Installing A Replacement Head Unit. A Quick Guide.

[Scorpion-gb]

I’ve had a lot of good advice from guys on this forum so I thought I’d like to pay back a little.

Here is a guide to removing the OEM head unit in the Rav4.2 and replacing it with a ‘branded’ one.Please remeber this is just a guide as

to how I carried out the install, I accept no responsibility if others wish to use it and by doing so cause damage to their vehicle.

1. Remove the silver side trims around the head unit by slipping an old credit card, or something similar, behind the panel and then using

a trim removal tool (or a very blunt flat head screwdriver) to ease the panel away from the dash. Start at the bottom and work your way up

to the top. Take your time and do NOT try and force it out. It’s a bit of a bum clencher so take it easy and apply slow, steady, pressure.

Do this on both side panels.

2.Once removed you will see the black panel that houses the heater vents and surrounds the head unit. Remove the 2 screws at the top of

this panel and then carefully ease the surround forward, away from the dash, it has 2 locking tabs at each side, near the bottom.

3.Store the remove panel safely so that it does not sustain any damage

4.Next remove the 4 bolts that hold the head unit in place. The bottom 2 bolts are set back quite far so take great care as you remove

them, if they fall off the socket or screwdriver you may never find them again!

5.Pull the head unit forward until you have enough room to gain access to the wiring connectors. Release the connectors from the sockets

in the head unit and remove the head unit from the dash area.

6.Remove the securing brackets from the side of the old head unit and fit them to the new one.

7.Installation is the reverse of removal. Remember you will most likely need adaptors for the wiring harness, Toyota to ISO, filler

plates for either side of the new head unit as the Toyota unit is wider than after market ones, and maybe various adaptors for iPod

connection etc.

8.I have a load more info and pictures on how and where I routed the wiring for the GPS receiver, the mic for bluetooth phone usage and

the iPod connections but I didn’t want to make the thread too long. If you need any further info please let me know.

The finished article!!

Managed to position the mic in a good place too!

Any comments, or tips, on how I could improve the guide are most welcome.

[crofter]

Nice one,Jim.

Hope this makes it to the "pinned" section.

Del

[Hoovie]

gteat guide. I'd totally forgotton about the air vent removal bit. Be very handy pinned for other upgraders

[Joel2015]

I know this is an older post but would be interested to see where the gps receiver was mounted :)