Sally97

I'm sorry if this has been in a previous thread, but I've never quite gotten an answer to the question. Does anyone know the wiring harness for the 99 LS? I am trying to install my aftermarket stereo, but I cant find the wiring harness to match.

dc893

Do you have the Nakamichi radio?

Sc0pe

iTrader: (1)

If you have the "Lexus (Pioneer) Premium Sound" system, the appropriate (and only) wiring harness to use would be the Beatsonic SLA-22AD, but you lose the fader controls. Alternatively, you can just bypass the factory amplifier altogether by wiring the speakers directly to the harness that came with your head unit using this wiring diagram, but you will lose your subwoofer (it is very easy to simply install an aftermarket one). If this is the case, feel free to send me a private message. I installed a JVC Double DIN head unit in place of my standard one, wired the factory speakers directly to the new stereo (I plan on installing new ones down the road), and installed an amplifier to power the new subwoofer.

If you have the Nakamichi system, the wiring would have to be custom. A member on here named Kansas had his Nakamichi head unit replaced with a unit from Kenwood, so I would recommend messaging him about it, if you do have the Nakamichi system.

Sally97

I ended up taking it to a good audio shop in town and they're charging me 115 for a complete rewrite and double din stereo install which I thought wasn't bad at all. And I'm 16 so I don't know if you are the youngest on this forum

LScowboyLS

we have an age competition!!

not sure how the audio shop plans to get your factory sub working without the $300 Beatsonic box that Sc0pe mentioned! - maybe they have one of those wizardry magic wands like Harry Potter?

Kansas

I now can't believe I was starting to believe the crap information that has been posted over and over on this forum that kept saying that an interface harness - Beatsonic or otherwise - was needed or that major rewiring was required in order to install an aftermarket head unit .... and that even then the fader and subwoofer might be lost. I was starting to think there was something mystical about the audio systems in Lexus cars.

There isn't. An interface harness isn't needed whether you have the Pioneer or Nakamich system like I have unless you want a quick and dirty install with marginal results. It's no different than back in the 60's through 80's when I did these types of installs myself.

As I recently posted in the LS400 audio forum my new Kenwood double-DIN head unit works perfectly with the OEM Nakamichi amplifier in my 2000 LS400. The fader on the new Kenwood works fine as does the OEM Nakamichi subwoofer. The install cost $125 and I watched the installer take nearly 3 hours doing it. Not a single wire was cut and the original Nakamichi could be reinstalled in maybe 30 minutes with absolutely no evidence left that an aftermarket head unit had ever been installed.

I don't know if I would call my installer a "wizard" but I could easily tell after interviewing him before he did the work that he was unusually knowledgeable.

900kLS400

So, for my 1996 LS400, if I want to install an Alpine head unit, I can't just find a regular harness adapter like everyone else?

Currently the OEM radio is working, but I wanted to add BT and iPod connectivity, I thought swapping head units, but keeping everything else the same would be easy...

Apparently not????

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

yep our cars are not that easy. you will need the beatsonic box if you want a true plug and play. there is a thread recently created that shows how to tap into the factory harness to make everything work (usually the sub is bypassed if you using a typical metra/scosche harness), however this is only for folks with the factory Nakamichi system.

if you don't have "Nakamichi" on the factory headunit, you have the standard Pioneer sound system. both systems have a factory amplifer located under the pass side seat however they have completely different wiring schematics and functions. someone has yet to figure out how to wire a non-nak system w/o using the beatsonic box.