Stereo Install Harness Help (1 Viewer)

[revelario]

I’ve been staring at the electrical diagrams in my factory electrical manual but perhaps I’m too much a noob, because I can’t figure out exactly what each of these plugs (circled in green) does or where they are supposed to go.

I think the large gray one on the left on my finger and one of the small gray one was crimped onto the aftermarket stereo harness.

I think the single RCA looking plug pointed at the camera is the antenna? But I have no idea what the other female looking plug coming from the same part of the harness is for.

Also have no idea what the small plug up in the top right or the larger white one below it is.

Any help is greatly appreciated. First time taking apart this dashboard.

 

[revelario]

I’ve been staring at the electrical diagrams in my factory electrical manual but perhaps I’m too much a noob, because I can’t figure out exactly what each of these plugs (circled in green) does or where they are supposed to go.

I think the large gray one on the left on my finger and one of the small gray one was crimped onto the aftermarket stereo harness.

I think the single RCA looking plug pointed at the camera is the antenna? But I have no idea what the other female looking plug coming from the same part of the harness is for.

Also have no idea what the small plug up in the top right or the larger white one below it is.

Any help is greatly appreciated. First time taking apart this dashboard.

View attachment 2916978

Forgot to add this is for a 94 LC

 

[Pascoscout]

No idea on the female connector, don't recall if mine had one like that or not.

The metal RCA looking is the antenna.

I believe the factory stereo used two plugs, one was the power etc and the other was the leads to the factory amp. The amp is located in the dash, below the glove compartment. You can access it through the speaker grill on the lower right corner of the dash. It's possible the third plug is for another accessory like the Center Diff Lock that was used on some cruisers but not others.

 

[Malleus]

If you're installing a factory stereo, Toyota made it idiot -proof (they call it poke-yoke). The harness connectors will only fit the stereo connectors they are intended for; if you're installing an aftermarket stereo, Metra makes a Toyota LandCruiser specific harness connector. It plugs into the factory harness and has unterminaled pigtails for the respective load leads. Your new stereo will have the wiring diagram to match the Metra pigtail.

IIRC, Metra used the standard wire colors for their pigtail, so you can almost connect it without thinking. or butchering the harness.

Crutchfield sells the Metra connector.

 

[Pericles]

It looks like there's already been an aftermarket stereo installed. I believe the harness that is spliced goes to the speakers. Top left looks like it goes to the CDL switch IIRC. It's been a minute since I was behind the dash but each plug is unique and can only go one place so it's pretty straightforward to just plug them in wherever they fit.

 

[2000cruiser]

If your 2 gray connectors have not been cut and modified, those are the most important connectors. All you need is to get your new unit, wire these to the connector: Amazon product ASIN B00009UHKW and plug the 2 gray connectors in and you're good to go. That tube looking thing may be a climate sensor. Also remember to unplug your stock amp to complete the bypass. Forget old connector which uses the old broken amp, just work with the 2 gray connectors. I just did this for the Nth time again yesterday so it's fresh in my mind lol.

Here's a good primer:

 

[revelario]

No idea on the female connector, don't recall if mine had one like that or not.

The metal RCA looking is the antenna.

I believe the factory stereo used two plugs, one was the power etc and the other was the leads to the factory amp. The amp is located in the dash, below the glove compartment. You can access it through the speaker grill on the lower right corner of the dash. It's possible the third plug is for another accessory like the Center Diff Lock that was used on some cruisers but not others.

Doing some more research, I think the big white plug on the right is to the old stereo and amp, and the two gray plugs are the ones I need. I hooked up the new stereo to these and now I'm trying to figure out why I'm only getting sound to the front knee speakers and rear roof speakers. Fix one problem, find another one.

 

[revelario]

If you're installing a factory stereo, Toyota made it idiot -proof (they call it poke-yoke). The harness connectors will only fit the stereo connectors they are intended for; if you're installing an aftermarket stereo, Metra makes a Toyota LandCruiser specific harness connector. It plugs into the factory harness and has unterminaled pigtails for the respective load leads. Your new stereo will have the wiring diagram to match the Metra pigtail.

IIRC, Metra used the standard wire colors for their pigtail, so you can almost connect it without thinking. or butchering the harness.

Crutchfield sells the Metra connector.

Thanks, yeah I got a Metra connector that bypasses the stock amp. So I'm dealing with just the two gray connectors. Now I'm trying to figure out why I'm only getting sound from the front knee and rear roof speakers (no door speaker sound).

 

[revelario]

If your 2 gray connectors have not been cut and modified, those are the most important connectors. All you need is to get your new unit, wire these to the connector: Amazon product ASIN B00009UHKW and plug the 2 gray connectors in and you're good to go. That tube looking thing may be a climate sensor. Also remember to unplug your stock amp to complete the bypass. Forget old connector which uses the old broken amp, just work with the 2 gray connectors. I just did this for the Nth time again yesterday so it's fresh in my mind lol.

Here's a good primer:

Thanks, this was really helpful. I figured out that I need to just work with those 2 gray connectors you pointed out. So I've got power to my new stereo, but sound going only to the knee (front) speakers and the rear roof speakers. No sound to the door speakers. I'll double check the amp to make sure it's unplugged, though. I didn't do that the first time.

 

[landcrshr]

Thanks, this was really helpful. I figured out that I need to just work with those 2 gray connectors you pointed out. So I've got power to my new stereo, but sound going only to the knee (front) speakers and the rear roof speakers. No sound to the door speakers. I'll double check the amp to make sure it's unplugged, though. I didn't do that the first time.

This sounds like a problem with the door speakers/wiring.
Maybe the PO ran dedicated wires to the 4 doors?

 

[revelario]

This sounds like a problem with the door speakers/wiring.
Maybe the PO ran dedicated wires to the 4 doors?

It’s possible. There’s some extra blue wire in harness area that was spliced into the old aftermarket stereo harness and the wiring to the door looks like a disaster.

Serious question, why would somebody do this? For an amp or something?

 

[landcrshr]

Yes, most likely for an amp or component speakers.

 

[revelario]

Yes, most likely for an amp or component speakers.

So I think my course of action is to try and trace the blue wire to see if it’s going to the door speakers and also the speaker wires at the door back to see to the harness and try to figure out why those speakers are not pumping out sound.

If I understand the diagrams correctly, if there’s sound at the front knee speakers, there should be sound at the door too if everything is stock

 

[landcrshr]

So I think my course of action is to try and trace the blue wire to see if it’s going to the door speakers and also the speaker wires at the door back to see to the harness and try to figure out why those speakers are not pumping out sound.

If I understand the diagrams correctly, if there’s sound at the front knee speakers, there should be sound at the door too if everything is stock

Yup

 

[ppc]

If I understand the diagrams correctly, if there’s sound at the front knee speakers, there should be sound at the door too if everything is stock

That is 100% correct. The same for the rear doors and rear roof speakers.

 

[simple]

Since you bumped all those other threads I was able to read through some of the troubles people had.

My understanding is that with the bypass harness (in a 94 for sure) you should only hear the 4 door speakers. The knee speakers, subwoofer, and ceiling speakers should not operate. This is consistent with my 94 with an aftermarket stereo and bypass harness.

So if you are getting the opposite then either you wired it incorrectly or, more likely, the previous owner hacked the wires and sent the radio power what should be the disconnected speakers. Likely they ran a separate amplifier to the 4 door speakers since they can handle more power as they are aftermarket not factory.

That is my theory.

 

[Pascoscout]

I'd look for evidence of an aftermarket amp. I always run new wires to the speakers when I install an amp since the factory wire is so small. Typical spots would be under the front seat or in the rear quarter panels.

I'd also pull the door speakers and see how they are hooked up. Should either be aftermarket wire or some sort of cut/splice to the OE connector.

 

[revelario]

Since you bumped all those other threads I was able to read through some of the troubles people had.

My understanding is that with the bypass harness (in a 94 for sure) you should only hear the 4 door speakers. The knee speakers, subwoofer, and ceiling speakers should not operate. This is consistent with my 94 with an aftermarket stereo and bypass harness.

So if you are getting the opposite then either you wired it incorrectly or, more likely, the previous owner hacked the wires and sent the radio power what should be the disconnected speakers. Likely they ran a separate amplifier to the 4 door speakers since they can handle more power as they are aftermarket not factory.

That is my theory.

I’m confident I soldered the new stereo and Metra harnesses correctly. I haven’t proven it yet but I agree with you on the PO hacked the wires theory. The previous aftermarket stereo/Metra harness is missing the designated front speaker connections (gray and white wires were taped up), but the door speakers were working and the knee and rear roof speakers were not… that’s gotta be a clue

 

[revelario]

I'd look for evidence of an aftermarket amp. I always run new wires to the speakers when I install an amp since the factory wire is so small. Typical spots would be under the front seat or in the rear quarter panels.

I'd also pull the door speakers and see how they are hooked up. Should either be aftermarket wire or some sort of cut/splice to the OE connector.

Yeah the doors speakers do not look well connected (see pic above). I pulled up the carpet and replaced with new and sound deadener last year, so now aftermarket amp. And previous aftermarket stereo and door speakers were working fine after I put everything back together.

 

[Pascoscout]

Sorry missed the pic of the door speakers. That looks to be hacked onto the end of the OE wire. It's possible the PO did a ghetto bypass of the factory amp. See if you can locate it (described location above) and see if they tied in wires on the downstream side.