I purchased the Terk XM radio kit from xmfanstore dot com and installed it a few days ago in my new 2007 FJ Cruiser. I am posting some details of my install so that somebody else may benefit just as I have from my colleagues here in the past. I did not take pictures because it was 15 degrees in the garage while I was doing this.
Please note that standard disclaimers apply. Errors and omissions excepted.
Firstly the antenna. Unwind the entire cable and unkink it. Start by placing the antenna in the center of the roof about 1 cm from the edge of the windshield. Run the cable in the top molding, using a credit card towards the passenger side. At the corner, turn it toward the front edge of the A-pillar. Use one credit card to move the seal towards the windshield and use another to push the cable down in the cavity created. At the bottom of the A-pillar run the cable in the groove between the A-pillar garnish and the front fender. With the door open, run the cable under the plastic edge and move in towards the door seal. Pull the door rubber seal towards you and tuck the cable under it, running down to the level where the passenger side kick panel joins. Tug at the seal and there will be enough space to thread the connector through. Pull the rest of the cable gently without kinking. Cover the part of the cable between the bottom of the A-pillar and the door seal with a piece of black tape. Then run the cable along the top edge of the kick panel, then along the front edge of the passenger floor mat along the firewall, then finally along the side of the console. The cable will rest easily along this route.
Next, the bulk of the installation. Remove both arm rests with a 14 mm socket after popping the round covers off. This makes removing the center console much easier. Take care with a black plastic ring on the inside. Then remove the small plastic trim piece under the handbrake. Remove the gear and transfer case shift knobs by unscewing them. Lift the centre piece of the console by pulling on the cupholder portion and feeding the gear levers through the covers. Remove the partition in the back of the console and remove two 10 mm bolts. Remove two 10 mm bolts now exposed by removing the cupholder portion at the front. Lift up back of console and disengage the front by gentle tugging back while lifting up. Set both parts of the console aside. Cover the exposed bolts threads of the shift levels by towel or even the original knobs temporarily to avoid scratching other panels. (If you are in neutral while removing these panels, makes sure the vehicle does not roll away. Chock the wheels or something.)
Remove two clips on either side of the switch panel. Push in the center pin and slide the outer ring out with a small screwdriver. Remove two 10 mm bolts now exposed at the front. Disconnect the electrical connectors and set the panel aside.
Remove the screw at the bottom of the vertical silver garnishes on both sides of the radio and remove the tugging up and out at the lower end while pulling out at the top end of each piece. Remove two screws on side of the center panel now exposed and remove the panel with a gentle tug. Remove three connectors on the back and set aside. Remove four 10 mm bolts and pull out radio unit.
Remove three connectors at the back as well as the antenna cable and set aside.
Thread the antenna connector from the passenger footwell into the lower right corner of the center console. Thread the connector out from the space where the switch console was and connect to the Terk module. Slide the module connector side down through the space where the switch console was and push it down between a black relay on the left and a white relay on the right and in front of the blower unit. Rest it on a black plastic strip at the bottom, with the antenna connector just behind it. It will fit nice and snug. On the blower unit, you will see a space for a self tapping screw with a small protruding pin on top. Secure the module in place by inserting a self tapping screw through the top left post on the module into the blower assembly. (If you want, you can add strips of foam tape to pad everything up.) Coil up the remainder of the antenna cable and secure it in the lower right corner right by the stock harness.
Next, connect the red and white RCA cable and the controller cable to the Terk module. Run these up along the blower assembly to the radio opening. Connect the Toyota adapter and insert this module on top of the wiring harness and push down until its rests on the dash support beam running across. (Add foam tape if you wish.) It will fit snugly with the cables from the Terk module on the right side and the big connector on the left. Run out the wiring harness from the left side of the adapter to the rest of the stock radio connectors. Secure wires with zip ties as needed.
Now comes the easy part. Reinstall radio with the three stock connectors and the fourth XM connector. Don't forget the antenna cable. Reinstall radio in the console. Reinstall the switch panel making sure to reconnect all the connectors. Reinstall center console. Reinstall arm rests.
Activate XM radio and enjoy.
If anything is not clear, please let me know and I will try to explain. Total time from start to finish should be an hour at the most. It took me longer because I tried out lots of options on how to secure the modules and the wiring (not to mention it was bloody cold!). If someone figures out a better way, please let me know too!
Cheers!
Please note that standard disclaimers apply. Errors and omissions excepted.
Firstly the antenna. Unwind the entire cable and unkink it. Start by placing the antenna in the center of the roof about 1 cm from the edge of the windshield. Run the cable in the top molding, using a credit card towards the passenger side. At the corner, turn it toward the front edge of the A-pillar. Use one credit card to move the seal towards the windshield and use another to push the cable down in the cavity created. At the bottom of the A-pillar run the cable in the groove between the A-pillar garnish and the front fender. With the door open, run the cable under the plastic edge and move in towards the door seal. Pull the door rubber seal towards you and tuck the cable under it, running down to the level where the passenger side kick panel joins. Tug at the seal and there will be enough space to thread the connector through. Pull the rest of the cable gently without kinking. Cover the part of the cable between the bottom of the A-pillar and the door seal with a piece of black tape. Then run the cable along the top edge of the kick panel, then along the front edge of the passenger floor mat along the firewall, then finally along the side of the console. The cable will rest easily along this route.
Next, the bulk of the installation. Remove both arm rests with a 14 mm socket after popping the round covers off. This makes removing the center console much easier. Take care with a black plastic ring on the inside. Then remove the small plastic trim piece under the handbrake. Remove the gear and transfer case shift knobs by unscewing them. Lift the centre piece of the console by pulling on the cupholder portion and feeding the gear levers through the covers. Remove the partition in the back of the console and remove two 10 mm bolts. Remove two 10 mm bolts now exposed by removing the cupholder portion at the front. Lift up back of console and disengage the front by gentle tugging back while lifting up. Set both parts of the console aside. Cover the exposed bolts threads of the shift levels by towel or even the original knobs temporarily to avoid scratching other panels. (If you are in neutral while removing these panels, makes sure the vehicle does not roll away. Chock the wheels or something.)
Remove two clips on either side of the switch panel. Push in the center pin and slide the outer ring out with a small screwdriver. Remove two 10 mm bolts now exposed at the front. Disconnect the electrical connectors and set the panel aside.
Remove the screw at the bottom of the vertical silver garnishes on both sides of the radio and remove the tugging up and out at the lower end while pulling out at the top end of each piece. Remove two screws on side of the center panel now exposed and remove the panel with a gentle tug. Remove three connectors on the back and set aside. Remove four 10 mm bolts and pull out radio unit.
Remove three connectors at the back as well as the antenna cable and set aside.
Thread the antenna connector from the passenger footwell into the lower right corner of the center console. Thread the connector out from the space where the switch console was and connect to the Terk module. Slide the module connector side down through the space where the switch console was and push it down between a black relay on the left and a white relay on the right and in front of the blower unit. Rest it on a black plastic strip at the bottom, with the antenna connector just behind it. It will fit nice and snug. On the blower unit, you will see a space for a self tapping screw with a small protruding pin on top. Secure the module in place by inserting a self tapping screw through the top left post on the module into the blower assembly. (If you want, you can add strips of foam tape to pad everything up.) Coil up the remainder of the antenna cable and secure it in the lower right corner right by the stock harness.
Next, connect the red and white RCA cable and the controller cable to the Terk module. Run these up along the blower assembly to the radio opening. Connect the Toyota adapter and insert this module on top of the wiring harness and push down until its rests on the dash support beam running across. (Add foam tape if you wish.) It will fit snugly with the cables from the Terk module on the right side and the big connector on the left. Run out the wiring harness from the left side of the adapter to the rest of the stock radio connectors. Secure wires with zip ties as needed.
Now comes the easy part. Reinstall radio with the three stock connectors and the fourth XM connector. Don't forget the antenna cable. Reinstall radio in the console. Reinstall the switch panel making sure to reconnect all the connectors. Reinstall center console. Reinstall arm rests.
Activate XM radio and enjoy.
If anything is not clear, please let me know and I will try to explain. Total time from start to finish should be an hour at the most. It took me longer because I tried out lots of options on how to secure the modules and the wiring (not to mention it was bloody cold!). If someone figures out a better way, please let me know too!
Cheers!
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