FatCat23

Regardless of which vehicle you are working on, if you need a connector go to a junk yard.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

Hello all,
After tons of researching on this thread, my friend just completed this integration for me today in my '98 GS w/ Nav (Pioneer) but we ran into some issues. As far as sound quality goes, we successfully got over that hurdle and it sounds GREAT! Very crisp, clear and interference-free. I was using a FM transmitter before so this is like night and day difference.

So here are the problems:

1) We didn't know where to run the power for the on/off toggle switch so I decided to just eliminate the CD function altogether-- especially since I haven't even listened to a CD in my car in over a year. This decision was ultimately made because we weren't sure where to ground or which power wire to tap for the toggle switch. He ran the set up so that in the "off" position, the iPod would play through the CD changer instead of vice versa because of the "battery drainage" problem that some of you have. Since the CD player function is now gone, the toggle switch is not being used. He said we could add a toggle switch later in case I changed my mind.

So for those of you with a 2GS, where did you ground and which wire did you tap to run the power for the toggle switch?

2) So the cradle is a Griffin TuneFlex one which charges and has an aux. input or output (depending on how you set it up). It came with a male/male aux. cable. Instead of this, he just ran the male end of the RCA cable (with the relays connected on the other end-- I think it's called a Y-Adapter) into the bottom of the cradle itself.

So here's the big problems..... When we switch to CD function and play the iPod, the sound is very good. However, when I switch back to FM and do not pause the iPod, the Ipod music actually plays over the FM/AM stations. Weird right? So at first, we just pressed pause or turned off the iPod and the problem was solved-- I can now hear local radio stations just fine. No biggie right? But then when you turn up volume when listening to the radio you can hear hissing in the background and it gets louder with the volume. After some playing around, we found out that if you unplug the aux./RCA cable from the cradle when it is radio mode, the hissing goes away. When I plug it back into the cradle while in radio mode, the hissing comes back. So this hissing problem is related with the aux./RCA cable being plugged into the cradle while listening to the radio.

Here's the part that bugs me-- I don't want to be forced to unplug the aux./RCA cable every time I switch to the radio. Then when I want to play the iPod, I don't want to have to plug the cable back in. This can be very annoying if I'm switching back and forth constantly while driving. It is even more difficult since the male jack is small and this is even more frustrating at night.

My friend said he could fab a switch onto the aux./RCA cable itself so that would be a bit easier then plugging (iPod)/unplugging (radio) while I'm driving. Is this a good idea? Will it work? Is there an easier solution to solve the problems I'm experiencing?

I spoke to another 2GS member who has completed the integration after thorough research of this thread and he is experiencing the exact same problems. Has anyone with a 2GS able to rectify this issue? Did we tap wrong wires or something?

Please advise.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

Looks like my friend is just going to make a special toggle switch for me on the aux./RCA wire itself.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

there are reasons my system is set up the way it is, as you have discovered. flipping the toggle switch isolates the signal and prevents any distortion or crossover for both the radio and CD changer/player.

gs400kg

I have been toiling with this for awhile, being the member referred to by sleeper408.

Factory Nak, no GPS.
Power supplied to toggle switch from cig lighter.

I tried to tap into in this order:

1. Wired between head plug, didnt work
2. Wired at amp, didnt work
3. Wired at plug on CD changer, worked with issues

Issues:

1. Radio works fine, with no interference, even with ipod playing, if switch is in OFF position. (Not a problem at all)

2. CD changer no longer works, period. Cannot even select it on the headunit. Interestingly, I was able to have the ipod play thru the FM/AM source, and the cassette tape (SEE SOLUTION SECTION) without the CD changer plugged in. (Not problem as I have everything on ipod)

Based on my through read of this thread, I was surprised to not be able to use the CD as source for ipod.

I even went to Lexus and was able to get a Nak radio wiring diagram. Be really nice and a service consultant can print one out. I will scan and upload the pdf tomorrow. The diagram shows CDR +/- and CDL +/- with correct shielded B,W,R,G between the changer and the head, i.e., cd changer plug.

SOLUTION

I kept the connection at the CD changer plug. I also found an old blank HIFI blank tape cassette.

To play my ipod:
1. Turn on switch, located mine on bottom plastic panel, under steering wheel.
2. Insert blank cassette tape and it starts playing.

This eliminates background noise, and as previously stated, I have no issues or interference playing the radio with the switch off.

I am sure I screwed up somewhere along the way, however this is an acceptable solution for me.

If anyone has been able to play ipod thru the CD source, I would be interested in learning it.

This is a good alternative if you cannot play thru CD source.

Thanks for a GREAT thread, PUREDRIFTER. There is NO WAY I could have done it without this resource.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

sounds like you tapped the wrong wires. go back and look at your pinout, im betting you read the connector either upside down or backwards (or both) and disconnected one of the data transmit lines instead of one of the CDx lines.

for example, on my '99 LS, there are TWO red wires on the amplifier side of the CD Changer harness. One is the CDL+ and one is the CTX+ (transmit line). that happens twice as there's also 2 green wires on the same harness with one being CDL- and the other being CTX-.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

Could tapping the wrong wire be my problem also? According to the 2GS wiring diagram (pdf) on page 15, it shows the 8 pin harness with the red wire being CKL+. My friend and I figured this is a misprint of CDL+. So did I wrongly tap the red wire when it should have been something else?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

....im not doing this again for sometime.

here's the sound system wiring diagram for a '98 GS300/400 w/o nak or navi.

bestint

id rather just get a USA spec device and control the ipod through my factory radio.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

say what?

Scotty

iTrader: (13)

I think what he means is this http://www.usaspec.com/product.php?ProductID=17 which works on select Lexus models.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for the pdf PureDrifter. After comparing this one to the pdf for the 2GS on page 15, it does look like that member did mis-type CDL+ as CKL+ for some reason. Anyhow, thanks for the abundant amount of help and info. on this thread.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

which, exactly like the VaisTech units, will work only on 2001*+ Lexus models....for which this tutorial wasnt meant for anyways...

*(2000+ RX model)

bill

PD, thanks for all of your hard work. I have a Lexus 470Lx with Nak and no Nav.

Attached is a color chart for the amp wires for this car. My CD changer lights up, but has ERR 3 due to stuck CD. I don't need the CD and would like to go the simple way and just go directly to my iTouch 32Gb 3rd Generation.

I have not seen an explanation on how to connect without the relays.

Can you give me some help?

Many thanks,

PS: By the way, I got this from http://www.modifiedlife.com/2000-lex...-wiring-guide/ if anyone is interested in other models

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

the wires you need to cut are not in that diagram.

if you dont care to keep the CD changer functionality but your headunit will at least turn on and stay switched to the CD input, you can just cut the CD signal wires, leaving the data tx and rx lines connected, and wire those directly into rca cables/dock cable.