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99 Camry Stereo Replacement Issues (Amp)

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23K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  Pikewow  
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#1 · (Edited)
First, I've found TN forums very helpful for my old 96 Camry and my new 99 Camry. So thanks! I'm hoping someone can lead me down the primmed rose path on my stereo replacement.

My last step in the stereo overall in the 99 is the new head unit. I think I am dealing with a common ground issue. I tried to fix by connecting new negatives to the rear speakers (connected the positives to the wire harness). This got me sound, but i assume just nominal power to the rear speakers cause I have to crank the volume to the max just to hear the radio. (I've messed with the head unit and I doubt it is the issue.)

The stock plug I have looks like the Six-Speaker System
(Receiver Connector 1999) shown in the link below.

http://crutchfield.custhelp.com/cgi...zPTAmcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0mcF9wYWdlPTImcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1jYW1yeQ!!&p_li=&p_topview=1

I found the AMP behind the glove box.

For the new head unit: I connected the constant power, the accessory line, and grounded it to get the new head unit powered up. Then connected the plug spots for the rear speakers to the new head unit positives. Then connected fresh negative lines to each rear speaker to the new head unit (my fix for common ground? issue).

So finally, my questions.

What is causing my only nominal power issue (new head unit is 50W max per channel)?

Should I just bypass the AMP and run all new speaker wires?

Or would incorporating the AMP give me more power and better sound? If so, how do I get the AMP working with the new head unit?

Thanks for reading. I've connected 4-5 stereos in various cars in my life and I have never had an install this fustrating. Ever thing I read had the wrong wire diagram for the car until someone in TM pointed me to the link above.
 
#2 ·
Yup the 50w isnt enough to push your speakers. Crutchfield sells an amp integration kit. Last i checked its about 30-40$.

It makes your stock amp work with the new headunit. Goes between the new headunit and the stock wire harness, just some simple splicing and the integration kit has adjustment for each channel, pretty easy install.
 
#6 ·
I'm still a bit mixed up between those two harnesses. So if i understand correctly, the Toyota/lexus harness with RCA jacks you described will as well bypass the factory AMP behind the glove box and will still power all 6 speakers with new HU's preamp outputs? Right?
 
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#3 · (Edited)
Install is finished. I finally got the right harness from best buy as suggested by carsrus. I called crutchfield and they tried to sell me the wrong harness. I went to best buy and they tried to sell me the wrong harness. I finally talked to one of their installers who said "Oh, you have an AMP." I said yes and he got me the right harness.

I'm posting the following for anyone else that ever attempts to install a new stereo for a 99 Camry.

#1 If you have tweeters in the doors, you have an AMP. Its behind the glove box(not that it matters).

#2 Don't buy the harness everyone tries to sell you. The one with 2 plugs. Your stock unit has 1 plug, so you know it won't work (but they still will tell you its the right one).

This is the wrong harness:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_120701761/Receiver-Wire-Harness.html

#3 The right harness has 4 (2 pairs) of RCA jacks (for the AMP).

This is the right harness ($21.99 at best buy if you need it right away).
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_120708...m/p_120708112/Toyota-Lexus-Wiring-Harness.html?search=toyota+wire+harness&ssi=0

#4 You MUST buy a head unit (stereo) with 2 sets of RCA outputs (front and rear), otherwise you'll lose some speakers (or have to run new lines).

#5 Don't worry about the power output of the new head unit (stereo). All the speakers run off the AMP, so its all wasted anyway.

#6 Don't be like me and try to splice the new stereo together. Its just not worth it. The part I was messing up was not connecting the AMP turn on line. Off course now I could do it without the harness, but I wasted countless hours just because nobody could find me the right harness.

#7 Just my opinion, but the color scheme of the stock wires is stupid. There are multiple wires of the same color (red, white, etc) that do very different things. And when is a black wire the constant? It just made no sense to me (yet another reason to get the harness).
 
#4 ·
I'm still a bit mixed up between those two harnesses. So if i understand correctly, the Toyota/lexus harness with RCA jacks you described will as well bypass the factory AMP behind the glove box and will still power all 6 speakers with new HU's preamp outputs? Right?
 
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#5 ·
djoiz1 said:
I'm still a bit mixed up between those two harnesses. So if i understand correctly, the Toyota/lexus harness with RCA jacks you described will as well bypass the factory AMP behind the glove box and will still power all 6 speakers with new HU's preamp outputs? Right?
Click to expand...
No, the RCA-type harness WILL USE the factory amp. The 2-plug harness would've worked in his Gen4 had he known how to bypass the factory amp.
 
#7 ·
djoiz1, you have your answer right there.

just from own experience, do NOT use the harness adapter for the amp. go to bestbuy and get an amp bypass adapter instead. Toyota factory amp is an ancient device, you do not want to use it. I had all sorts of background noise (like faint static), crackling from one speaker and genereally missing a piece of sound spectrum when using the factory amp with a new head unit.
all was fixed by simply using the bypass adapters.



djoiz1 said:
I'm still a bit mixed up between those two harnesses. So if i understand correctly, the Toyota/lexus harness with RCA jacks you described will as well bypass the factory AMP behind the glove box and will still power all 6 speakers with new HU's preamp outputs? Right?
Click to expand...
 
#10 ·
The two plug solution the Crutchfield site suggested was probably correct. The site suggested the 2-plug solution, I used it, and it worked perfectly. I have a 99 Camry LE with a double DIN radio. When I removed my radio, I noticed it had another connector on it that was completely unused (not connected) by the car. When using the Crutchfield site you MUST use the "My Vehicle" function to specify the model/radio type you have. The 99 Camry has several connector options depending on the model and type, AND size radio the car came with. Yes. I am probably using the built in factory AMP behind the glove box...but that's fine with me.
 
#11 ·
The two plug solution the Crutchfield site suggested was probably correct. The site suggested the 2plu solution, I used it, and it worked perfectly. I have a 99 Camry LE with a double DIN radio. When I removed my radio, I noticed it had another connector on it that was completely unused (not connected) by the car. When using the Crutchfield site you MUST use the "My Vehicle" function to specify the model/radio type you have. The 99 Camry has several connector options depending on the model and type, AND size radio the car came with. Yes. I am probably using the built in factory AMP behind the glove box...but that's fine with me.
 
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