question about 3-knob ipod-ready 06 Scion head unit

[4route]

does anyone know if the 3-knob 06 scion head unit with ipod capabilitiees will work in our 4runners?

i was on the scionlife forums and someone posted the following about it:

---

r0cky, make sure that your friend's car is a 2006, because the iPod feature won't work in the '04 or '05 Scions. The Color-change & knobs will of course work, but the iPod function requires a harness that is built into the '06 Scions @ the factory, the '04 & '05 Scions don't have the harness.

---

so, that's about scions of course, but does it also mean that our 4runners don't have the necessary "harness" to make the ipod feature work? in other words, does it make it so that there's no point in getting the 3-knob, ipod head unit instead of the regular cheaper one?

 

[Cmac]

Yes it will. Some people have bought them from ebay pretty cheap, but they do not get the cord that connects to the radio to the Ipod port, and it is not available anywhere else. I bought mine new from Parts.net and it came with both the cord for the radio and the other cord for the Ipod itself.

 

[4route]

Cmac, how much was it from partznet.com ? (if you don't feel comfortable putting the price here, please PM me so I know what to look for)

So you're saying you WERE eventually able to procure all the necessary parts to make that HU hook up to the ipod properly?

 

[Cmac]

Cmac, how much was it from partznet.com ? (if you don't feel comfortable putting the price here, please PM me so I know what to look for)

So you're saying you WERE eventually able to procure all the necessary parts to make that HU hook up to the ipod properly?

Their site at the time listed $390.00, but they said it was incorrect and made me pay $450.00, but at least I got all the cords needed and they were included.

 

[Cmac]

Joke is on me, I just went to do the install and i do not have all the cords. Appearently there is one for the Ipod (got it), one attached to the Ipod port (got it), and a third that connects to the radio and the port cable (don't got it).

 

[Pirate VI]

I got one, just need the same wiring everyone else does, check out this link, other people @ scionlife are working to get this done. hopefully they can figure it out soon so i can start with mine after xmas break
http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=84818&highlight=

 

[4route]

Yeah, I'm r0cky over there. Keeping an eye on it too. Seems that the parts we need ARE out and available ... but check out that thread for more info.

 

[Pirate VI]

Yeah, I'm r0cky over there. Keeping an eye on it too. Seems that the parts we need ARE out and available ... but check out that thread for more info.

yea i just noticed a r0cky over there, i figured it was you, complaining bout that guy not selling the hu to you... that sux man

 

[4route]

The guy was a jerk about it. Had me ready to send him the money and everything then he says "uh, I guess I'm going to see if I can get more first actually" ...

that was after I agreed to pay him $300 for it just because I wanted to give it to someone for Christmas (I'm getting one for me too, but a little later on).

Anyway, we'll have to keep an eye on that thread and see what comes of the parts that are now supposedly available!

There's another guy here ... rmischle I think and he mentioned working with Steve at partznet.com to get all the necessary parts to make it work.

I dunno what ever came of that ...

 

[Pirate VI]

maybe you can get one cheaper now, i only paid 100 shipped from ebay. i guess i got a steal though

 

[4route]

a very helpful Scion guy PM'd me the following over there:

The radio itself can be made to work pretty easily in any recent Toyota product. The actual iPod hookup is the tough part.

The harness I'm talking about is in the car when it comes off the truck @ the dealership. Whether or not the customer gets the iPod radio, the harness is still there, so anyone with a 2006 Scion can get it installed at a later date. There is a plug-in underneath the center console that the iPod plug, which is a separate piece, plugs into (iPod-->iPod Plug-->harness, if that makes more sense). Then there is an extra plug behind the radio that gets plugged in (to the HU) when you get the iPod radio. Neither one of these is in the '04 or '05 Scions.

Now as with anything else, there is a DIY option for this, you just have to make your own harness to splice into the radio. If you buy an iPod radio, make sure you get the iPod cable (plugs into the dock port of your iPod and into the iPod plug to be installed in the car) and the iPod Plug (which is the peice that will actually get connected to the radio). You can then create a harness that will connect that plug right into the radio, but make sure you get a generic connecter that will actually plug into the radio to which you will be connecting the iPod plug.

In practice, its a lot simpler than it sounds, just follow this: (iPod-->iPod Cable-->iPod Plug-->DIY harness-->Connector to Radio) As long as you, or whoever does it, has a basic knowledge of how to match, splice and connect wires, you should be fine. As far as mounting the iPod plug, thats up to you and your imagination, as the '04 and '05 Scions do not have the empty sockets to install the iPod plug.

Let me know how it works out.