cleblanc

I tried to do the nav hack today that is described in the IS forum and it didn't work. So I downloaded the wiring diagram and the wires and colors are totally different for the ES350. The speed sensoror (14A) is a light blue wire.
Does anyone have any information on a procedure to hack the nav to get the MP3 folder list working? I installed the VAISTECH unit today for my Ipod and would really like to get this completely working.

savior02

what would really be nice too is a nav hack for dvd picture view action while the car is moving! If you know of any please post!!!!

wizhill

I wish I had an answer to your question, but instead I have a request. Can you possibly post pictures, or at least describe, how the center console comes apart? As you know it's totally different than the photos shown in the IS mod page, and so far I haven't found any screws, so I'm guessing it's all clips.

Any help you can give would be very much appreciated!

And thanks for being the first one to take the plunge and attempting the NAV hack. I hope somome out there has an answer for you.

dreyfus

First off, the center console just pries up. Put the car in neutral and unscrew the shift **** (remember to set the parking brake). Open the cupholder and lift that end of the console top up, then work your way forward. Be careful at the head unit trim that you don't pinch it as you take it out. Lift it out at an angle (back end up) and pull it backwards to release it from under the audio unit.

It's all clips and it's all easy to remove and reinstall.

Secondly, I've done the hack to allow speed-dependant functions to be allowed... well, sort of.

I've been unable to get it to work. I've got the wiring and disassembly instructions from http://techinfo.toyota.com/ and took my ES350 apart. I looks really scary but it is actually easy.

Anyway, the speed sensor to the display unit is light blue, and the speed sensor from the display unit to the Nav unit is orange. Cutting the speed wire to the display and routing it directly into the Nav (and cutting the display-to-Nav speed wire) should work, but alas it does not.

Leaving the blue speed wire disconnected from both the display and the Nav allows all the speed-dependant functions to work even if you're moving (expected). The jumping Nav screen is also present (expected) because the Nav needs the speed input to correct the GPS. So far, so good. This proves I have the correct wires.

But connecting the speed wire directly into the Nav not only corrects the jumping Nav screen (expected), but disallows the speed-dependant functions (unexpected). It's as if no changes were made at all and the entire unit operates as if it were stock.

So I'm still trying to figure out where the display unit is getting its speed information when the orange speed wire between the display and Nav is disconnected. Rats!!

I've got documentation and pictures of everything, but it doesn't make sense to post them until the hack works. In the mean time I'm open to suggestions AND I have my trim pieces scattered all over my garage...

cleblanc

Wow - I'm impressed you went that far and I'm anxious to hear how it goes. Thanks for posting your results so far. I actually had my installer try the nav hack and we ran out of time. I have to go back tomorrow for him to fix it. I was having a VAISTech SLI unit installed (which works great by the way). But it makes me even more pissed that I can't access the details screen.
He cut the pink wire as per the IS instructions (I feel so stupid for not downloading the ES wiring diagram first) which disabled my backup camera. But he assures me he can at least hook that back up and put it back the way it was.
Meanwhile, I have reported the problem to both my dealer and Lexus customer service telling them I need a procedure to access the MP3 details screen. What is the point of having it if you can't access it? I wish more people would complain about this so they realize how unacceptable this is and fix it for future cars.
With the nav and bluetooth, at least you have voice dialing to access the functions you need to do. And although I don't agree with it, at least I understand it.
But this details screen really bothers me because it makes no sense whatsover. You should also be able to access the folder list, which to me is no different than changing radio stations.

wizhill

I looked over the info from techinfo. On NS-176 it shows the speed connection leaving the Multi-Display and being output to the Nav ECU. (I guess it's the blue wire going into the multi-display, and the orange wire going into the Nav ECU.) My guess is that the multi-display doesn't actually do any processing to the speed signal... it probably just gets passed through. That would explain why when you connect the blue wire directly to the Nav ECU the stock condition returned.

There probably is no real fix. In the other forums folks have talked about adding a switch somewhere in the console that gets wired in series with the speed wire from the multi-display to the Nav ECU. So for normal operating you'd leave the switch closed, thereby allowing normal smooth navigation updates. When you want to update the destination while moving, you throw the switch (opening the connection) and make your changes.

I suppose you'd do the same thing for the parking break wire, though you'd have to look at the techinfo pages to see if the wire should be ground or tied to +12v. Then you could throw that switch to watch DVDs while moving (not recommended), access the MP3 folder list, dial by number via the screen, etc.

-Brian