Grom Ipod Interface, 12v pwr source, glove box light Install *pics*

Alright Part one of my X-mas gift to fiance' was a Grom Ipod interface kit. Hanging in the FJ forums all the time all I hear about is the Dice kits, but many I have found when shopping around would not allow use of the steering wheel controls, or the 6 disc changer.

When I found the Grom kit it was a little cheaper in price, and it works with the steering wheel controls, AND the 6 disc changer! After using the Ipod kit through my Pioneer head unit in my FJ she has come to love my setup. Needless to say she's getting one too, just she wants to keep the factory head unit.

Install is pretty much a plug and play deal, since each Kit includes a vehicle specific harness.




To Test this out I am using my Now ancient 4G Nano. In the FJ I have the Ipod run to my glove box with a home made bracket and some velcro for easy removal when I feel need to update its playlists. She wanted her Ipod mounted in the center console armrest. I figured if I am taking all of the center console out, I am gonna do everything while I am there. I had a 12v pwr source from radio shack laying around so I figured now was as good as any time. She also wanted to use my center console glove box light mod I did to my truck as well. (quick run to Advanced Auto)

Here are some holes drilled for the new 12V power source, glove box light and Ipod cable.







An here is the Components in place. I used the hot and ground from the 12V for the glove box light as well, that way one fuse will handle both items and I only have to run the wires once (I'm lazy).






The rubber gromet at the bottom is for the Ipod link cable which goes straight to the Grom Box. I chose the Optix lights because I have used them before and they are bright without being anoying to the driver at night.








Whoo my dash puked a radio! At first i tried to make this much harder than it is, turns out the climate controls come out really easy and then the rest lifts up and away after 4 bolts are removed.








To Be Continued....

 

Everything in the proper spot Sans Armrest Lid.







Ahhhhhh the Add a circuit my favorite little gadget. I used the ACC fuse spot for the light and 12v pwr source. Good thing about the Add a circuit, is that you can use the 7.5 fuse for Accessory and 10 (or whatever you choose) for the glove box light.








And to the right of the Gear Selector is a perfect ground already provided by Toyota. And a side note, the 12v pwr source has an inline fuse. I removed this so if I needed to replace a fuse it wouldn't be trapped under the console. Its much easier to access it in the Factory fuse panel.






Finished, my camera doesn't do so hot in the dark but you get the idea. Chose Red to match the Truck, and the dash light are orangeish red. Now that it works there comes part 2 of x-mas thats getting her the actual Ipod!







And Viola! I like this setup because I am not a fan of wires from a cell phone charger, or a MP3 player laying around on the console or dash. Anyhoo there it is, ahh Christmas and installs. Happy Holidays!

 

Good job Taco/FJ! That is a sweet setup. How much is the Grom? Does it work with a regular mp3 player? We are getting more choices for Taco radio interfaces by the day, and that's a good thing....

 

Thanks Rhoppas,

The Grom was 79.99 I Believe, I was just excited it wasn't 149.99 like the Dice units, so I bought it in a hurry. As far as I know its compatible with all the Apple Ipods. It has the standard Ipod dock cable, but I am not certain if another company has tried to use the same format.

Something I should add is that not only do you retain 6 disc changer functions and you Steering wheel controls, The Grom works in simple mode and advanced mode. In simple mode when you press disc and you can operate the Ipod by the clickwheel in its usual manner. In Advanced mode you can browse up to 5 playlists all through the OEM head unti controls or steering wheel.

Disc will take you to your Ipod, pres disc again and you will go to your cd player as usual. Press 2 -6 for playlist 1-5 (i think 1 is the entire library not a playlist) once in a playlist track < or > wil work as normal. Press Scan and < > will move you 10 songs at a time. It may sound weird but 2 minutes of me playing with it and I felt pretty comfotable with it.

 

Thanks for the details. It sounds very similar to the USA-Spec device except that it only supports Ipods and not regular mp3 players.

 

I like the units that offer ipod controls from the head unit. I dont have an ipod yet but i'll get one as soon as my 5yr old Dell Jukebox dies. The new generation ipods are awesome looking and they have 160gb harddrives. Which will be a nice upgrade from my 15gb jukebox.

 

That is a great write up! Do you have any more pics or wiring diagrams for this install?

 

Thanks! I don't have a wiring diagram but I do have more pics, some I nixed them because I wasn't sure if I'd run power from the fuse box under the hood, or from the one in the cab. plan on some more when she get her Ipod I plan on using the velcro Idea again so the Ipod is fixed to the wall of the compartment.

 

I bought the grom as well. It was easily installed. I like the way it operates and the fact you can use the steering wheel controls. I did notice the my ipod seemed to get pretty hot while it was connected to the grom (charging). It did'nt affect the performance of the ipod though.

 

I have the 2006 Tacoma and just installed a USA SPEC PA12-TOY this weekend.

Getting the dash out was easy, thanks to this thread

http://aaronlinsdau.com/gear/articles/ipod2car.html

and your great post here.

A few things:

I had a hell of a time fishing the PA12 harness from the back of the head unit down toward my center console. (I tried to take the shortest path and couldn't get it to go that way, so I have to take the farthest route--fishing more from toward the front of the truck, farthest forward from the head unit that you can see in there.)

I'd like to do it the way you have it depicted here, so:

Can you detail where and how you fished your harness to the armrest box from the head unit? I cannot see because the GROM unit blocks it in that 5th pic or is that the harness going down in the lowest opening near where the two two detached connector modules are coming out?

I don't know how to remove all the jazz in the center console area (like you have done in the photo with the radio dangling and the pic with the shifter on the left of frame above) so I can see what I'm doing.

Then I want to bring it into my armrest box just like you've done, so how did you remove that to drill it?

And where did you get that nice rubber gromet to finish the job off so cleanly?

Can someone please explain in detail and post photos if you have them? Thanks!

 

I am very interested in this as well as the OPTX light...

 

I used a long zip tie to get the wire fished all the way up the back side of behind the air ducts and wires.

Removing the center glove box took some time because google wasn't helping me out at all, but the carpet sectioin in the glove box removes just by pulling it out, I had to use a pick to get at a corner so i could get a finger nail on it. under that are the two srews that give me problems, the rest are visable.

The gromets I got from Advanced Auto, Also at Harbor freight I found a kit with every shape and size gromet in it.

 

Does anybody know if the GROM works in the regular cab? When i plug everything up and i push DISC it will go to my IPOD but for only 2 secs can you hear the music and then it will go back over to CD if i have a CD in or it will go to radio if there is no CD. Somehow its not recognizing that the IPOD is playing instead of a CD and it will not stay connected to the IPOD. Any ideas of what is going on?

 

Great looking install...

I noticed two bundles coming out of the black box with white connectors on them. One appears to be the plug into the radio. What's the other one?

Also, did you have to patch into the fuse box for the Grom, or was that just for the light and 12v hook-up?

 

Anyone know where to get the console net?

Here's the link to the grommet set: Here's a link to the 12vdc accessory outlet:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3896268#

 

nice...the light doesn't do much for me tho.

i ran my ipod cable into the center console as well, i just did it the ghetto way by snapping hte lower front net holder off to run the wire thru it. shouldn't hurt the resale value to much. :lol: