installind a double DIN stereo in Gen 4 Camry w/ JBL audio package - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Jayhawk85 · 04-09-2008, 12:17 PM

Hi all,

This is my first post on the forum. I've had my 2001 Camry LE V6 for a few years now, and am installing a new car stereo. http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...eer/FH-P8000BT

I have the JBL factory audio package. 6 speakers, including 2 tweeters in the door and a double DIN head unit. I'm replacing the head unit with the new Pioneer one. I read a post on here that said the JBL 6 speaker systems had an amp under the passenger kick panels, but I removed them and couldn't find anything that even remotely resembled an amp.

My question is: will I have any problems with the speakers if I just attach the new wiring harness to the existing wires inside the car?

My friend and I installed a similar deck in his Toyota Sienna minivan without any problems, but it was a simple 4 speaker setup. I'd appreciate any advice that's out there. Thanks a lot!

xet · 04-09-2008, 12:49 PM

Usually when installing an aftermarket headunit installation, you bypass the factory amp, search around for it there are explanations on how to do it. Basically the new headunit puts out more and cleaner power than the factory amp anyway, you will be able to hear the difference. Good luck with your install.

DJT853 · 04-09-2008, 12:59 PM

Just a suggestion...consider changing your gauges and dashlights to blue so that they would match the head unit better. Other than that. looks excellent. Let us know how it looks/sounds

Jayhawk85 · 04-09-2008, 01:33 PM

Alright thanks for the notes so far xet and DJ. I really like the blue dash lights idea. How difficult a mod is that and where might I find the parts?

Some instructions I've found on this site and others for the factory amp bypass mention a separate wiring harness. Is the one that comes with the stereo what they mean? Or is there something else I need to find to make this work? Thanks!

xet · 04-09-2008, 01:44 PM

You can just go to best buy and buy the wiring kit, it should be labeled. You just take that and splice it into your headunit one unless your headunit is coming setup for the camry...

There are some light changing guides as well, I got reverse glow gauges that match my HU at night pretty decently and I might do the rest of the dash lights sometime soon. I can give you some pics later tonight if you want to have a look at what I currently have

Jayhawk85 · 04-09-2008, 04:43 PM

"You can just go to best buy and buy the wiring kit, it should be labeled. You just take that and splice it into your headunit one unless your headunit is coming setup for the camry..." xet

I called Best Buy, they said the wiring kit costs $140. That seems insanely high... please tell me I'm right and I can do this myself for a hell of a lot less than $140.

***Eye8Pussies*** · 04-09-2008, 05:22 PM

yes, you can do it for A LOT less than that. but by the same token, if you have to ask these questions...find a friend who can help you who has done this stuff before. otherwise...you could cross wires and fry your headunit+amp+speakers

as for your factory amp- if it's not under your seat, then it's behind the glovebox

xet · 04-09-2008, 05:37 PM

The kit should be like 20 bucks

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1051384099669

and you just cut the wires and match them up and then solder them together, get the crimp caps, or however you choose to do it

Jayhawk85 · 04-09-2008, 05:47 PM

Thanks for the info xet, you're a champ. Stereo should arrive on Monday, if the weather is nice I plan on installing it after work. I'll let you know how it goes.

Jayhawk85 · 04-17-2008, 02:14 PM

Alright, I picked up some crimp caps from RadioShack and a 20 dollar wiring harness from Circuit City and the install went great! I connected the harness I bought to the one that came with the deck, hooked everything up and in about 30 minutes I had everything working perfectly. All speakers, including tweeters sound great. The iPod connection and the phone connection are really handy and work well. The only thing left I'd like to do is wire the mic to the A pillar instead of the back of the steering column where it is now. But other than that, everyone's advice was great, thanks for the help!

***Eye8Pussies*** · 04-17-2008, 02:30 PM

good to hear

so did you end up using the pre-outs and converting them to use with the stock amp? or did you skip the stoke amp altogether?

rawbi01 · 04-18-2008, 12:51 AM

I just did the same. I have a '93 lxe with the stock amp under the seat. I bypassed the amp. It was easy. Once the head unit is out, you can see two more connectors, this is the wireing that leads to the amp and comes back to the head unit. By disconnecting these 2 connectors makes it easy to bypass the amp. You wire the harness from the new head unit into the connector that connects straight to the speakers. Because I used new speakers I left the tweeters in the doors unconnected. After I evaluate the new speakers I will re-connect the tweeters to see how they sound, I'll probably replace those as well, after all they are 15 years old. !

xtremeskier97 · 04-18-2008, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eye8Pussies

good to hear

so did you end up using the pre-outs and converting them to use with the stock amp? or did you skip the stoke amp altogether?

It sounds to me like he is still using the stock amp. If all he did was plug his HU harness into the one he bought..and plugged that one into the car...then he's still running through the stock amp.

Im posting and watching this because I have a 93 XLE with the same setup and will be doing this eventually.

cruisn76 · 04-19-2008, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xet

The kit should be like 20 bucks

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1051384099669

and you just cut the wires and match them up and then solder them together, get the crimp caps, or however you choose to do it

When I installed my headunit, i used crimp caps (twist two wires together and screw in a cap) and they work just fine. Also removing it is alot easier versus soldering.

Also, if you have to strip the wires, keep them short so the caps can completely cover the ends.

Jayhawk85 · 05-08-2008, 03:13 PM

To answer the question about bypassing the factory amy:

Toyota in their infinite knowledge has given an extra wiring harness that is unused when the JBL audio package is installed. If you take out the factory radio and look inside the dash on the right side are two small white wiring harness that look like they are plugged into themselves. They are the built-in amp-bypass wiring harness. If you go to Circuit City and ask for a Toyota wiring harness (which is exactly what I did) they'll give you one that is in two parts that fits in these two previously-unused harnesses. Then crimp the ends of those wires to the harness from your new deck, and that's it.

I took pictures of the process and the location of the different harnesses in the dash, PM me and I'll email the pics to you.

Super easy, no re-wiring or pre-amps needed. You can also leave the original wiring harness in the car if you ever decide to sell the car you can install the old deck back.