jonathancl

eBay is full of salvaged Radios that range in price from $250 to $2k (some new units are $11k+).
Listings often say the radios are compatible with 2013-2015 models, but that is not the case.

2013-2014 radios appear to be interchangeable (see my results below) with all the same plugs.
2013-2014 ML and non-ML radios appear to be interchangeable with no changes in audio quality, appears to be only a logo difference.
2014 radios have Siri Eyes Free and may have more recent maps.
2015 radios have different plugs: 2015s have a light green plug where the 2013-2014s have a smaller light blue plug, and two antenna plugs are different.

Radio Plug Image Album - eBay links below will stop working, so I snagged these for reference

Non-Mark Levinson Radio Models:
2013
DVZ-0118zt (Toyota Part 86130-30090-1)
NXH-9718zt (Toyota Part 86130-30100) mfg Dec 2011
NXH-9718zt (Toyota Part 86130-30100-1)
NXH-9718zt02 (Toyota Part 86130-30101) mfg Aug 2012
NXH-9718zt03 (Toyota Part 86130-30102) mfg July 2013
2014
NXH-9718zt0k (Toyota Part 86130-30B10) mfg June 2014 (works perfectly in my 2013 Luxury+ML)

Mark Levinson Radio Models:
2013
NXH-9918zt02 (Toyota Part 86130-30111) mfg Sept 2012 (originally in my 2013 Luxury+ML)
2014
NXH-9918zt03 (Toyota Part 86130-30112) mfg July 2013
NXH-9918zt0k (Toyota Part 86130-30B20) mfg July 2014

2015 (have a new plug):
NXF-9738zt (Toyota Part 86130-30600) mfg Oct 2014 - light green plug in back (maybe to accommodate microSD card interface), antenna plugs are also different

This is all stemming from the thread the other day about potentially extracting the hard drive data and backing it up or replacing it with an SSD.
The hard drives are 100GB Toshibas locked using ATA Security, which requires a 32 character key that is not known, so no one has examined the contents or created a backup.

Questions:
Are hard drives and configs interchangeable? Probably not without specific knowledge.
Could you take a drive from a 2014 radio and stick it in a 2013 radio and gain Siri Eyes Free? Twylie below reports this is not possible.
Could you put a 2015+ Hard Drive in a 2013-2014 Radio and gain full functionality? I suspect this is not possible either given Twylie's testing.

jonathancl

I'm bumping my own thread because I just did a successful experiment and learned the following:

Mark Levinson and Regular radios are interchangeable (at least for 2013-2014 versions).
You can add Siri Eyes Free to a 2013 GS350 using a 2014 radio.

I had an NXH-9919zt02 in my 2013 Luxury+ML.
I bought an NXH-9718zt0k on eBay for $350, which is the latest 2014 Radio I have found.
It plugged right in, pulled my car settings (sunroof, doorlocks, lights, etc.), and gave me new features.
Now I have newer maps and Siri Eyes Free!!

I tested back to back with a variety of music and could discern no difference in fidelity, quality, or volume between the ML radio and regular radio.
The 2014 Radio doesn't have the Mark Levinson logo on it, but the logo has no effect on the sound.

ARISTOh

iTrader: (3)

This is great information... I have a 2013 Luxury - Non ML; I'd love to see if the newer radio would work so we could have the full screen map feature. I don't think I'd use Siri personally but nice feature to have. Full Map & Full Movies would be definitely worth it

twylie

iTrader: (3)

Great info and thank you for following up with this info. I've got a 2013 Lux w/ ML and would love to be able to add Siri eyes free by just swapping out the head unit. Will be keeping an eye on ebay. Also interesting, but makes sense that the ML is just speakers and amp, not anything different in the HU.

Longevite1

I would like to try swap out for the '15 head unit.

yardie876

This is phenomenal news. Someone try it out with a MY15/16 head unit now!

jonathancl

See the image album above: the 2015 radios have several different plugs and will not be easily interchangeable.

jonathancl

2014 Radios don't have full screen maps, so we still need to work out the 2015+ radio plug differences.

twylie

iTrader: (3)

Thanks again to OP for the info on compatibility of the early head units. I found a non-ML 2014 unit (NXH-9918zt0k) and installed it into my 2013 w/ ML.

At OP's suggestion, I first tried swapping just the newer hard drive into my 2013 unit to see if that was an option to keep the ML faceplate. Unfortunately, the new hard drive in the old unit threw a "can't read data, see dealer" error, so I had to swap the entire unit. Everything was plug and play switching in the new unit. I will have to swap over my Sat radio account and redo a bunch of settings, presets, etc. but Siri eyes free worked first shot after the initial reboot.

LexusGSFGO

Anyone have instructions or advise as to which dash parts need to be removed in order to install a new radio head unit?

eddie420

It's quite simple. I've done it several times. Here is a good step-by-step.

You Tube

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

Whats different between the 2014 maps vs 2013?
Also does the climate control numbers scroll up/down?

jonathancl

I found no difference in interface between the 2013 and 2014 radios. As far as I can tell, Siri Eyes Free was the only change.

Also: I sold my 2013 Radio for $280, so that was a pretty solid upgrade all told.

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

I guess 2015 was when they started with the scrolling temperature on the climate control.
What version were the maps on the 2014? Looks like a 2 year difference since the 2013 was made in 2012.

jonathancl

The maps were the factory radio maps.
No one updates the GPS maps anymore...because it's too expensive, and our phones are way better.