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Is it possible to add XM Satellite radio for $50?

47K views 57 replies 19 participants last post by  UWISHU1 
#1 ·
Well, I'm going to find out. I scored a 6-disc head unit from a 2011 RAV4 with built-in XM tuner on Ebay. I couldn't believe that nobody else bid on it:

Toyota Rav4 06 07 08 09 10 11 OEM 6 Disc CD Radio w/ XM Satellite radio | eBay

For $49 + $16 shipping I just couldn't pass it up. I'm going to try to swap out my 2008 head unit for this one and see what happens.

All I need is the XM antenna and a place to mount it. The seller says he's including that square blue antenna plug. Does anyone have any suggestions on an antenna and where to mount it?
 
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#3 ·
On the roof is best. On my Ford Ranger I tried on the dash and it worked, except whenever I was headed SW I would loose the signal. Guess the satellite was blanked out by the top or something. Finallly mounted it on the roof just aft of the windshield trim and it worked fine ever since.
 
#4 ·
#7 · (Edited)
OK, the head unit arrived today, and it is absolutely pristine! The seller said it came out of a 2011 RAV4 and had only been used for 1 week. He even included the mounting brackets and a magnetic antenna which you can see stuck to the back of the unit. I'll be swapping my old head unit for this one in the next couple of days and I'll report back here. Interesting note: This new unit is made by Panasonic--my old one is made by Fujitsu Ten.

 
#57 ·
OK, the head unit arrived today, and it is absolutely pristine! The seller said it came out of a 2011 RAV4 and had only been used for 1 week. He even included the mounting brackets and a magnetic antenna which you can see stuck to the back of the unit. I'll be swapping my old head unit for this one in the next couple of days and I'll report back here. Interesting note: This new unit is made by Panasonic--my old one is made by Fujitsu Ten.


HOPE IT LAST LONGER THAN THE LAST THREE PUT IN MY 2010! I AM SO PISSED RIGHT NOW GOING IN FOR THE FOURTH BUT GOING TO TRY TO GET A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RADIO. I THINK MINE IS A FIJI****ZU
 
#10 ·
I'm going to find out in a day or two!


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app
 
#11 · (Edited)
It works! I swapped out my old head unit for the new XM model and it was indeed plug and play. Took about 30 minutes to do the swap and most of that time was spent running and hiding the XM antenna cable. I stuck the antenna on the dash for now, but I will be relocating it on the roof soon. The unit worked perfectly as I ran it through its paces and tested all functions. Apparently the XM free trial is still in effect because I'm receiving all the satellite channels.

Consider this: Adding XM to the old head unit meant buying the XM tuner and fit kit to the tune of $300 for the parts alone! And from what I've read the installation is a bear, requiring mounting the tuner under the passenger seat and running lots of wires. Replacing the head unit with the 2011 model cost me a total of $65 including shipping, and the installation was a breeze! I think it turned out well:

Partially installed for testing:



Antenna on dash:



Before:



After:

 
#17 ·
Yes, I'm sure it will work in your 2006. It is the 6 CD changer. You can tell by looking for the LOAD button under the TUNE knob. The single CD model doesn't have that.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app
 
#14 · (Edited)
Anyone want mine for $65 including shipping? Only used it for 1 month. Has the XM and 6 disc changer and the brackets. PM me.

SOLD!!!

Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app
 
#19 · (Edited)
Another thing I noticed about the new head unit. The SAT and TYPE labels actually light up at night. On the old unit they were just painted on!

 
#20 · (Edited)
This morning I relocated the XM antenna. It worked on the dash, but not very well. If I got anywhere near large trees, the signal would drop out. So I knew it had to be on the roof, but where? Another user here said something about installing his inside one of the plastic covers on the roof rack. So I popped off the front passenger side cover to take a look. I attached the magnetized antenna to one of the bolts, but it stuck up to high for the cover to snap on. I nestled it in between the bolts and secured it with 3M Command double sided tape. Snapped the cover back on and routed the cable down the roof slot and under the edge of the rubber windshield molding. Down the rear fender seam and under the black triangular trim piece just in front of the mirror. That piece is easily snapped out. Then into the door, down the edge of the dash and then underneath. Totally stealth antenna! And it works so much better, no more signal drop outs.





Update: OK, the antenna didn't work out mounted like this. The cable was being crushed under the rubber gasket. So here is a better way to install it:

It doesn't come with installation instructions. First, you need to cut or file off a bit of plastic on the square plug so it will plug into the head unit. Then run the cable under the dash over to the passenger door. Tuck the cable under the weatherstripping and across to the triangular plastic trim in front of the mirror. You can pry off that triangular piece, place the cable under it and carefully snap the piece back into place.



Then from the triangular piece, tuck the cable into the seam between the fender and the a pillar and then tuck it under the rubber weatherstrip along the side of the windshield:



Continue by tucking the cable under the rubber lip of the weatherstripping all the way up and then under the roof lip. At this point, I cut an old wiper blade and wedged it into that lip to keep the cable secure:



Finally, run the cable underneath the rubber skirt on the roof rack mount. If the cable is too long you can stuff some of the slack underneath the rubber skirt:

 
#42 ·
This morning I relocated the XM antenna. It worked on the dash, but not very well. If I got anywhere near large trees, the signal would drop out. So I knew it had to be on the roof, but where? Another user here said something about installing his inside one of the plastic covers on the roof rack. So I popped off the front passenger side cover to take a look. I attached the magnetized antenna to one of the bolts, but it stuck up to high for the cover to snap on. I nestled it in between the bolts and secured it with 3M Command double sided tape. Snapped the cover back on and routed the cable down the roof slot and under the edge of the rubber windshield molding. Down the rear fender seam and under the black triangular trim piece just in front of the mirror. That piece is easily snapped out. Then into the door, down the edge of the dash and then underneath. Totally stealth antenna! And it works so much better, no more signal drop outs.



do you have any more pics or directions on this? was anything unbolted or all plastic covers? I dont have the Rav currently to look at. oh and found a unit on Ebay for ~$68 shipped!!! just need to pick up the antenna or adapter, the local dealer discounts parts if you purchased your car there so i can get the one you listed for $53 right there. The nice parts lady suggested i check radio shack as she thought they had an adapter for much cheaper to connect my current XM antenna from our after market unit. That unit will be forsale once i complete the swap its an Alpine (i think) with built in XM tuner single DIN, will sell with mounting kit and wire harness!
 
#23 ·
Are you sure your 08 has the same head unit? Does it have the XM logo above the AM-SAT button? The new unit is from a 2011 model RAV4, and yes, it needs a satellite antenna plugged into the square blue jack on the back.
 
#30 ·
#29 ·
He purchased on ebay. Post #7 says:

OK, the head unit arrived today, and it is absolutely pristine! The seller said it came out of a 2011 RAV4 and had only been used for 1 week. He even included the mounting brackets and a magnetic antenna which you can see stuck to the back of the unit. I'll be swapping my old head unit for this one in the next couple of days and I'll report back here. Interesting note: This new unit is made by Panasonic--my old one is made by Fujitsu Ten.
 
#33 ·
Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum and just completed this swap in my 06 Limited w/JBL. The radio, cd player and xm are 100% functional, as well as the radio controls on the steering wheel, however there was one connector that is different between my 07 and the 2011 radio that apparently controls the hands free Bluetooth as well as carrying the aux input signal as both are now not functional. Has anyone else run into this and come up with a solution? Thanks!
 
#34 ·
Yeah, I found out that in 2009 they added another wire to the AUX plug, so that the switch ground and audio ground are separate. Probably to solve the noise problem. Without that extra wire connected, the head unit won't allow you to change from DISC to AUX because it can't tell a cable is plugged in. I'm thinking a simple jumper wire will solve this, but since I never use the AUX plug, it's not on my high priority fix list. As for the JBL Bluetooth, I'm not familiar with it so I'll have to study the schematics.
 
#35 ·
Thanks junebug...if you find anything I'd appreciate it...it looks to me like they more or less just changed the connector designs sometime between 2007 & 2011(maybe when they switched from Fujitsu to Panasonic??). I'm assuming that the steering wheel controls for the hands free run on that and possibly the aux??...if I had a schematic and was able to get my hands on a 2011 style radio chassis harness I think I would be set.
 
#37 ·
#40 · (Edited)
OK, I've been really enjoying the satellite radio in the RAV for the past couple of months. Now since my free XM trial was due to expire on Jan. 18, and I heard that the prices for XM subscriptions would be going up after the first of the year, I decided to call 1-877-218-2737 and see about a subscription.

The nice lady at SiriusXM told me all about the different plans and I told her that I would be interested in a 1 year subscription since I didn't want another monthly bill to deal with. She said for what I've got now, XM Select, a 1 year subscription would be 160-something bucks. Thanks to this forum, I knew there was a promotional price that they don't tell you about.

So I told her I wanted the same deal my uncle got--$77 a year plus fees. She said no problem, that they weren't allowed to mention that special rate but since I brought it up she would give it to me. She said the deal was indeed $77 plus $8.32 in fees making the total $85.32 for a year! A lot of people out there are paying $12.95 a month for the same plan. She said I saved around 80 bucks just by mentioning the special rate. So I'm good to go until January 18, 2013. I don't know what the price will go up to next week, but if anyone is interested in an XM subscription, this is your last week to get it at the lower rate.
 
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