Trying to update 2021 TRD Sport with 2021 TRD-Off-Road HD Radio Multimedia-Navigation ECU

In late February, I purchased a 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport. I was initially trying to source a Tacoma TRD Off-Road or Limited to have HD Radio functionality. Unfortunately, COVID-19 and a chipset fab facility fire have impacted receiver production, and the sales department couldn't tell me when a model with HD Radio would be available. So…. I settled for the TRD Sport and decided to replace the head unit with an aftermarket receiver with HD or find an OEM head unit from a Tacoma Limited or a TRD off-road and upgrade it.
I located for sale a Toyota Model: 86140-04200 HD Radio head unit that the owner removed from a 2021 Tacoma TRD Off-Road. The owner put in an aftermarket head unit because he didn't like the data sharing with Toyota. Before making the purchase, I checked with both the Toyota and Hollander interchange books and the 86140-04200 was listed as compatible with my 2021 TRD Sport.

I received the head unit, installed it, and all radio, and Bluetooth functionality worked except GPS and the HD weather and traffic. I noticed that the DCM was not showing connectivity with the new head unit. The Wi-Fi service was not available, and the Connected Services app errored when pressed. I thought it might have had a board failure, so I took the head unit to a local radio shop that does OEM unit repairs. They evaluated it and said the unit was fully functional. According to the shop, the issue I observed is related to the head unit needing to be synchronized (paired) with the ECU.

I scheduled the Tacoma in for service, requesting they use TechStream to update the Navigation/Multimedia ECU with the latest firmware and synchronize the ECUs. They told me that they also updated the VIN number on the Navigation/Multimedia ECU and paired the system. I was advised that the changes would take up to 24 hours to register. I started up the Tacoma and saw no change in the system behavior. The DCM was still not communicating. I waited the requisite 24 hours, and still no change. I called Toyota Brand Engagement and verified that my connected services were active. To no avail, it still won't communicate. I decided to put the original Toyota head unit 86140-04230 back in, and all functionality was restored. The clock synched on GPS, the Wi-Fi worked, Connected Services were active, and the DCM showed signal strength and data activity.

The Tacoma goes back to the dealership tonight for another round of diagnostics. Does anyone in the group have any thoughts on what to try next?

 

Maybe the antenna was no connected properly. I could have changed position. There is some thread were people exchanged the HU and the GPS didn't update.
I installed a 86140-04230 on a 2017 TRD Sport that doesn't have the XM antenna, and some stuff doesn't work and I believe is due the truck being an older model or the ECU Firmware or not being synchronized. I was told nothing is required, but who knows.

 

That would be my first guess, too. Do the Tacomas that come with factory navigation get a different antenna? (I know that's the case with Subarus.)

But I would also think someone at a dealership would know enough to check that as well.

 

Not like it got a different antenna, more like it goes into a different connector.
I think all the antennas (Radio, GPS & XM) could fit into the fin enclosure that is on the roof. Depending on the version it could have one or the other.

Yoo can check the connection there
New 2020 head unit. Buying?

Someone in that thread mentioned that the GPS didn't work for him at first and looks like he missed connecting the GPS antenna.