Radio Compatibility - lots of models out there
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Radio Compatibility - lots of models out there
eBay is full of salvaged Radios that range in price from $250 to $2k (some new units are $11k+).
Listings often say the radios are compatible with 2013-2015 models, but that is not the case.
2013-2014 radios appear to be interchangeable (see my results below) with all the same plugs.
2013-2014 ML and non-ML radios appear to be interchangeable with no changes in audio quality, appears to be only a logo difference.
2014 radios have Siri Eyes Free and may have more recent maps.
2015 radios have different plugs: 2015s have a light green plug where the 2013-2014s have a smaller light blue plug, and two antenna plugs are different.
Radio Plug Image Album - eBay links below will stop working, so I snagged these for reference
Non-Mark Levinson Radio Models:
2013
DVZ-0118zt (Toyota Part 86130-30090-1)
NXH-9718zt (Toyota Part 86130-30100) mfg Dec 2011
NXH-9718zt (Toyota Part 86130-30100-1)
NXH-9718zt02 (Toyota Part 86130-30101) mfg Aug 2012
NXH-9718zt03 (Toyota Part 86130-30102) mfg July 2013
2014
NXH-9718zt0k (Toyota Part 86130-30B10) mfg June 2014 (works perfectly in my 2013 Luxury+ML)
Mark Levinson Radio Models:
2013
NXH-9918zt02 (Toyota Part 86130-30111) mfg Sept 2012 (originally in my 2013 Luxury+ML)
2014
NXH-9918zt03 (Toyota Part 86130-30112) mfg July 2013
NXH-9918zt0k (Toyota Part 86130-30B20) mfg July 2014
2015 (have a new plug):
NXF-9738zt (Toyota Part 86130-30600) mfg Oct 2014 - light green plug in back (maybe to accommodate microSD card interface), antenna plugs are also different
This is all stemming from the thread the other day about potentially extracting the hard drive data and backing it up or replacing it with an SSD.
The hard drives are 100GB Toshibas locked using ATA Security, which requires a 32 character key that is not known, so no one has examined the contents or created a backup.
Questions:
Are hard drives and configs interchangeable? Probably not without specific knowledge.
Could you take a drive from a 2014 radio and stick it in a 2013 radio and gain Siri Eyes Free? Twylie below reports this is not possible.
Could you put a 2015+ Hard Drive in a 2013-2014 Radio and gain full functionality? I suspect this is not possible either given Twylie's testing.
Listings often say the radios are compatible with 2013-2015 models, but that is not the case.
2013-2014 radios appear to be interchangeable (see my results below) with all the same plugs.
2013-2014 ML and non-ML radios appear to be interchangeable with no changes in audio quality, appears to be only a logo difference.
2014 radios have Siri Eyes Free and may have more recent maps.
2015 radios have different plugs: 2015s have a light green plug where the 2013-2014s have a smaller light blue plug, and two antenna plugs are different.
Radio Plug Image Album - eBay links below will stop working, so I snagged these for reference
Non-Mark Levinson Radio Models:
2013
DVZ-0118zt (Toyota Part 86130-30090-1)
NXH-9718zt (Toyota Part 86130-30100) mfg Dec 2011
NXH-9718zt (Toyota Part 86130-30100-1)
NXH-9718zt02 (Toyota Part 86130-30101) mfg Aug 2012
NXH-9718zt03 (Toyota Part 86130-30102) mfg July 2013
2014
NXH-9718zt0k (Toyota Part 86130-30B10) mfg June 2014 (works perfectly in my 2013 Luxury+ML)
Mark Levinson Radio Models:
2013
NXH-9918zt02 (Toyota Part 86130-30111) mfg Sept 2012 (originally in my 2013 Luxury+ML)
2014
NXH-9918zt03 (Toyota Part 86130-30112) mfg July 2013
NXH-9918zt0k (Toyota Part 86130-30B20) mfg July 2014
2015 (have a new plug):
NXF-9738zt (Toyota Part 86130-30600) mfg Oct 2014 - light green plug in back (maybe to accommodate microSD card interface), antenna plugs are also different
This is all stemming from the thread the other day about potentially extracting the hard drive data and backing it up or replacing it with an SSD.
The hard drives are 100GB Toshibas locked using ATA Security, which requires a 32 character key that is not known, so no one has examined the contents or created a backup.
Questions:
Are hard drives and configs interchangeable? Probably not without specific knowledge.
Could you take a drive from a 2014 radio and stick it in a 2013 radio and gain Siri Eyes Free? Twylie below reports this is not possible.
Could you put a 2015+ Hard Drive in a 2013-2014 Radio and gain full functionality? I suspect this is not possible either given Twylie's testing.
Last edited by jonathancl; 02-04-18 at 11:24 AM.
#2
Racer
Thread Starter
I'm bumping my own thread because I just did a successful experiment and learned the following:
Mark Levinson and Regular radios are interchangeable (at least for 2013-2014 versions).
You can add Siri Eyes Free to a 2013 GS350 using a 2014 radio.
I had an NXH-9919zt02 in my 2013 Luxury+ML.
I bought an NXH-9718zt0k on eBay for $350, which is the latest 2014 Radio I have found.
It plugged right in, pulled my car settings (sunroof, doorlocks, lights, etc.), and gave me new features.
Now I have newer maps and Siri Eyes Free!!
I tested back to back with a variety of music and could discern no difference in fidelity, quality, or volume between the ML radio and regular radio.
The 2014 Radio doesn't have the Mark Levinson logo on it, but the logo has no effect on the sound.
Mark Levinson and Regular radios are interchangeable (at least for 2013-2014 versions).
You can add Siri Eyes Free to a 2013 GS350 using a 2014 radio.
I had an NXH-9919zt02 in my 2013 Luxury+ML.
I bought an NXH-9718zt0k on eBay for $350, which is the latest 2014 Radio I have found.
It plugged right in, pulled my car settings (sunroof, doorlocks, lights, etc.), and gave me new features.
Now I have newer maps and Siri Eyes Free!!
I tested back to back with a variety of music and could discern no difference in fidelity, quality, or volume between the ML radio and regular radio.
The 2014 Radio doesn't have the Mark Levinson logo on it, but the logo has no effect on the sound.
Last edited by jonathancl; 09-26-19 at 08:36 AM.
The following users liked this post:
twylie (07-01-17)
#3
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (3)
This is great information... I have a 2013 Luxury - Non ML; I'd love to see if the newer radio would work so we could have the full screen map feature. I don't think I'd use Siri personally but nice feature to have. Full Map & Full Movies would be definitely worth it
#4
Advanced
iTrader: (3)
Great info and thank you for following up with this info. I've got a 2013 Lux w/ ML and would love to be able to add Siri eyes free by just swapping out the head unit. Will be keeping an eye on ebay. Also interesting, but makes sense that the ML is just speakers and amp, not anything different in the HU.
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jonathancl (07-01-17)
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
See the image album above: the 2015 radios have several different plugs and will not be easily interchangeable.
Last edited by jonathancl; 07-05-17 at 10:46 AM.
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#8
Racer
Thread Starter
2014 Radios don't have full screen maps, so we still need to work out the 2015+ radio plug differences.
Last edited by jonathancl; 07-01-17 at 07:18 AM.
#9
Advanced
iTrader: (3)
Thanks again to OP for the info on compatibility of the early head units. I found a non-ML 2014 unit (NXH-9918zt0k) and installed it into my 2013 w/ ML.
At OP's suggestion, I first tried swapping just the newer hard drive into my 2013 unit to see if that was an option to keep the ML faceplate. Unfortunately, the new hard drive in the old unit threw a "can't read data, see dealer" error, so I had to swap the entire unit. Everything was plug and play switching in the new unit. I will have to swap over my Sat radio account and redo a bunch of settings, presets, etc. but Siri eyes free worked first shot after the initial reboot.
At OP's suggestion, I first tried swapping just the newer hard drive into my 2013 unit to see if that was an option to keep the ML faceplate. Unfortunately, the new hard drive in the old unit threw a "can't read data, see dealer" error, so I had to swap the entire unit. Everything was plug and play switching in the new unit. I will have to swap over my Sat radio account and redo a bunch of settings, presets, etc. but Siri eyes free worked first shot after the initial reboot.
The following users liked this post:
jonathancl (02-04-18)
#11
#12
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (1)
I'm bumping my own thread because I just did a successful experiment and learned the following:
Mark Levinson and Regular radios are interchangeable (at least for 2013-2014 versions).
You can add Siri Eyes Free to a 2013 GS350 using a 2014 radio.
I had an NXH-9919zt02 in my 2013 Luxury+ML.
I bought an NXH-9718zt0k on eBay for $350, which is the latest 2014 Radio I have found.
It plugged right in, pulled my car settings (sunroof, doorlocks, lights, etc.), and gave me new features.
Now I have newer maps and Siri Eyes Free!!
I tested back to back with a variety of music and could discern no difference in fidelity, quality, or volume between the ML radio and regular radio.
The 2014 Radio doesn't have the Mark Levinson logo on it, but the faceplates are interchangeable, so I may borrow the old one.
What I haven't tested yet but plan to:
Can you put the hard drive from a 2014 unit into a 2013 unit and gain full functionality?
Mark Levinson and Regular radios are interchangeable (at least for 2013-2014 versions).
You can add Siri Eyes Free to a 2013 GS350 using a 2014 radio.
I had an NXH-9919zt02 in my 2013 Luxury+ML.
I bought an NXH-9718zt0k on eBay for $350, which is the latest 2014 Radio I have found.
It plugged right in, pulled my car settings (sunroof, doorlocks, lights, etc.), and gave me new features.
Now I have newer maps and Siri Eyes Free!!
I tested back to back with a variety of music and could discern no difference in fidelity, quality, or volume between the ML radio and regular radio.
The 2014 Radio doesn't have the Mark Levinson logo on it, but the faceplates are interchangeable, so I may borrow the old one.
What I haven't tested yet but plan to:
Can you put the hard drive from a 2014 unit into a 2013 unit and gain full functionality?
Also does the climate control numbers scroll up/down?
Last edited by peasodos; 08-08-18 at 02:04 PM.
#13
Racer
Thread Starter
I found no difference in interface between the 2013 and 2014 radios. As far as I can tell, Siri Eyes Free was the only change.
Also: I sold my 2013 Radio for $280, so that was a pretty solid upgrade all told.
Also: I sold my 2013 Radio for $280, so that was a pretty solid upgrade all told.
#15
Racer
Thread Starter
The maps were the factory radio maps.
No one updates the GPS maps anymore...because it's too expensive, and our phones are way better.
No one updates the GPS maps anymore...because it's too expensive, and our phones are way better.