buy or other respectable car audio shop should have a harness to adapt your HU to the Lexus harness plug. You can reach it just by taking the HU out IIRC plug in the back of the radio, then connect the old audio plug to the harness.

Thanks for the great info! I do have one more question, usually the amp take only pre-out from HU but sounds like the harness will pipe powered speaker out to the factory amp?


Heading to beat buy now, think I will like to keep it simple at least for now. But that factory amp location sounds like a good place to put a small 5 channel amp later on down the road if I want.

 

[Alexbv]

This is the harness for retaining the amp:

Metra 70-8112 Radio Wiring Harness for Toyota Amp Integration 15 Pin

 

[OG 91 LC]

Location may be the same on the LX. Here's what you find if you take off PS speaker on the dash and glove box.




The factory amp is tucked away behind speaker.

You can get to the factory amp by removing glove box. The two white connections to the right of the glove box are connected to the amp.




Good luck.

 

[greentruck]

Thanks for the great info! I do have one more question, usually the amp take only pre-out from HU but sounds like the harness will pipe powered speaker out to the factory amp?
SNIP

I think the original harness takes the pre-out to the factory amp is all. Basically, you've got two sets of connectors on most HUs to provide pre-outs. One uses the standard RCA plugs and one integrated in a multipin plug. The factory amp only has the multipin plug to receive the audio, which is why you need the adapter plug. It takes every thing audio there. You still have separate antenna control, etc wires that will hook directly to your HU, but the adapter harness solves the audio feed for you if you're retaining the factory amp for now.

 

[DSRTRDR]

Crutchfield.com has a lot of useful info (and products) - just sayin'

[I am not affiliated with them and have never bought anything from them]

 

[Qball]

Got the new HU, harness and installation kit from bestbuy. The kit is a perfect fit and the harness is simple and explained my question I had, it does have 4 rca pre-out plug. Very simple and only had to connect 5 wires.

Got everything connected and when I turn the key I got nothing. Spent an hour trying to figure out and found my yellow constant 12v cable is not carrying any voltage. So I plug the factory HU back In and also nothing. Checked the fuse and they are all good. It starts and everything else seems to be working.


What could it be? Help!!!!

 

[greentruck]

Once you unplug the factory HU, it requires a dealer code to be entered to revive it IIRC as a theft-deterrent feature. So the reason why your new HU doesn't work is probably not related to why the old HU no longer works.

As for the new one not working, yeah not sure about the yellow wire. You need constant to retain memory, but the switched wire should provide juice if the key is on. I gotta hit the sack, but will dig out my EWD and see if I can trace things some for you if you don't get it figured out tonight.

 

[Qball]

Once you unplug the factory HU, it requires a dealer code to be entered to revive it IIRC as a theft-deterrent feature. So the reason why your new HU doesn't work is probably not related to why the old HU no longer works. As for the new one not working, yeah not sure about the yellow wire. You need constant to retain memory, but the switched wire should provide juice if the key is on. I gotta hit the sack, but will dig out my EWD and see if I can trace things some for you if you don't get it figured out tonight.

Factory HU does not have power either so can't even put in the code.

As for the new one I jumped the yellow wire from the red (accessory) wire and the HU powered right up, so I know the HU is good. Also checked fusible link and they are good. The red wire metered 12.7v but I am only getting 3v from the yellow wire. So strange and I am totally stumped.

Thanks for the help! I bet this is something really simple and in my face.......again. Hahahha

 

[ElPolloBlanco]

May be a dumb question but why would you want to utilize the stock amp? After market head units will power the speaker with it completely removed. All 48 speakers. Well not that many but you get my point. The two in the third row are inline with the rear doors and the two in the dash are Inline with the front doors. The stock amp draws to much power also. It kept blowing fuses when I did my install. My aftermarket HU and factory amp caused the fuse to blow every time the antenna tried to kick up. I took the whole thing out and now all is well. And I've never actually heard the LX Sub but if its anything like the LC one then trash it and get a real sub. Pics of your harness set up would be helpful also. Not sure which harness your using.

Fat-fingered on my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[Qball]

May be a dumb question but why would you want to utilize the stock amp? After market head units will power the speaker with it completely removed. All 48 speakers. Well not that many but you get my point. The two in the third row are inline with the rear doors and the two in the dash are Inline with the front doors. The stock amp draws to much power also. It kept blowing fuses when I did my install. My aftermarket HU and factory amp caused the fuse to blow every time the antenna tried to kick up. I took the whole thing out and now all is well. And I've never actually heard the LX Sub but if its anything like the LC one then trash it and get a real sub. Pics of your harness set up would be helpful also. Not sure which harness your using. Fat-fingered on my iPhone using IH8MUD

I see what you are saying, I agree the stock amp is probably not needed. But I can't seem to find the harness to bypass the stock amp. Searched Mud but nothing that explain the whole process that is clear to me.

Right now my problem is no power to the HU, fuses are good. Once I get rid of that problem then I might tackle bypassing the stock amp, or change the amp to something this century.

 

[ElPolloBlanco]

Does the lexus not have the two grey plugs for aftermarket hook up?

Fat-fingered on my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[Qball]

Does the lexus not have the two grey plugs for aftermarket hook up? Fat-fingered on my iPhone using IH8MUD

Think they do, same as toyota that I am sure since the harnes does not even mention Lexus. The harness I got is Metra 70-8112 TURBOWire Wire Harness.

Very straight forward installation and instruction with standard color coding. Everything seems good except no power to HU, even the stock one. Gotta be a fuse but all the fuses look fine, I even replaced the 20amp radio fuse just to be sure.

Oh well time to hit the sack, tomorrow after work I'll try unplug the battery to reset everything and see if that fixes it.