Skip to main content

Jensen VX5228 CarPlay Installation in my Lexus ES300

I wanted to install a CarPlay compatible head unit into my good old Lexus ES330, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money. So forget it, right?

No way! I bought the Jensen VX5228 on discount for under $180, and I couldn't be more pleased.

The Jensen is a standard "Double DIN" sized head unit, which means that it can be adapted to fit into a whole lot of modern cars. I have an older Lexus ES330, and so fitting it required a few extra Lexus-ish parts, but in the end it looks great and works like a champ.

Here's what I needed for my 2002-2006 Lexus ES300 or ES330:

The process was pretty simple, and it can work with basically any modern double-DIN radio.

Workbench Prep

On the workbench, I performed the following steps
  • Connect the TYTO-01 wire harness to the Jensen-provided wire harness. The TYTO-01 manual says what to do, but in short I connected yellow to yellow, blue to blue, red to red, etc. This was the most time consuming step, taking me about 20 minutes, but it was very easy work,
  • Attached the new face plate's black mounting brackets to the car play unit with four screws.

Now with the workbench part done, now it's time to go to the car with the parts.

Remove the factory radio

Before I start note that removing almost everything is a tool free process. Lots of things are just snapped into place, and can be removed and reinstalled simply by using fingers.

To remove the radio, I did this:

  • Eject any CDs or cassettes.  Haha.
  • Put the car in Neutral
  • Unsnap the shift cover and remove the wire connector from the cigarette lighter
  • Put the car in Park
  • Snap out the climate control system and lay it aside
  • Remove the four 10mm radio bolts and pull the radio out a ways
  • Disconnect radio connectors and hazard and clock connectors
  • Fully remove the now fully disconnected factory radio. Heavy, eh? I saved it in case I ever want to reinstall it.

Initial Install and Verification 

With the old radio is out, it's time to start to install the new one. 

  • Attach the TYTO-01 wiring harness to the car's audio connector
  • While balancing the Jensen in one hand, plug the harness into the Jensen. Also plug in the FM antenna, microphone, and USB cable. The AM antenna is not required and is not used.
  • Loosely place the radio in its home within the dashboard. Check that the radio is working by powering it up. Then power it down.

Finishing the Install

  • Route the cables properly behind the radio. They will all fit. I routed the USB cable to the center console.
  • Bolt the radio in place using those four bolts, making sure everything is reasonably well aligned.
  • Unsnap the vents, clock and hazard switch from the old face plate. Snap them into the new face plate.
  • Plug the wires back into the clock and hazard switch.
  • Snap the new face plate onto the dash. If it doesn't fit perfectly, recheck that nothing is impeding it. Wiggle the radio a little if it's not aligned to the faceplate properly.
  • Verify the radio, clock, hazard.
  • Snap in the climate control unit into place.
  • Reattach the cig lighter cable.
  • Snap the shifter face plate back into place.

And that's all there is to it. It seems like a lot of steps, but most steps takes a couple of seconds since most things just snap in and out of place.

Limitations

The only limitation I've run into is that the TYTO-01 adapter lacks fader adjustment. Therefore, front and rear speaker levels are not independently adjustable. As far as I can tell, front and rear speakers are set to be equal in volume.

Problems

Sometimes the Jensen crashes, maybe once every 6 months, and nothing happens. My fix is to use the tiny reset button on the front panel. After pressing it, it returns to normal behavior in about 30 seconds. The other option is to pull out the radio fuse for 5 seconds or so.

Future Projects

Microphone 

I was lazy and placed the microphone on the dash as shown in the photos. I think putting it near the rear view mirror would result in higher mic sound quality. That's a project for a different time.

Backup Camera

I plan to add a back up camera later, but it requires routing a cable from the trunk to the front of the car. So I'll do this once I feel like crawling around my car for a couple hours. If you add a camera to your Lexus ES3xx, let me know so I can learn from your trunk-to-dash wire routing strategy!



Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Fixing a SodaStream Jet, part 1: Disassembly Guide

I've had my SodaStream Jet for years, and once in a while something has gone wrong. Disassembly is the first step to repair.  Start with this article to see how to disassemble the SodaStream, and then once you have that down, scroll through my other articles to see how I repaired specfic SodaStream problems. SodaStream Jet Disassembly Guide Tools Required Flat head screwdriver Phillips head screwdriver 1. Remove the Carbonator.  Duh. 2. Remove the black panel lever The front big black tilt lever needs to be removed first. Removing this panel is tricky, but it isn't impossible. Looking up at the bottom of the black panel, there are two tabs, one on the left and one on the right. These tabs fully secure the panel in place. The trick is to use a flat-head screwdriver under the plastic to gently lever the tabs out of the way.  Note in the pictures how I approach these tabs with my screwdriver.  I usually release the left side first, and then I release the right
Read more

Fixing my Wahl 9918 Groomsman Beard and Mustache Trimmer

Not everyone would bother repairing a $25 beard trimmer, but why not fix something for under $5 instead of spending another $25? My  Wahl 9918 Groomsman Beard and Mustache Trimmer  has admirably performed its beauty duty for many years, but the time came when the battery just wasn't holding a charge any more.  Most people would just put the trimmer in the trash and buy a new one, but I figured I could repair my otherwise excellent Wahl and save some money. In fact, even high priced trimmer and rotary shaver brands, like Norelco and Remington, can be easily repaired using a process similar to the one I used to fix my Wahl.  Read on to find out how. I opened up the Wahl by popping off the black plastic faceplate with a tiny flathead screwdriver, which revealed two screws.  By removing the two screws I was able to easily open up the unit, revealing the guts of the device. Backplate off, Revealing the screws The internals are rather simple: a motor, a simple circuit boar
Read more

Fixing a SodaStream Jet, Repair #2 - Broken Fill Button

My Soda Stream Jet's fill button broke, which means I can not longer carbonate water by pressing the pushbutton. This caused all sorts of grief in my household. Here is how I managed to repair my Jet to give it another 10 years of life (hopefully). First, a look at the button The fill button on the top of the SodaStream is actually a simple lever. Pressing down on the button moves a pin that does the actual work of pressing open the Carbonator's valve. Unfortunately, the axis point is fairly thin and can see a lot of stress. That's where my Soda Stream button cracked. [ I think the usage tip here is "don't over-press the button like a gorilla, it doesn't do anything but put high stress on the button."] Cracked levering point of the button The Pesky Lever Retaining Pin The Fix It was pretty easy for me to replace the button: Take off the back of the Soda Stream and remove the carbonator. Push out the the button lever's steel retaining pin. This takes qu
Read more

Sodastream Carbonator Leakage, Usage, and Weight

SodaStream 60L "Carbonator" CO2 cylinders have a specific weight when empty, plus about 410 or so grams for the CO2 they should have when they're "full".  A little while ago I went to buy a replacement Carbonator from my local hardware store. The dealer pulled a new Carbonator out of the box and sensed it was lighter than usual.  He put the "light" Carbonator in the "empty" pile and sold me a different one.  At that moment I concluded that it would be smart of me to weigh both new and empty SodaStream carbonators.  Here are the results. Weighing a SodaStream Carbonator - for both Science and Consumer Protection.       The dealer told me that sometimes the carbonators leak after they leave the SodaStream filling facility.  That means there could be an opportunity for customers like me to get ripped off! The SodaStream cylinders I buy claim to have a net product weight of 410 grams - and that means that a full Soda Stream Carbonator shou
Read more

The Yamaha DD-65 and YDD-60 Digital Drums

Almost everyone I know who is into drums should get their hands on the Yamaha DD65 . It's a low cost, fun little kit that you can throw in your car to jam with your buddies. It's a lot easier than throwing your gear in your Subaru. The DD-65, also known as the YDD-60. Eight pads in a pretty package. I've owned the older, venerable DD-55 for about five years. The DD-55 is the ancestor of the newer DD-65, and is an evolution of the DD-50, which was first released some time in the mid 1990s. I just put my DD-55 on this light snare drum stand it's ready for some jamming. The classic DD-55. Seven pads of rockin' fun, since about 2001. Yes, everyone will tell you that the DD-55 isn't actually a real drum kit. No kidding. However, a skilled drummer can get some great sound out of this little box, and you can definitely keep the band together with it. Plus, it's perfect for apartment living.
Read more

Adding a Water Flood Sensor to my Vista-20p alarm system

My Honeywell Vista 20p alarm system is fairly comprehensive, but I want one more feature: an alarm that lets me know when my sump pump isn't working properly. Here is how I added one for about $8 in special parts.   I'm afraid of a flood in my finished basement. I'm fortunate - my basement sump pump system is already redundant, with two independent pumps and two outflow pipes. The primary pump kicks in when the water level reaches 6 inches, and if that doesn't work, then the backup pump kicks in when the water level reaches 7 inches.  The backup pump should never kick in unless the primary pump is having a problem pumping.   But there is a problem with this setup: I might never know if my primary pump has failed, leaving me with no redundancy.  I want to be informed when I have one (or god forbid, two) pump failures. My goal is to have my Vista 20p alert me when the sump's water level is ever beyond the point where my primary pump should have kicked in, alerting me
Read more

Other Posts

Show more