We went to the boneyard today to find a radio...

Although I have my own unresolved radio issues in my 03 4x4, my buddy has a 2002 2WD and he's "positive" that his radio is dead.

I went all over the questions about fuses, how/when it happened etc, but he was certain it was the radio. We headed off to a local scrap yard.

In the boneyard, we found about a half dozen similar stock radios in earlier Tacomas, 4Runners, Sequious etc, and most of them that were the same physically size had the same 2 plugs and antenna port in the back. I imagine some Camrys are similar. With 1 or 2 of the radios, the plug location changed from left to right, but still the same plug. Also, some brackets were similar but slightly different. And a couple radios were 6 CD changers, others were single CD's, but all had the same physical size and layout. I'm unsure if the 6 CD's are located in another locationor if the radio itself accets 6 CD's??

I searched thru other threads for awhile but didn't come up with much. As similar as they seem, are these radios truly only made for a specific year and model? Is it something to test or that others have tried? Or are there there multiple radios that are plug and play with different years and models during the 1st generation?

These are well before the large screen type radios that were phsyically much different. We did fix his shifter issue today, from a previous thread that no one understood.

 

How much are these radios & did you get one?

 

WOW I'm surprised you found anything at all! I have access to 6 junkyards and of course, anything I look for is stripped.

You are correct though, the same radio units are used in multiple Toyo's of the same year, including sedan's and you'll find double DIN or single DIN. Bought mine off eBay, $126. Look at your front plate, you will see a number like this. (for example, A56815) Dust is OK, what you avoid is the knobs buttons showing heavy use with the letters all rubbed off. That one in particular looks to be in really good shape. Most of the sellers on eBay are junkyards offing parts, sometimes you get a good find.

 

I will never understand people that don't upgrade the head unit to something modern. It's the lowest hanging fruit to add some modern features to these old trucks.

 

I preferred a factory looking unit/interior. I wouldn’t had changed mine if not for the switch panel. Plus nowadays, everyone got a smart phone, what’s the use of an updated radio when my phone cost most and can do more.

 

Yep, this ^^^ I also like the stock look. Touch screens are net negative because you can't "feel" any buttons so need to use your eyes, which should be in the road.

I connect my phone to my stock unit so why bother with an ugly blinky mismatch screen..? And I still play cassettes!

 

The 6CD changer I grabbed for myself is an A56811. I'll get his number shortly when he comes by for me to install it, his was just a single CD changer. I could have grabbed 4 more from the trucks and I didn't even look at any of the cars. I had one radio in my hand but the felt on the CD player opening was beat up a bit. Just looked like it had allot more use on it.

50$ for any radio in the place and they had 400 vehicles easily. If it had a touch screen they were 75$. They had a bunch of 2nd gen Tacomas there as well.

I don't really listen to loud music anymore. I like the look of the stock radio and I drop and scratch every single CD I buy.

 

For me, keeping it stock is more important. I see all these mods and all I can think of is what it would take to put it back to stock.

The other thing that bugs me is reliance on "smart technology." I put a touchscreen in my wife's Rav4 for no other reason than to have a backup cam. Most of the features we don't use require subscriptions and whatnot . . . she just listens to the radio, doesn't even use the CD player. <shrug>

I have had thousands of dollars worth of CD's nicked over the years. I carry only copies of the CD's in the truck. Sometimes difficult to get the right combination of burner and software so they work in these older CD players, but well worth the effort.

 

I swear I read at some point that some radios are not internally amplified because they are intended for use in cars with the "premium" sound system which would include a factory external amplifier. This would include both JBL and non-JBL systems. If someone knows for sure, please correct me!

I think the way to tell the difference is by the connector on the back.

Both versions have this connector. This is normally unused. It's for an external CD Changer on those cars where that was an option. It's also where the steering wheel controls get plugged into.


This plug would be an internally amped radio. This is what should come on the Tacomas since I don't think they were available w/ the factory amplified system.


This plug would be externally amped. This is what would come on a Camry, Tundra, Sienna, etc.

 

Do you know where the external amp is located in the vehicle??

This 6CD changer appears to be from a Tundra.

It has the 1st and 3rd plug that you have shown.

Even if it isn't a direct fit I'll just go back and grab another one. They have plenty more and give you 30 days to return them.

When I was there they just dropped off a 2nd gen Black Tacoma, hot off the forklift. Thing had complete interior, untouched!

 

Amp placement depends on the vehicle. They can be up under the dash, behind the passenger kick panel, on the back wall or under the passenger seat.

You're pretty dang lucky to have that many 1st and 2nd gen Tacomas and Tundras in the yards by you! I get maybe 2-3 Tacomas a year between all 3 yards near me.

 

Believe me, I usually do not see them. BUT, this place is hit or miss. I was here maybe 2 years ago (without any cash) and they had 3 - 2nd gen Tacomas there that were intact with most of their parts. If the bed is nice they take that off and sell it whole, but at that pint they had 2 nice OEM tailgates on rotted or dented beds. And they have 3 silver beds but for the double cabs because the bed is shorter than mine.

This place seems to sell off whatever they can, and if another comes in they just crush the old one and drop off the new one. The one brought in on the forklift had some great parts, but it wasn't my year. They had a couple of great 4 Runners too with very nice doors, door panels, hoods etc, I posted one in another thread because it looked like a 1st gen hood. These 1st, 2nd gens and 4 runners have me a bit confused. There was a super nice tailgate on a 4runner that I may go back and grab just to sell or barter with. Every piece was on it right down to the badge and windshield wiper.

Would I recognize an amp? I imagine it would look more like an ECM than an amp from back in the day. I bet they aren't very large either, I'll do some searching online... Edit- they just look like a grey box, like a radio without a faceplate.