2017 Prius Head Unit

pearsall001
pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
in Car Audio & Electronics
Thinking about upgrading the head unit. Any suggestions.
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,985
    Need a bit more info.

    What trim level Prius is it? Prius Prime? Prius C? Prius V? Or just basic Prius?

    Also, does it have the premium sound? Like the JBL system? Does it have the Navigation system? Does it have the big LCD touchscreen?
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • skipshot12
    skipshot12 Posts: 1,972
    Are you staying with the stock speakers?
    What speakers are in there now?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
    It looks like it's a Prius Four with a lot of upgrades. I've attached a picture that has all the information on the car.
    They are the stock speakers & really haven't thought about upgrading them. Looks like a good possibility though.

    It was my sister's car that I inherited from her Estate. I like it better than my daily driver...2013 Scion XB


    Thanks for your help!1ten5csnixik.jpg
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • skipshot12
    skipshot12 Posts: 1,972
    Couldn’t read that attached window sticker.

    If just wanting a head unit and keeping the original speaker's I’d contact Crutchfield for a compatible unit.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
    Sorry about the pictures. It does have the JBL premium sound system. I attached 2 new pictures that hopefully are clearer
    I will give Chrutchfield a call & there are 2 local car shops that carry car audio. I'll also check them out.

    Thanks kmhv0n0yjm39.jpg
    h0my8bbzfik2.jpg
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,985
    You might be SOL, Phil.

    The JBL Premium Sound has a specific screen and some integrations that make replacing it difficult.

    If you can take a picture of the stock head unit, I'd know for sure.

    Or, you can give Crutchfield a call and they can work with you on the phone or, if you want an in-person experience, head over to Suburban Auto Radio over on the Pike in Oaklyn.

    http://www.suburbanradio.com/

    They will be just as helpful as Crutchfield and they can do the install for you too.

    But, I ran into this problem with the better three quarters Escape and I ended up keeping the Ford Sync head unit, upgrading the speakers and dropping in a new amplifier and she's been very pleased with it. I just gotta get the subwoofer sorted out still. If I can ever get time with the car when she doesn't need it. It'd be nice if she was willing to drive one of the other vehicles but, whatever.

    Anyway, let me know what I can do to help.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
    Hey John,

    How ya been... doing great I assume!

    I also dealt with Angelo over at Custom Factory, 1499 Hurfville Rd in Deptford. I'll swing by his place along with Suburban to see what they say. Worst case is I'll be saving some money 💰 💰 LOL!

    Here is a few pictures of the unit.4hspcraciayi.jpg
    sshmgzjqi15h.jpg
    5fzwbghz37jk.jpg
    xd87m1kp8920.jpg

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,985
    Yeah, I know Angelo too. The Greek mechanic I worked for was good friends with him. I wasn't sure if he was still in business, though. He knows his stuff too.

    But looking further into your situation, there, it looks like you have the premium stereo with Navigation. If there's no orange JBL badging anywhere then you should be able to get an aftermarket head unit for it.

    If you have JBL branding, it's going to be difficult and probably require a bunch of extra stuff to make something work.Im betting that if the JBL systems in the Prius are like the JBL systems in some Fords then there's amplifiers everywhere and that creates a signal path problem that will either need some fancy, expensive electronic chicanery to work or you'll have to bypass everything and wire the head unit amp directly to the speakers with new wiring. Lots of labor and probably almost as expensive.

    If you don't, it can still get expensive because there's an entire bezel around it that will have to be changed to adapt to whatever aftermarket setup you get. But it's not going to anywhere near as expensive as if you had the premium JBL system.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
    Yeah he's still in business. He's a character for sure. I don't see any orange JBL labeling on the unit so I'm assuming it will be an easier install.
    I'll give Crutchfield a call just to get there take on it & pay Angelo a visit to see what he says.

    Thanks for your help in steering me in the right direction.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,985
    Oh, the JBL branding would be obvious, on a speaker grille somewhere, like the center channel on the dashboard if it has one or one of the corner speakers up by the windshield.

    If you don't see any JBL branding anywhere in the car, it's just the "standard", "premium" stereo with navigation.

    From what I can tell, though, you should only need an adapter bezel that will fill in the gap around the aftermarket headunit that you replace the Toyota one with.

    However, if you want to retain steering wheel controls, you're likely going to need an adapter unit from, like, iDatalink or Axxess. Depending on the options, they can get pricy. Anywhere from about $65 to $300. That's in addition to the cost of the stereo.

    Angelo should be able to handle it, though. If you don't have the JBL branding, you could probably skip Crutchfield and go straight to Angelo. He'll be able to handle it.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
    There is no JBL branding logos on any of the speaker grills. I'll take it that the upgrade was the "Premium" & not the JBL upgrade.
    I'll pay Angelo a visit this week. He does excellent work & knows his stuff. He's got a boat load of trophies from his competitions.

    Thanks John again for all your help!

    Phil
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bcwsrt
    bcwsrt Posts: 2,411
    This place is amazing! 2017 Prius head unit expertise here, even. That is wild. Well done, @Jstas!

    Brian

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,985
    Honestly, I just went to Crutchfield to see what they said and figure out why they said it.

    Then I went and dug through places like the12volt.com for info and/or wiring diagrams to see what the differences are.

    While there wasn't much for a 2017 Prius specifically, the 4th Gen Prius spans 2015-2021 and I went and looked at what AV Infotainment options were available in 2017. Crutchfield's data is not 100% accurate either because they only list the Prius V and that was discontinued for 2017 in the U.S.

    So if you have a Prius IV, that's confusing as hell because the V is not actually a Prius 5, it's a Prius Versatile/Alpha/+ and the regular Prius has the 1, 2, 3 and 4 monikers. They also list the Prius C as a "Wagon" when you select it and look at the option and the C is not a wagon at all, it's a short wheel base hatchback and the C stands for City.

    So I went down a Prius rabbit hole trying to figure out what is actually sitting Phil's driveway and what it came equipped with. I thought the VIN would help but all it did was define the packages that were available on the different trim levels. Toyota had a tendency to make more options available for the same package on higher trim levels. I don't know if they still do it but it always was a pain trying to get the right part number for all the Toyotas we would get at The Greek's repair shop.

    Anyway, it's like Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker, with great power comes great responsibility. I knew I could help and since Phil's, quite literally, practically a neighbor I'm in a unique position to be of even more help than I normally could.

    Just trying to save a friend some time and money. My research took me maybe an hour because I know what I need to look for. Phil would probably still be looking or would have just gone to Suburban or over to see Angelo. At least now he can go relatively informed and knows what he's getting in to so things like sticker shock or lead times don't surprise him.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
    Hey John,

    I really appreciate the time you've devoted to this but I feel bad that you're spending this much time trying to figure this out.

    Reading your last post does indeed have my head spinning.Lol! Whatever happened to the good 'ole days when swapping out a head unit was not that big of a deal. I guess those days are long gone.

    It will be interesting to see what Angelo has to say. I'm wondering if a trip to my local Toyota dealer would be worth it? I'd probably have to make an appointment with them though.
    I'm now well prepared to not go into shock with pricing & possible wait times.
    Your research has been invaluable!! Thanks again!!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,985
    I'm not even worried about it, Phil, it's all good. I guess it seems like a lot of you're not used to it but I've been digging up hard to find parts and documentation for years. Especially since my newest vehicle is 8 years old and two of them have very specific parts on very limited production numbers.

    Besides that, I'm not BSing when I say I've had jobs doing installs so I know what is needed and what's possible.

    It certainly has gotten a lot more complicated than it used to be. Especially with all the integrations into the rest of the vehicle now.

    The question I ask anymore when people ask me about replacing a head unit is what is your goal? Do you want different/more features or do you just want better sound? For many people it's the desire to have access to something like navigation or Android Auto or Apple CarPlay in a vehicle that didn't come with the option. For that, yeah, new head unit or an auxiliary piece of equipment that integrates into stock stuff.

    If it's just better sound, that can usually be done with an aftermarket amplifier and new speakers and retaining all the stock infotainment features and integration.

    Don't bother going to Toyota, they can't do anything for you that won't cost a small fortune. Just go talk to Angelo, he's capable of getting you where you want to be.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
    Thanks again John! It looks like a trip to Angelo's shop is in order.
    I'll discuss speakers, outboard amps for sure. The GPS is a top of the list item...the current GPS simply sucks!
    I'm pretty happy with how the system sounds but I'm open to maybe making that switch depending on the pricing, I know things can get pricey real quick!

    Phil
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 7,541
    edited January 5
    Hey Phil, you might look into finding some kind of add-on adapter for Apple Carplay and/or Android Auto. Sometimes that can integrate with the stock head unit, and leverage the power of a smartphone for a better experience (especially navigation). I'm not sure if that is easy on your model Prius, but maybe check into the adapter from CarABC or similar. (https://www.amazon.com/CARabc-Wireless-Entune2-0-2014-2019-Highlander/dp/B0BB2V7DCR?th=1)
    Almost none of the cars in the last 10 years make it easy to replace the stock infotainment head unit. The infotainment unit usually integrates vehicle functions so it isn't something that a 3rd party electronics company can easily integrate over multiple brands.

    Here is a youtube install vid that shows it with a Prius similar to yours.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rQ6MpR57Gw
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pearsall001
    pearsall001 Posts: 5,293
    billbillw wrote: »
    Hey Phil, you might look into finding some kind of add-on adapter for Apple Carplay and/or Android Auto. Sometimes that can integrate with the stock head unit, and leverage the power of a smartphone for a better experience (especially navigation). I'm not sure if that is easy on your model Prius, but maybe check into the adapter from CarABC or similar. (https://www.amazon.com/CARabc-Wireless-Entune2-0-2014-2019-Highlander/dp/B0BB2V7DCR?th=1)
    Almost none of the cars in the last 10 years make it easy to replace the stock infotainment head unit. The infotainment unit usually integrates vehicle functions so it isn't something that a 3rd party electronics company can easily integrate over multiple brands.

    Here is a youtube install vid that shows it with a Prius similar to yours.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rQ6MpR57Gw

    Thanks for the great information! That video was actually my 2017 Prius. These guys make it look so easy...sheesh!
    I actually stopped at a stereo shop today & they recommended a JBL Legend 700 head unit. He said installs on a Prius including the one's with the premium JBL package are no issue at all.
    He quoted me $850. for the unit including installation. He said it could take up to 4hrs.

    I have a call into my other guy Angelo to set up a time to see what he has to offer.

    That video was great but I have zero interest in doing it myself. Too old for this sheet!!! Plus my arthritic knees would knock me on my butt if I attempted this. Not as flexible as I used to be. Lol!!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 7,541
    Yeah, I checked Crutchfield just now and it does look like many of the Double DIN units will work in that vehicle.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter