Possible to upgrade USB ports?

[kaitlyn2004]

With the 2020 4runner, the USB ports output 2.1A, and the front one is required for Android Auto/carplay.

This is way beyond my knowledge, but I'm assuming they can somehow be upgraded - phones now support quick charge, there are USB-C ports, power delivery... would love to have my phone charge a bit quicker so I'm not driving somewhere, forced to use that charging(for android auto) option, get to my destination and not be topped up

 

[4REIGN3R]

I don't have an answer for you on whether or not it can be upgraded but an option would be to purchase a PD car charger

 

[08TxRunner]

Well, the USB C port is on the phone end, not the other end. And if you look at the charger on your Android phone, it's 2.1 amps. Not sure what you are looking for.

 

[JsinLegacy]

I'm confused. You don't have to use the charging port up front in order to charge your phone. There are multiple ports in the vehicle to use.

 

[kaitlyn2004]

The USB port is 2.1A/5V. That's 10.5 watts. Almost every modern phone is capable of charging faster than that. USB-C has Power Delivery, which can charge my Pixel 4 faster.

I need to use the front USB port, because on top of charging, that's required for android auto.

 

[patkelly4370]

I use the USB port on the dash to listen to my audio library on a thumb drive.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[kaitlyn2004]

Well, the USB C port is on the phone end, not the other end. And if you look at the charger on your Android phone, it's 2.1 amps. Not sure what you are looking for.

The charger my Pixel 4 came with lists 2 outputs:

5V/3.0A
9V/2.0A

 

[seatia]

The charger my Pixel 4 came with lists 2 outputs:

5V/3.0A
9V/2.0A

:thumb:

My 2 year old MOTO charger does the same and also additionally will go 12v/1.2A

It currently turbo charging at 4,391mV and 1.538mA

Install the Accubattery app and you will see what your phone needs.

 

[mo_mo]

Some discussion here:
usb - DIY Android Auto Power Booster - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

Looks like a Y connector and a separate 12 V adapter is one option (with hit or miss results), and alternately using a hub plugged into a 12 V and jumping the vehicle input over to the hub with phone plugged into the hub (basically the Y but letting the hub try to keep things more appropriate for grounding).

Report back please if you find a solution that works.

 

[seatia]

Here is a good primer on all the phone charge rates.
You may be looking for a problem you won't have.

How Does Fast Charging Work?

 

[JsinLegacy]

The way your initial post reads is as if you don't really want to be forced to use the front USB port to charge the phone, that was my confusion. However, I don't think there is a current way to upgrade the port and if you could you'd have to make sure that the head unit could read from the higher output port, from my understanding.

 

[daytonaviolet]

Cclena makes usb data and charge ports for the 5th gen 4runner. This ones supports 3.4A usb charge and the other port supports data.


Cllena High Speed Dual Port USB Car Charger with Audio Socket for Toyota Series,USB Charging for iPhone, iPad, Samsung and More (3.3A + Audio) Amazon.com: Cllena High Speed Dual Port USB Car Charger with Audio Socket for Toyota Series,USB Charging for iPhone, iPad, Samsung and More (3.3A + Audio)

 

[daytonaviolet]

Here’s another one

Cllena Dual USB Port Charger Socket Quick Charge 3.0 & 2.4A for Toyota Amazon.com: Cllena Dual USB Port Charger Socket Quick Charge 3.0 & 2.4A for Toyota

 

[itr1275]

With the 2020 4runner, the USB ports output 2.1A, and the front one is required for Android Auto/carplay.

This is way beyond my knowledge, but I'm assuming they can somehow be upgraded - phones now support quick charge, there are USB-C ports, power delivery... would love to have my phone charge a bit quicker so I'm not driving somewhere, forced to use that charging(for android auto) option, get to my destination and not be topped up

Not likely. It's much more than a mechanical connector and some wires.

USB C is more than just a power delivery system. It can be the powered device (phone) or the power source (wall wart). The power requirements as a powered device can be one of many different classifications and wattages. Meaning the entire USB-C spec is not going to happen, I don't know of anyone that does the entire spec at a chip level. It's usually implemented with limitations.

There are usb to usb-c adapters, but I can't tell you which ones work and which ones done. Some may only provide power (2.1A or less) and other may provide data, assuming everything lines up right, which it may not. Some are just crap.

If you just want to charge it, why not use the 110V in the center console?

 

[ElectroBoy]

The front USB port contains the serial interface which is what connects into your entertainment system for android auto / Apple CarPlay. As well as charging capability. If there are any other “USB ports” around the rest of the vehicle they are only for charging, the serial interfaces are not implemented in them. If there are any old fashioned “cigarette lighter”-type 12 volt ports in the vehicle you could find a higher current plug-in charger and get a faster phone charge rate, but no direct connection via android auto.

If I need a fast charge while driving I use a portable lithium battery power pack. I don’t remember the specs, but it’s a very fast charge. I use Bluetooth to connect to the Entune system while charging like this.

 

[kaitlyn2004]

The front USB port contains the serial interface which is what connects into your entertainment system for android auto / Apple CarPlay. As well as charging capability. If there are any other “USB ports” around the rest of the vehicle they are only for charging, the serial interfaces are not implemented in them. If there are any old fashioned “cigarette lighter”-type 12 volt ports in the vehicle you could find a higher current plug-in charger and get a faster phone charge rate, but no direct connection via android auto.

If I need a fast charge while driving I use a portable lithium battery power pack. I don’t remember the specs, but it’s a very fast charge. I use Bluetooth to connect to the Entune system while charging like this.

Do you have any clue what the wiring/connection is like behind the USB port? Is it literally a serial port, or some custom harness connection?

 

[ElectroBoy]

Do you have any clue what the wiring/connection is like behind the USB port? Is it literally a serial port, or some custom harness connection?

I’m not sure what your 2020 USB interface outlet looks like. But it’s probably similar to my 2018, a custom connector with the four-pin USB 2.0 port and an auxiliary audio jack implemented in a square plug. I can’t imagine Toyota would put in a USB 3.0 nine-pin interface for a run of a few inches.

 

[Whippersnapper02]

The front port is more for data than charging. The power comes from the headunit.

 

[kaitlyn2004]

The front port is more for data than charging. The power comes from the headunit.

I just wish/want to know if it's possible to deliver more power, given that I have to plug it in, to that port, to use android auto

 

[daytonaviolet]

I just wish/want to know if it's possible to deliver more power, given that I have to plug it in, to that port, to use android auto

Personally no. The USB port has 4 pins. The two inner ones is for usb data and the two outer is for power. Since it’s connected directly to the head unit, your limited by the head units power output.

Your only option to gain more power is to use another external USB port but you’ll loose the ability to use data while charge at a higher rate because you’ll no longer have the data connection to your head unit.

But I wonder, is it possible to route the usb power pins to en external higher power usb source ? Of course disconnect it from the head unit usb power but retain the head unit data [emoji3]