Need help with overhead console temp/compass install

I am looking for help troubleshooting a problem I am having trying to swap my overhead console for one with a temperature/compass module. My 2009 SR5 (DoubleCab 4x4 LongBed) did not come with the temperature/compass module in the overhead console (there is a compartment there to hold a garage door opener instead). I investigated and found out that my truck came with a wiring harness already in the ceiling for the temperature/compass module, and the temperature probe was already installed in front of the radiator.

This picture shows the back of my stock overhead console. Note the extra wiring harness plugged in to a dummy plug above the garage door opener compartment.


This picture shows the temperature sensor installed in front of the radiator, on the center post just underneath the horn. The picture is taken through the front grille.


Given that my truck was pre-wired, I bought a used overhead console containing the temperature/compass module. The console I bought came out of a 2006 Tacoma. I swapped out the old console and installed the new one, and the compass works fine. However, the temperature just shows "---" most of the time, and occasionally it shows random readings that jump around between -20F and 90F.

It could be that the console that I bought is defective, or perhaps the wiring was changed between the 2006 and 2009 models, or my truck doesn't have all the required wiring after all. I looked at the wires and it appears that something is not compatible, because my wiring harness has 5 wires in it while the temp/compass module appears to be expecting 8 wires.

Here is a photo of the wires that are installed in the ceiling of my truck:

The wire colors are:
olive green
white w/ black stripe
purple w/ white stripe
bright green
yellow

Here is a photo of the plug on the 2006 temp/compass module -- note that there are 8 pins.


Here is a photo of the two wires connecting to the temperature probe:

The wire colors are:
purple w/ white stripe
light grey (almost beige)

Although there is a purple w/ white stripe wire at both ends, I don't see any evidence of a light grey wire in the ceiling wiring. I looked in the ceiling but could not find any other wires that might go to the temperature sensor.

Has anyone successfully swapped the overhead console in their truck? If someone has a 2009 with the temperature/compass module, how many wires are there leading to it? Does anyone know what each of the five (or eight) wires are for?

Thanks in advance for any help and advice you can give me.

 

where did u get the overhead console, I'm looking for one as well...

 

I bought my overhead console from a TacomaWorld member who recently offered one for sale. I have also seen them on Ebay, for example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170297141450

 

I have been waiting for someone to attempt this. I have an 09 Prerunner V6 access cab w/SR5 package and have been distraught since day one about not having the outside temperature gauge. I was about ready to drop the $ and buy one of these, but was afraid I would run into a problem like this.

I know it's irrelevant to you at this point, but I have pulled down my overhead console and have the exact same harness w/ the 5 lead wires just as you. I remember researching this a few months back and finding some info in which some folks were having the same issue w/ the temp displaying -- and there was an apparent fix that involved a simple solder on the back of the board.

Dunno if this seemingly widespread issue could be related to any of your troubles, or if in fact there are different leads. Please keep us posted, if you don't mind, because I know there are several of us that would really appreciate this mod.

 

yeah.. once i cna find one i'm gonna do it too.. JUST missed out on a rolled TRD last weekend! grr

 

A quick update:

I found a wiring diagram online for the 07 Tacoma and (assuming my 09 has the same wiring) it looks like there should be six wires connecting to the temperature/compass rather than five. The diagram shows a grey wire connecting to pin 6 of the connector, which my SR5 doesn't have. The grey wire is one of the two connecting to the ambient temperature sensor (the yellow is the other one), so it makes sense that the temperature display is not working correctly without the grey wire.

I'm not so worried that the temperature probe has purple/white and white wires while the wiring diagram says yellow and grey. There is a junction block in the diagram where the in-cab and under-the-hood wiring harnesses connect, so I assume that the wires are just a different color headed out to the temperature probe.

This weekend I will look around in the ceiling of my truck and see if I can find a grey wire tucked away somewhere. Would Toyota have done this (removed the grey wire from the connector) just to make it harder for a DIY console swap?

 

Here's a thought...perhaps the fugitive grey wire somehow relates to the optional bluetooth speaker in the overhead console? I know a few months back while searching for any and everything I could relating to the overhead console, I come across this bluetooth module, which if I remember correctly, replaces the sunglasses holder. I don't believe it was an after market product, which leads me to believe it would need it's own independant power supply. I certainly could be wrong but sounds reasonable to me this could be your mysterious grey sixth wire.

Also to answer your question: I truly don't believe Toyota would go to such lengths to detour the DIY 'er like us. Not only would this be cost-prohibitive, it just isn't practical from a manufacturing point of view. Hope all goes well this weekend on the hunt!

 

Well I checked thoroughly in the ceiling and didn't find any grey wire anywhere. So I pulled up the 2007 wiring diagram to see where to find the other ends of the wires. It turns out the roof wire plugs into connector 1E, which is just to the left of the fuses that you will find behind that small compartment to the left of the steering wheel. The grey wire is supposed to be in pin 10 of the connector, but in my Tacoma there is nothing plugged in to pin 10, as seen in this photo (I added the yellow arrow pointing to where the grey wire should be):


Furthermore, the wires leading to the temperature probe are supposed to plug in to the 1C connector (which is just to the right of the same fuse panel). Although my truck came with a temperature probe installed, the pins of the 1C connector (1 and 3) that are supposed to connect to the probe are empty in my truck, as seen in this photo (I added the yellow arrows pointing to where the two wires should be):


So it appears my 2009 SR5 only came partially wired for the temperature/compass -- everything is there except for the wires to connect to the temperature probe. In order to get the console to work, I will need to run a pair of wires from the overhead to the temperature probe location.

I wonder where my existing temperature probe wires connect? I have traced them to under the fuse panel in the engine compartment, but I lose them at that point. Wish I could get ahold of a 2009 wiring diagram, because there have to be some changes since 2007 (for example, the backup camera wiring) and it might explain why my temperature probe wires are purple/white and white rather than yellow and grey. I'm wondering if I can use the existing temperature probe, or if it has some other function in the vehicle. To be safe I'll probably get a new temperature probe to wire up. So much for a simple swap of the consoles...

 

Well damn! I'm so sorry this has turned out to be such a nightmare. Makes me wanna forgo the entire idea. Heck..I'm frustrated and haven't even spent near the time nor energy you have on this little project. I'm tapped-out as far as ideas go. Wish there was at least some sort of '09 resource for us to refer to. I'll trying doing some internet searching myself and see if I can dig something up. Sometimes different web browsers and search techniques result in different responses...can't hurt right??

Again, I can't thank you enough though for going to the added trouble of taking pic's and sharing your findings with the rest of us. Wish I could contribute in someway, but I just spent $500 on tube steps and window tint in the past week. With all the little "toys" I keep buying for my Taco, the truck "fundadge" has just about been depleted.

I'll let ya know if I come up with anything.

 

Here's the latest update:

I discovered that I could inspect the 2009 wiring diagrams at techinfo.toyota.com, so I paid $10 to get some insight into the problem.

I discovered that the wiring for the temperature probe in the 2009 Tacoma is totally different than in the 2005-2008 models. In the 2009 Tacoma the temperature probe is used in the air conditioning system, and the wires from the probe go into the "A/C Amplifier" which then sends a TMP+ signal to the overhead console over the yellow wire. So the 5 wires that I have in my temp/compass connector are all that the 2009 uses (the 2005-2008 models used 6 wires).

So you can't plug a 05-08 console into an 09, because the wiring is all different! And you can't plug an 09 into a 05-08 for the same reason.

I also discovered TSB-0051-09 (dated January 22, 2009) entitled "Overhead Digital Compass & Temperature Display Inoperative" which addresses the seemingly common problem where the temperature/compass display stops working due to the faulty soldering of the 510 resistors. The fix described in the TSB is to replace only the temperature/compass portion of the overhead console, and there are two different part numbers given:

83290-04030 for the 2005-2008 Model Year
83290-04011 for the 2009 Model Year

These parts are described as "new service parts" -- I wonder how much they cost, and whether the soldering is any better?

So it looks like I have three options:

1. Get a complete temperature/compass overhead console out of a 2009 Tacoma and just plug it in.

2. Get one of the new parts 83290-04011 (which is just the temperature/compass portion of the overhead console, not including the map lights and sunglass holder) and use it to replace the 06 version of the temperature/compass module that I have. Then I can just plug it in to my existing connector.

3. Keep the 06 temperature/compass console I have and add my own temperature probe, running the wires from the probe directly to pins 5 and 6 of the console.

The good thing is, if you have a 2009 SR5 without the temperature/compass, you can just get a 2009 overhead console with the temperature/compass and simply swap it in -- all the wiring is there, including the temperature probe because it is already installed for the A/C system to use. But make sure you get an 09 console!

 

Are you sure the temperature module is a real one and not a dummy plug?

 

If you cant use it, PM me and i'll take it off your hands

 

If the AC system uses it, it's a real one. They wouldn't have a dummy that looks like a temp sensor but doesn't work - it'd just be capped, or the harness wouldn't even be there.

The AC probably uses a temp sensor to improve fuel economy (when using defrost and some cooling functions the HVAC will switch AC on/off depending on outside temp and humidity)

 

My inop console would cost me $175.16 to replace at the dealer in Kansas City, KS - plus tax.

 

Don't waste your time with another one. I have a 2009 and I have a console from another 09 Tacoma that works fine in my friends TRD truck (thats where it came from) and when plugged into my truck the temp does not read. Apparantly the a/c amplifier is different on trucks that have the overhead console and as of yet I do not think we can use any of these.

 

yah i ended up doing it eventually for my 05. my writeup is in my sig..

 

This is bad news, and not what I expected. It seems to me that it would be too complicated for Toyota to use a different model A/C amplifier on different models. Perhaps the ECU has to be programmed to enable the TMP signal, and it only gets programmed that way on TRD models? Or maybe there is a jumper somewhere that needs to be installed in order for the TMP signal to be active?

Thanks for posting the info, you have saved me (and hopefully others) the time and expense of buying a 2009 console only to have it not work. Looks like I will have to install a new temperature probe and run the wires to it to get install the 2006 console I have in my 2009 Tacoma (it's been on my to-do list for 6 months now...).

 

Its listed everywhere as not working. 09s only work on 09s and 05-08 only works on 05-08. If you tried to use your 09 console on my 05 it would do the same as your 08 console on your 09.

 

True, but what Jasper just posted is that he has an 09 console that doesn't work in an 09 truck. It works fine in an 09 TRD model but not in his 09 non-TRD. So it appears that even an 09 console may not work in an 09 truck that didn't originally come equipped with a temperature gauge.

 

i put a overhead console in my 09 sr5 with out any issues, came out of another 09