2020 86 Stereo Info

[vitriumGTS]

Originally Posted by warhawk03

I don't have much experience with car audio, but since it's an OEM part, i feel like the amount of effort required to make this work should be somewhat less than something aftermarket.

I have a 2018 BRZ Premium and it seems like this head unit would be a decent option to get Apple CarPlay.

A few questions though, that I don't think I found an answer for earlier in the post:

This looks to be a 200mm wide unit, is that accurate? I believe I'd need to switch to one of the one piece dash options that are available for the 86 (Granlux w/ 86 logo) or BRZ (Leatherette w/ Red Stitching) and get away from the plastic pieces that surround my current head unit on the Premium model.

Would it be possible to retain the backup camera functionality that is viewed on the head unit screen? It looks like the 86 models have the backup camera displayed on the rear-view mirror instead of the head unit.

I'll keep digging around, but would appreciate any input anyone has!

I noticed the first FR-S bespoke deck, the 2017+ deck and this 2020+ deck were all about the same footprint size wise if thats any help


As for backup camera, I'm sure the 28 pin connector can be re-pinned for steering wheel controls and ancillaries (i notice a camera icon on the menu)

[trueno86power]

Thanks for all your input guys, I've made the move !

I've made my own amp bypass like you guys pointed out. On my 2017 Toyota 86 I didn't need to change the USB port too, it work great with the factory one. Everything work without any modifications, backup camera, bluetooth, steering button.

Actually I think it sound better than before !!

[blazephantom]

Originally Posted by trueno86power

Thanks for all your input guys, I've made the move !

I've made my own amp bypass like you guys pointed out. On my 2017 Toyota 86 I didn't need to change the USB port too, it work great with the factory one. Everything work without any modifications, backup camera, bluetooth, steering button.

Actually I think it sound better than before !!

Did you get the 2020 head unit to work on earlier year models?

[trueno86power]

Originally Posted by blazephantom

Did you get the 2020 head unit to work on earlier year models?

Yup, on my 2017 Toyota 86 it was plug and play and I didn't loose any functions. (backup, microphone, USB, steering wheels buttons etc...)

The only thing I've needed is the amp bypass otherwise the door speakers didn't work but I've made one with a metra harness pointed out in this thread.

Since they pretty much didn't change anything on the radio harness, it could be plug and play for FR-S/BRZ/86.

[blazephantom]

Originally Posted by trueno86power

Yup, on my 2017 Toyota 86 it was plug and play and I didn't loose any functions. (backup, microphone, USB, steering wheels buttons etc...)

The only thing I've needed is the amp bypass otherwise the door speakers didn't work but I've made one with a metra harness pointed out in this thread.

Since they pretty much didn't change anything on the radio harness, it could be plug and play for FR-S/BRZ/86.

You got instructions on how to make the bypass? And did you get the satellite radio working too as they only offered it in the 2020 86s.

[trueno86power]

The radio itself don't have a Sat option so I don't think it would work. Check this thread for how to do the harness you can't go wrong with the picture.

Originally Posted by MightySouvlaki

My 2017 BRZ was in the same situation. Factory HU and no sound at all from the door speakers.



Bypassing the amp was worth trying but a quick search for Toyota amp plug part number PT296-18191 shows it selling for an insane $75-$95!



I ordered a Metra 70-1761 harness plug from Amazon for only $5. All you need to do is connect the harness wires then plug it in and enjoy surprisingly decent sound.



Thanks to all the contributors for providing the information, pinouts and pictures to make this a quick, easy, good enough solution.

[trueno86power]

Hey guys, I have a great news. I was able to make the OEM amplifier work with the 2020 OEM headunit!

It's quite simple actually! You only need to feed the AMP wire on the radio harness with an accessory BUT you have to cut it off the connector that goes into the radio. Otherwise your fuse will blow. On this pin, the 2020 radio provide ground, so it short the fuse immediately.

The circuits are:

PIN 3 ACC1 (12V accessory, provide voltage on acc and on)
PIN 9 AMP (This wire need 12V to power on the amp)

On my 2017 Toyota 86, pin 3 was red and pin 9 was brown.

Don't forget to plug back your amp !

It sounds WAY better.

This should work on 2020 86 as well (mine is 2017) if someone can confirm me this trick worked a 2020 I'll make a DIY.

So why they didn't do this simple modification from factory ? My guess is they were rushed to provide and Android auto solution for the last model/year of the 86. They put what they had, didn't bother for the amp not working.

Some picture of my work. I've cutoff the brown wire put a shrink tube on it. Joined the ACC and Amp wire together, I've removed the pin from the connector, put a shrink tube on the joint and put back the pin in its place. A little piece of Tesa tape for the OEM look !

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by trueno86power

Hey guys, I have a great news. I was able to make the OEM amplifier work with the 2020 OEM headunit!

It's quite simple actually! You only need to feed the AMP wire on the radio harness with an accessory BUT you have to cut it off the connector that goes into the radio. Otherwise your fuse will blow. On this pin, the 2020 radio provide ground, so it short the fuse immediately.

The circuits are:

PIN 3 ACC1 (12V accessory, provide voltage on acc and on)
PIN 9 AMP (This wire need 12V to power on the amp)

On my 2017 Toyota 86, pin 3 was red and pin 9 was brown.

Don't forget to plug back your amp !

It sounds WAY better.

This should work on 2020 86 as well (mine is 2017) if someone can confirm me this trick worked a 2020 I'll make a DIY.

So why they didn't do this simple modification from factory ? My guess is they were rushed to provide and Android auto solution for the last model/year of the 86. They put what they had, didn't bother for the amp not working.

Some picture of my work. I've cutoff the brown wire put a shrink tube on it. Joined the ACC and Amp wire together, I've removed the pin from the connector, put a shrink tube on the joint and put back the pin in its place. A little piece of Tesa tape for the OEM look !

Whoever gave you the idea to do this must have been a genius.

[trueno86power]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

Whoever gave you the idea to do this must have been a genius.

Hahaha yeah you refreshed my mind !

I already did the same trick back in 2016 with my 2015 Scion FR-S that I've "converted" to Toyota. To complete the conversion I had installed a Corolla radio (same 200MM) but like the 2020 factory unit, it didn't power up the amp.

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show...t=94617&page=4

So when I've read your thread I said to my self "damn yeah, I'll just do what I did on my FR-S"

Thanks for refreshing my mind buddy

[Autoxer62]

Thanks for this thread, I've only been reading the Autocross section, but this weekend I was sitting in the car for a bit and realized the stereo sounds awful. So, I came over here looking for advice on new speakers, and ya'll tell me there's a mistake from the factory so the amp doesn't work? Not sure if I should be happy or not, but I'll take not having to tear the doors apart as a win!

[FR-S2GT86]

Originally Posted by trueno86power

Hahaha yeah you refreshed my mind !

I already did the same trick back in 2016 with my 2015 Scion FR-S that I've "converted" to Toyota. To complete the conversion I had installed a Corolla radio (same 200MM) but like the 2020 factory unit, it didn't power up the amp.

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/show...t=94617&page=4

So when I've read your thread I said to my self "damn yeah, I'll just do what I did on my FR-S"

Thanks for refreshing my mind buddy

Yeah, doing the same thing here with my FR-S turning it into a GT86 but went completely aftermarket with the stereo system instead so I didn’t really have to deal with any type of integration.

Now if only we can convince @Tcoat to try this out. I just can’t stand hearing him complaining about the shitty-sounding stereo in his Hakone edition anymore.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

Yeah, doing the same thing here with my FR-S turning it into a GT86 but went completely aftermarket with the stereo system instead so I didn’t really have to deal with any type of integration.

Now if only we can convince @Tcoat to try this out. I just can’t stand hearing him complaining about the shitty-sounding stereo in his Hakone edition anymore.

I will not be performing any trial and error experiments with my car.
Unlike so many I trust that the engineers at Toyota know what they are doing and if they decided to bypass the amp there is a reason for it beyond "they were told they didn't need it".
The old system had three sets of leads going out.
One for the rear speakers, one for the door speakers and one for the dash. The new set up only has two.
I do not want to find out what happens to the front speakers and tweeters when I hook them up to an amp that is not even supposed to be used.
Eventually I will either get used to it or will get fed up enough that I will pay somebody that knows what they are doing to put in a new one.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Autoxer62

Thanks for this thread, I've only been reading the Autocross section, but this weekend I was sitting in the car for a bit and realized the stereo sounds awful. So, I came over here looking for advice on new speakers, and ya'll tell me there's a mistake from the factory so the amp doesn't work? Not sure if I should be happy or not, but I'll take not having to tear the doors apart as a win!

It isn't a "mistake" they sent very clear instructions to bypass the amp out to the dealers.
If Trueno's method works I may give that a try but I will pass it by one of my sound guys first. Last thing I want is to blow something up.

[trueno86power]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

It isn't a "mistake" they sent very clear instructions to bypass the amp out to the dealers.

If Trueno's method works I may give that a try but I will pass it by one of my sound guys first. Last thing I want is to blow something up.

It did play fine all weekend long on my 86. I can't confirm that your 2020 is exactly wired as my car but my guess it they didn't change a thing...

I'm pretty sure they bypass the amp since they didn't want to hack the factory harness. They had a radio on the shelf that had the 200mm dimension, but was not design to work with the factory amp. And by not design I mean, it simply don't give a ignition 12v on 1 wire.

The radio is an afterthought, it's installed either at the dealership or at the port arrivals. It must be the simple and easiest way to make the door speakers work and that what they come up with, bypass the amp.

Things like that happens all the time in the automotive industries.

Btw, the amp only feeds the door speakers. None of the others speaker are linked to it. Well on my 2017 !