docrings

Hi, A friend of mine with a Mazda 3 found instructions in a Mazda forum of how to hard wire an mp3 player (or basically anything that can plug into a headphone jack) to your car....

Basically it told him to cut the headphones of the end of a wire, and solder that to the connection between the CD changer, and the head unit. Once that is done, all you have to do is play a CD of blank noise, and then when you plug in the mp3 player, and play the blank CD, it overlaps the music from the mp3 over the blank signal from the CD changer.

Anyone ever do this with a GS? or have any other suggestions of how to hard wire an mp3 player?

I have a 2000 GS400 w/GPS

Thanks.

I'm using the cassette adapter from my XM radio, and it actually sounds pretty good. Just have to remember not to overdrive the adapter, that is, play the iPod at medium levels and control the volume with the head unit. If you overdrive the adapter, you get distortion which not only sounds terrible but can destroy speakers.

The cassette adapter sounds better than the FM transmitters, but, of course, not as good as a direct connection to some AUX input (which my NAV 2000 GS400 does not have). Sometimes I wish I did not have the NAV unit, but had a nice double DIN DVD NAV with iPod/AUX input...

In Theory it takes the same amount of gas to start a car as it does to idle for 8 minutes.

It would be interesting to see that research on eight minutes of idling fuel taking to start a modern fuel-injected car.

Start cycles (for non-hybrid engines), turn over at relatively low RPM, and require more fuel than idling to start... BUT, for idle times over 2-3 minutes, turning off the engine would probably save fuel (I will have to google this answer...)

This has to be weighed against safety issues of having a car turned off in traffic and having to move in a hurry: turn key, turn-over motor, fire motor, pull gear into "D", step on gas, get moving... it can take a couple seconds that in an emergency you might not have...

Hybrid cars turn off when idling, but start within half a second after depresssing the gas pedal, without having to be in "PARK". They rev at high RPM to start which is much more fuel efficient than low RPM non-hybrid motors.

I turn off my car for train crossings, stopped traffic for accidents, etc... where I know I'll be there for a couple minutes, and can't move the car in thick traffic anyway. I had a Honda Accord that had occasional poor hot start characteristics, but my Lexus has never failed to start in 130,000 miles.

Thank you... it's a perplexing problem. There is a dearth of information on this particular topic, and have not seen nor heard of this problem before in all my Lexus forum days...

Sounds like its time to rip out the NAV... might as well upgrade the sound while I'm in there!

Their is a open in the wiring or board inside of the unit

it needs to be removed and checked then fixed

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2000 GS400 with NAV screen:

Symptoms: When it's below about 35F (which hasn't happened to this California/Florida car ever before!), the climate screen won't display the thermostat temps, and, the air control and fan control screen "buttons" don't light up. The outside temp displays fine all the time.

The screen "buttons" still function, control air distribution and fan speeds, but won't display at all. The "dual" button doesn't light up when cold, and the "AUTO" button doesn't light up either, until the car heats up... Once the car interior heats up AND you stop/restart the car, the climate control screen/buttons works fine.

It's a royal pain in the you know what, and it would be nice to adjust temps, etc, when the car is cold.

ANY IDEAS??????? Is there some wiring/switch that could be faulty when cold?

Of course, Murphy's Law is in effect: the car's CPO 3yr/100,000 mile warranty ran out just before Christmas! :cries:

I've been discussing the CD adaptor with the UK distributor of Dension untis - he doens't think there will be one available for the GS with Nav - the market is not big enough.

The FM modulator works brilliantly in my car - the only issue is that the sound obviously goes through the FM channel pre-amp, and in Europe lexus has decided to clip the treble a touch in that channel (who knows why?)

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Finally went with a cassette adapter for my iPod (got rid of the Rio a couple of years ago), and it sounds MUCH clearer (higher treble) than the FM modulators I tried.

My XM Roady2 sounds very good as well, and a lot better through the cassette adapter than its built-in FM modulator.

FM stations have a VERY rapid frequency cut-off after 16Khz, killing those really high trebles... so it can sound dampened or muted through the FM receiver.

I'm not too happy about all the wiring, but I've got them hidden as much as possible by tucking the excess in under the console edge, etc. so it's not too noticeable.

Doc Rings

Front Doors

Speaker Opening Size = 5 1/4"

Speaker Depth = 3"

Rear Doors

Speaker Opening Size = 6 1/2"

Speaker Depth = 3"

I found this information on www.mobiletoys.com.  Can anyone who has replaced their speakers with aftermarket speakers confirm this?

B)

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thank you for the information...

I took the door panel off to get a look and see what I was up against.

It's doable, not sure if I should make the template out of 1/2" thick MDF or something like 1/4" plywood.

Any suggestions?

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What did you finally do for this install? Any pics of YOUR install? I'm contemplating the same upgrade...

Thanks!

Doc Rings

After pulling out the ashtray and its bracket, it looks only about 3 inches deep. The heat/AC ductwork is right behind it as it dives through the center console to the rear vents.

Will probably have to install in the glovebox and use the IR remote to control it with the glovebox door open when fiddling with what to play.

I could also rig up a Sony remote control stalk with a custom wired IC into the RIO serial port, but still have to have the glovebox door open to see what is going on.

Lastly, www.autotoys.com makes a CD changer/AUX input converter to get a AUX input in place of the removed CD changer.

Doc Rings

My quandry:

2000 GS400 with NAV/stereo:

I want to place a DIN sized MP3 player in the dash to connect to the NAV/stereo with a FM modulator.

The spot where the Ashtray is (under the NAV screen, in front of the shifter) looks large enough and deep enough. Is there anything behind this area that would block installation of my MP3 player (6.5 inches deep)??? Could the FM modulator reach the actual hard radio (wherever that may be???)

The CD changer spot looks less desirable for reasons of the air filter/fan, and being out of reach, and having to open the glovebox door to access the player.

Where is the actual radio on the GS400 with NAV? Someone has mentioned it may be in the trunk, but at this point I don't know for certain (I thing the GPS is back there though under the trunk liner...)

Any help or links to online schematics/diagrams would be extremely helpful as well....

Thanks in advance,

Doc Rings

San Diego

Certified from the Putnam Lexus Dealer in Redwood City, CA

2000 GS400

Platinum Edition

Immaculate

57,000 miles

Gold with NAV/stereo

60K service performed

New Tires

Lease trade-back car, all Lexus service history

$32,500 out the door, with 5.99% financing....

Edmunds blue book for this certified car is $40,000!

Thanks LEXUS!!!!!!!!!!! :P

Dr. Rings

San Diego, CA

Try www.densionusa.com -- they have a hard-drive based MP3 player that has a CD-changer interface. I have been looking into the system for my 2000 GS400, and they say that the Pioneer CD-changer should work with their system.

The unit can be trunk-mounted (see http://www.grangey.demon.co.uk/dension/ for a Lexus install in the trunk) with a "satellite" display/controller mounted conveniently where you will.

Not to bad a price either! :D

Hope that helps,

Doc Rings

Empeg RIO carplayer owner...

www.empeg.org www.riocar.org

Have heard of a Pioneer CD adapter emulator for another Hard-drive based MP3 car player. Read about it at www.dension.com. I wonder if it would work for the Pioneer based CD system in the Lexus???

Doc Rings

Thanks for the idea!

I have heard of some sound degradation with FM modulators vs. cassette adapters, but it may be worth the cleaner install. I am still looking into some connector in the car with some potential for AUX input to the factory AMP.

Is it hard to get behind the GS400 NAV/Stereo to get to the antenna input for the FM modulator?

Anyone know of a backdoor install technique for getting an AUX input into a 2000 GS400 NAV/Stereo system? I have an indash-style 10GB Rio MP3 Carplayer with AUX out I'd like to install into my new GS400.

I hate to have to sell it and go with a portable unit with a cassette adapter, but will have to pursue that if this is not possible. I have checked out the forum at the riocar.org website with a lot of "it's impossible" with Lexus, but for $$$ a stereo installer can do it. If they can do it, then it can be done! Any ideas? Special custom adapters, splicing into CD changer, etc???

I would like to mount the unit in the glove box in place of the changer (the 10GB hard drive holds about 200 CD albums, so don't need the changer...)

Thanks!

Dr. Matt Rings 8O