Uh ya… a tape deck, some Creedence tapes…

[cl4Rk]

I know, I know. Who uses a CD player, let alone a tape deck?!

Well… I do LOL :shrug:

I know [MENTION=665220]Pyral[/MENTION] and [MENTION=315156]Brian.[/MENTION] have both discussed this pretty recently here: Cassette Deck Repair / Parts Replacement

Most people seem to just prefer swapping in an aftermarket head unit, and the consensus on the forum seems to be that these OEM units will all eventually die a slow death and there’s really nothing that can be done.

I personally like the original unit because it looks nice, it has big buttons, and most importantly: it does not have a touch screen.

My symptoms:
1. Tape deck doesn’t play at all, it just immediately ejects the tape.
2. Screen is not backlit.
3. The Tune knob is not very responsive and sometimes either doesn’t change the station, jumps multiple steps, or even changes in the wrong direction.

So I have two questions:
1. Do I have any chance of repairing the unit?
2. Does anyone have a working unit they want to sell?

Bottom line, I can live with this broken unit. It's not the end of the world, the radio still works, and I can send music from my cell phone to the speakers with a little bluetooth/radio thing that plugs into the lighter.

But if I can fix/replace, I just might.

Thanks!!

 

[Pyral]

I've encountered 2 of those issues. 1 I owned had a very sensitive knob , and would change the bass, tremble etc every time I tried changing the radio station. The easiest thing to do is to buy a donor head unit and swap the face plates if the mechanics of the player are fine.

The backlight issue is likely related to the face plate. If you've ever removed the faceplate you know that the faceplate interacts with the main PCB using some pin connectors. The chances that the LEDs themselves are bad is small, my bet is that it has poor connection or no connection.

The tape player ejecting the tape is one problem I haven't encountered, but there is a section in the FSM about it. Toyota's FSM doesn't go into working on the head unit, and I've had to get by using a service manual for a similar head unit. For that reason I would make your current radio a parts donor, it has too many problems.

Your best option is to buy other head units, and try to cobble one working head unit. It will be easier for you since you only use the cassette player for the adapter.

Each part of the head unit is modular component, there is a cassette mechanism, a CD player component, a faceplate, and the main PCB board that interacts with all 3 parts. Its a little difficult to swap out these different modules, and the cassette deck is by far the hardest to swap out since there is a ribbon cable that you cant pull on. If you want to swap parts between the cassette mechanisms (like gears), its very difficult since the most commonly broken parts lie at the heart of everything.

 

[GhostRing]

I'm in a similar boat with my '98 unit...

What are the chances of all head unit years being a P&P affair?
Not worried about CD changers etc., just ease of wiring.
I can certainly search for 96-98s, but if all models easily work, I can expand my hunt.

 

[Brian.]

So I have two questions:
1. Do I have any chance of repairing the unit?
2. Does anyone have a working unit they want to sell?

#1 depends entirely on you. Anything manmade can be repaired... the usual issue is if the repair is worth the cost ($$$ and/or time). For instance, do you have ANY electronics background? Can you visually identify a bad capacitor, or feel a sticky pot? Are you any good with sourcing (often times making) replacement parts that were never intended to live 20+ years? I can guarantee you that the unit CAN be repaired, it's just a matter of experience and money.


As for #2, looks like you could get an "A" grade part for $25+ shipping through car-part.com (just looked at one of the 3 variations of the cd+cassette combos, the others may be more and I can't tell which you have for certain, nor do I know if it matters).

 

[Sarki]

Just recently saw a factory unit for sale with the claim that it works perfectly.
Just need to figure out where I saw the listing……stay tuned.

 

[Sarki]

Found it…..PM sent!
Hope this helps

 

[Devbot]

I don't have a problem or any information related to it... Just here to chime in I also still use my CD and tape player. Very hard to find Rex Allen and Elton Britt on the radio :thumb3: If push comes to shove you could always snag one from a Tacoma, only downside is it's an orange display instead of green but they work fine, I had to make the switch when my OEM unit stopped lighting up. In regards to fixing it I heavily agree with Brain above; I think you'll find there's very little information in regards to disassembly/the general consensus is "they can't be repaired" because the vast majority of people lack the experience to give it a valiant effort, and in situations like this those who do have it usually tell you it's not worth the time and effort. But at it's core, I very highly doubt it physically can't be repaired. It's an electronic after all. Personally I would buy a new one regardless and try and fix the other in my off time, either you end up with one you can sell or end up with one you were gonna have to buy anyways
A smart thing to do would be to send it to one of those youtubers that does electronics restoration on camera so they record the disassembly/reassembly process on camera for us to see :eyebrows: A nerd like that would be exactly what you need here

 

[Pyral]

Careful about the connectors of the radio. Make sure that the pins on the head unit you hope to buy match your vehicles pin connections. I've encountered head units that look exactly the same from the front, but they had a different number of pins on the plug.

You might be able to swap the face plate onto a tacoma stereo if you want the green backlight. Its pretty easy to remove the front face plate.

 

[cl4Rk]

Thanks everyone!! Appreciate the helpful info. I’ll update this thread if I end up repairing or replacing.

 

[Endlessblockades]

Just adding that I still play tapes and every current underground metal band still sells them through their Distro/Bigcartel/Bandcamp sites and especially at their merch tables at shows. There are actually collectors who only deal in cassettes as they are the most CVLT medium. My tape player works well but the CD player will glitch and just omit a second or 2 of data a few times during every CD I play. I still use it though......:guitar3: Stereo is still loud AF with whatever the Limited system was.

 

[ToyotaBrah]

Big fan of the factory radio. Looks period correct, and the buttons are so easy to use. I just wish there was an aftermarket bluetooth adapter offered. I haven't encountered issues with my radio...so far.


(BTW- have a perfect factory radio (buttons are not worn) removed from a 2000 with the matching factory amplifier. Just reach out and would be happy to make you a deal.)

 

[Ted02]

No repair input here, but just another vote for the factory radio. My Tacoma has the same radio, and I love it. Simple to use, big buttons, easy to read display in the daylight, and fits the look of the dash! Plus, I think it has great sound when adjusted to my liking.

My ‘02 4Runner has a single din Pioneer unit that the previous owner installed. Sounds good, but I hate it! Buttons are tiny, very complicated to adjust ANYTHING, seldom able to make out the led screen during daylight hours, and probably worst of all, the face panel looks like it was designed by a 16 year old. Looks cheesy against the rest of the dash! I’ve searched high and low to find a replacement that fits the look of the dash, but all brands have the same or similar
cheesy styling.

 

[Brian.]

I just wish there was an aftermarket bluetooth adapter offered.

I might have a solution.... was looking at taking a digital-disply radio out of my 1966 bug in favor of something more period correct but still wanted bluetooth (because radio around me is terrible). Put in a cheap amp w/ built in bluetooth (chinesium Blaupunkt, think it was $70). Anytime the bluetooth is on, it cuts the signal from the headunit... the only downside is that you have to control the volume from the phone/source.

In a previous car (2001 Jetta) there was an adapter that plugged into the CD-changer port on the factory radio. I thought I saw that some of the 4runner units had optional changers so that might also be an option. Otherwise it's the bluetooth to radio transmitter option.

 

[Pyral]

Or you could just use a cassette deck to put your own music on :biggrin1: , works for me. There are cassette adapters that I think even have bluetooth, or the classic aux cassette adapters.

 

[phattyduck]

Careful about the connectors of the radio. Make sure that the pins on the head unit you hope to buy match your vehicles pin connections. I've encountered head units that look exactly the same from the front, but they had a different number of pins on the plug.

You might be able to swap the face plate onto a tacoma stereo if you want the green backlight. Its pretty easy to remove the front face plate.

That just means you were missing the amp (behind/below on the 4Runner). Almost all Toyotas from the mid-80's until the early 2k's are compatible.

Heck, I ran an '03 WRX stereo in my 4Runner for a while (6-disc CD + tape) with an adapter harness. Dimmed with the dash lights, nearly matched in color, etc. So there are other newer OEM options too.

-Charlie

 

[cl4Rk]

BTW- have a perfect factory radio (buttons are not worn) removed from a 2000 with the matching factory amplifier. Just reach out and would be happy to make you a deal.

Thanks! PM sent

 

[Pyral]

That just means you were missing the amp (behind/below on the 4Runner). Almost all Toyotas from the mid-80's until the early 2k's are compatible.

Heck, I ran an '03 WRX stereo in my 4Runner for a while (6-disc CD + tape) with an adapter harness. Dimmed with the dash lights, nearly matched in color, etc. So there are other newer OEM options too.

-Charlie

Look at the pinout for a 861210-08110 and a 86120-0C020. The head units look identical until you look at the pinout for them and then you notice that the 08110 has a ton of extra pins and a different shaped plug.

The 0C020 works in my 4runner, the 08110 does not

 

[phattyduck]

Look at the pinout for a 861210-08110 and a 86120-0C020. The head units look identical until you look at the pinout for them and then you notice that the 08110 has a ton of extra pins and a different shaped plug.

The 0C020 works in my 4runner, the 08110 does not

Exactly. The one that doesn't fit needs the amp, which has the plugs that match your truck on it. The amp fits behind/below the stereo.

-Charlie

 

[Devbot]

If the plug from the amp can't be received, check and make sure if the plug that leads to the amp itself might fit directly to the back of the headunit. That was the case with the Tacoma headunit, thought I'm not sure of part numbers are relevant here
In my search to double check what these part numbers were though, i found this gem right here, check the MSRP. Can anybody say stealership? :shocked::shocked:

 

[jkeith.w]

I have that head unit in my '03 taco and I love it. (CCR cassettes here also)

I'd look for a used replacement - they're cheap - and I think it's a solid unit, honestly.

I'm putting one in my '93 minitruck, FWIW