Stereo replacment?

[Stephen941]

My wife and I are looking to replace our original stereo. We have the double-din JVC unit with CD player and....cassette player (hahaha). Really all she wants is something that can play CD's. We don't really care about features like bluetooth, or any of the spotify, pandora, android or that other phone stuff, but would like something that has good bass, and that we could set our own color (likely green to match the rest of the colors).

I have been browsing on Crutchfield. It seems as though even the most basic stereo units have all those added features we will never use. But that's ok, I guess most people must want them, or they wouldn't make them like that now. I mentioned to her that "JVC" and "Kenwood" are actually the same company, although she said she does not want a JVC. Although the original stereo actually is a JVC. On Crutchfield and on the Alpine website, it appears that the company Alpine has discontinued the ones we were interested in and the only one they offer is an expensive touchscreen unit.

I mostly just listen to AM radio so this is more for my wife than me.

Does anyone care to share what you replaced the original stereo with? Did you use Crutchfield, or another source? Did you also replace the speakers, or just keep the original speakers? My wife wants new speakers, but I am trying not to spend too much money on this project.
Any thoughts or input is appreciated!

 

[RodrickHeffley]

I had a kenmore excelon kdc-x994 on mine that I'm looking to eventually replace with a carplay headunit. I left the original speakers but I also will eventually replace those as I have a friend who specializes in car audio.

You're likely going to be just fine with the stock speakers, and you don't explicitly need new ones, any simple radio will do just fine, so long as you get the right wiring harness and wire it correctly.

best of luck

 

[brillo_76]

I used pioneer, jvc in the 3rd gens. The one I am driving now has an oem radio in it. Eventually, I am going to Android head units. So I can customize a few things. As I want to add cameras and run torque pro all the time on my head unit.


You can use just about any double din head unit. Just buy the wiring harness adapter and your speaker wires maybe coming off the oem Amp below the radio.



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[TheSaturnV]

I've kept my runner about as OEM as you can get, but putting in a modern double din BT Pioneer unit was one of the best things I've ever done. Really transformed the truck. It has a CD/DVD slot behind the screen, the radio works really well and puts the artist on screen, backup camera is a big plus, and the bluetooth connects to your phone without any hiccups at all.

You might really enjoy the new features it brings to our older rigs. The one below is basically like the one I put in.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I installed a Scion radio model T1819 in mine. I liked it so much I installed one in my little S series Saturn.

It’s 300w and comes with its own center channel. It will require some extra work. And it looks OEM.


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[majdomo]

If all you’re looking for is a CD player with radio, there’s an OEM one you can probably find in any 1999-2002ish Toyota that will work great with your stock wiring harness. I had one in my FZJ80 for a while, then went to a single DIN unit. You can also get a Crux Bluetooth unit that plugs into the CD changer controller, for Bluetooth audio if you want.

Apologies for the bad orientation. You can get this at the local pick and pull, or get a tested one off eBay.

 

[brillo_76]

I am not sure late model 01 and 02 will plug into the early models as I pulled one out at the pick and pull thinking the same thing and it will not plug into my 1998 as the wiring is different. Maybe you need the matching up too which I did not grab..

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[RodrickHeffley]

If all you’re looking for is a CD player with radio, there’s an OEM one you can probably find in any 1999-2002ish Toyota that will work great with your stock wiring harness. I had one in my FZJ80 for a while, then went to a single DIN unit. You can also get a Crux Bluetooth unit that plugs into the CD changer controller, for Bluetooth audio if you want.

Apologies for the bad orientation. You can get this at the local pick and pull, or get a tested one off eBay.

my 98 limited had both CD and cassette stock, it didn't work, hence the replacement, but that's another option

 

[jsnppp]

I installed a Scion radio model T1819 in mine. I liked it so much I installed one in my little S series Saturn.

It’s 300w and comes with its own center channel. It will require some extra work. And it looks OEM.


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Love this option. My only dislike is that it requires a bit of cutting on the dash to fit (I believe?). Need to look more into it.

 

[majdomo]

I am not sure late model 01 and 02 will plug into the early models as I pulled one out at the pick and pull thinking the same thing and it will not plug into my 1998 as the wiring is different. Maybe you need the matching up too which I did not grab..

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Good question, though the one I have from a 99 Corolla plugged into the early model 97 harness in my 4Runner. I was also able to get a head unit from a 2001 to work with my 97 FZJ80 harness, but had to disconnect the stock amp and plug THAT directly into the head unit. Trying to go through the stock amp with a head unit that had an amp built in caused all kinds of weird behavior.

FWIW this also worked with an 01 4Runner, which had an external amp that I removed when putting in the new (old) head unit.

Good rule of thumb at the junkyard for any kind of electrical doodad - grab the harness too, you never know if you'll need it and they don't charge extra. I've made that mistake too many times personally!

 

[brillo_76]

Good question, though the one I have from a 99 Corolla plugged into the early model 97 harness in my 4Runner. I was also able to get a head unit from a 2001 to work with my 97 FZJ80 harness, but had to disconnect the stock amp and plug THAT directly into the head unit. Trying to go through the stock amp with a head unit that had an amp built in caused all kinds of weird behavior.

FWIW this also worked with an 01 4Runner, which had an external amp that I removed when putting in the new (old) head unit.

Good rule of thumb at the junkyard for any kind of electrical doodad - grab the harness too, you never know if you'll need it and they don't charge extra. I've made that mistake too many times personally!

I think that is what got me. I believe the amp had a change and a that change went up to the radio connector that got me.. :-(

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Love this option. My only dislike is that it requires a bit of cutting on the dash to fit (I believe?). Need to look more into it.

It does require some trimming.

I’ve since replaced it with a 2013 Corolla NAV unit with entune.


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[phattyduck]

I think that is what got me. I believe the amp had a change and a that change went up to the radio connector that got me.. :-(

Sounds like you just missed the amp. The stock harness goes to the amp that mounts below the head unit in the dash. Basically all Toyotas are compatible from the mid-80's to early '00's (including all 3rd gen 4Runners).

I actually ran an '03 WRX 6-disc CD changer head unit in my Camry and 4Runner (at different times) with an adapter harness... Looking to get a new stereo for the 4Runner these days.

I will say, CarPlay and/or Android Auto will change your life. So much better than any car stereo experience previously. I know the OP said he didn't want that... but it is totally worth it.

-Charlie

 

[Back4More]

Double dinners

Are you double din display guys finding it annoying or distractive? I'm planning on a Sony XAV-AX7000 and from a safety perspective looking for thoughts. Be nice if the opening was higher but c'est la vie :bluejump:

 

[brillo_76]

Sounds like you just missed the amp. The stock harness goes to the amp that mounts below the head unit in the dash. Basically all Toyotas are compatible from the mid-80's to early '00's (including all 3rd gen 4Runners).



I actually ran an '03 WRX 6-disc CD changer head unit in my Camry and 4Runner (at different times) with an adapter harness... Looking to get a new stereo for the 4Runner these days.



I will say, CarPlay and/or Android Auto will change your life. So much better than any car stereo experience previously. I know the OP said he didn't want that... but it is totally worth it.



-Charlie

Yes Charlie I realized this after the fact that it didn't plug in. The Amp hot me and It was there too. Lol. Oh well no major big deal. Just a bummer when I went to plug it in..

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[phattyduck]

Yes Charlie I realized this after the fact that it didn't plug in. The Amp hot me and It was there too. Lol. Oh well no major big deal. Just a bummer when I went to plug it in..

It got me 15+ years ago when I upgraded to a CD player integrated amp stereo from the original cassette only stereo that my 4Runner came with... when my dad still owned it! Luckily, it was just confusing (had to remove the extra amp, I wasn't missing the amp).

-Charlie

 

[brillo_76]

It got me 15+ years ago when I upgraded to a CD player integrated amp stereo from the original cassette only stereo that my 4Runner came with... when my dad still owned it! Luckily, it was just confusing (had to remove the extra amp, I wasn't missing the amp).



-Charlie

In my instance the amps changed. The connector from the Amp to the radio different in late models. Oh well live and learn.

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[19963.4lsr5]

The CH and AD adapter harness’s from Toyota adapt the old stereo wiring to the newer radios

I needed them to put the newer Scion and Corolla head units into my rig.

Adapting the Scion to my Saturn was fun but well worth it.


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[octanejunkie]

I replaced my working stock radio with CD with a single DIN Pioneer with CD & Bluetooth, I stream everything from my phone, hardly use the CD these days.

No modification other than removing the factory amp and splicing a Toyota adapter harness to the Pioneer plug.

I also added a Y adapter and micro antenna adapter to feed both the mast and rear window "diversity" antennas into the Pioneer. I put the motorized mast on a switch and rarely raise the mast any longer.

I recently installed a recoil 9" sub under the driver's seat and will probably upgrade the front door drivers but the sub made a huge difference by itself filling out the low end.

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[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

OP:

if you're not planning on adding an aftermarket amp, look for a head unit with a rated continuous power output of 22W RMS x 4 at 1%THD at 20Hz-20kHz.

There are some that have 5%THD at 50Hz-15kHz