Replacing the JBL 6-disc w/ a 2007.

[Down2TheC]

Yes... it works! Here's pics of the back of each unit. You can see there's one extra port (Sirius?) in the 2007.



As for a process... follow the docs for the AUXBOX install

Also here's a doc w/ some nice graphics of our parts.
http://www.down2thec.com/FileStore/SolareHUInstall.pdf
Props to whoever posted this, but I'm not searching it out again to find out who that was.

Then to pull out the upper console, you need two clips on the side just above the register. Stick a screwdriver (taped) in there an give a little pry. Then pull back. I had some trouble because I didn't realize the following...
The upper console clips go forward, not perpendicular into the dash.

Then four bolts for the stereo/HVAC unit and pull it all out.
Four smaller bolts each side of the bracket to remove the HU.

Here she is gutted. I don't disconnect anything unless I have to so I just turned the upper console around and it stays nicely.


This is a good position for removing harnesses and hooking up the new one.




All done. There might be a slight color difference. Not sure. I'm sure once in daylight it'll look fine. But if it doesn't match, I can do it again to switch faceplates. They are identical except for the text labels.



Did the background color change? I though it was all green before? Maybe Toyota has been watching our threads. I remember folks griping about the blue intruments and the green dash conflict.
2007 SLE owners please post your dash colors.



Very simple and very quick. But don't forget to hook up the HVAC harness when reassembling... don't ask how I know. But you can hook that up while it's im place thankfully.

How it plays...

Like anything stock the MP3 playing is a bit goofy. Here's some notes if you're thinking about doing this.

- MP3 CD's load the same. When you switch to it you have about 20 seconds for it to catalog the ID3 tags and start playing.
- Like the Gen2 JBL HU, the options show all the time (i.e. RAND, REPT) and when selected they are underlined. Always found that silly.
- tag RAND to shuffle the folder you're in.
- press and hold RAND (1 sec.) to shuffle the whole CD.
- When in either RAND mode, the next song is randomized ONLY if the song ends on it's own. If you skip to next, you'll get the tune right after the one you're on. Seriously goofy. If you're skipping a song you probably wnat to move on to another album. When that happens I give the tuning knob a twirl.
- Tuning know quickly rolls through the songs. Pretty nice.
- Display shows either CD-FOLDER-SONG (i.e. 3-12-4) or any of the ID3 info. To switch you hit Text. To see the rest of the text that ran off the edge you hit and HOLD the Text button. Again... lame.
- Plastic face. The silver is less sparkly and more flat than the HVAC below it. Totally noticeable. I'm going to try to switch faces to make it match but not sure if it'll work since the old unit had the cassette. Buttons are all in the right places though.
- Older MP3 players had a problem continuing songs. This one resumes where it left off when you fire the car up. But it thinks for a bit before resuming. It also has the FF/RW buttons for scanning through MP3 tracks.
- AUX2Car works the same.

It's better than mucking about with an MP3 player in the storage bin, but I still find it a bit sad that they can't program a decent display or random feature. Back when there were two MP3 HUs on the market, I bought an AIWA. The display scrolls the text and had a dot-matrix display for making real letters. It even had an integrated AUX input. That was in 2000 I think. Can't find all that anymore.

[**PoshPepper**]

Good tutorial, glad that this turned out well

[---CAMRAZY---]

Nice....

[mluu510]

i really hate the new text labels. they're so bold and look fuzzy. but, good work, buddy.

[Biggi_e]

looks great! first person to do the swap im guessing? does it play mp3's?

[Down2TheC]

Yup... it all works. ID3 text comes in fine too though cut off like everything else on the lame display.
wheel controls are the same so to jump to the next folder you need to hit the HU button.
I like the tuning knob doubling as a track advance because you can zip through a couple folders with one spin. And the illumination is great. Wonder if the 07's got blue everywhere else. If so I'm jealous.

i really hate the new text labels. they're so bold and look fuzzy. but, good work, buddy.

Might be the pic. I try to go natural light when I can. Flash pics look awful that close.

[michaels artic frost]

Great job Mike! Props!!!

-M 8)

[MikeATL]

I have seen the 2007s and yes, everything matches now...

Nice job by the way. I have been looking at those on ebay for a while now, that extra plug on the back made me nervous, but i guess its not needed.

I have almost been tempted to get the 2007 navigation, but oemvalue.com says that if you have a 2005, you have to rig up some kind of extra speaker, which sounds like more worth than its worth. I dont know how accurate that is though because the website doesnt even mention 2004s...

[Biggi_e]

how is the quality? i kind of want to get rid of my headunit and want to go back to stock unit but with the 07 one buttt i got a system...what to do...

[Down2TheC]

I have seen the 2007s and yes, everything matches now...

Just one more thing that TOYOTA needed 3 years (and hundreds of SG posts) to figure out. Add to that:
- convertible headrests (not fixed but they tried)
- Lack of MP3 support (fixed)
- lag (not sure if they fixed it for the 07)
etc.

And Big, quality seems the same. Haven't cranked it yet though. It's been raining so she's in the garage.

[linmk2]

Thanks for the post. The photos are great. I do have a quick question. I'm still not clear on how the upper gauge cluster is removed? Just where is the screwdriver or like device placed to remove the clips? And where are the clips? I sure would not want to mess up my car trying to remove that panel. Again, great write-up. Glad everything works as you hoped it would.

[RDKamikaze]

I have been looking at those on ebay for a while now, that extra plug on the back made me nervous, but i guess its not needed.

That extra plug I heard from a junkyard dealer (I was going to compare prices so I sent him to this thread via phone) is for Bluetooth. That's what he said he thinks it's for, but he's not 100% sure. 2007 just came out, and it's only 1 more car junkyards have to deal with. .

Has anyone found them cheaper than $160 yet or not? And do they still not match or was it just that one that doesn't? I'm really interested in getting it, but I wanna make sure it's just as good or better first (and I'm frugal, what can I say?).

[Down2TheC]

You didn't read the first post.

[RDKamikaze]

Alright, I got my dad's permission to get one and he's even gonna pay for it . I'll get pics up when I get it and install it. Great written tutorial, thanks!

[Down2TheC]

Thanks for the post. The photos are great. I do have a quick question. I'm still not clear on how the upper gauge cluster is removed? Just where is the screwdriver or like device placed to remove the clips? And where are the clips? I sure would not want to mess up my car trying to remove that panel. Again, great write-up. Glad everything works as you hoped it would.

My bad... someone linked to this manual from a a/m vendor. I might as well host it.
http://www.down2thec.com/FileStore/SolareHUInstall.pdf
That will give you a pic of where to pop the two side clips for the upper. But what it doesn't show you is that the clips go straight FORWARD. Not into the dash. I mucked around quite a bit before getting it because I imagined them going down into the dash.
The dash is nice and spongy so it doesn't get damaged with a little rough-housing. But put a couple layers tape on if you're using a screwdriver. You'll probably feel a click once you poke it in there. That means the catch is released. Don't mess with anything but the two sides. The rest will pull out without un-catching them.

Good luck!

Now if I could only drive the car... with a foot of snow on the way, it's going to be 4Runner season for a while.