adler223

I'm frustrated. I've been told by various electronics places that you can't install XM in a lexus that has the Levinson/Nav. system. Any idea if there will be any progress on this?

LS007

The reason they are saying this is because theres no easy way to get preamp inputs to a Levinson Nav system. This doesn't mean you can't have XM radio in your ES. The easy, but less desirable way to get XM audio to your Levinson system would be using an FM modulator or a CD tape cassette adapter. Both lacking in sound quality limited by the FM radio or tape deck frequency response, dynamic range and signal to noise ratio. The tape cassette adapter being the better of the two. Besides the FM modualtor would need to connect to your stereo's antenna jack and Lexus does not use a standard plug that a XM radio could easily plug into.

Car audio installers are used to putting XM radios in cars with an external CD changer plug. Using a vehicle specific adapter with preamp input(s) they can take advantage of this direct audio connection to plug in a XM radio. Your Lexus Levinson system has no external CD changer jack and CD changer is wired directly to the stereo. This is why they told you it couldn't be done.

Manufactures like Blitz and www.Autotoys.com are looking into making adapters for Lexus, but I haven't seen any adapter for a Levinson system that will let you keep your CD changer and add preamp inputs.

jeremyp111

I've looked high and low for a Aux input adapter for my RX300 and I haven't found one yet that will help me out. I haven't seen any for the Levinson systems yet either. I have found one from Blitzsafe for the Pioneer and Nakamichi systems, but it won't allow me to use the CD changer so I'm stuck with the FM modulator for my sirius radio system. It still sounds good, better than FM by far. I have heard good things about the tape adapters as well, but I also hear that they can be temperamental too.

Good luck,

JP

lexusaudio

i think the blitzsafe adapter comes with a y type splitter so you can use a cd changer and an aux input at the same time. what i dont know is if the blitzsafe adapter works properly . tom es300 says that his cuts out every 7.5 seconds and is having trouble with sound of an mp3 player working through his cd changer port. so i dont thnk the blitzsafe adapter for lexus is perfected yet.

LS430inTX

I just bought a new 2003 LS430 Ultra Luxury model last month. (It has the Mark Levinson system) I wanted to install my Pioneer XM receiver from my old car into the LS430 via the FM modulator. After doing some lengthy investigation I have found (as have some of you) that Lexus has some non-standard antenna connection into the Radio. On another web site I read something that led me to believe that there may be antenna adapters available that would allow you to incorporate an FM modulator device into the factory system. Anyone know if such a device exists and where can I buy it? I contacted my local dealer. They haven't a clue. I contacted the Lexus Customer service number in California and only after it was obvious that I was getting very upset did the operator take down any information and promise to "check into it and call me back on Wednesday". I found something on Lexuspartstore.com that sugessted they had an antenna adapter so I called the two toll free numbers on that website. They were even more useless than Lexus and acted as if they didn't know they had a website (very strange experience-I won't be buying ANY parts from them ever) On a related note I have contacted Blitzsafe about using their "CD Changer" adapter and they said the '03s are entirely different from the '02s so their existing adapter will not work. I looked into the factory wiring diagrams for the '02 vs the '03 and they are identical so not sure what Blitzsafe is seeing that is so different.

Does anyone have any suggestions or point me in the right direction for a solution to this problem? (I do not want to use the cassette adapter so that's out) I can't believe that a car that costs this much would make it so difficult to add an aftermarket XM receiver especially if XM was not available from the factory. Not using something as simple as a common antenna connector seems asinine to me.

Since the '04 models will have XM available from the factory, the Lexus Customer Service operator is going to check into the possibility of retro-fitting the '04 XM receiver into the '03 models.

P.S. I also contacted Mark Levinson and they said to contact Lexus Customer Service that they would have any information about how to incorporate aftermarket devices into the Mark Levinson system.

jeremyp111

I just installed a Kenwood Sirius system into my 2000 RX300 using the FM modulator and I had to buy an antenna adapter for it. You can get these at any car audio place. I got mine from Tweeter.

Hope this helps.

JP

LS430inTX

jeremyp111,

Thanks for the suggestion. I called Tweeter's online - they didn't have a clue what an antenna adapter was but they did say that the local stores probably would. Since there are no Tweeters in San Antonio, I located several in Houston and called a few. Basically all said the same thing. They have no listing to fit an '03 LS430.

This gives further strength to my suspicion that the LS430 has a unique antenna connector (especially if you have the Mark Levinson system) that is different from any other Lexus or any other make for that matter. I am hoping that someone out there has the same problem and has found a solution and shares it on the forum.

I am very upset with Lexus for doing this....

jeremyp111

Yeah, I guess you're right about the adapter (or lack there of). The only way to get XM is to use the tape adapter or go with the Audiovox Sirius system that uses a wireless FM transmitter instead of using antenna wires. This works great from what I hear. Just as good as a FM modulator since it's still using FM frequencies. The other option is to have someone cut off the existing antenna plug and solder on a standard motorola plug so the antenna lead will fit into the FM modulator, then solder the stock plug onto the outlet of the FM modulator so it can fit into the Lexus HU. Obviously not the ideal situation, but soldering is very easy to do for any decent car audio place. I had to solder a new motorola plug onto the antenna on my boat this past summer because I ripped it off by accident when I was putting a new CD player into it. No difference in reception. Two simple solder connections and done.

You still have options. Just a matter of what is right for you.

JP


BTW, I LOVE Sirius! Go with the Dog! :P