Good morning,

For the last few weeks I’ve been gathering as much info as I could about the first generation IS200 sat nav console (see picture below). I’ve found this unit in a wrecked IS200 here in Sweden, and my plan is to replace the original display with portable large screen sat nav. That way, I do not only get a touch screen, but also voice command support and AV-input which allows me to connect a rear view camera or a DVD-player.

Since my IS200 isn’t originally fitted with a GPS system I don’t have the proper wiring. I’ve figured everything out, except how to make the motorized display hatch work. There must some sort of sensor/device that tells the engine how far/which way it should move when you press open/close, but where is it located? If it’s in the console itself it just needs power to work, but if the engine is somehow connected to the ECU, it would be more difficult.

Does anyone here know how it works?

I heard it’s controlled from the gps control panel between the front seats. I haven’t even seen the panel. Anyone got a picture?

Help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Best regards
P. Lindblom

someone should know m8

I've asked every Lexus dealership in sweden, but they don't know, because they have never mended one of these.

I've done a few of these now. You'll just need a permanent live, switched live and GND. The perm is so it remembers which position it was in last and open/close with ignition.

I must have taken a picture at some point but can't find it. I'll have a look and post it up later.

Nope, can't find an image.

The control circuit is inside the unit. You will have planty of room for a screen inside leaving this board in.

Looking at the rear of the control circuit there are two large plugs. The largest one is where you will connect your wires.

(12v+) - Top right corner pin of the large plug
(Acc.) - Bottom right corner pin of the large plug
(Ground) - Bottom left corner pin of the large plug

You can't believe how happy I am right now A million thanks for the help! It feels like I’ve been searching for this answer forever.

I was going to ask you how much a decent prize for the unit would be, but the [don’t know what a car graveyard guy is called in english] just called and accepted my bid of 2500kr (£200). For fun, I called Lexus and asked how much the display console would cost to buy it new…. 40.378kr (~£3230), apparently

Just one more thing, you said it will open upon ignition. Does this mean the open/close button won’t work?

Thanks again

Best regards
P.Lindblom

Btw. I found this picture of the back of the unit.

Some people are asking silly money for these units. You are lucky to get one. I don't know an average price but because they are so difficult to come by, it keeps the price up. The important thing is are you happy with that price? If I was in your position I would probably go for it.

We usually call a car graveyard guy "Car Breakers" as they break the cars back down to their individual parts.

Yes - the button still works fine. You can open and close. Wiring it this way just makes it remember what position you had left it in before you switched off the ignition.

E.G.

If you left the display open and turned off the ignition, the unit would close and the next time you turned on your ignition, it would open again because it knew how you had left it.

If it was already closed when you turned off your ignition, it would stay closed when you turn it back on.

If you don't want it to close when you switch off the ignition and be completely manual, just wire the permanent live to the switched live connection and don't use a switched live (acc) feed line.

Good luck and keep us informed!

I’m really happy with the price. The car breakers wanted twice as much, but because there are no Swedish CD maps (The IS200 was never sold with the CD based navi in Sweden) I managed to convince them to lower the price.

That sounds perfect! I’m very eager to start mounting it. With a lot of luck I will have the unit by tomorrow. Then the first step will be to connect it and see that it opens and closes correctly. I’ve found a portable navigator I want to integrate, but I need to measure a few things on the motorized unit before I buy the navi.

I will definitely keep you informed with pictures and results.

Thanks again!

P.Lindblom

An interesting package just showed up here at work.


My new toy!




It fits perfectly in my car. Hopefully I can connect it on Saturday.

I have now removed the original display and tested the housing motor functions, with great results. I have also decided which navigator to use. The Sony NV-U93 will be perfect.

looking good m8 good job

Great news. Its in good condition too.

Have you ordered the Sony yet?

You'll be glad you've done it. Changes the car completely I think.

there's nothing like an "in progress" shot lol

Next we need a rocky style montage!!

Looks good though mate.

Stav

Stav!

I'm leaving in a couple of minutes, to buy it. It's a bit cheaper to order, but I can't wait for it.


Haha! You got me

But the photo was taken just minutes after the actual disassemble. Just a bit less excited.

Good morning,

I just got an idea. I’ve never used an original IS200 navigator but I suspect the voice navigation goes through the main speakers. Does this mean the stereo unit has got an extra audio input that let’s sound reach the speakers even though music is playing?

In that case I will connect it to the headphone output of my new navigator.

Unfortunately not.

This wiring isn't in the non-nav Lex. Easy enough to do though.

The nav had its own amplifier and simply switched out the front drivers speaker with a changeover relay. No reason why you couldn't do the same if you found the speaker wires in the footwell. (Assuming you have an output more than line level.)

Did you buy the Sony then? What is it like?

Ah, that's interesting. I will look into it and see if I can figure something out.

The Sony sat nav is great. 4,8" display, really nice interface, easy to use and full of smart features. One of the best things though, is that, when connected to the charger, it starts upon ignition and shuts off when you turn off your car and the display housing folds down. I was told it wouldn't do that, but it does!

The size of it is almost perfect for my project. I will have to modify the original frame a bit, but hopefully that won't be too much of a problem. I will continue tonight.

Where would be the smartest place to find current/acc for my housing?

Great.

The motorised housing is good the way it remembers the last place. (i.e. if it was up or down last time you switched the ign). I should have mentioned it always drops itself with the ignition off. Good bonus if you didn't know it was going to do that!

For power, there is some were youare working, right behind the headunit feeding your radio.

Blue/yel stripe - Perm 12v
Grey - switched 12v (acc)
Brn or wht/blk strip - GND

Meter these first to be sure as a couple of people have said these colours do not match. I've not found any different myself though.

That's how it is on my 200 without Sat/Nav

Finished! More photos are coming later.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnVkhxrD0n8

Looks a good job mate, congrats.

Stav

looks excellent matey, job well done.

Great job Mate. Bet you are pleased.

that looks great! you are evil for giving me the same idea! LOL

Thanks for the feedback! I'm totally pleased with the result. Here are a few photos from the integration

that's some darn good work.
(much easier when you have the proper tools/workspace)

Damn nice job
i am gonna have to get me one of those to but i want a 5.8" or a 7" monitor in there that i can connect to the ice install i am putting in

OK thats made me want one, how many hours modding did it take do does look sweet

When you know what to do, and how, it doesn't take long. I did it in a total of maybe four hours, and I came up with solutions while modding. I thought attaching the Sony sat nav to the frame would be the most difficult thing to do, but I figured out I could use the original metal shield that held the Toyota display in place.

Since the sat nav perfectly fits the frame I modified, it just needs to be pressed forward against it. I solved it by using pieces of [that foamy material you sleep on when you go tenting] between the back of the navi and the metal shield. That also minimized the risk of rattling noises, due to vibration.

wow i wish i had the time and knowhow, on how to do that. My sat nav screen is f***ed.


great work mate

that is a cool mod, very well done there.

Dan, whats happened to your screen? mine is still holding up well since we WD40'd it.

WELL DONE.......WELL IMPRESSED

Thats wicked mate..looks ace...dont fancy installing one for me? come over from sweden?

And me, I'll pay for the plane ticket and hotel?!!!!

If your screen is stuffed, (assuming you mean normal Lexus screen) why not come to a deal? The one in the housing has been taken out and not being used.

Actually, the only hard thing to do is cutting the frame to the right size. For everything else, you just need to know how to handle a screwdriver. Maybe I could cut frames that are sent to me, but I’m not sure if I dare. I wouldn’t want to break someone else’s frame.


That’s a very good idea. It feels kind of sad my original and probably super expensive Toyota display isn’t used. I haven’t tested it, so I can’t be sure it works. If it doesn’t, though, you don’t have to pay for it. Maybe just for the shipping.

how mutch did you pay for the lexus screen and motor ?

That is a fantastically neat job, almost looks OEM - well done!

Hi! The sat nav housing was 2500kr (£200), but that's with the original display, which I have no use for now.


Thanks! I was really satisfied when I realized the navigator and the housing are the exact same color.

that wasnt to bad and damn what a nice result

Great job mate. Ive got that Sony Sat Nav. Now all I need is to get the Lexus Sat Nav part and a Lexus IS200.

A few people have asked me how to connect the sat nav housing, and how to power whatever is in it. I couldn't have done it without Geoffers' knowledge, and this is how it works.

The only pins you want to use are the following:
Permanent live (12v+) - Top right corner
Switched live (Acc.) - Bottom right corner
Ground - Bottom left corner


Behind the plug, the pins obviously continue a couple of millimeters. Thats where I connected another two wires (red and blue), which are connected to my sat nav, inside the housing.


The first time, I fastened the wires behind the console and then realized I had soldered them to the pins on the housing. That's why I added this plug, and a matching one on the housing. It's kind of handy if you want to remove the housing.


I disconnected my stereo power cables and just connected my wires to the appropriate ones.
Blue/yellow - Permanent live - My red wire
Grey - Switched live - My orange wire
Brown - Ground - My blue wire


Hope this helps those of you who want to do something similar.

Excellant info matey

fantastic job done there mate, just a quick question how do u switch on/off the sony satnav unit itself. is it permanately on?

there you go mate.

Stav

I'm guessing that is why there is an ACC feed fed to the sat-nav from the ignition ?

oops stav beat me to it

Exactly! I forgot to mention I connected the red wire from the sat nav to the switched 12V pin (orange wire). That means the sat nav starts upon ignition, just like the stereo.

Another short video demonstration:
http://www.garaget.org/video/rjkruxsnqv8m

I'd like to say a big thanks to Patrik for being the first to do this & post up absolutely every bit of information needed to do it!

I successfully completed mine a couple weeks ago with a Sony U-93 and its still working great, I did a few things differently which anyone attempting this might find helpful. 1: the scary bit of cutting the frame to fit the screen - I never had access to a milling machine so used a dremel with a tiny cutting disk to take the most off the edges then used a straight & round file for the little tweaks to get the U-93 in there perfect. 2: I fitted a "james bond" style switch under the panel for the heated switches between the ACC wire so that I can switch the whole thing off whenever I dont want it on. 3: the metal frame which holds the old screen in place and now holds the Sony sat nav in place - I cut the top off that frame as I found that it was cutting the GPS signals down by about 1/2.


Anyway I had great fun doing the modification, it took me about 5 hours total which included a drive to Asda to buy one of those foam tent sleeping pads!!, I managed to get the original large plug & part of the wiring loom so that made things much easier.

Oh and something else interesting - when I stripped the Lexus GPS unit I bought I found that a great many of the screws were loose and I even found one that had fallen out so anyone out there that has the original Lexus GPS system and find its rattling a bit you should strip it all down & tighten up all the screws!

Steve D

Frame cutting

Dremel & cutting disk

Original plug & wiring loom

Original plug & new wiring

Great job as well mate,

Cant justify the price of a screen holder from Ebay so i'll be giving the mod a miss.

Stav