Radio interchangability

[storm.surfin]

I have a 1990 Toyota Camry with an AM/FM radio and would like to upgrade to a CD/Cassette player. The best I can tell (metra install kit is for '87-11) I could essentially install any toyota radio into my car with no wiring modification. what about scion?

Anyone out there with more than a hunch that I can actually do this?

I'm considering buying an ebay item super cheap...

[Kingdom934]

Yes. It should

Pretty much any toyota '87 and up uses a different radio connector. Those who toyota made before then....well little less out of luck.

While as long as you get the non 'high premium' end with the custom connector (e.g. nav unit), it should fit. I am unsure if a JBL one will work though as it MAY have different connector VS the stock toyota one....


I got an '87 cressida that I was able to fit and plug in a '00~'01 Camry like CD/tape/Radio unit and a plug in Echo cd/tape/radio unit. The echo head unit, won't fit due to the echo having a longer, wider head unit, but the [plugs are the same.

read this thread that I posted on some things. let us know if you got any questions

what factory radios are compatible

[white90dx]

Yup, as long as its not a 'premium' stereo with an secondary audio amp, etc. it should work.

I went a slightly different way with my Alltrac - I used the stock 6-disk changer from my WRX and made a wiring harness for it (the radio was free, the harnesses were cheap). It matches the color of the dash well, the illumination dims with the rest of the dash and it even controls the auto antenna (even though the WRX has a manual antenna). Pretty cool, eh?

-Charlie

[Kingdom934]

Also as a note. You could use a JBL; however, since the JBL has it's own amp unit, it won't sound good. I've heard of one used a JBL from a Gen4 Camry in their Gen3, but they had to carry over the JBL external amp over also. I don't know how you could incorporate that in a Gen2 as they didn't have any premium sound avaliable or any ext amp that i am aware of.

So just to be safe, just get the non-premium or base stereo head unit w/ CD (and no JBL logo)