OEM Reference 500 third row install
Hello, All
This is my first post to the forum and I'm not sure how to include messages in the body of the post so I was going to attach it to this post but its too large. I'm not active on the board so I guess you can shoot me a message and I'll email it your way.
First and foremost, thank you to all of you who have posted in this thread over the years. Your contributions helped me make the decision to buy a system from OEM Audio Plus. I will also echo other posts that the service provide by Daniel at OEM is exceptional. I never needed help with install but he was always responsive.
I installed the system in a 2015 4Runner SR5. I selected the Reference 500 package and added the Dedicated Sub Amplifier w/ Gain Control Knob. I wasn't a fan of how the box looked for the optional 2nd sub for the third row model so I opted not to get it. After installing the system I'm happy with my decision as I think it would be overkill. Here is the image OEM provided me when I inquired about it.
The install took me two days because I also opted to sound deaden the doors as I went along. I didn't take many pictures but I think I took enough to make anyone installing into a third row more knowledge when they are ready to do it. A couple of pointers:
1. Before you disconnect the battery move the front passenger seat so you have space to access the rear bolts. The front bolts are not an issue because they go in at about a 45-degree angle so just make sure you have enough clearance for the rear bolts to use whatever tool you intend to work with.
2. When installing the amp under the seat I mounted the amp and then tried to plug in the harness connectors but found space limited so I unmounted the amp, plugged the wires in and then re-mounted. No problem.
3. IF YOU HAVE THE DEDICATED AMP WITH GAIN CONTROL KNOB MAKE SURE YOU RUN THE GAIN CONTROL LINE WHEN YOU RUN THE HARNESS TO THE RADIO. I made this mistake and had to unbolt the seat to get access to the amp and then re-run this harness and gain control line. The gain control line looks just like a phone line. Alternately you can run it to the back near the sub. Wherever you decide just don’t forget to run it at the same time as the harness.
4. You will have to remove the rear third row seats and loosen the rear passenger quarter panel in order to run the harness. There is no way around it.
I broke up the install as follows:
Saturday noon-6: replaced tweeters, front speakers and rear hatch speakers. Again, I sound deadened as I went along so each door took me about two hours. Probably could have gone a little quicker but I was enjoying mismosas along the way. I also left the battery plugged in while I did all of this so I ended up with a dead battery but no other issue.
Sunday 9-6: I knew the sub was going to take a while to run because I had to remove the third row so I dedicated the lion's share of the day to it.
1. I have short arms and was not able to stick my arm up along the side of the glove box far enough to run the harness so I could reach it from the other side. Anticipating this, I picked up a wire snake from Amazon for 10 bucks and a friend helped me fish the line in a few short minutes. Also came in really handy when I had to re-run for the gain control line.
2. Don't forget to run the gain control line with the harness connectors to the back of the radio.
3. I pulled the excess slack of the gain control line behind the radio and tied up the slack, leaving enough to run down to just below the steering column where I'll mount the knob. There is a tubular pole behind the radio and I just tucked the excess on top of that.
4. The power lines run to the battery and OEM gave me plenty of slack to work with. Because I have two amps I have two power lines and two fuse boxes. OEM was kind enough to mark which wire was A but I made the mistake of not re-marking the wire where I was going to cut it - whoops! To troubleshoot I hooked up only the A fuse and line to the Positive terminal and then had a friend turn the car on/off to test each wire. The wire that made the radio work was A. B didn't do anything, so it was easy to resolve.
5. To take out the third row seats I followed this video provided by Provo Beast Audio Installation. After all was said and done I ended up with two extra screws, so I consider that a success.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP7GzWHWI68
6. After loosening the rear passenger quarter panel I sound deadened the floor. Once the panel is loose I ran the harness along the top of the wheel well and used zip ties to secure to the existing harness runing along the same path.
With the third row seats removed you will see the hump which the front mounts of the seat are secured to. They bolt in to the front so I ran the sub harness along the backside. In my crude drawing you see the wire coming up the wheel well from the passenger side door. About mid way across the wheel well you will see a small gap between the quarter panel and the metal floor, perfect to lay the harness down in and it lines up nicely with the hump you'll run it along. For the left rear panel I just loosened the screw of the tab securing it to the floor and tucked the wire under there. It doesn't have to run all the way up the wheel well so you don't need to remove the whole thing.
7. Once the sub harness is ran you get to put it all back together! The sub box itself is different than the two-row model. Instead of mounting on top of the floor and across the arm rest it drops in to the cavity right in front of the panel for the jack.
Here's a side profile of the box:
And the cavity in front of the jack panel. I did light sound deadening under the Sub and also installed some behind the jack itself.
Because the box actually drops in to the cavity there is no velcro to secure the box to the paneling. Instead, these long strips of foam padding prevent vibration. It fits great!
Because you are removing that small panel there is a minimal gap where the paneling used to cover but it is very narrow.
And here it is installed
Monday 2-5: I used a few hours on Monday to install the rear door speakers. I spent more time trying to get the effing door panel back on than I took to deaden the doors and install the speaker on the first one. PRO TIP: the soft strip at the top of the door panel that presses against the window can be removed. It is mounted to a thin, metal black assembly. Looking at the back of the panel, gently pull/tug on the assembly straight out toward you. There are three pressure clips keeping it in place. Once removed, put that strip on the lip of the door and then install the door panel. It will push right on. I watched a video of it yesterday but I can't find it now. I'll post if I come across it again but save yourself that headache and remove that strip first - I promise it will come off.
Earlier I ran the gain control line with the harness to the back of the radio. Then I dropped enough line to reach the spot where I intend to install the gain control knob. It will only accommodate #4 screws so I'm going to try using 3M command strips to mount. FYI, if you disconnect the line from the knob then the sub will operate at full capacity.