Ls400 Navigation System

[UCF21_Celsior]

Hello, I am a newbie on this forum and own a 99 LS400 for years.

These days I came up with feeling that I want to upgrade/update my navigation system since factory navigation system doesn't cover Canada and map data seems to be old (it's June 98 version). I heavily rely on navigation system when I drive to somewhere I haven't visited before. I know handy GPS might work for the purpose, but I don't like dashboard messing up with handy GPS, power cable, attachment, etc... such disorganize, but I love the factory Nav looking.

Last night when I surf on ebay, I found that early model of GS430 navigation display part looks similar to one in my LS400, and I naturally came up with a question; is my nav display and surrounding swap-able with one from GS300/430? If GS navigation display and surroundings are direct "bolt-on" to my LS and it has newer map data, I would consider to purchase. Also I am curous anyone has tried this before... Thanks...

[smcd]

I don't believe that they are interchangeable. The newer systems are DVD based and I believe that your system is hard disk based like my 99 GS 300.

Have you looked into updating the data on the hard disk? Talk to your dealer. I thought that Lexus did support Canada but none of the manufacturers have detailed maps of Canada AFAIK. The latest DVD disk from BMW also has problems once I go north beyond Montreal.

You might want to consider easily portable systems. I have used the TomTom and it seems to be good (http://www.tomtom.com/) and is very portable between cars. The Magellan (http://www.magellangps.com/en/) and Garmin (http://www.garmin.com/) systems are also popular.

But with all of these, check exactly what their support is for where you need to go in Canada.

- Sean

[SKperformance]

Where in Canada do you want to go to?

The systems are not replaceable. You do have a hard drive system which Lexus no longer updates

[UCF21_Celsior]

Thanks for your repliy. I frequently visit Vancouver BC for weekend gataways. Whenever I drive there, I feel like I am lost since my nav just simply display nothing...

I will check my nearest Lexus dealer to see if any updates including Canada is available for my LS. But I am still hoping that Navigation display from GS430 can fit to my LS. Please take a look at these images.

This one is from a 02 GS430 that has wide-screen and it's DVD based system.

http://www.luxurycarsdirect.net/cars/20009818-29sm.jpg

This one is from LS400 that screen is in traditional aspect ratio.

http://www.cars.com/features/2000overview/...ion_270x192.jpg

Don't you think both look similar? So I still suspect both are interchangable at least in size and shape... If they were swap-able anyway, I know I would have to work on not only swapping display unit, but also wiring loom, brain, etc etc to make the system work:)

[dcfish]

Thanks for your repliy. I frequently visit Vancouver BC for weekend gataways. Whenever I drive there, I feel like I am lost since my nav just simply display nothing...

I will check my nearest Lexus dealer to see if any updates including Canada is available for my LS. But I am still hoping that Navigation display from GS430 can fit to my LS. Please take a look at these images.

This one is from a 02 GS430 that has wide-screen and it's DVD based system.

http://www.luxurycarsdirect.net/cars/20009818-29sm.jpg

This one is from LS400 that screen is in traditional aspect ratio.

http://www.cars.com/features/2000overview/...ion_270x192.jpg

Don't you think both look similar? So I still suspect both are interchangable at least in size and shape... If they were swap-able anyway, I know I would have to work on not only swapping display unit, but also wiring loom, brain, etc etc to make the system work:)

←

What you want to do is replace your current harddrive with a dvd based computer. This project is being worked on as I type, There is no reason at this time to switch your headunit. As soon as [ if it can be done ] the adapter works I will post here.

[SW03ES]

No it definately won't work. The peices are not interchangable.

dcfish, that would be great if you can make that work!

[GRAND_LS 4]

Thanks for your repliy. I frequently visit Vancouver BC for weekend gataways. Whenever I drive there, I feel like I am lost since my nav just simply display nothing...

I will check my nearest Lexus dealer to see if any updates including Canada is available for my LS. But I am still hoping that Navigation display from GS430 can fit to my LS. Please take a look at these images.

This one is from a 02 GS430 that has wide-screen and it's DVD based system.

http://www.luxurycarsdirect.net/cars/20009818-29sm.jpg

This one is from LS400 that screen is in traditional aspect ratio.

http://www.cars.com/features/2000overview/...ion_270x192.jpg

Don't you think both look similar? So I still suspect both are interchangable at least in size and shape... If they were swap-able anyway, I know I would have to work on not only swapping display unit, but also wiring loom, brain, etc etc to make the system work:)

←

You need to get the 2003 version Hard drive.

[dcfish]

Thanks for your repliy. I frequently visit Vancouver BC for weekend gataways. Whenever I drive there, I feel like I am lost since my nav just simply display nothing...

I will check my nearest Lexus dealer to see if any updates including Canada is available for my LS. But I am still hoping that Navigation display from GS430 can fit to my LS. Please take a look at these images.

This one is from a 02 GS430 that has wide-screen and it's DVD based system.

http://www.luxurycarsdirect.net/cars/20009818-29sm.jpg

This one is from LS400 that screen is in traditional aspect ratio.

http://www.cars.com/features/2000overview/...ion_270x192.jpg

Don't you think both look similar? So I still suspect both are interchangable at least in size and shape... If they were swap-able anyway, I know I would have to work on not only swapping display unit, but also wiring loom, brain, etc etc to make the system work:)

←

You need to get the 2003 version Hard drive.

←

OK, Here it is, A 01 LS430 dvd based computer operating on a 99 LS400 nav headunit. I know it is not the GS dvd computer but what is the difference? The dvd computer is updateable. ;)

[Lexuses71]

"You need to get the 2003 version Hard drive."

Didn't I read here somewhere that a member said that the 2003 hard drive was upwards of $300 at the dealer (and where else would you find this particular item?).

[SW03ES]

The DVD updates are $300 also. Thats pretty much the going rate for these updates.

And the 01 nav operating on the LS400 screen is awesome. Only issue is the squished appearance because of the screen size...

[dcfish]

The DVD updates are $300 also. Thats pretty much the going rate for these updates.

And the 01 nav operating on the LS400 screen is awesome. Only issue is the squished appearance because of the screen size...

←

The work goes on, UCF21_Celsior, Are you looking for a larger screen? Or the newest canadian map for your present system? If the screen has french chioce there is canada on it. The 2003 dvd update has canada for sure.

[dcfish]

Thanks for your repliy. I frequently visit Vancouver BC for weekend gataways. Whenever I drive there, I feel like I am lost since my nav just simply display nothing...

I will check my nearest Lexus dealer to see if any updates including Canada is available for my LS. But I am still hoping that Navigation display from GS430 can fit to my LS. Please take a look at these images.

This one is from a 02 GS430 that has wide-screen and it's DVD based system.

http://www.luxurycarsdirect.net/cars/20009818-29sm.jpg

This one is from LS400 that screen is in traditional aspect ratio.

http://www.cars.com/features/2000overview/...ion_270x192.jpg

Don't you think both look similar? So I still suspect both are interchangable at least in size and shape... If they were swap-able anyway, I know I would have to work on not only swapping display unit, but also wiring loom, brain, etc etc to make the system work:)

←

You need to get the 2003 version Hard drive.

←

LEXUS hasn't used a harddrive in the USA since 2000. Although in Japan they are starting to use them again.

[smcd]

LEXUS hasn't used a harddrive in the USA since 2000. Although in Japan they are starting to use them again.

←

Huh? They are starting to use them again? Why? Speed?

[SW03ES]

LEXUS hasn't used a harddrive in the USA since 2000. Although in Japan they are starting to use them again.

←

But 2003 was the last year they provided an updated hard drive.

[dcfish]

LEXUS hasn't used a harddrive in the USA since 2000. Although in Japan they are starting to use them again.

←

But 2003 was the last year they provided an updated hard drive.

←

SW, True, 03 was the last update for the HD and that update has canada on it

[dcfish]

LEXUS hasn't used a harddrive in the USA since 2000. Although in Japan they are starting to use them again.

←

But 2003 was the last year they provided an updated hard drive.

←

SW, True, 03 was the last update for the HD and that update has canada on it

←

I can only imagine that the reliability of HD's vs. a removable disc. and the fact that a HD will hold all the info that it takes to map the world and then some. And lastly the dealer get's you by the gonads so you have to bring your car to them for any updates. And you can't sell that on ebay. YET!!!

[Viper65]

You can go here to order the '03 HD.

http://www.lexus-parts.com/partdetail.asp?...ubCategoryID=73

[dcfish]

You can go here to order the '03 HD.

http://www.lexus-parts.com/partdetail.asp?...ubCategoryID=73

←

That link is for the 02 to 03 update, Not a later version.

[GRAND_LS 4]

Thanks for your repliy. I frequently visit Vancouver BC for weekend gataways. Whenever I drive there, I feel like I am lost since my nav just simply display nothing...

I will check my nearest Lexus dealer to see if any updates including Canada is available for my LS. But I am still hoping that Navigation display from GS430 can fit to my LS. Please take a look at these images.

This one is from a 02 GS430 that has wide-screen and it's DVD based system.

http://www.luxurycarsdirect.net/cars/20009818-29sm.jpg

This one is from LS400 that screen is in traditional aspect ratio.

http://www.cars.com/features/2000overview/...ion_270x192.jpg

Don't you think both look similar? So I still suspect both are interchangable at least in size and shape... If they were swap-able anyway, I know I would have to work on not only swapping display unit, but also wiring loom, brain, etc etc to make the system work:)

←

You need to get the 2003 version Hard drive.

←

LEXUS hasn't used a harddrive in the USA since 2000. Although in Japan they are starting to use them again.

←

I was talking about the 98-00 navi 2003 update. It is on a hardrive.

[dcfish]

Thanks for your repliy. I frequently visit Vancouver BC for weekend gataways. Whenever I drive there, I feel like I am lost since my nav just simply display nothing...

I will check my nearest Lexus dealer to see if any updates including Canada is available for my LS. But I am still hoping that Navigation display from GS430 can fit to my LS. Please take a look at these images.

This one is from a 02 GS430 that has wide-screen and it's DVD based system.

http://www.luxurycarsdirect.net/cars/20009818-29sm.jpg

This one is from LS400 that screen is in traditional aspect ratio.

http://www.cars.com/features/2000overview/...ion_270x192.jpg

Don't you think both look similar? So I still suspect both are interchangable at least in size and shape... If they were swap-able anyway, I know I would have to work on not only swapping display unit, but also wiring loom, brain, etc etc to make the system work:)

←

You need to get the 2003 version Hard drive.

←

LEXUS hasn't used a harddrive in the USA since 2000. Although in Japan they are starting to use them again.

←

I was talking about the 98-00 navi 2003 update. It is on a hardrive.

←

True

[lkn]

I am new to the group and may not be replying properly, if so please excuse me.

I have recently purchased a '98 LS400 and have a hard disk problem in the nav system. I was wondering if I could swap out the ECN (trunk unit) form a 2001-2003 nav system and use the existing head. It appears that you or someone has done this. Could you please provide your thoughts on this?

Thanks

Rusty

Thanks for your repliy. I frequently visit Vancouver BC for weekend gataways. Whenever I drive there, I feel like I am lost since my nav just simply display nothing...

I will check my nearest Lexus dealer to see if any updates including Canada is available for my LS. But I am still hoping that Navigation display from GS430 can fit to my LS. Please take a look at these images.

This one is from a 02 GS430 that has wide-screen and it's DVD based system.

http://www.luxurycarsdirect.net/cars/20009818-29sm.jpg

This one is from LS400 that screen is in traditional aspect ratio.

http://www.cars.com/features/2000overview/...ion_270x192.jpg

Don't you think both look similar? So I still suspect both are interchangable at least in size and shape... If they were swap-able anyway, I know I would have to work on not only swapping display unit, but also wiring loom, brain, etc etc to make the system work:)

←

You need to get the 2003 version Hard drive.