Lexus Factory Phone

[OmarG]

When i got my car the phone seemed to work and turn off the radio and everything. I wish i could have gotten it to work. I'd even use the brick phone. Hell i would have even activated it if Verizon offered the service. Wasn't that phone hands free? Wow talk about advanced for 93. Anyways i always thought that original phone was cool. Vintage cool. I took it out of my car. Took up precious storage space.

[jainla]

Same Situation,

Just purchased a 94 LS400 with original console "GI JOE" brick we used to call a phone. Looking for any advice on adapter(s) that will allow me to plug in my LG AX4270 and the factory installed features will work.

No such thing exists. The original LS phone consisted of 2 parts: the transceiver/amplifier in the trunk, and the handset (or portable phone in later models) in the center armrest.

They were designed to work together with special Lexus-specific firmware. The phone would communicate with the trunk computer, which would then mute the stereo and play the sound through the car's speakers, as well as connect to the cabin-mounted microphone and steering wheel controls. It would also connect the phone to an externally mounted antenna. In 01+ models the phone was operable via the built-in touch screen (if you had Nav) so it also sat on the AVC bus.

The early phones were made by Motorola, Lexus later switched to Denso/Qualcomm phones and Nokia phones (for '03 only) before transitioning to a bluetooth based system for '04.

Nobody who had the OEM system was particularly blown away by its quality or features; and electronics have progressed to the point that an aftermarket system is more compatible and probably will perform better. If you choose a bluetooth system you will be able to use it with any number of phones as long as they support bluetooth connectivity (and this standard seems like it will be around for a while). If you search there are several excellent tutorials and pictorals on this site illustrating how various people have tackled this problem.

I suppose it would be possible to rip out the existing phone transciever and put an aftermarket car kit in its place; you'd need the wiring diagrams to see where the microphone and switch leads from the steering wheel could be accessed. You would also have to connect to the radio mute/speaker patch point in the trunk; which also has power leads. I think what dogboy (Jeremy) had come up with was a set of connectors and a patch panel to bring all these connections together so you could plug in your own aftermarket kit.

I don't know if it would really be worth the effort though; having an installer fit an aftermarket system would be much easier, and less risk of frying your car's electronics. There are some basic bluetooth car kits out there for less than $150.

Good luck!

[LCountsJ]

Same Situation,

Just purchased a 94 LS400 with original console "GI JOE" brick we used to call a phone. Looking for any advice on adapter(s) that will allow me to plug in my LG AX4270 and the factory installed features will work.

No such thing exists. The original LS phone consisted of 2 parts: the transceiver/amplifier in the trunk, and the handset (or portable phone in later models) in the center armrest.

They were designed to work together with special Lexus-specific firmware. The phone would communicate with the trunk computer, which would then mute the stereo and play the sound through the car's speakers, as well as connect to the cabin-mounted microphone and steering wheel controls. It would also connect the phone to an externally mounted antenna. In 01+ models the phone was operable via the built-in touch screen (if you had Nav) so it also sat on the AVC bus.

The early phones were made by Motorola, Lexus later switched to Denso/Qualcomm phones and Nokia phones (for '03 only) before transitioning to a bluetooth based system for '04.

Thanks for the info. I agree that messing around with the old system could most likley/probably do more harm than good. It seems I'm going to have to be dragged into the 20th century. Thanks Again

Nobody who had the OEM system was particularly blown away by its quality or features; and electronics have progressed to the point that an aftermarket system is more compatible and probably will perform better. If you choose a bluetooth system you will be able to use it with any number of phones as long as they support bluetooth connectivity (and this standard seems like it will be around for a while). If you search there are several excellent tutorials and pictorals on this site illustrating how various people have tackled this problem.

I suppose it would be possible to rip out the existing phone transciever and put an aftermarket car kit in its place; you'd need the wiring diagrams to see where the microphone and switch leads from the steering wheel could be accessed. You would also have to connect to the radio mute/speaker patch point in the trunk; which also has power leads. I think what dogboy (Jeremy) had come up with was a set of connectors and a patch panel to bring all these connections together so you could plug in your own aftermarket kit.

I don't know if it would really be worth the effort though; having an installer fit an aftermarket system would be much easier, and less risk of frying your car's electronics. There are some basic bluetooth car kits out there for less than $150.

Good luck!

[1990LS400]

Owners of 93-94 LS400's who want to install a phone kit might want to check under the rear of the center console to see if there is a phone mute point in a second (driver side) phone connector similar to the one Blake918 found on his 95 LS and the somewhat different one I found on my 00 LS. In 1992, Lexus mailed a promotional video tape on the 1993 LS400 to current owners. I happened to pop the tape into the VCR a few weeks ago and saw that a new feature being offered on the 93 LS was an optional portable wireless phone that mounted in the center console.

I'm not certain but I suspect that the second under-console connector with the mute point began with the LS400's that pre-wired for both the portable and fixed phones. My 90 LS did not have the second under-console connector with a mute point and only the fixed phone was offered during the first few years.

If there is a mute point under the console, it would be easier than running a wire from the trunk and safer than looking for a mute point on the head unit or amp.

[LS400 ATL]

Ok for those of you who have expressed an interest with using the Lexus factory phone options with your current phone, I have the answer. I have built several adaptor kits for the 90-95 Lexus LS400. Let me know what your interest is in this product This device will allow you to use the factory mute, H/F speaker and microphone, 12V switched power, 12V power, & ground. Also I can make kits by request that can be used with phones that do not have a car kit. As per the forum rules I am not advertising this product for sale just letting anyone that is interested know about its existence.

I need an adaptor for a 99 LS 400 to new phone

[nekountze]

Ok for those of you who have expressed an interest with using the Lexus factory phone options with your current phone, I have the answer. I have built several adaptor kits for the 90-95 Lexus LS400. Let me know what your interest is in this product This device will allow you to use the factory mute, H/F speaker and microphone, 12V switched power, 12V power, & ground. Also I can make kits by request that can be used with phones that do not have a car kit. As per the forum rules I am not advertising this product for sale just letting anyone that is interested know about its existence.

Dogboy,

I have a 1990 LS400 serial # 718, I purchased originally in August, 1989. It has factory phone. I would like your adapter kit if it works for Motorola RAZR v3 phone, please. I have been looking for such a system for years!

Cheers,

Neely

[1990LS400]

I love this tread and call it "the thread that will not die."

Please read the posts further up this thread to discover that dogboy never delivered.

There are a number of other threads on this forum and on other Lexus forums on how to interface a traditional or Bluetooth kit to the audio system at least to the point of automuting the radio when your phone rings or a call is in progress.

[SW03ES]

And dogboy hasn't been on the site since June 2006, and before that he hadn't been on since late 2004.

[jainla]

I love this tread and call it "the thread that will not die."

Please read the posts further up this thread to discover that dogboy never delivered.

There are a number of other threads on this forum and on other Lexus forums on how to interface a traditional or Bluetooth kit to the audio system at least to the point of automuting the radio when your phone rings or a call is in progress.

No this thread will not die. Everyone holds out hope for dogboy's return.

Part 1 of my bluetooth doc (click here) will explain the architecture of the Lexus phone system if you are interested in knowing how it works and what your options are (see the faq on the last 2 pages).

[ladyslasher]

Ok for those of you who have expressed an interest with using the Lexus factory phone options with your current phone, I have the answer. I have built several adaptor kits for the 90-95 Lexus LS400. Let me know what your interest is in this product This device will allow you to use the factory mute, H/F speaker and microphone, 12V switched power, 12V power, & ground. Also I can make kits by request that can be used with phones that do not have a car kit. As per the forum rules I am not advertising this product for sale just letting anyone that is interested know about its existence.

I have a 1998 Lexus LX470 with the original phone. It is dying fast. I use my Motorola Sliver the rest of the time. Do you have a fix for me to use my Sliver with the options of the lexus phone? Or do you know if there is a replacement phone for the factory motorola phone that came with the lexus new?

Thanks for any help!

Cathi

[SW03ES]

I'm going to go ahead and lock down this thread, its so old and dogboy has flown the coop so I hate to see people get their hopes up only to have no solution.

You can try PMing dogboy, but I don't think it'll do much good.