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2013-2015 RAV4: installing an amplifier and subwoofer

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*WeaselPop*

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hello everyone! :D

If any of you are looking to install a car amp and subwoofer in your Toyota, then you've came to the right thread. I haven't seen any information online about how to go about doing this so I thought might as well make a thread on here.

I will be installing a 3000w Peak Class D Boss Audio Amplifier paired with dual 12 inch Renegade Subwoofers into a 2013 RAV4 Limited AWD. The head unit is equipped with the JBL system and GPS. I have already gone and installed the power wire from the battery to the trunk a few days ago and I am waiting for this weekend to continue my progress. If anyone is wondering, I picked up a 4 gauge wiring kit from Amazon.

I will link every useful information and everything you will probably need to install the amp. Everything else is up to you depending on what you want for your set up; amp, speakers, wiring, etc. I will also jot down notes as I go along.

Please feel free to ask any questions and I may help to the best of my knowledge
__

Have a Happy Ampsgiving!
 
Discussion starter · #2 ·
This is a thread I found for all the possible wiring diagrams.(a really big thanks to Bagels for putting this together!) :
www.rav4world.com

Everything you need to install an aftermarket radio

Hey guys! Do you like your 2013-2015 Rav4 but can't stand your factory radio? Are you tired of the screen completely washing out when the sun hits it and the Bluetooth only connecting 5/10 times? What about the treble, mid and bass settings going back to defaults randomly?? Well this is the...
www.rav4world.com www.rav4world.com
 
#3 ·
*WeaselPop* said:
Hello everyone! :D

If any of you are looking to install a car amp and subwoofer in your Toyota, then you've came to the right thread. I haven't seen any information online about how to go about doing this so I thought might as well make a thread on here.

I will be installing a 3000w Peak Class D Boss Audio Amplifier paired with dual 12 inch Renegade Subwoofers into a 2013 RAV4 Limited AWD. The head unit is equipped with the JBL system and GPS. I have already gone and installed the power wire from the battery to the trunk a few days ago and I am waiting for this weekend to continue my progress. If anyone is wondering, I picked up a 4 gauge wiring kit from Amazon.

I will link every useful information and everything you will probably need to install the amp. Everything else is up to you depending on what you want for your set up; amp, speakers, wiring, etc. I will also jot down notes as I go along.

Please feel free to ask any questions and I may help to the best of my knowledge
__

Have a Happy Ampsgiving!
Click to expand...
Any progress on that amp installation? Debating whether is worth chopping the original sound system and jump on this boat.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Yes I have completed the installation, I was meaning to post everything up on here but I got caught up in the holiday season and forgot about this post. Honestly, it was definitely worth going through the trouble to hook it all up.

I ran the power wire from the battery to the amp in the back of the trunk. Hooked the ground wire to the jack panel located on the right side panel in the trunk. The remote turn on wire is hooked in the back of the head unit and runs to the back of the trunk. I used some left over 8 gauge power wire that I had laying around from my past subwoofer projects and used that to hook the subwoofer up to the amp. you can use any kind of speaker wire, I just happened to use a thicker wire. I will post pictures down below of the amp installation.

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Attachments

Discussion starter · #5 ·
I'm looking to unbolt the amp from the housing box I had laying around and relocate the amp to underneath the passenger seat. that way I won't have any power cable slack and it'll be able to throw more power with a shorter distance cable. I'm also looking to install a power capacitor for the amp because performance is weak when blasting the sub due to the lack of a better battery and alternator. Still deciding if I want to build my own box or buy a pre-made box off the net. I'll keep in touch more with this thread and update from time to time on my changes.
 
#6 ·
Well I'm new to the forum. I ended up with a limited with a base radio. I didn't know that was possible!
Anyways I was thinking about upgrading to a factory nav/xm. But you have to run the amp etc. I have to do all the research and have someone do it for me. The amp portion is over my head. Does anyone know that if you can upgrade from the base radio to the nav jbl version? Can you go up a model in the head unit?

This will be a big project maybe I might just up grade to a better factory head unit to add the xm. I really do not like using phone apps for nav etc prefer the factory look. What options are there for adding the xm via factory units? anything more is a bonus

does anyone know the short cut into the radio dealer menu. My current radio needs to be calibrated.
 
#7 ·
*WeaselPop* said:
Yes I have completed the installation, I was meaning to post everything up on here but I got caught up in the holiday season and forgot about this post. Honestly, it was definitely worth going through the trouble to hook it all up.

I ran the power wire from the battery to the amp in the back of the trunk. Hooked the ground wire to the jack panel located on the right side panel in the trunk. The remote turn on wire is hooked in the back of the head unit and runs to the back of the trunk. I used some left over 8 gauge power wire that I had laying around from my past subwoofer projects and used that to hook the subwoofer up to the amp. you can use any kind of speaker wire, I just happened to use a thicker wire. I will post pictures down below of the amp installation.

View attachment 154789 View attachment 154790 View attachment 154791 View attachment 154792 View attachment 154796 View attachment 154797 View attachment 154798 View attachment 154799 View attachment 154800
Click to expand...
How did you get your speaker level inputs? and where from?
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
ExToyotaTech said:
How did you get your speaker level inputs? and where from?
Click to expand...
I used an LOC(Line Output Converter) and tapped into the wires of the stock OEM sub. The LOC converts the signal being sent from the positive/negative cables into RCA jacks which then feeds into your aftermarket amp. I'll leave a few links on more info about LOC's and which one I chose to use for my set up. You can tap into any speaker terminal wires that you so choose to or you could grab signal from the wires coming straight from your headunit. You don't have to use mine, it all depends on what you wanna get out of your system. Different LOCs give you more options, I just chose a more simpler one.

What are they: Line Output Converters (LOC) - PAC

What I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EAWS3W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
#9 ·
*WeaselPop* said:
Hello everyone! :D If any of you are looking to install a car amp and subwoofer in your Toyota, then you've came to the right thread. I haven't seen any information online about how to go about doing this so I thought might as well make a thread on here. I will be installing a 3000w Peak Class D Boss Audio Amplifier paired with dual 12 inch Renegade Subwoofers into a 2013 RAV4 Limited AWD. The head unit is equipped with the JBL system and GPS. I have already gone and installed the power wire from the battery to the trunk a few days ago and I am waiting for this weekend to continue my progress. If anyone is wondering, I picked up a 4 gauge wiring kit from Amazon. I will link every useful information and everything you will probably need to install the amp. Everything else is up to you depending on what you want for your set up; amp, speakers, wiring, etc. I will also jot down notes as I go along. Please feel free to ask any questions and I may help to the best of my knowledge __ Have a Happy Ampsgiving!
Click to expand...
OK so I have a question hi my name is David. I have a 2015 RAV4 limited edition with jbl system, all wheel drive I cannot find a harness that’ll match up with a factory radio so I can install my amp and my 212 subs. Need help!!!
 
#10 ·
Hey David, I wanted CarPlay so upgraded my system a few years ago, it was hell… I bought two separate harnesses that had to be frankensteined together to make it work (on my 2013 limited AWD w/ JBL system). Also, the JBL system is a different voltage so had to replace the amp… and since I was in deep already I opted for a new, bigger, Sub.
 
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