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Ipod Integration Updates Please


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I thought I would post this question to those of you who have installed some type of iPod integration for their RX400h. I have read through the forums and many people post right after it was installed and say it is great. What I would like to know is has it caused any problems with the car?

A little back ground. I purchased my RX400h about two years ago. It was one of the first ones at the dealership. Love the car and it has performed great. One problem, I have to use a cassette adapter to listen to my iPod. I know in the grand scheme of things not a big deal. Anyway, I talked to my dealer today about adding a Denison or VAIS unit to the car, and they said NO! They don’t recommend it and Lexus doesn’t recommend it because it could ruin the hybrid system and could void the warranty. I left the dealership disappointed.

I know people on these forums have installed it themselves and it doesn’t look hard to do, but I am curious if it has done anything to the car? It is an expensive car (at least to me) and I would hate to install a $300 gadget and end up having to replace the entire car.

Also, I did post this same question to “the other” forum, because I am curious to know what peoples experiences were. Also if you recommend any specific solutions, I would love to hear it.

Thanks in advance!

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One month with the Vaistech unit and no problems with the unit or the car. Battery usage is just as it was before the installation. My Lexus dealer recommended this unit and the installer who was very familiar with the RX. I think the unit is great and "safe" for the RX provided it is professionally installed(either an installer or proficient owner) according to the manufacturers instructions.

My Vaistech unit is the XM one with an AUX input for the iPod. This means the iPod will play through the RX stereo but song selection must be made on the iPod. I have no experience with the Vaistech unit that allows you to control the iPod via the RX head controls.

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I thought I would post this question to those of you who have installed some type of iPod integration for their RX400h. I have read through the forums and many people post right after it was installed and say it is great. What I would like to know is has it caused any problems with the car?

With the Visatec I've had zero problems and the functionalilty of the ipod using the steering wheel and radio controls is adequate. The install was a simple DIY item, it's all connectorized, there is no splicing or wire diagrams. The biggest risk is losing one of the screws down in the center console... no retrieving that bad boy.

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I've had my 400H for almost two years now, and the VaisTech SLI for about 14 months. No problems at all - in fact, I see that the local Lexus dealer now installs the Vaistech units aftermarket.

Same here, love the unit!

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Thanks for the responses. I think the dealer is just trying to cover themselves. Based on all the positive responses, I think I am going to purchase the Vais unit after I get my tax return back :-) Since I can't find a local dealer to install it, I guess it will be a DIY project. Any advice besides the screws I should be aware of? Did you have to unplug the 12 volt battery or anything?

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Thanks for the responses. I think the dealer is just trying to cover themselves. Based on all the positive responses, I think I am going to purchase the Vais unit after I get my tax return back :-) Since I can't find a local dealer to install it, I guess it will be a DIY project. Any advice besides the screws I should be aware of? Did you have to unplug the 12 volt battery or anything?

I didnt'. It's all plug and play. But I was careful with the harness side of the connector to make sure it didn't bang into anythign conductive.

There are some instructions on here somewhere (with pictures) on how to gain access to the bolts. It's really simple. Just use a magnetic screwdriver ;)

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I also have the Vais and I love it. There are a couple of little quirks to get used to, but I don't really mind them. My dealer also warned me about voiding the warranty, but I think it's just a scare tactic. My dealership now offers the aftermarket install. I don't know what they install, though.

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I thought I would post this question to those of you who have installed some type of iPod integration for their RX400h. I have read through the forums and many people post right after it was installed and say it is great. What I would like to know is has it caused any problems with the car?

A little back ground. I purchased my RX400h about two years ago. It was one of the first ones at the dealership. Love the car and it has performed great. One problem, I have to use a cassette adapter to listen to my iPod. I know in the grand scheme of things not a big deal. Anyway, I talked to my dealer today about adding a Denison or VAIS unit to the car, and they said NO! They don’t recommend it and Lexus doesn’t recommend it because it could ruin the hybrid system and could void the warranty. I left the dealership disappointed.

I know people on these forums have installed it themselves and it doesn’t look hard to do, but I am curious if it has done anything to the car? It is an expensive car (at least to me) and I would hate to install a $300 gadget and end up having to replace the entire car.

Also, I did post this same question to “the other” forum, because I am curious to know what peoples experiences were. Also if you recommend any specific solutions, I would love to hear it.

Thanks in advance!

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227901

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  • 2 weeks later...

Question for all who have installed the Vaistech: Any problems with receiving AM signals after Vais installation? I just noticed yesterday that my AM signal is static-y, and I'm wondering if it has anything to do with my ipod integration. Any info is helpful.

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Question for all who have installed the Vaistech: Any problems with receiving AM signals after Vais installation? I just noticed yesterday that my AM signal is static-y, and I'm wondering if it has anything to do with my ipod integration. Any info is helpful.

No change in AM signal after install.

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No problems whatsoever. AM performs same as before installation. I do have the "XM" Vaistech interface(not the "iPod" interface), however, so perhaps the AM difficulties are associated with one unit and not the other.

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I thought I would post this question to those of you who have installed some type of iPod integration for their RX400h. I have read through the forums and many people post right after it was installed and say it is great. What I would like to know is has it caused any problems with the car?

A little back ground. I purchased my RX400h about two years ago.

. . . . . . . . . .

Thanks in advance!

Here's a link that may help:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=20912&hl=ipod

Good luck!

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My RX400h is a 2006, new in December 2005. I bought the Vais iPod adapter right away and installed it myself. It worked fine, but the nav system stopped working. The dealer's service department identified the Vais unit as interfering with reception of GPS signals. Vais confessed that some early units had this problem. I removed the unit, shipped it to Vais for reprogramming and re-installed it. Now both the adapter and the Nav system work fine. Nobody "voided" any warranties, no drama. My only complaint is that the Vais adapter requires you to create playlists on iTunes and limits iPod access to the playlists, and these are displayed (at least in the generation of electronics I have) only on the LCD display in the head unit. An ideal iPod integration would include a dock for the iPod and a display giving you the kind of information and control offered by the iPod itself. I have yet to see anything that good for any car.

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I installed the unit today, and everything is working as expected. We took a couple short trips and the unit worked great. We are driving to my parent’s house tomorrow which is a longer trip so I will let everyone know if I have any problems.

The installation was easy and the instructions were spot on. However, as I was trying to put in the last bolt back, I lost the end of my socket to the car. Oh well. I was amazed at how easy the car came apart. It bothers me in a way. You spend all this money on a car and it comes apart without much effort.

Thanks to everyone that posted. The input was a great help.

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I lost the end of my socket to the car. Oh well. I was amazed at how easy the car came apart. It bothers me in a way. You spend all this money on a car and it comes apart without much effort.

1. There are a lot of RX's running around with a bolt or a socket fallen down in the center console (including mine).

2. The quickest way to eliminate the mystique of an expensive car is to take off the trim!

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I want to think everyone for their posts. I did have one issue with the unit on the trip to my parent’s house yesterday. My wife started the car, to come home, and the Vias unit didn’t recognize my iPod. No messages were displayed it just defaulted back to the CD player and started playing a CD. I hit the “disc” button to get it to switch back to the iPod, but no luck. It was like the Vias unit was not installed.

We pulled over and restarted the car and everything worked again. It was weird. I hope it doesn’t happen again. The only theory I can come up with on why it didn’t work was how my wife starts the car. She usually gets in and just turns the key to ACC and then situates herself, puts her seatbelt on, stores her purse and then “starts” the car. I am not sure why she does this maybe it comes from driving a manual most of her life. Anyway, when I installed the Vias unit and programmed it, the manual always had me put the car in ACC, so maybe it thought it was going to be programmed. Anyone else have this problem?

I also agree with raleedy, just take of the trim and you realize how “cheap” all cars are. You are basically paying for a name.

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