Rx400h Xm Radio

[lexusrxes]

Is there any provisions for XM radio in the 400H ?

[ReXus]

Oddly, no. Hyundai has it, Lexus does not. Go figure.

[Ron O]

I had a Delphi XM installed by the dealer for $399 --- works great.

Here are some photos of the XM install

http://a3.cpimg.com/image/7F/98/51612543-04a9-02000180-.jpg

http://a5.cpimg.com/image/81/98/51612545-08ca-02000180-.jpg

http://members3.clubphoto.com/_cgi-bin/get...546-3d30&trans=

Hope they will be helpfull

[RX400hGirl]

I had aq Delphi XM  installed by the dealer for  $399 --- works great.

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That was a surprise and dissapointment for me as well. I'm using the Mi-fi with the holder sitting in the front vent. Was there any issue with your installation? I was thinking we wouldn't be able to do that with the Nav System and ML sound.

[cosimoto]

How about Sirius? Can you get that installed on a 400h?

I had aq Delphi XM  installed by the dealer for  $399 --- works great.

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That was a surprise and dissapointment for me as well. I'm using the Mi-fi with the holder sitting in the front vent. Was there any issue with your installation? I was thinking we wouldn't be able to do that with the Nav System and ML sound.

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[Ron O]

I have the newest model that fits behind the dash cup holder below the vent. It does not interfere with the holder and works great. Sorry I dont have a picture.

See May 15th post for photos

[Husker4theSpurs]

We gotta think they'll finally offer it in the '06 model of the 330 won't they? And then maybe that production run of the 400s too?

[WEast]

Surprising that they didn't include sattellite.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that there are 2 companies offering it, and they don't know which service their customers will want?

I would eventually like to get SIRIUS..

[JasonATL]

Oddly, no. Hyundai has it, Lexus does not.  Go figure.

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Ron O (or anyone else with an XM installed), can you tell us a few more details about your installation, please? Specifically:

- How is the XM radio "connected" to the stereo (direct L/R connections, FM modulator, cassette adapter)?

- Where is the XM tuner unit located?

- Where is the XM antenna located?

Thanks!

[indiasfinest]

is sat. radio really worth it? pay a monthly fee for commercial free music? no offense but i dont think it is worth it.i like my FM radio the way it is...there is one feature i would like to have that all radio stations dont have...RDS...where it tells u the song u play...but i dont think thats worth $400+

[JasonATL]

is sat. radio really worth it?  pay a monthly fee for commercial free music? no offense but i dont think it is worth it.i like my FM radio the way it is...there is one feature i would like to have that all radio stations dont have...RDS...where it tells u the song u play...but i dont think thats worth $400+

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I was skeptical, too. However, having just completed a 7 hour (each way) trip, you quickly come to appreciate it. On this trip, we listened to the "Mix" channel. The XM playlist is great - and commercial free! Xm has a variety that I can't get with my CD collection (and don't want to bother building). I've also listened to their jazz, comedy (not with the kids in the car!), and MLB broadcasts. There is always something good on.

My XM was a gift from my wife. I don't drive all that much, save about 10-15 family trips per year (I only have a 15 minute daily commute).

Having said that, I do think that it depends on your car listening habits. If you already have a great CD collection in your 6-disc changer, then I doubt it is worth it. Moreover, sound quality on XM (and Sirius) is just shy of FM and is too compressed (in my opinion). If I listened at home, I wouldn't tolerate the marginal sound quality on my sound system. But, for the car, the variety sells it for me.

Now that I have my RX 400h, I'm really missing the XM that I had in my RX 300 (that my wife inherited). So, I'm eager to find some solutions that other Lexus owners have been able to find in getting XM into their's. I'm really hoping for a "direct" (aux) solution. Anyone?

[ReXus]

i like my FM radio the way it is.

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Maybe in your city, radio is good but most places I've been, the station choices are:

The top 10 hip hop records repeated ad nauseum between screaming car dealer ads.

All Stairway to Heaven, Freebird, Aqualung, Layla, Lola repeated ad nauseum between screaming car dealer ads.

All divas all the time, repeated ad nauseum between screaming car dealer ads.

Hate-spewing pompous/obnoxious talk shows that are actually worse than all the screaming car dealer ads.

Praise the Lord and send us all your money so we can buy Rolls Royces and more mascara.

NPR.

XM/Sirius provides some relief. CDs/MP3s provide the rest.

[jetman]

is sat. radio really worth it?  pay a monthly fee for commercial free music? no offense but i dont think it is worth it.i like my FM radio the way it is...there is one feature i would like to have that all radio stations dont have...RDS...where it tells u the song u play...but i dont think thats worth $400+

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I think that some people felt the same way about cable television when it first came out ("Why would I pay for TV when I can get all the televison I want from the roof antenna?").

I think that once you have satellite radio in your car you'll never want to go back to over -the-air broadcasts again, except maybe for local news. The variety is incredible, both for music and talk (including sports broadcasts).

I really wish that Lexus would have an integrated satellite radio in the RX330. I have an aftermarket Sirius radio installed just below the factory radio. It's small, but it still looks like it doesn't belong there. I'm sure that Lexus will offer something within the next year or so. I just hope that we will have a choice of satellite providers (I prefer Sirius), instead of being stuck with whatever company Lexus chooses.

[JasonATL]

I just ordered the AIC-100x XM kit from www.vaistech.com for my 400h. I'm going to attempt to self-install it.

I did a quick "test run" last night before ordering it to see if I could get to the original head unit. It is no problem at all, except for taking out some hard-to-get-to screws (I'm terrified of dropping them and losing them in the dash).

It appears that the real challenge will be locating the AIC-100x and the XM Direct unit in a discreet place. Any suggestions? I want it to be "permanent", out-of-sight (as much as possible) and somewhere to allow relatively short cable runs.

I'll report back on my experiences. I hope to receive the AIC-100x soon. I'm thinking of taking pictures and posting them on a web site to document the install. If anyone has done an install with AIC-100's before (in any Lexus) and you want to post suggestions and "watch out for"s, please do so ASAP!

[stiksandstones]

I have sirius at home and in my truck, not in the 400 yet though. It is well worth the money-enough said.

[rexmiami]

I just ordered the AIC-100x XM kit from www.vaistech.com for my 400h. I'm going to attempt to self-install it.

I did a quick "test run" last night before ordering it to see if I could get to the original head unit. It is no problem at all, except for taking out some hard-to-get-to screws (I'm terrified of dropping them and losing them in the dash).

It appears that the real challenge will be locating the AIC-100x and the XM Direct unit in a discreet place. Any suggestions? I want it to be "permanent", out-of-sight (as much as possible) and somewhere to allow relatively short cable runs.

I'll report back on my experiences. I hope to receive the AIC-100x soon. I'm thinking of taking pictures and posting them on a web site to document the install. If anyone has done an install with AIC-100's before (in any Lexus) and you want to post suggestions and "watch out for"s, please do so ASAP!

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I dropped off the information about the Vaistech unit at my Lexus dealer. They will check it out and see if it is something they want to sell and install. I am not comfortable with trying to install it myself.

[bobafettt]

Perhaps they did not include either XM or Sirius because they have not tested it with the complex electrical system.

I spoke with the Lexus hybrid tech support concerning aftermarket dvd headrest options and satellite radio and got this: "ANYTHING added on that does NOT come from the factory will Unequivocally void your factory warranty"

This is quite concerning, since a dealership that i dealt with was more than happy to install the headrest dvd and satellite radio as aftermarket options.

[resmer]

I have now been successfully using the VAIS AIC-100x to receive XM radio on my RX400h for over a week - generally very pleased with the results. The unit was installed by my Lexus dealership (Kuni of Denver) which did a very professional job.

Installation details:

- The VAIS unit itself installs with just enough clearance directly behind the radio - with the cables emerging on either side. The installer added a piece of foam between the unit and the radio to ensure that there was no chafing of the wiring harnesses.

- The required XM Direct tuner generates quite a bit of heat, and was thus installed behind the center console at the bottom - accessible from the passenger side panel on the console.

- Both items mounted nicely using double sided adhesive strips - no drilling or other modifications required.

- The tuner requires a direct metal to metal connection to avoid ground loops. Since this is not readily available on the RX400h, the alternative, which works well for me is to use a Radio Shack Ground Loop Isolator (about $17 from any Radio Shack store) to connect the audio feed from the VAIS to the XM Direct unit. Since this comes with RCA phono plus on each end, it avoids the need for an additional RCA cable, which is not provided with the units.

- Antenna - mounted at the back of the vehicle on the roof a few inches from the existing radio antenna. Pulling the antenna cable to the back requires a lot of trim disassembly - took the mechanic about two hours to pull the car apart and put it together again, but the result is completely invisible, and protected from damage - the only place the wire is exposed is the last couple of inches on the roof. Note: start at the antenna end - the plug is small enough to fit into the gap between the rear door and the body of the car, the antenna is not!

Operations:

- Set the unit to emulate a CD with Text before completing installation - it is the only mode that provides song/channel display on the RX radio LCD. The unit is set by default to MD emulation - this needs to be changed, and you need physical access to the unit to do so. The instructions are confusing/wrong - after the changing the mode, turn off the car, and then remove the dongle before turning it back on again.

- Song titles tend to be too long to display completely - press and hold the Text button on the radio for two seconds to see the second half of the song title.

- The unit alternates between XM and a second Aux input which cannot be disabled when you change modes - this is a pain if as most people will do, you're not using that input for anything. When displaying song titles the second Aux input displays the version number of the VAIS software - to get back to XM, just keep pushing the CD button till you get back to the correct input.

Doing business with VAIS:

- I had to call a few times before they had a unit in stock - this is a small home-based business, and they appear to be manufacturing the units as orders come in.

- The owner was extremely helpful - took 20 minutes to walk me through the entire installation process and gave plenty of tips for optimal installation.

I'll be glad to answer any questions...

[goofygrin]

Perhaps they did not include either XM or Sirius because they have not tested it with the complex electrical system.

I spoke with the Lexus hybrid tech support concerning aftermarket dvd headrest options and satellite radio and got this: "ANYTHING added on that does NOT come from the factory will Unequivocally void your factory warranty"

This is quite concerning, since a dealership that i dealt with was more than happy to install the headrest dvd and satellite radio as aftermarket options.

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This is absolutely incorrect and illegal from some act that I can't remember from a few years ago.

The warranty can only be voided for something directly affected by the aftermarket part. So if you install new wheels, it doesn't void your paint warranty or interior warranty, but it could void your brakes and bearing warranties.

[bobafettt]

Anything directly connected to the electrical system that is added on aftermarket will void the warranty (the electrical sytem warranty at least and most likely the hybrid battery system since it is intimately associated with the electrical system)

This information comes directly from the hybrid tech support.

What you said is partially true. According to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act a manufacturer may not void a warranty unless they can prove the aftermarket part caused the problem. Please see http://www.granatellimotorsports.com/magnusonmoss.htm for a brief description.

So, if anything has been added and Lexus determines it caused damage to the vehicle you have no warranty no matter who added it.

Best advice, try to get a warranty from whoever sells you the aftermarket part especially if it is connected to the electrical system. I believe the hybrid/electrical system is warrantied for 8 years.

Perhaps they did not include either XM or Sirius because they have not tested it with the complex electrical system.

I spoke with the Lexus hybrid tech support concerning aftermarket dvd headrest options and satellite radio and got this: "ANYTHING added on that does NOT come from the factory will Unequivocally void your factory warranty"

This is quite concerning, since a dealership that i dealt with was more than happy to install the headrest dvd and satellite radio as aftermarket options.

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This is absolutely incorrect and illegal from some act that I can't remember from a few years ago.

The warranty can only be voided for something directly affected by the aftermarket part. So if you install new wheels, it doesn't void your paint warranty or interior warranty, but it could void your brakes and bearing warranties.

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[JasonATL]

resmer - Thanks for the description of your experience. I am awaiting my AIC-100x from vaistech. I ordered it 3 weeks ago. I contacted them last week (since their web site said, and still says, "1-2 weeks" for delivery) and was told that they have experienced delays and will not ship until the last week of June. I almost canceled my order (and will do so if I get into July without my order being filled). My credit card was charged the day of my order. So, the context you gave was helpful in understanding the situation. I do not like this way of doing business and will only tolerate so much. So, if others are contemplating this, be warned.

I am curious about the "ground loop" issue. I don't understand how that could happen. I've dealt with ground loops in my home electronics before (due to components being on different circuits), but I wouldn't have expected in an auto's self-contained electrical system. In this case, the new components (XM Direct and AIC) are all drawing their power from the head unit. I assume there was a "hum" that you could hear before adding the radio shack piece. Could you please post the part number?

[goofygrin]

Anything directly connected to the electrical system that is added on aftermarket will void the warranty (the electrical sytem warranty at least and most likely the hybrid battery system since it is intimately associated with the electrical system)

This information comes directly from the hybrid tech support.

What you said is partially true.  According to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act a manufacturer may not void a warranty unless they can prove the aftermarket part caused the problem.  Please see http://www.granatellimotorsports.com/magnusonmoss.htm for a brief description.

So, if anything has been added and Lexus determines it caused damage to the vehicle you have no warranty no matter who added it.

Best advice, try to get a warranty from whoever sells you the aftermarket part especially if it is connected to the electrical system.  I believe the hybrid/electrical system is warrantied for 8 years.

You're never ever going to get an 8 year warranty on your $10k battery/$10k electrical system from a Circuit City type installer, so I'd not even think about that... (They'd laugh you out of the shop)

And if the "phone answer drone" told you that you'd void your WHOLE electrical and battery system warranty by installing anything, even a $20 neon kit, then they are wrong and Lexus is going to get the pants sued off them when they try and pull that BS -- because that's what it is.

Edit: Now if the neon kit pulled too much voltage and fried a section of the wiring harness? then they won't cover that in the warranty, unless you can prove that there was a defect in the wiring harness (duh). (but that fried harness in the tailgate will not void the warrany on the batteries if they were to fail down the road).

[resmer]

I am curious about the "ground loop" issue. I don't understand how that could happen. I've dealt with ground loops in my home electronics before (due to components being on different circuits), but I wouldn't have expected in an auto's self-contained electrical system. In this case, the new components (XM Direct and AIC) are all drawing their power from the head unit. I assume there was a "hum" that you could hear before adding the radio shack piece. Could you please post the part number?

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The issue is not so much hum as electrical interference from the various high-voltage circuits in the vehicle. Apparently the XM Direct is particularly susceptible to such interference unless its case is very well grounded. The recommendation to use the ground loop isolator came from the owner of VAIS. Since it's not expensive, and it would be a real pain to have to tear everything apart to install it afterwards, I decided to just go ahead and use one without experimenting first.

As you requested the Radio Shack part number is: 270-054

The URL for a description and picture is:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?cook...duct_id=270-054

[JasonATL]

Since there were some RX 330 owners interested in XM, I also cross-posted this in the RX 300/330 forum.

I installed VAIS-AIC100x in my RX 400h today. It took longer than I expected, mainly due to XM's problem accepting my activation request. After waiting several hours after activating the additional receiver on my account on the XM web site, I called. The CSR said that the web request was not fully submitted. That was odd, given that I had a confirmation on the final screen. Anyway, that was the only hiccup.

My installation experience:

- This isn't for the faint of heart. I had to tear apart the car quite a bit. I like DIY projects. It isn't that difficult -- snaps or small screws hold the plastic trim pieces on. Be strong, but not careless with each piece.

- The RX 400h (and I assume the RX 330) is not as easy to take apart as my 1999 RX 300 (I installed an XM roady2 in it 6 months ago). For starters, the RX 300 had plastic trim around the rear door that made fishing the antenna wire a snap (literally). The RX 400h has the headliner tucked under the rubber seal. It is not as forgiving as the plastic (and I never figured out how to remove it, being afraid to destroy the headliner). I was able to pull it back just far enough to guide the antenna wire down from the top of the door to the side.

- The antenna wire wasn't long enough for me to route it the way I preferred. Therefore, I ended up taking a shortcut under the driver's seat and mat. I would have preferred to go behind the carpet under the brake pedal, but it wouldn't reach. This is likely due to my reluctance to get aggressive in tearing the rear interior of the vehicle out to shorten that part of the antenna wire's trip. I mounted the antenna directly behind the existing antenna. The wire enters the car through the left-most wire harness tubing.

- Pulling the head unit out is no problem. However, beware the two top screws -- don't let them fall into the center console!

- I put the two units (AIC 100x and XM Direct) beneath the radio, at the bottom of the center console. They barely fit. I'll probably check under there after a 30 minute drive to see how the heat is. I might need to relocate one of the units.

- I'm impressed with the integration of the unit with the factory radio. Mine came set for MD emulation. It needs to be set to CD changer emulation (instructions are there and a snap). Once it is, it works quite well.

- The display setting was also set for MD emulation, which initially made the channel numbers appear odd. Following the display setting instructions quickly got the display fixed. It now displays the channel number on the far right of the display, with no disc or track numbers showing. Hitting the text button brings up the channel title. Hitting text again brings up song and artist info (you have to press and hold the text button a second time to display the entire song/artist info).

- Sound quality seems better than my RX 300's configuration of using the Roady2 through the cassette adapter. My wife (who isn't usually picky about sound quality) could not tolerate the FM modulator approach on the RX 300 and demanded that she use the cassette adapter in her RX 300. So, the XM Direct in my RX 400h is even better (albeit with XM's still compressed/digitized sound).

- I have not used the Radio Shack ground isolator that VAIS recommends. I haven't had any miles on the RX 400h (just sat in my driveway after the install), so I'll see if I need one after driving it a bit.

- Had it not been for XM's activation snafu, I would have completed the install in about 2 hours.

In summary, the integration with the factory radio is great. I love XM and this VAIS unit makes it possible to have XM without any ugliness. No one would know that I've modded the car. The sound quality isn't up to CD standards, but is tolerable in a car. The direct connection seems noticeably better than the cassette-adapter setup I have in my RX 300.

I've now addressed my only complaint with the RX 400h. I hope Lexus starts integrating XM into future vehicles.

[resmer]

...

The RX 400h has the headliner tucked under the rubber seal. It is not as forgiving as the plastic (and I never figured out how to remove it, being afraid to destroy the headliner). I was able to pull it back just far enough to guide the antenna wire down from the top of the door to the side.

- The antenna wire wasn't long enough for me to route it the way I preferred. Therefore, I ended up taking a shortcut under the driver's seat and mat. I would have preferred to go behind the carpet under the brake pedal, but it wouldn't reach. This is likely due to my reluctance to get aggressive in tearing the rear interior of the vehicle out to shorten that part of the antenna wire's trip. I mounted the antenna directly behind the existing antenna. The wire enters the car through the left-most wire harness tubing.

...

- Sound quality seems better than my RX 300's configuration of using the Roady2 through the cassette adapter. My wife (who isn't usually picky about sound quality) could not tolerate the FM modulator approach on the RX 300 and demanded that she use the cassette adapter in her RX 300. So, the XM Direct in my RX 400h is even better (albeit with XM's still compressed/digitized sound).

...

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Couple of comments on this:

- The rubber seal on the tailgate opening on the RX is glued on with a re-stickable mastic adhesive - you can pull it off, run the wire through it, and then push it back on again and the rubber will go right back as if it had not been removed. The glue has a tendency to stain though, so be careful to keep it off the fabric and plastic around the seal.

- My installer ran the antenna wire through the door sills along the entire length of the vehicle - i.e. front and back. This seems to be pretty easy, and avoids having a thin and fragile wire under the carpet, where it might eventually fracture.

- On all XM radios the sound quality varies depending on the connection method used. Internal FM modulator (e.g. Roady II) using the antenna give the poorest reception, External FM modulator (e,g, SkiFi I) that is wired into the antenna gives slightly better quality. Tape adaptor is better still, and the best is a direct audio connection - as on the VAIS in this case.