Had no idea what kind of hell I was headed for when my wife 's xmas gift was to be a new stereo ...

[G+_Rud Dog]

Had no idea what kind of hell I was headed for when my wife's xmas gift was to be a new stereo for her Toyota 2010 Prius.

First off she wants all the bells and whistles with the exception of Satellite radio.

Toyota does not sell the OEM unit for the car so that was the first OMG.

Second there are all kinds of references to the type like double din units?

Find one video on a replacement for the year, make and model but searching the comments section, very long, he does not mention a part number or where he bought it?

If anyone has any info on a unit which is simply remove old and plug in new please let me know. (meaning no cutting of any materials on the car or splicing or cutting of wires)

 

Thanks all.

[G+_Robert Short]

I go to crutchfield.com - Crutchfield: Car Stereo, Speakers, Home Theater, Pro Audio, 4k TV you can enter y,make and model and they show all kits and harnesses you need. I'll get part# then find on ebay for discount

[G+_Rud Dog]

Robert Short went there but information overload so decided to chat with rep and got all kinds of stuff I would need for the connections meaning not a plug and play. Seems this was missed in the chat session. But not one to give up will return and try once again. Thanks for the input.

[G+_Robert Short]

I basically look at a harness and the plastic frame which would allow single or double din if it is available if not I suggest going in as a fact finding mission to a local car audio store not to buy but find out what they would need to use or modify incase there isn't a retro kit for that car

[G+_Rud Dog]

Found this video and this is pretty much how my wife's car looks and know this can't be exact like the look of the unit featured.

 

[G+_Rud Dog]

Using the info he include in the info below his video which was "new pure Android 4.4 head unit" was able to locate unit but nowhere does it say "for Toyota 2010 Prius". Onward.

[G+_Rud Dog]

Thank you Richard pressing on found this unit:

 

http://www.autopumpkin.com/car-dvd-players/pumpkin-8-android-5-1-lollipop-quad-core-1-6ghz-car-stereo-dvd-player-for-toyota-prius-2009-2013-left-driving-cars-support-mirror-link-steering-wheel-control-dab-3g-wifi-obd2.html

[G+_Dan Hockey]

I had a 2005 Prius, I also had the service manual for it. The problem with the Prius is that touch screen in the dash is the master computer for the whole vehicle. The one I had, had a total of five computers all tide together via the vehicle's CAN bus. It was the base model. The battery pack even had it's own computer.

With that said, the one and only possibility of upgrading your Prius to have the goodies you want is to find a wrecked Prius that has those options.

The head unit(i.e. the touch screen) is the computer you will need the change.

Now before you go trolling through your local junk yard you will need to find yourself a service manual and study it to see what differences there, if any.

In my case I wanted to add the navigation, I would have to add another computer that sits under the passenger seat and the harness that connected it to the head unit.

I never did that because of the price a local junk yard wanted just for that computer.

Hope this helps.

tradebit.com - 2010 Toyota Prius Service & Repair Manual Software - Download Manuals & Technical

[G+_Robert Short]

great web site for auto doc's, bulletins and wiring diagrams is www.alldatadiy.com used it to retrofit a android head unit into a ford escape

[G+_Rud Dog]

Dan Hockey In my case the radio is only a radio and CD player the replacement need only duplicate those features with exception of keeping controls for radio via steering wheel don't really need backup camera.

From what I read the last link I posted addresses my conserns and have send an email to them asking to confirm what I read before purchasing. None the less reading your input and everyone else's makes for some interesting research, thank you.

[G+_Jason Marsh]

My niece has a late-2000's Prius and it's all about the Money when it comes to Toyota, apparently. Updated disc for the nav was over $300 so she put a $150 Android tablet on the dash for nav, streaming music, and much more than the car has built-in.

 

A Prius is BASIC transportation. If the existing radio works, and has an auxiliary input jack, just mount a tablet and plug it into the aux jack. Then you get more functions than you can shake a stick at, no limit to the apps you can run, and you don't have to pay Toyota the Prius Tax to get things that should be free (updates to map data, OS, and apps) and if she really wants she can take her "carputer" with her when she gets out of the car. I have no idea why car manufacturers mess with this stuff in the first place. Their UI design is far behind the power curve, their UX is absolute sh*t, and they ask way too much money for very basic features we're all carrying in our pockets already. Give me a dumb radio with an aux jack and gtf out of my way, money-grubbing bastards!

[G+_Marc T Zicari]

Jason Marsh how do I plug an iPhone into this "aux jack" you speak of? Oh!! That's right mo money, mo money!!

[G+_Jason Marsh]

Marc T Zicari Let's face it, anyone who's posting here is carrying a smart phone already, so that money has already been spent and the smartphone provides more utility than the car has built in to any of the available factory head units. The car has an aux jack already, unless the buyer searched high and low for one without it, which would have been a bad idea to begin with. Not that you can't mod the head unit if it doesn't have a $0.30 aux jack from the factory; one can easily find instructions on the web for doing that.

[G+_Rud Dog]

There is a huge hole in the marketing of in dash head units lots of pretty pictures showing functions but hardly any mention of what cars these units will fit. The scary part is some call out plug and play and others call out kits for every model possible at additional cost. This is a horrible market environment. Looks like, as suggested, will have to take the car down to a installer and ask some questions. Even then not sure what kind of person will be answering my questions; knowledgeable or double speak. Onward.

[G+_Jason Marsh]

The adaptor thing can make your head spin. I've seen a case with an adapter necessary for another adaptor to be used. Double Adaptors? The auto manufacturers are to blame for it all. They all picked a common tire inflation port (the schrader valve), why couldn't they pick a common schema for connecting radios? What's next? Are they all going to develop their own fuel filling system so you need an adaptor at the gas pump?

[G+_Robert Short]

Isn't that call Apple?????

Sorry had to go there. But with the different ways radios are being used and what they can do now compared to my old CJ jeep or Comet its come a long way. not sure how they could make a common connector for a head unit can't say radio anymore with the AV, surround sound, GPS but it would be nice it they would quit having the head unit and vehicle Control unit being pair so you may lose some of the information that is displayed on their info center. But have to admit once done I,m happy, but the journey can be long as your discovering the issues as you go.

[G+_Carl Elton]

Rud Dog Did you look at Crutchfield? crutchfield.com - Car Stereo: Stereos, Radios & Receivers you can input your car and they will show you what they have that will fit and most of them come with install kits.

[G+_Rud Dog]

Carl Elton The site has a great feature where you can enter Toyota, Prius, 2010 and even what type of system your car currently has installed.

 

This detail makes me feel like the unit(s) they recommend should pop right in. By "pop right in" I mean; "Unit is a plug for plug match to your current system" and "you will be able to remove your old unit and directly plug in all harness/wiring directly into your new unit. Along with bolt in to the dash with included brackets.

 

Well after selecting the unit based on the criteria entered (see first paragraph) was able to review some units.

 

Once settled on a unit and moving on in the process was directed to a kit containing wiring harness adapters and brackets with face plates. This scared the heck out of me thinking why would I enter all the specific information for the vehicle in question only to get a kit for making the unit fit into the car in question. Sounds like I am ending up with a universal kit and that is something that might have implications down the road.

 

I appreciate the recommendation and value the input let me know if you or anyone else has any hands on experience with the additional cost kits they recommend for your selection.

 

 

 

[G+_David Wiggins]

Yeah, I'd love to do similar for my 2015 xB, but the fear of losing built in features (steering wheel controls, back up camera, whatnot) has stopped me. Well, the cost, to, hehe.

[G+_Carl Elton]

David Wiggins? With the right radio and install kit you will keep your backup camera and steering wheel controls. You just have to do your research.

[G+_David Wiggins]

Excellent, I don't want to pay out the nose for the near useless and abandoned 'Bespoke' audio/map/whatever.

[G+_Rud Dog]

Scheduled an appointment with a local installer that carries the CrutchField line can't wait to see what they say.

[G+_Robert Short]

Good luck

[G+_Carl Elton]

I hope everything works out for you.

[G+_Rud Dog]

Carson Black Thank you that was informative, at first thought it was some sort of reference to electrical connection(DIN). As for "Critchfield " not sure what you meant in your reference?

The other problem is the reviews it is impossible to tell which to purchase due to the balance in Pros and Cons. And even a visit to my local installer is going to help (I am finding out).