[myclue]

awesome install. bookmarked in case I need this for reference in the future!

 

[mensajero]

Just one word:

Awesome!:thumbs_up:

 

[Rav4Mike2]

I'm new to the Rav4 world - we just purchased a new 2012 base V6 last week. They had to order it, so we still haven't gotten it. But that didn't stop me from ordering all the stereo gear I needed to upgrade the head unit. I have my work cut out for me for sure.

This project will include a new:
- Pioneer DEH-P9400BH (Single DIN, Bluetooth, hands free, two USB inputs, HD radio, XM ready, iPod interface, multi-color display, etc.),
- Pioneer GEX-P920XM tuner,
- PAC SWI-PS steering wheel interface unit so the factory steering wheel controls will work, and
- AI receiver kit and wiring harness from CF.

I've done lots of Googling, and this forum post has easily been the most helpful.

Question for you guys who have done a head unit replacement in a RAV4: Is there room under where the factory radio WAS to put the XM tuner? If the climate controls are pulled forward, is there a place to mount it on the hump? The XM tuner is 5.5" x 7" x 1.1".

I guess I'll see it when we get the RAV, but it would be nice to know in advance. Otherwise I gotta find someplace else to stow it.

 

[radrgn]

hey rav4mike,
I just installed my avicz140b and added the gex-p920 xm tuner. I installed it on the rear passenger side pannel, a little in front of the area where the jack is stored.

where did you put your gps antenna?

I took my antenna apart and tried to fit into the stock roof antenna, and now dont get any sound of my unit. The HU sees the XM channels, song title, artist; but no sound comes out.

Any ideas?

I just went in there, and flipped the antenna circuit board, thinking that maybe i just dont have enough reception. I tried reseting the p920xm tuner, sent a new activation code, but still nothing.

 

[Rav4Mike2]

hey rav4mike,
I just installed my avicz140b and added the gex-p920 xm tuner. I installed it on the rear passenger side pannel, a little in front of the area where the jack is stored.

where did you put your gps antenna?

I took my antenna apart and tried to fit into the stock roof antenna, and now dont get any sound of my unit. The HU sees the XM channels, song title, artist; but no sound comes out.

Any ideas?

I just went in there, and flipped the antenna circuit board, thinking that maybe i just dont have enough reception. I tried reseting the p920xm tuner, sent a new activation code, but still nothing.

I don't have a GPS antenna - do you mean the XM Radio antenna? If so, I put the GEX receiver under the climate control section (under the radio). It fits perfectly in there! I then ran my antenna coax above the gas and brake pedals, past the driver door under the sill cover, past the driver's side rear door under the sill again, and up through that crack between the upper and lower body panels. I used a file to cut a slot in the sheet metal seam under the seal to run it through, then up to the drivers side corner of the rear hatch where the door closes (opposite the hinge).

Aw heck with explaining it, here's some pics.

Next pic is in the area of the green square above.

In the above pic, the blue line is the edge of the sheet metal. The orange is the coax cable. I ran it between the black inside panel and the gray one. There is enough of a crack between them that you can use a soft panel tool to jam it in between. No squeaks, rattles, etc. I used a file to cut a slot to minimize damage to the cable after repeated opening and closing the rear hatch. The location is on a *vertical* part of the seam to prevent water from coming in. I also put a drip loop in it. Water will follow a wire due to hydrogen bonding (surface tension), so the drip loop prevents water from entering the vehicle.

The oval is where the coax comes out from under the seal and the circle is where the actual antenna is. I set it right next to the roof rack. The cable is held in place firmly by the bracket located at the top of the orange oval. I just wedged a soft panel tool under there to lift it, and slipped the cable in. Worked like a charm.

 

[radrgn]

Yes, I did mean the XM antenna that came from the GEX, but you figured that out =)
Also, thanks again for the reply and the pics.

At this point, I dont know if the IP-bus cable is busted from when I pulled it through the headliner to the HU or if the GEX module I bought is defective.

Edit:

I figured it out, and feel really stupid now. I didn't read the installation manual until just a few moments ago when I googled my problem. As it happens, I'm not the only to plug in the IP-Bus cable into the "Input" instead of the "Output". Since I have been driving my car naked all week because I'm not done with all the stuff I want to install, it was a simple matter of unplug and plug back into the "output" of the tuner.

The antenna is not working properly with the direction I put in last night, so I will flip it back to what it was before. I think I had it the right way to begin with. :doh:

 

[Rav4Mike2]

Yes, I did mean the XM antenna that came from the GEX, but you figured that out =)
Also, thanks again for the reply and the pics.

At this point, I dont know if the IP-bus cable is busted from when I pulled it through the headliner to the HU or if the GEX module I bought is defective.

Edit:

I figured it out, and feel really stupid now. I didn't read the installation manual until just a few moments ago when I googled my problem. As it happens, I'm not the only to plug in the IP-Bus cable into the "Input" instead of the "Output". Since I have been driving my car naked all week because I'm not done with all the stuff I want to install, it was a simple matter of unplug and plug back into the "output" of the tuner.

The antenna is not working properly with the direction I put in last night, so I will flip it back to what it was before. I think I had it the right way to begin with. :doh:

Ahh, young glasshoppa, you must remember your googlefoo. Funny, they designed it so it could even be plugged in wrong.

I've owned several XM receivers over the years, and it still surprises me how delicate the connectors seem, yet I've never had one fail on me... :egad:

 

[JuneBug]

What happened to all the pics? Bummer

The pictures all show up for me. Check RPM's album and let me know if you can view them there:

http://www.rav4world.com/forums/members/albums/28857-rpm/rpm-2094.html
http://www.rav4world.com/forums/98-4-3-interior/85538-how-disable-tpms-how-turn-off-tpms-light.html

 

[Mesean13]

They work now.

 

[SirKronan]

rpm do you have a radio wiring color code because i also want to change my head unit but can't get where to put the correct wirings for my 2007 model. thanks

http://www.installdr.com/harnesses/toyota-wiring.pdf

For John or anyone else looking...

By the way, I must comment. I thought that installing aftermarket speakers on my Mini Cooper S was a difficult job. Cramped little car, plastic clips that break, metal speaker screw brackets that fall down into the void of the metal walls of the car, never to be found again (unless you really really like taking your car apart), contorting your body into weird shapes to hold the back speakers in place while trying not to drop the screws while putting them in...

YIKES, I say. yikes.

Now, I must also say that as far as difficulty goes, this trumps any speaker install I've ever done. Granted, I've worked mostly with Ford or GM vehicles, and my Mini Cooper, but it took me several hours (with the help of a friend!) just to do the front speakers. There were steps that every guide (with or without photos) completely omitted that you simply cannot proceed without. Drilling the rivets was torture, and even after drilling, they would get stuck in the metal and not want to come out.

I had to connect one set of brackets to the doors, a second set of brackets to the speakers (by some miracle the speakers included these metal brackets and the necessary screws), and then connect the first set of brackets to the second set of brackets. :wall

I cut, smashed, and scraped my hands and fingers multiple times.

I cannot WAIT to do the other two speakers. (/sarcasm)

I hope the deck install goes easier than this. I simply cannot believe that the speaker install in my cramped Mini Cooper was actually measurably easier than a Toyota - on the Toyota the doors open and the speakers are right their, not hidden in some complicated and multi-angled wall panels wedged in on the sides of a somewhat non-intuitive back seat.

 

[ejohnson]

New to site, but I just finished installing half of my new speakers into my 08 rav4.

I have the JBL system in there, and I was not happy with the muddy sound up front. So I took of the door panels (to replace my mirror housings) and I noticed the front speakers are actually a 2.5 inch full range woofer.

I dug into my speaker bin from when I was young and found a set of JBL gto603c component speakers.

These speakers are pretty much made for the rav4. They are a 3-way component, but a little special. The tweeters are actually a 2.5 inch midrange, with a 1 inch tweeter mounted to it.

These happen to slip right into the factory mount, and fit perfect.
Sound is 10x better with just those 2 speakers replaced.

I still need to replace the woofers, along with the rear speakers and then pull the sub from the rear door.

Final plan is to get a non-sub rear gate, then put a pair of old JBL gtx 8 subs under the rear floor panel.

Moral of the story, if you want a perfect fitting speaker, and can find them.
JBL gto603c is what you need to get.

 

[SirKronan]

New to site, but I just finished installing half of my new speakers into my 08 rav4.

I have the JBL system in there, and I was not happy with the muddy sound up front. So I took of the door panels (to replace my mirror housings) and I noticed the front speakers are actually a 2.5 inch full range woofer.

I dug into my speaker bin from when I was young and found a set of JBL gto603c component speakers.

These speakers are pretty much made for the rav4. They are a 3-way component, but a little special. The tweeters are actually a 2.5 inch midrange, with a 1 inch tweeter mounted to it.

These happen to slip right into the factory mount, and fit perfect.
Sound is 10x better with just those 2 speakers replaced.

I still need to replace the woofers, along with the rear speakers and then pull the sub from the rear door.

Final plan is to get a non-sub rear gate, then put a pair of old JBL gtx 8 subs under the rear floor panel.

Moral of the story, if you want a perfect fitting speaker, and can find them.
JBL gto603c is what you need to get.

Maybe they fit better if you had the JBL system to begin with? Do the Toyota stock JBL speakers still use the funky tri-mount system, or do they have screw mounting holes in different places, or an adapter to make the stock JBLs fit?

 

[ejohnson]

There is this metal mount that bolts into 2 holes in the door. This mount for the jbl system has a 2 inch hole in the center for the stock midrange speaker.

Just so happens to fit these speakers perfect. Sound now is crisp and clean.

Sometimes you can find just the tweeter/woofer speakers on ebay, they are jbl gto 220 speakers

Here is a install someone did with them in a dodge
Stealth 316 - JBL GTO220 Speaker Installation

 

[TiZiK]

hey can u send a link to the kit you are mentioning here?

 

[ejohnson]

The speakers I used were out of production by about 9 years, so they are pretty hard to come by now. But, if you search jbl gto220 or jbl gto603c, you may be able to find something.

 

[djmush1]

This is off the hook !

 

[feliperc]

Help please!!!!!!!
I installed today a jvc 61bt in my car. It is a 2011 base. My wiring harness had just 2 bundles of wires but when I removed the original stereo I found out that there was 3 bundles connected to the stereo,2 white plugs and one blue. I connected the 2 white connectors to the new jvc harness but I don't know what I am supposed to do with the blue one. I left it disconnected and all my speakers are working fine. What is that other connector for? Do I just leave it unplugged?
Thank you so much for you time,
Felipe

 

[mjmccoy9]

Excellent thread. Big time thanks to OP and contributors.

Anyone know the dimensions of the two rear cargo trays? 2007 model, if that makes a difference. I would measure myself - but my RAV won't be here for another two weeks (on order).

 

[mackendw]

When you were fishing the blue power cable along I see that you took the trim plate off presumably on the passenger front and rear door areas. Did you just push it through the door post area? Also, on the rear where it goes into the back hatch area, did you just push it through where it shows disappearing?

I'm planning on using a Rockford Fosgate self-powered AMP sub combo box. Any hints on where is best to attach the ground?

 

[TrdLtly]

all the pictures are missing is there any way to recover them

I can see the pictures. Not sure if you have a proxy or adblock that might be blocking them. They do appear to be large, so you may just need to let them populate.