Retain Factory Aux Plug With Aftermarket Stereo.

If you are going to be changing out the factory stereo in a vehicle that is equipped with a 3.5 Aux plug located somewhere other than the stereo itself, you will typically lose the functionality of that Aux input plug unless you wire it to the new stereo. If you would like to keep the factory Aux plug functioning with the new stereo, you will first want to make sure you purchase a stereo with an audio Aux input on the back.

The vehicle I will be doing this on is a Second Generation Toyota Tundra.

Once you have got your new stereo, you will need to figure out if the audio Aux input on the back is a 3.5 plug or if it is left/right RCA audio plugs. The best thing to do is purchase a basic (3.5 aux to left/right RCAs cable) so you will have both types of connections. The picture above is what the cable will look like. I will actually need both ends for this install. The RCAs to run to the new stereo, and the 3.5 to identify the factory wires coming off the back of the factory Aux plug.

You will then need to cut the 3.5-RCA aux cable, making sure you have enough length on the side you will need to run to the back of the new aftermarket stereo. Then plug the 3.5 Aux side into the factory plug. 

 Now the easy part, you will need a continuity tester. Most multi meters should have the capability of testing continuity. Once you locate the wires on the back of the factory Aux plug, just test continuity between the wires on the back of the plug and the exposed wires coming off the cut 3.5 plug that should be plugged into the front. 

On this Toyota Tundra you would want to connect the wires shielding the smaller gauge red and white wires to the white wire coming off the back of factory Aux plug, because there is continuity between both them. You would then connect the other two wires using the same continuity test. The red wire goes to the black wire coming off the back of the factory Aux plug, and the white wire goes to the red wire coming off the factory Aux plug. 

This is a fairly easy process, that can also be used to hardwire audio into the back of the factory Aux plug. For example if you where keeping the factory stereo and you where installing an overhead, headrest monitors or a portable satellite radio. so you don't have an Aux cable showing to give it a cleaner look. 

-Jeremy's Car Audio Tips

#caraudio #12volt #sandiego #california #toyota #tundra 

Toyota Tundra Factory Amp Bypass.

If you're installing a new stereo in your Toyota, you may need to get rid of your factory amp if the vehicle is equipped. The factory amp is located below the factory stereo in most Toyota's  

 These are the wire harnesses made to integrate an aftermarket stereo into the factory wire harnesses, Toyota has been using these same harnesses since the late 80's (Metra 70-1761). The factory wire harnesses that will be connected to theses will be located at the factory amp.

 The silver box with the heat sinks on the sides is the factory amp. It is normally mounted with several phillips screws.  

Use the harnesses on the bottom of the factory amp. They should fit and connect to the aftermarket Metra 70-1761 harness and allow you to bypass the factory amp.

You may be wondering why you would want to eliminate this amp. Well there are a couple of reasons. If the factory amp is bad, having to purchase and find another one can be expensive and not really worth it. You can buy a new aftermarket stereo with a built in amp, including all the bells and whistles, for around $100 and eliminate the factory amp. Or if you are planning on replacing the factory stereo with a new aftermarket stereo that doesn't have the proper pre out to integrate the factory amp, this will solve that problem as well. Lastly, you may get engine noise when integrating the new stereo into the factory amp. Removing the factory amp and powering the vehicles' speakers directly off the new car stereo will normally eliminate the noise issue. Hope this helps!

-Jeremy's Car Audio Tips

#toyota #caraudio #car #stereo Soundsystem #sandiego #amp