[sonick]

I just got a used Rav4, was trying to figure out why the front speakers weren't working, when I found a loose wire coming from the dash and routing down the passenger side to the rear of the car.

I didn't trace it to where it ends in the back, but tracing the other end brought me to inside the center console, where I found this jammed inside:

There's no markings at all on the black box, with a push-button switch wired to it. Perhaps a valet-mode button?

Some of the wires were also spliced into the mirror controls:

Any idea what it is? I don't THINK it's OEM considering how it wasn't attached and the loose wire going to the rear of the car, but worth asking here.

Thanks!

 

[DVS]

A wild guess: Maybe they had a powered subwoofer in the (awesome) storage bin under the rear floor, or possibly in the rear swing gate door?

If it were for some kind of audio equipment, it might tie in to the front speaker problem as well.

?

 

[rav4system]

Definitely stereo related...those look to be speaker wires coming out of that black box...

 

[sonick]

Mystery solved. I posted this on a local car enthusiast forum, turns out the previous owner is also a member.

It is a module that lowers the rear view mirror when you put the car in reverse so you can see the lines and curb when parallel parking, hence the splicing of the wires into the mirror switch.

I also figured out why the front speakers weren't working... somebody removed the tweeters from the car. Weird.

 

[WJBertrand]

I was sure it was going to be for the passenger ejector seat. Only available with the moon roof though...

 

[ravenuer]

I was sure it was going to be for the passenger ejector seat. Only available with the moon roof though...

.....now available in the Mother-In-Law Version!