98CLEAN

1998 LS400.. all of a sudden, my sound started cutting out when the sub is supposed to be sounding.. I turned treb + mid all the way up, and bass all the way down.. I can listen to music like this because the sub isn't even being used.. Once you turn it up to the point the 8 inch sub in the back is supposed to sound, it cuts. Anyone had this problem? Any quick fix?

Is my amp blown? Is a fuse blown somewhere? Is my sub blown?

Lexozz

Your amp is going, I had the same problem until I got an extra amp just for the bass and of course a box with a 12" sub.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

uhh, only time my car ever did that was when the battery was pretty much completely dead.

98CLEAN

anyone else have suggestions? anyone know of amps that interface with nakamichi so I don't have to replace my cd player and the whole 9 yards to fix this problem?

Kansas

First make absolutely sure that the amp is the problem. When the right channel of the Nak in my 00 LS started having low volume and then died, everyone said it was a bad amp. I tested my amp in a friends 99 LS and found that my amp was fine ... it was the head unit that was the problem. Probably the only reason I was able to get my Nak head unit fixed was that only resoldering was needed. The largest Lexus car radio repair in the U.S. no longer repairs Nakamichi due to there being no replacement parts.

No replacement Nakamichi components are available through Lexus dealers -- I checked again just last week. I was told that Lexus is required to supply replacement parts for seven years and that they would provide no assistance. Doesn't give me a "warm fuzzy" about a company (Toyota) in which I own stock and I sure hate to think about going with an aftermarket radio if my Nak dies again -- I'll probably dump the car.

If you can figure out which component is causing the problem, there is eBay for headunits and amps. If it is the sub, you can probably find a non-Nak sub that will work.

Scotty

iTrader: (13)

You could grab the low-level signal output of the factory Nakamichi stereo and run a nice aftermarket amp with it. Did you want to replace the speakers and stock sub as well or just the amp? If you have no plans to replace the speakers, a stock amp it the easiest replacement solution if that is the issue.

If you go aftermarket it will sound the best to replace the sub and speakers as well, you could still keep the factory stereo if you wanted.

mark98ls40

So, with the 98 LS Nakamichi, can you just replace the head unit with and aftermarket to power the door speakers or are there amps in between the head unit & door speakers?

edtbjon

The usual setup in your generation LS is a low-level head unit, which delivers about the same as the low-level outputs on ordinary aftermarket head units.
On the LS there are two amplifiers, one under the passenger seat to power the door speakers and one in the boot, beside the subwoofer to power that sub.
Getting new OEM is either impossible or crazy expensive, so upgrading the system with all aftermarket is usually the best option.

//Björn

Lexozz

What boot are u talking about, I never seen any thing of the sort. As far as I know there is only one amp underneath the front passenger seat.

mark98ls40

Thanks for the info. I was hoping a Pioneer head unit would work without new wiring, speakers, etc. but it doesn't seem like that would work.

rburg

Had the same issue with my 95 ls400. Replaced the battery (and alternator) and problem solved!

lahi671

My 99 LS is doing the same thing. The passenger side speakers are low sometimes. Do you remember what wire you had to re-solder to get it back to normal?

lahi671

The hell with it! I will buy a aftermarket one.

Kansas

I didn't fix it myself. Car Stereo Repair in Florida ( http://carstereohelp.com/ ) resoldered the wires at the head unit balance control to restore the right side channel of the Nakamichi in my 2000 LS400. But that doesn't necessarily mean that yours has the same problem.

lahi671

Thanks for the reply. I am just going to buy an aftermarket one. It's time for an upgrade!