Modifying stereo to get an AUX-input, MK1?

[Nizzehult]

New Yaris MK1 owner and, well, the stereo is really crappy (86110-52021). If it just had an AUX-input I could live with it. Have tested a bounch of FM transmitters and none of them were good ... an aftermarket stereo is not an option (too expensive). 

I have seen youtubes when they have modified the stock stereo in other cars by removing the CD-unit (the player, not the device), soldered on some cables on the PCB and more or less created an AUX-input. 

Anyone here that have tested that or better: can link to instructions of a such modification? 

[jthspace]

YouTube video idea

Aux in

Plug kit

Aux in adapter

 

[Nizzehult]

Yes I've seen those. But they are £70-100 and that's way over my budget. 

[flash22]

the price you will pay for an aux in adapter, going with an aftermarket single din will not be much more for a decent brand

what about a used unit if the budget is tight

[Nizzehult]

I prefer to modify myself. At no cost. 😇 
Just did that operation on a Citroën C3. Works fine and the BT-adapter was £7.50...

I have some aftermarket single DIN stereos but you'll also need adapter cables, frame etc and suddenly you're up to £40. Plus the display showing time and temperature won't work. 
There are BT-kits for newer Corollas, Avensis etc for about £17 and If a such device did work on my Yaris I'd buy one. 

[flash22]

It is old tech in your car, for aux in you need to use the CD changer Input it's not as simple as a lead, it requires actual hardware (emulates a CD changer to activate the inputs over AVC LAN) plenty of PIC and Arduino projects on the likes of GitHub

if it's a tape deck head unit you can tap the audio in from the deck, done a few bluetooth mods to vintage radios

 

the trip and temp are independent of the radio on the display (audio controls work over AVC LAN)

[Cyker]

I think I know of the mod you mean, but unless you are an electronics whizz you're more likely to release the magic smoke from the CD-player.

For the one I saw, you have to solder the aux wires to the output traces from the CD player DAC, but the mixer chip or whatever doesn't listen to it unless a CD is in there playing, so you also need to have a CD playing in the drive, but that will mean you'll get a mix of both, so you also have to cut the traces before that so only your aux cable signals go to the mixer.

Edit: I didn't find the original tutorial, but this one is very similar, except he doesn't cut the signal traces from the CD player, but just uses a CD that plays nothing but silence  

 

 

Another option is to see if you can get a Yaris tape player from a junk yard - Earlier models still had them! and then just use a Tape to Aux adaptor.

[flash22]

16 hours ago, Cyker said:

I think I know of the mod you mean, but unless you are an electronics whizz you're more likely to release the magic smoke from the CD-player.

For the one I saw, you have to solder the aux wires to the output traces from the CD player DAC, but the mixer chip or whatever doesn't listen to it unless a CD is in there playing, so you also need to have a CD playing in the drive, but that will mean you'll get a mix of both, so you also have to cut the traces before that so only your aux cable signals go to the mixer.

Edit: I didn't find the original tutorial, but this one is very similar, except he doesn't cut the signal traces from the CD player, but just uses a CD that plays nothing but silence  

 

 

Another option is to see if you can get a Yaris tape player from a junk yard - Earlier models still had them! and then just use a Tape to Aux adaptor.

it's the same as the tape you are just tapping the audio in at a different point,

[Cyker]

That's for the CD-player only head unit; If the head unit had a tape player, you wouldn't need to do any soldering, just get one of these!  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Arsvita-cassette-adapter-auxillary-Adapter/dp/B07QRPJ7MS/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cassette-Wireless-Bluetooth-Listening-Hands-Free-Black/dp/B0CMZF24MD/

 

[Nizzehult]

Thank folks. I like forums where people are engaged!

I have no tape deck, don't even think they came with tape deck here in Sweden so trying find one at the junk yard will be hard. 
I have a CD-player (could be a 86110-0D030, will check tonight) and I suppose it also has the radio tuner and amp since the control unit/display has no such output. 
I found this thread: 

Yes, you solder on the AUX-cables from the CD-player and etiher trick the player that there is a record playing (can be done in a number of ways) or play a blank disc. 

[flash22]

the main part of the radio is part of the CD player, the trip display i just a display/control that talks to the radio

being a 2000 it's a Japanese built yaris, base models have the tape deck but that can depend on the importer's specification

[Nizzehult]

I've solved it - and it came cheap. After checking the CD-player (86120-52030) I realized that it would be quite easy to install an aftermarket stereo. Nice thinking, Toyota! The cable kit that is neccesary was already in my good-to-have box in my garage. Think I removed it from a scrapped car long time ago.
And years ago I bought an inexpensive BT-stereo on Aliexpress like this:
https://www.amazon.se/Bluetooth-Universal-Handsfree-Musikspelare-Radioenhet/dp/B08FBFVPYC/ref=sr_1_11?
(£19) so I installed it and it worked like a charm, I even think the sound is better now. Clock and temperature are still shown on the display. The CD-player is dead though, but that doesn't matter. 
Next step will be to replace the crappy Speakers - but that will be another story.  

[Richard Davies]

I had an aftermarket radio installed in Halfords into the slot in the lower console.

it was £50 when Halfords had a sale in 2011 & they installed it for free!