whong6187

I would like to share my own experience on resolving my 2014 IS350 Audio Off issue. I hope it would help others.

2014 Lexus IS350 F-Sport (Production date 03/14) equipped with Mark Levinson amplifier part number 86280-0W690 – Canadian car in Toronto area.

Symptom: Audio Off

It started with intermittent Audio Off, audio could be turned back on with a few pushes of radio power on/off button. It got worse and worse, after a few months, sometimes audio could be turned back on in a few pushes of radio power on/off button, sometimes with a few dozen pushes on a “hit & miss” basis. Once in a while, audio turned on automatically when car started.

Troubleshooting & Observation:

· Radio displayed Audio Off automatically after about 25 seconds after manually turned on. This can be timed by looking at the red LED light on the panel just below the radio.

· ML amplifier at rear of trunk red LED flashes once every 5 second.

· Service Menu Failure Diagnosis (turn car on, while depress “Menu” button, turn headlight on/off three times) shows “1 :AMP NCON”.

· If audio is working (hit & miss basis), ML amplifier LED is solid red, Service Menu Failure Diagnosis shows “1 :AMP OK”. Audio can be turned off/on by pressing the radio power button, it functions normally.

· Disconnected battery, reseat 10A radio fuse, reseat 2x 30A AMP fuses didn’t help to resolve problem.

· If power cable to ML amplifier is disconnected, or 2x 30A AMP fuses removed, radio didn’t automatically turned off, red LED on panel below radio was solid green. Of course, without the ML amplifier, there was no audio in the car.

· The thought was either the head unit, the ML amplifier, or the wires in between is bad. If audio works intermittently, then it shouldn’t be wiring problem. If audio doesn’t turn off automatically when ML amplifier had no power, then most likely the issue is with the ML amplifier.

· I opened up the ML amplifier, there is no visual sign of component failure.

The fix:

· Paid $175 and had the car checked by a Lexus dealer. While not 100% absolutely sure… they recommended ML amplifier replacement, cost of refurbished ML amplifier is CAD$1500 plus installation service for a total of over $1.8K. All software is up to date.

· Contacted Lexus Canada with issue description and cost of repair asking if they could be of any help. To make the story short, I’m on my own to fix the problem.

· I searched the internet for a Lexus authorized ML amplifier repair center in Canada, NONE. United Radio in the USA is my only option if I want to have my ML amplifier repaired at a cost of around CAD$750 plus cross border shipping charges.

· Found a used 86280-0W691 at a junk yard auto part for CAD$500 (mine is 86280-0W690)

· From www.lexuspartnow.com: ML amplifier 86280-0690 fits IS350 with production date from 04/2013 to 07/2014. ML amplifier 86280-0W691 fits IS350 with production date from 07/2014 to 08/2015. Please note that 86280-0691 also fits IS350 Y2015 to Y2017.

· I searched the internet for ML amplifier 86280-0W690 & 86280-0W691 compatibility, no information.

· I contacted the Lexus dealer where I got my car checked and asked for 86280-0W690 and 86280-0W691 compatibility, their response was they are NOT compatible.

· I also emailed www.lexuspartnow.com and asked for same, their response was also NOT compatible.
Purchased the used 86280-0W691 with 90-day warranty, if returned, restocking charge is 20%. Worst case scenario is I pay $100 to test for 86280-0W690 and 86280-0W691 compatibility. Fortunately, 86280-0W691 works fine for about 2 weeks now.

Sasnuke

Thanks for sharing the info...it will definitely come in handy for those with ML amp failures.

The only thing of note is that usually when you see the last digit of a Toyota part number go from "0" to "1", it usually means the part has been updated.
I say "usually" as typically that is the case, but not always.
I'd be a little surprised here is the "91" wasn't and update to the "90". I know the dealer you contacted said it wasn't compatible, but clearly that is not the case.
Even some only parts sites say the "91" will fit from 2014+ with the Premium Audio.

Gekko

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-...pair-tech.html

Robinson22

2015 IS 350 FSPORT
Hey guys, Im not looking to repair my amp however, the amp stopped worrking after the repair. I finally got my Insurance to cover it. Thank God,
Problem is hes the big guy who took over the situation is telling me that the part number for my amp was wrong and hes got 6 dealers looking for the amp. Can you tell me where I can send him to get this amp? My car has been without sound for over a month. Im going crazy.

Thanks so much

Illz

This same issue happened to me this weekend, after replacing my head unit at the dealer last November - $2500 CAD smh. Now my amp is dead. Same symptoms as everyone else and i'm getting intermittent audio - the static then cuts out. Happened out of nowhere randomly. I was driving, everything was fine and then I hit a bump at high speed and audio cut off, no sound, no volume control. I didn't notice the static sound at first because of the bump I guess, then yesterday when the audio came back I heard the static sound and intermittent audio. Talk about getting kicked when you're down lol.

BUT I found a place in Mississauga that can do the repair!
They were also able to repair the head unit (I had the constant reboot issue) but they needed a new nav card from the dealer ($250) which I wasn't able to get due to covid, they said they couldn't find one in the whole of North America at the time. After 10 months of no radio or bluetooth calls I totally got fed up and took at the $2500 L. At least it's under warranty til Nov 2023...

anyways, I hope this helps anyone in the area.

DANMAX ELECTRONICS
(905) 673-0090

2311 Anson Dr., Unit B
Mississauga,
Ontario
L5S 1G1,
Canada
http://dev.am.ca/dm11/index.html

You can ship to them. I am removing my amp this morning and bringing it to them. You can also ship. I got quoted $350-$550 CAD. I guess depending on the level of work that must be done.

If you look on their site they specifically list the ML amp as one of the problem items they fix and have experience with.

Hope this helps anyone! I will update with my findings, fingers crossed. NO chance in hell I'm dropping another $1500+ at the dealer after replacing the head unit.

Illz

So update to this, it's going to cost $600 CAD and i'll have it back in a few days. Originally quoted 350-550 CAD but it looks like there is a lot of "corrosion on the board"

Sucks to eat this but it's better than the absurd cost of a new one.

I guess if anyone has the ***** to work on theirs themselves the first thing to do would be to look for corrosion on the board, I had no water damage or leakage as far as I could tell so it might just be natural from being exposed to wildly fluctuating temps that we've been getting here.

I'll post a final update when I have it back in the trunk plugged in and operational after a week or so.

nitroracer

Should prob fix those links.

Painkillz

It’s very easy for dealers to say” it’s incompatible” because they don’t want to take ownership of any issue arising in the future.

i have a 2014 is 350 F sport with ML amplifier. First year the amplifier was clumsy with intermittent sound and sometimes it will never start for weeks.

This issue happened after I had an accident in the back of my car, a 20kg sand bag “that was holding a rent Ad” fell from top of the building directly on my car, landlord took full ownership to fix my car at an AA Garage. And that’s where all the issues started.

Since I’m an audiophile I wanted to purchase a ML amplifier but unfortunately I couldn’t find in the scrapyard, so I resorted to a Toyota Camry amplifier that costed me $150, the seller told me that he’ll install it and I get to test it before purchasing if I’m satisfied. I was shocked the level of details on those Camry amps, it was a basic Amp. I throw in a Blu-ray Disc and I was able to hear all surround sound at vol lvl 58, because bass distorts after that I’m sure you all know that.
now after few months I faced the same issue, after long investigation I found the root cause of the issue, it was caused by the pressure shaft flaps to the right side of the amp, when the was sent for repair this flipper was overlooked, and so it didn’t open and close properly as it was damaged during the sandbag incident. So basically when I drove the car in rain ponds, water leaked through the flaps into the amplifier, and that’s how I lost both ML amp and the Camry amp. I’m going for another hunt for a Camry amp again. I hope this story helps 🙂