Satellite Radio install

Have read the posts on Sat. radio install and am getting confusing instructions. My 2010 TRD Off Road 4 door has antenna and prewire. I know that I will have to buy a receiver and fit kit.
However have read that you have to remove radio to install and in another post read that all of the install could be done behind the kick panel.
Which is it?

 

If you have the radio that is XM "ready" then the install is not hard at all. On the DC, the connections are behind the driver's side kick panel. The wires run down the door sill channels to the rear door area. Then the wires go through into the area below the under seat storage. Your XM module actually installs under the RIGHT rear seat after you remove the plastic storage tray.

Pay attention to routing the wires well. Avoid sharp corners and pinch areas. Wire ties and protection tape for durability and you are good to go. You can actually download a picture install guide from the net.

You will need to remove the following panels for access to where the wires run.

1. driver's kick panel and foot rest
2. the driver's door sill cover
3. the center cover on the pillar between the front and back doors and one seat belt bolt iirc
4. the left rear door sill cover
5. the plastic storage cover and trays from under the back seats.

Then you can route your wires. Exiting the rear door sill to the under seat area, you will need to fish to two wire looms under the carpet and through a hole into the storage area. I used vacuum tubing that I split to make a protective cover for the wires in that area.

I suggest you get everything laid in place and routed before you start anchoring anything down. That will allow you to move the wires fore and aft to get it to lay neatly in the area provided.

There are good write-ups on here and pictures to help.

Have fun!

 

Sounds like hooking the module to the factory radio is fairly easy. Anyone have any recommendations on where to get the module and additional wiring needed? I'm in the Toronto area and my Toyota dealer quoted $655 +taxes to get the module, additional wiring needed, and 2.5 hours labour. Going by other Toyota accessories, I'm sure this is ridiculously inflated!
Thanks!

 

Are you installing Sirius or xm? If you want to do Sirius, you will also need a shark fin adapter to connect to factory xm antenna. This is what I did. Took me about an hour and cost about $250. I also ran it under the kick panels and under the back seat storage box.

I ordered the PT545-35090 Sirius Fit Kit, shark fin adapter and factory Sirius Receiver Pt545-00080 to install in my 2010 Tacoma DC so I could use the factory radio with the AM/Sat button and antenna for Sirius.

 

Thanks Peto. I'm doing XM. I actually decided to go with the portable XM unit because of cost for the unit to get the factory system going, and so I could have all the functionality their units have vs. basic radio functions.

Now, in hooking up the XM unit, I've thought about whether it's possible to connect the factory antenna to the XM Dock? Thought I would check here before starting to take out all the kick panels, etc. to get to the factory antenna wire. If anyone has any idea on this, I would appreciate hearing about it.

Cheers,

G