[hihosilver]

Any hints to installing a USA Spec PA11-TOY to connect my ipod to the 6-disc JBL deck on my 2004 Sequoia?

1. What is the best way to get access to the back of the deck? How do I do it?
2. Where is it recommended to mount the adapter? Any hints?
3. Is it possible to run the cable to the top compartment in the center console? If so, how do I get it there?
4. Anything important I'm forgetting?

Thank you!

 

[kujhawk]

1. What is the best way to get access to the back of the deck? How do I do it?
Taking apart the dash is pretty easy. I actually just did it to test my wife's new back-up camera...took it apart and back together in less than 10 minutes.

Push the top of your center air vents in (like you're trying to cool the ceiling...). Look into the gap above the vents and you will see two screws. Remove these and you can then gently pull the fascia off the dash...straight off. If it gets hard...use a thin flathead screwdriver to work it out a little more. Place the portion you pull out on the center console. You will then see the radio and the bracket holding it to the dash. There should be 4 hex-head bolts holding it in. They should be 10mm...grab a socket wrench and remove the bolts. The radio will then slide straight out. Reverse the process to put everything back in place.

2. Where is it recommended to mount the adapter? Any hints?
When you remove the fascia from the step above, you will see that there is plenty of room behind the air conditioner controls to mount the adapter.

3. Is it possible to run the cable to the top compartment in the center console? If so, how do I get it there?
This...I don't know, but you should be able to work the cable into one of the gaps...or if you are feeling adventurous, you could drill a small hole and feed the cable through...

4. Anything important I'm forgetting?
Good luck...

 

[VistaCA]

Check out this link, it's tells how to remove the center console, it comes out easily. Good luck. Mike
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/sequoia/45782-aux-input-for-navigation-rse/#post384532

 

[endurance]

If you want to put your iPod in the top hinged portion of your console, you need to buy an extension cable from USA Spec. The four foot cable that comes with the unit is just long enough to reach the front of the bottom part of the console. That's how I installed mine and it works great because in playlist mode, you control your iPod through the radio controls and never have to touch your iPod until it's time to unplug it.

If you want to make it to the top compartment, you can spend about $10 and buy the extension cable from USA Spec. You'll want to do that before you install the unit, because it has to go on the end of the iPod cable that's closest to the adapter box. With the extra four feet, you should have enough cable to follow the hinges around the main part of your lid so that your lid will still open freely.

To maximize your cable length, mount the adapter box on the firewall just above your gas pedal so that your four foot cable can start there. You want to maintain access to the adapter box to change dip switch settings if you ever want to change from playlist mode (controlled from your radio buttons) to what I call "dumb player mode" where you control the music from the face of your iPod and the radio has no control over the iPod. There is a second dip switch that I have set to play the sound from my dvd player. If you have a dvd player, I highly recommend this because the sound is so much cleaner than through fm modulation.

Good luck!

 

[hihosilver]

Thanks for the great help! Anything else we're forgetting?

 

[VistaCA]

Your only plugging into the back of the stereo, so not necessary to disconnect the battery. Good luck. Mike

 

[hihosilver]

Thanks! We're going to give it a try.

 

[endurance]

Two more tips:

When you mount the adapter, the easiest way is with peel and stick velcro. You can buy peel and stick velcro from an electronics store. Use a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball to clean the area where you're going to stick the velcro. You then stick the other half of the velcro to the back of the adapter and you have a quick secure mount.

You may find it easier to bring a wire into the console if you remove the console first. I was able to just remove the front half of my console by pulling a few bolts on the console floor and then unscrewing the top of the transfer case shift lever. I have seat heaters, but it wasn't too tough to unplug the wires to allow the console to lift out. I used a 5/8 hole saw to drill a hole in the bottom of my console. If you don't have a hole saw, you could drill a smaller hole and enlarge it with an x-acto knife or sandpaper wrapped around a dowel.

 

[hihosilver]

Great tips!
endurance - I want to buy that extension cable, but I can't find it on the USA Spec site. Is it still available there? Or maybe somewhere else? Thanks so much!

 

[endurance]

USA spec doesn't list the four-foot extension on their site, but they told me they'd sell one to me if I wanted. You could shoot them an email at the address they list on their site, but I just called them at (626) 336-3836.

 

[hihosilver]

We got everything hooked up, but the deck is not recognizing the ipod. I'm trying to set it up in Direct Mode. Everything on the disc-changer is functioning perfectly (all discs 1 through 6), but there is no recognition of the ipod. What am I missing?

 

[VistaCA]

The Y-harness will plug into the empty 12-pin connector on the back of your deck.

You will still be able to play discs 1-6 on your in-dash changer, just push the disc button again for the iPod.

Did you set the dip switches on the USA Spec?

Did that help?.......good luck.

 

[hihosilver]

That's how we connected it. And we kept the dip switches as they arrived out of the package (1 on and 2 off). Pressing the DISC button again yesterday did nothing ... the CDs would just keep playing. What exactly is supposed to appear on the deck screen when I press the DISC button again?

Double-checked today and now, for some reason, I no longer just have a blank ipod screen. After connecting the ipod, the screen goes blank momentarily (as stated it should) and then does come back on now. But for the life of me, I still can not find where/how to access the ipod on the deck. Pressing DISC again still does nothing ... CDs just keep playing as usual. Pressing DISC^ still just scrolls through my 6 CDs in the deck as usual. It is like it can't find the ipod. Am I possibly doing something out of order? Am I just missing something obvious? I'm clueless right now.

 

[VistaCA]

Too bad, anybody else have any suggestions??

A thought, will the device plug directly into the deck without the harness?

 

[hihosilver]

... will the device plug directly into the deck without the harness?

Doesn't look like it. We didn't see any other inputs in the back of the deck that would accept any other cable from the apadter. Still no luck here.

 

[endurance]

You might try disconnecting all the cables from the adapter box and then reattaching. Mine needed that reset once. You might also try a second iPod to rule out an iPod issue.