John Midolo

RhoXS, did you do like Step was saying? Get your system running and doing the normal nav thing, then put your hybrid in and without pulling the fuse see if the disc will allow you to add addresses, turn off and on POIs etc? Your hybrid disc should be able to do this since the map data is the same from OEM to hybrid.

If I insert the hybrid disk, without first pulling the fuse, the nav system appears to read the map data without an issue. I am in Florida and it found a location in Indiana so it appears to work.

This now implies even more strongly that the system is rejecting the 5.1 loading.kwi file and the burn is good. This is not good news. I still would like to find a hybrid version that is known to work but I now suspect the results will be the same.

I just had a thought. Is there more than one version of the 5.1 loading.kwi file? My 2009 RX350 has a Generation 5 nav system. Is there also a 5.1 loading.kwi file intended for a generation 4 system? If so, how does one tell the difference?

Does the OEM 5.1 disc work in your car? And does anyone know if the RX330 is Gen 4 or Gen 5?

I just had a thought. Is there more than one version of the 5.1 loading.kwi file? My 2009 RX350 has a Generation 5 nav system. Is there also a 5.1 loading.kwi file intended for a generation 4 system? If so, how does one tell the difference?

yes, there is a 5.1 loading file for each Generation. Hard to tell because they are exactly the same size for me from 4.2, 5.1 and 6.1 . Same exact byte size, but very different functionally.

You basically need to know which disc the file comes from.

Billy, there is a chart in the fuse box, and yes I am pulling the correct fuse. I used my 5.1 disc in a friends RX330 and it worked. This leads me to believe that the Lexus GPS Police have disabled our ability to use hybrid discs in the '09. Since it appears that no one has been able to load a 5.1 disc in an RX09, this seems to be the case.

I will start this post by admitting that I am technologically challenged....... I have a 2009 RX350 Pebble Beach Edition with Navigation. The dealer that I purchased it from told me that there is no way that I can have BOTH the XM Radio AND an Ipod Interface installed. I had the dealer install the XM Radio kit and have just been dealing with my old FM transmitter for playing tunes from my Ipod. Needless to say, this is not the optimal solution. The static coming through the FM transmitter is driving me nuts!

I have been reading several posts regarding some aftermarket kits from various vendors that will allow me to have BOTH the XM Radio and and Ipod Interface, but wasn't sure if this kit would work along with the factory installed XM Radio hardware.

Can anyone recommend a specific kit that will work for me or give me the name or website address of a particular vendor that can help me with this?

Thanks so much for any info that anyone can provide. :(

While it is true that you can't have both XM and the IPod interface, you CAN have XM and an auxilliary jack. I had the Vaistech SLR XM tuner installed, hooks right up to the existing amp, and had them run the aux wire to the glovebox. SAT 3 is set to AUX and the jack can be used in the headset port of any IPod, Iphon, MP3 player, laptop, etc. and play the audio over the car speakers through the existing radio. The only drawback is that you have to control the IPod from the IPod as opposed to controlling it on the navigation screen if you had the IPod interface. In my mind, a very minor inconvenience at best.....

It's not true -- I have exactly that in my '09 RX350. Dealer installed (or possibly had an autosound shop install) both XM and iPod adapter. My car has Navigation.

I had mine done at the autoshop that the Lexus dealer uses, and that is what they told me. They put the Vaistech SLR in, maybe you have the SLR2, which another poster mentioned. Wish I had known about it when I had mine installed. Do you have the IPod adapter, which lets you control the IPod from the Nav screen, or a headphone jack?

happy new Year

best regards

peter

and again......

Happy New Year!! (Two years later)

I will start this post by admitting that I am technologically challenged....... I have a 2009 RX350 Pebble Beach Edition with Navigation. The dealer that I purchased it from told me that there is no way that I can have BOTH the XM Radio AND an Ipod Interface installed. I had the dealer install the XM Radio kit and have just been dealing with my old FM transmitter for playing tunes from my Ipod. Needless to say, this is not the optimal solution. The static coming through the FM transmitter is driving me nuts!

I have been reading several posts regarding some aftermarket kits from various vendors that will allow me to have BOTH the XM Radio and and Ipod Interface, but wasn't sure if this kit would work along with the factory installed XM Radio hardware.

Can anyone recommend a specific kit that will work for me or give me the name or website address of a particular vendor that can help me with this?

Thanks so much for any info that anyone can provide. :(

While it is true that you can't have both XM and the IPod interface, you CAN have XM and an auxilliary jack. I had the Vaistech SLR XM tuner installed, hooks right up to the existing amp, and had them run the aux wire to the glovebox. SAT 3 is set to AUX and the jack can be used in the headset port of any IPod, Iphon, MP3 player, laptop, etc. and play the audio over the car speakers through the existing radio. The only drawback is that you have to control the IPod from the IPod as opposed to controlling it on the navigation screen if you had the IPod interface. In my mind, a very minor inconvenience at best.....

Ok, so I bought the gen 5 5.1 disc from Ebay, burned a hybrid disk using the "loading.kwi" file from the 5.1 disc and all the other files from the 8.1 disc that came from my 09 RX350. Disconnected the battery for 5 minutes (Fuse 1 was not correct, and I was unable to determine the correct fuse from the manual), loaded the hybrid disc and got the message "loading" initially, then "Unable to load file, see your dealer" in both English and Japanese. So I thought that maybe something was wrong with my disc, burned another one, same result. So then. I put the authentic 5.1 disc in and got the same error message. Went out to Toyota Nation and downloaded the loading.kwi file and burned another disc (coaster), same result. Has anyone successfully created a 5.1/8.1 hybrid that actually works in an '09 RX350?

What are the part numbers on your 5.1 disc?

I am pretty sure that the Gen 5 5.1 disc needs to be able to load and run before we can go forward.

Step Hen has a working 5.1/8.1 Gen 5 hybrid disc, although I do not think it is in an 09 RX350.

Ah, good point. Nowhere on the disc does it actually say generation 5, but the EBAY ad said Gen 5. The disc says U-30, D and the only numbers on it are at the bottom next to the 9 circles. The numbers are 862710-53020 and 464210-0628. The "loading.kwi" file is 48,082,994 bytes (45.8 MB). I also downloaded the identical file off of Toyota Nation, with the same result.

Hi M.T.,

I believe that you will have to go to a dealer to get a new key made. I don't believe Lexus makes the key blanks available to a regular key maker/hardware store. And yes, the RX normally comes with (2) master keys and (1) valet key.

Actually, the 2009 RX350 comes with 4 keys, two masters, a valet and a credit card key.

We just bought a RX350 from Sewell in Fort Worth and had the XM radio installed. I watched them off and on and if you do it by the manual it is not easy. The most difficult part is installing the antennae and running the wire to the back. The installation can be simplified by putting the antennae on the far right side of the dash up against the windshield. That is where I installed on our 2004 RX330 when I installed the Vais Technology unit and it worked perfectly there.

wow for my new 2009 rx350 dealer wanst 899 for xm radio. now thats highway robbery

$310 at my dealer.

congrats!

i got a deal that i am going through right now 1383 due at signing with 466 a month for 36 onth 10 k a year

$5000 down (tradein), $700 per month for 36 months, then own, not lease! Fully loaded, nav, premium package, the works. Can't beat the 0.9 financing and rock bottom pricing!

Hi,

Can someone recommend a way to get AUX input into my '09 rx350 without replacing the head unit?

I did some searching and found this for $219.99.

Is there a better/cheaper way?

Thanks.

I installed the vaistech SLR XM reciever, which included one aux port. I fed the aux wire into the glove box, and now it is utilized by setting the radio to SAT 3 (SAT 1 and SAT 2 still are presets). There is already room behind the radio for the unit, so once installed, looks just like factory. Works great, but was $350 for both....

Ok, so I bought the gen 5 5.1 disc from Ebay, burned a hybrid disk using the "loading.kwi" file from the 5.1 disc and all the other files from the 8.1 disc that came from my 09 RX350. Disconnected the battery for 5 minutes (Fuse 1 was not correct, and I was unable to determine the correct fuse from the manual), loaded the hybrid disc and got the message "loading" initially, then "Unable to load file, see your dealer" in both English and Japanese. So I thought that maybe something was wrong with my disc, burned another one, same result. So then. I put the authentic 5.1 disc in and got the same error message. Went out to Toyota Nation and downloaded the loading.kwi file and burned another disc (coaster), same result. Has anyone successfully created a 5.1/8.1 hybrid that actually works in an '09 RX350?

my 2007 RX 350 won't read the titles/tracks of the CDs in my collection. when i load a disk it first says "reading disk" and then after a few seconds says "no title". i've tried it with dozens of new, store-bought CDs. has anyone else had this problem? i would appreciate any response to this...even "mine works fine". i'm just trying to determine if it's a problem inherent with that CD player, or mine specifically.

PS: ok guys, i'm getting frustrated! i'm not asking for a fix...i just want to know if your CD title reader works properly! so far 76 people have read this, and i haven't had a single response! just a yes or no will do. give me something to work with when i talk to lexus service! maybe none of them read the titles of the CDs and i just need to let it go, but that's what i'm trying to determine. thanks!

I am having the same problem. MP3 titles work fine, CDs not so much.....09 RX350.

My two cents is that putting N2 in street car tires instead of air is a complete and total waste. After 39 years of owning cars, I never had a tire explode due to the compressed O2 reacting/igniting with the tire or wheel, I never have seen the slightest indication of corrosion due to moisture inside the tire, I have always been able to have perfectly balanced tires (no H2O droplets here in humid Florida to unbalance them), and never seen a consequential issue of air leakage except when something (e.g. nail) punctures the tire.

My new four day old RX350 has N2 in the tires probably because some salesperson thought it would enhance the ability to sell it. I doubt the tires were inflated at the factory with N2 and I highly doubt that the residual air was vacuumed out of the tires before they were inflated with N2. The only advantage of having the tires on our new car inflated with N2 relates to the appearance of the valve stem caps. The caps, apparently part of the N2 package, are some of the nicest industrial strength caps I have ever seen. I am sure they do nothing more than a standard cap but they do look nice. So nice, I keep the four old caps in the glove compartment so I can replace the N2 caps when they are eventually stolen.

My own four day old RX350 has the same industrial strength valve stem caps, even though nobody mentioned that there was N2 in the tires. I assume that the dealer did add air to the tires since they are at 36 lbs as opposed to the 30 lbs Lexus puts in at the factory.

I am going to install XM radio in our new Lexus RX350. I've looked at both the Vais and lexus units and decided to go with the Lexus unit. Lexuspartsonline.com has the two required part numbers (861000W160 and 861800W031) for $240 plus shipping, even less expensive than the Vais device.

I want to use the Lexus unit because 1) it is a single black box with a specific mounting location and comes with mounting brackets etc. Lexus has a 23 page installation manual that can be downloaded from Sewell Lexus on line parts but, even though it is very detailed, I cannot fully understand some of the location sketches.

Where exactly is the tuner mounting position? It mounts directly adjacent to the "Audio Amp". I think Fig. 3-9 and 3-10 are showing it just behind the rear seat but I am not sure.

Has anyone else self installed the factory unit? I would be interested in learning from your experience. For example, was it really necessary to remove the rear bumper to professionally route the antenna wire into the vehicle? I am thinking there are other alternatives.

I typically plan this type of activity but with a car that is only a few days off the dealer's lot I feel the need to learn as much as I can before taking it apart.

For $310, the dealer will install it, since there is no shipping, for the extra $50 or so, it is well worth it even though I will have to wait a week...

1 - Is there a downside when using a hybrid disk? Are any features lost that appear in later versions? Does the appearance of any of the screens change? etc.

2 - Does the override that becomes available also allow full use of the Bluetooth telephone interface?

As an aside, although purchasing a 2009 (it is still 2008) model with only 25 miles on it would have led me to believe it would have included the latest DVD, it did not. It came with ver 7.1. The build date was August and I believe that was before version 8.1 was issued. We have already approached the dealer about this but have not heard back from them. So far the dealer has been exceptionally accommodating and professional (a very rare experience) so I am anxious to see what they do.

1- Because you are downgrading to older software, the Warning Message will not go away on it's own on startup, and instead you will have to press an I Agree button each time your start the vehicle. But since you are most likely going to activate the override menu, you would be touching the screen anyway. You can also press the radio button to bypass the I Agree button.

2- I believe that depends on the vehicle as it is executed differently on the different models. Some will and some won't.

The 2009 ES350 loaner I received a few days ago had the 8.1 disc, but I didn't check the production date. The 8.1 disc just went on sale in November, and perhaps the disc wasn't ready for your vehicle in time. It's usually up to the dealer's discretion to upgrade the system, so you are taking the best approach. Good luck!

Ok, new poster, just bought my first Lexus on Saturday, 2009 RX 350 with everything. My question is this; If I successfully load the hybrid disc, what is the "code" you have to put in to enable the override? Also, I am assuming that if downgrading the software version breaks the bluetooth, I can simply reload the original disc that came with the car and all will be back the way it is now. Is this correct? Thanks in advance for all your help...