Head Unit Install Nightmare Hell...
10-06-08, 08:55 AM
#1
Head Unit Install Nightmare Hell...
I decided to try to install my new head unit yesterday at around 3pm. Everything went smoothly until the wiring up process where I ran into some issues. I followed the instructions and the DIY we have here for a different head unit, but still ran into some issues. First, after wiring up the speakers, I decided to test it and got a continuous and ear piercing single tone coming from the left rear speaker ONLY when the lights were switched on. After disconnecting the left rear speaker connection and quadruple checking it, I decided to leave it unconnected and check to see if the unit was working to button it all up. When I turned the car on, I got nothing. The unit was dead in the water... No light, no power, no sound. Nothing. By this time, it was already 1:45 in the morning and I decided to pull it all back out and try again a different day. So, now, I have my unit sitting back in the box rather than in my car staring at me and mocking me... Anyone have any suggestions as to what the problems may be? I checked all the connections and they are all going to the right places on the harness... But, I still got nothing... 
10-06-08, 09:01 AM
#2
Oh... and one more thing... when I was trying to figure out why the unit wasnt working, I tried to turn the factory dimmer switch that's next to the steering wheel. When I was turning it, I got a buzzing noise that came from all the speakers... Any clue as to where that would be coming from?
10-07-08, 09:36 PM
#4
I'm not sure. I know that when you put in an aftermarket HU, you lose the factory amp and sub. So, essentially, i was just trying to connect the the harness to the corresponding speaker wire that connects to the factory amp. I dont intend on using the factory amp, I just need to connect to the speakers so music will come out... Not to mention get the unit to turn on...
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10-08-08, 01:20 PM
#8
Is there anyway to test the unit without going through all the connections? for example... If I were to connect the harness to a car battery, would it turn on if everything was functional?
10-08-08, 01:35 PM
#9
Ok... wait a dang second... I just reread a different DIY and noticed that the person made the power connections directly on the gray and blue/yellow wires and then also grounded the unit through the car. Is this how it's supposed to be done? I thought that we weren't supposed to touch the factory harness? If that's the case, then that should explain my power issues because I made NO connections directly to the factory harness. I just connected the power wires from the HU harness to the power wires on the aftermarket harness figuring that they receive their power through the harnesses. ???
10-08-08, 02:05 PM
#10
I went through this process with my ES300. I got it working the 1st time around but got some engine noise that was bareable but got annoyed with it within a month. I finally got my arsss off the couch to do the research on how to bypass the amp and put the time in to rewire everything again.
You have 2 options.
Before we go into the 2 options here's the basics.
1 - constant power source
1 - non-constant power source i.e. ignition
1 - ground
8 - speaker wires assuming you have 4 speakers i.e. a + and - for each speaker.
1 - power antannae wire
1 - dimmer wire
I think I've covered everything - I'm doing this from memory.
With regards to either approach you have to find a constant power source and a non-constance power source. A constant power source is always on even when your car is turned off. A non-constance power source is on only when you do something flick a switch, turn something on etc. What you want is a non-constant power source that is triggered when you put the key into the ignition and turn the key to the start position. Don't worry the factory harness has both so using a light tester, determine which cable is constant and which one is non-constant.
Option 1: By pass the amp.
Get the electrical wiring diagram for your car and find the harness that connects to your amplifier. From the diagram it'll tell you which wire is what i.e. + or - to speaker, power antanne, etc.
Once you know which wire goes where hook up the wires from your new head unit to the speakers and power antanne.
Option 2.
Use just the items you need from the factory harness i.e. power sources and power antanne. With the speaker wires run new speaker wires to each speaker and connect them to your new head unit.
Option 2: Disconnect the speaker cables to all of your speakers and run new speaker cables from your new HU to the speakers.
Lastly, I usually leave the dimmer cable alone it really doesn't serve a purpose for me. Oh almost forget, don't forget the ground. That's simple just take some speaker cables and connect it to a nut or screw that's touching something metal in your car. The bigger the metal object the better. Try and keep the cable as short as possible.
PM me if you have any specific questions.
Option 1 is easier.
Good luck.
Ken
You have 2 options.
Before we go into the 2 options here's the basics.
1 - constant power source
1 - non-constant power source i.e. ignition
1 - ground
8 - speaker wires assuming you have 4 speakers i.e. a + and - for each speaker.
1 - power antannae wire
1 - dimmer wire
I think I've covered everything - I'm doing this from memory.
With regards to either approach you have to find a constant power source and a non-constance power source. A constant power source is always on even when your car is turned off. A non-constance power source is on only when you do something flick a switch, turn something on etc. What you want is a non-constant power source that is triggered when you put the key into the ignition and turn the key to the start position. Don't worry the factory harness has both so using a light tester, determine which cable is constant and which one is non-constant.
Option 1: By pass the amp.
Get the electrical wiring diagram for your car and find the harness that connects to your amplifier. From the diagram it'll tell you which wire is what i.e. + or - to speaker, power antanne, etc.
Once you know which wire goes where hook up the wires from your new head unit to the speakers and power antanne.
Option 2.
Use just the items you need from the factory harness i.e. power sources and power antanne. With the speaker wires run new speaker wires to each speaker and connect them to your new head unit.
Option 2: Disconnect the speaker cables to all of your speakers and run new speaker cables from your new HU to the speakers.
Lastly, I usually leave the dimmer cable alone it really doesn't serve a purpose for me. Oh almost forget, don't forget the ground. That's simple just take some speaker cables and connect it to a nut or screw that's touching something metal in your car. The bigger the metal object the better. Try and keep the cable as short as possible.
PM me if you have any specific questions.
Option 1 is easier.
Good luck.
Ken
10-09-08, 06:06 AM
#12
I would assume that you would have to connect the power antennae wire from the factory harness to a power source. I wouldn't know definitively unless you get the wiring diagram for your car. Here's an example of what mine looked like. Note that there are 2 power antenna relays. I had to connect the both of them together to a power source before it worked. Use the same non-constant powersource for your headunit i.e. ignition.
Last edited by kphu; 10-09-08 at 06:32 AM.
10-09-08, 06:46 AM
#13
Not sure if the 99 is a 2nd Gen but, this is where you should start (if you haven't already): https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=281411
GL!!
10-09-08, 09:26 AM
#14
Here's a good reference for the amp bypass: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...09#post3904309
GL!
GL!
10-10-08, 09:17 AM
#15
Just as an update, I got the unit to power up, but since I was short on time, I didn't wire up the entire unit. It was a huge relief to see it turn on and the amp bypass makes more sense now... Lets see how the install goes this weekend. I'm also going to be taking a crap load of pics for a diy as the others that are there aren't really all that clear.