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Yes, you can replace the factory Navigation/HVAC/Stereo with a standalone HVAC controller and a modern double-DIN stereo!
Check out my post at the bottom of this thread. I successfully replaced the Nav unit on my 2000 GS400 with a double-din android stereo, while maintaining factory HVAC: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...p-problem.html
about $200, I cut off ash tray top plastics to get it in. original subwoofer amp can be used yet need modification. also a voltage meter added but it should be green color.
It is easy to do the non nav conversion - but the biggest problem, in the past, was getting the sub to connect up correctly. Most people gave up on the factory and wired in an aftermarket one.
My friend who owns an Audio/Performance mod shop did this very thing. A car came in with a broken nav screen. Cost to replace the broken screen would have been over $1200 for a new screen alone. What they did instead was install a NON navigation climate control which he informs me is plug and play for the climate control part. Now, for the audio part it is not plug and play, but if you go with the OEM double DIN Toyota Aristo face plate and install your choice of aftermarket double DIN navigation units yourself, it would be as easy as installing an aftermarket head unit in any other car. All you would need is to find the 12V constant power, the 12V ignition, the ground, and if that aftermarket navigation unit requires a VSS signal you would need to tap into that as well.
Truthfully, I thought it would be more involved than that, but my friend was able to do the entire swap in a few hours once he obtained the non navigation climate control which can be found on ebay for about $150. I plan on doing this myself since I have a navigation equipped GS but it doesn't have any maps for Hawaii so it is basically useless for me.
One thing I am not sure about though is if there is a major difference between the GS400 and the 01+ GS430. I myself have an 03 GS430, but the conversion that my friend did was on an earlier year GS400/300 with the older navigation unit. I take that back, looking back at this picture below it looks like a 2001+ as it has the silver trim around the dash cluster gauges.
PS. Here is the picture of the aftermarket navigation conversion that my friend did. As you can see, this car indeed had a stock OEM navigation unit as you can see the nav speaker on the top of the dash. You can use any double DIN aftermarket unit of your own choice.
sup Braddah if your friend down for do again I’ll pay lmk I stay Hawaii to
My friend who owns an Audio/Performance mod shop did this very thing. A car came in with a broken nav screen. Cost to replace the broken screen would have been over $1200 for a new screen alone. What they did instead was install a NON navigation climate control which he informs me is plug and play for the climate control part. Now, for the audio part it is not plug and play, but if you go with the OEM double DIN Toyota Aristo face plate and install your choice of aftermarket double DIN navigation units yourself, it would be as easy as installing an aftermarket head unit in any other car. All you would need is to find the 12V constant power, the 12V ignition, the ground, and if that aftermarket navigation unit requires a VSS signal you would need to tap into that as well.
Truthfully, I thought it would be more involved than that, but my friend was able to do the entire swap in a few hours once he obtained the non navigation climate control which can be found on ebay for about $150. I plan on doing this myself since I have a navigation equipped GS but it doesn't have any maps for Hawaii so it is basically useless for me.
One thing I am not sure about though is if there is a major difference between the GS400 and the 01+ GS430. I myself have an 03 GS430, but the conversion that my friend did was on an earlier year GS400/300 with the older navigation unit. I take that back, looking back at this picture below it looks like a 2001+ as it has the silver trim around the dash cluster gauges.
PS. Here is the picture of the aftermarket navigation conversion that my friend did. As you can see, this car indeed had a stock OEM navigation unit as you can see the nav speaker on the top of the dash. You can use any double DIN aftermarket unit of your own choice.
lmk if he can do again or you I’ll pay I stay Hawaii to with the same problem
hey so quick question was it plug and play when u got the non nav hvac controls and aftermarket deck? I have the ML and my screen is dimming I been trying to get a sounds shop to do it but no one will I just wanna know if I have to rewire or if it’s gonna be plug and play to the 430 wire harness thanks my bro
hey so quick question was it plug and play when u got the non nav hvac controls and aftermarket deck? I have the ML and my screen is dimming I been trying to get a sounds shop to do it but no one will I just wanna know if I have to rewire or if it’s gonna be plug and play to the 430 wire harness thanks my bro
The A/C controls were plug and play, yes. If you look at the thread I posted there are pictures posted on 6/24/2011 at 2:58 PM showing the OEM head unit with A/C controls and the non-nav HVAC. The blue and white connectors plug into the non-nav with no issues.
The A/C controls were plug and play, yes. If you look at the thread I posted there are pictures posted on 6/24/2011 at 2:58 PM showing the OEM head unit with A/C controls and the non-nav HVAC. The blue and white connectors plug into the non-nav with no issues.
nice but what about the audio any tricks u had to do to get it to work?
okay thanks in your situation did you have to splice wires for the head unit to go to the wire harness or was it plug and play?
There were three wires I needed behind the head unit, on the aftermarket unit it was the Yellow, Red, and Black wires. That is 12v continuous power/Yellow, 12v Ignition on/Red and Ground/Black and I used my voltmeter to find what I needed. I had the early version of the Premium sound system in my 99 and I used this to help me. I'm sure it's not apples to apples, but with the information provided you should be able to piece something together. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...nakamichi.html
semi related, non related. i have a 2001 gs430 w/o nav. so things ive found out about the audio system.
- the wire harness to the climate control with a bit of adjusting can extend far enough that if you wanted to do the mod i did, it will reach without slicing in longer wires. the climate control face will need a bit of trimming on either side to make it fit as that whole center column air vents, infotainment, climate control, audio headunit, ashtray actually tappers a bit (the ashtray is more narrow than the air vents by like 1/2in wide.
- the ML amp and speakers run 2ohm. most aftermarket speakers are 4ohm. so if you plan on upgrading the speakers, and you have the ML system, your going to have to bypass the oem amp anyways, or fork out money for 2ohm speakers.
- the stock amp is crap, just upgrade it. use the bypass wiring harness you can get at any audio store or clutchfield. i think its even labelled for a toyota camry or something. almost all toyota/lexus share similar wiring harness plugs. Dont even bother trying to save it. there are even much smaller amps out now that will fit in the same spot if you really want it steath.
- upgrade the speakers, yes, even if you got the ML system. Just because it has a brand name on it, doesnt mean they are the top of the line in that brand name. the stock ones are just a bit better than cardboard cones.
if you have steering wheel controls for the audio, there is an interface you can buy to have them work with aftermarket headunits. i believe axxis makes it, model sw something. basically the steering wheel optional buttons was a very very first gen bus system, so there was several write ups of ppl making circuit boards to convert the bus signal to a regular signal to get it to work with aftermarket decks, but no need, the axxis one is fairly simple to install, and if it doesnt work right out of the box, keep hitting the reset button on the axxis to cycle thru its pre programming.
- if you upgrade the sub, and absolutely determined to have it in the same location as the oem one, build a box around the bottom of it. free to air subs sound like crap. the inclosure will make it sound better even if your not looking to bounce the bass and just want to round out the sound. otherwise, get a box, build a box. you got that nice space in the trunk right over the rear axles, its roughly 3 cubic ft of space.
This is my final iteration of the audio system. I like doing the mods but really gotta stop before it becomes an obsession.
