95 Camry radio harness adapters for newer radio? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Questor · 03-12-2005, 02:22 PM

Hello,

I own a 1995 Toyota Camry with two plug conectors in back that I am trying to refit with a 1996 Toyota OEM radio/CD player (1 plug connector ?) that came from a 96 Toyota RAV4 SUV.

The Toyota RAV4 radio is model #86120-33040 & ref. #CQ-JS8410A where it was made by Matsushita in January 1996.

I have been told by a Best Buy store (wrong choice) that this may need a amplifier & other mods to work in a '95 Camry, but they did not know... do you?

Can an adapter harness be assembled for this, is additional equipment such as an amplifier needed and how hard is a new amp (if required) to install?

I can send offline JPG pics of the RAV4 radio and the original 95 Camry Radio back plates if needed...

Thanks, Steve

JohnCWms27 · 03-12-2005, 03:38 PM

Best Buy just wants you to buy an amplifier from them...

If you can post some pics, we should be able to help you out alot more. It is quite possible that you only connect one of those harnesses to the new radio, but can you post pics?

Questor · 03-12-2005, 04:25 PM

Sorry, the SysAdmin has auto-disabled my ability to post in this forum since I just signed up... please reply with your email address if you want the radio backpanel pics...

I have heard that 1996 was a transition year for Toyota to move from the older style radio connector to the newer style like the one I am trying to install...

My email is questor at cinci dot rr dot com

Thanks, Steve

Luc · 03-12-2005, 04:43 PM

You can NOT use the radio from the '96 RAV4 in your Camry since the harness doesn't match. You will need the entire OEM amp and wire bunches from the RAV4. You are SOL.

Questor · 03-12-2005, 06:55 PM

Please bear with me as newbie... I have read in this forum that some people bypass the amplifier completely and I am aware of adapter wiring harnesses can be purchased from Metrix & Best.

Since I can obtain adapter pinout wiring from sources such as installdr.com to make my own, why does the OEM factory amp have to be used? Could a 3rd party amp be substituted?

Thanks, Steve

Stealth · 03-13-2005, 12:13 AM

A 3rd party amp could be used but you're looking at rewiring the speakers and maybe a few other wires. I wouldn't recommend doing this yourself if you have no experience with running wires in your car. The only wires you're going to need to go to the newer stereo from the car's harness are 12v, ignition and ground. Then from the stereo you need to wire all the unamped speaker signals to a LOC then run RCAs to an amp. You can run the rem turn on from the newer toyota stereo to the amp I think, and the antenna turn on and antenna signal wires regularly.

Quite frankly you're better off just using a new aftermarket cd player.

EricNY523 · 06-29-2005, 12:22 PM

What if we have the amp available, in addition to the head unit? I'm looking to do the same thing.

Also, Are there any installation manuals available for this (car stereo installation in general)?

***cam2Xrunner*** · 06-30-2005, 01:53 AM

You would also need the factory wiring harness that came with the vehicle, which I gaurentee you will cost as much as a decent aftermarket CD player.

And after all that work you will still be left with a mediocre system.

It really is best to use an aftermarket CD player, if you do not have access to a replacement HU that will plug right into your factory wiring.

Here's the link on By-Passing the factory external amplifier if you need it.
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t70082.html