jakob27990

Hi Guys,

I recently acquired my first Lexus, a 1996 LS 400 and so far I love it! I'm having an issue the the Nakamichi stereo, where sometimes the left speakers don't work. It's Completely random and usually just power cycling the stereo temporary fixes the issue. The amp went on me (started cutting in and out with a loud pop sound) about a month ago and I replaced it with a used one off eBay. It's still doing the same thing unfortunately. I was hoping it was an amp problem. I called a few local Car Stereo Repair Shops and they are all saying different things. One guy said its probably the head unit, another guy said its the amp and they are recommending I just replace and rewire the entire stereo system, and in that case I will live with only right side speakers. I read something online about an equalization unit?? I have no idea what or where it is located and have no idea if that's what is causing my problem.

Have any of you guys experienced this before? Is this a common problem? How should I go about correcting it?
Thanks!

LeX2K

Both left side speakers go out? If so and the amp was replaced that would point to the head unit but not a definitive diagnosis.

jakob27990

From what I can tell, it's the front and back door speakers as well as the little one on the cornor in the front. Amp was replaced. Is there such thing as an equalization unit?

bornking

It's a known issue for the right channels...I guess you discovered it with the left ones.
Issue is with the deck itself.
Send it to factoryradioservice in cucamonga california as he is one of the few who work on Nakamichis...

jakob27990

I'm from Ontario Canada so California is no good to me...i'm not sure its worth sending out for repair. I might just have to live with left channel not working sometimes. I don't feel like putting the money out and replacing the entire system. If I see one on eBay for a decent price ill pick it up.

It's unfortunate replacement parts are hard to find, and the fact that nobody around fixes them. It's a pretty good sounding stereo in my opinion.

Thanks for your Help!

Kansas

The owner of factory radio service told me in 2013 that he stopped repairing Nakamichi due to the lack of the replacement parts. That was shortly after he installed a 3.5 aux-in on the back of my Nakamichi head unit. A channel problem had been fixed in around 2007 by a Florida company by resoldering the balance control on the head unit.but they quite repairing Nakamichi shortly after that.

I've yet to see a channel issue in a 95-up LS400 Nakamichi system caused by something other than problem in the head unit.

bornking

Factory Radio is servicing my Nak right now for the channel issue

RA40

iTrader: (6)

Good to know they are still able to repair them. I had been under the thoght that if the unit fails I'd install and aftermarket system. The Nak does sound good though.

Kansas

Great! Let us know if he is able to fix it and what the the cause of the channel failure was. I've got the 2000 Nak head unit that has the right channel out in a storage room. I was going to give it to someone on this forum to "play" with and to see how the 3.5mm aux-in was installed by Factory Radio but I couldn't find it for a year or so and I forgot who wanted it. I almost put it in the trash bin when I finally found it but hated to do that.

bornking

2000 LS400 @ 206,000km
Ok I went through hell but I got my Nakamichis back (plural).
I sent my original to factory radio service in Rancho Cucamonga California as the right channels cut out often.
It already had an aux installed by the same place previously.
But the nakamichi was damaged in shipping (small, triangular break (might not be all the way through) of the face/fascia top left portion).
So I got another nakamichi (compatible...e.g. 1999) and sent that to factory radio service to have an aux installed (that one didn't have the issue of the channels cutting out).
Had them fix my old one too, (but the break is just taped, not addressed...just the channel cut out was addressed).
Now I have both in my hands...
I have to say that these decks sound GREAT!
Factory radio service was nice enough to send me a few right angle audio cables and I installed one of the decks and it's great.
I guess I have an extra one in case this one (the 1999) has the channel cut out issue and I have to send that out.

Wild world.

jakob27990

To me its not worth overhauling the entire system, I think the stock nak sounds fantastic. I'm going to look into sending mine out. Usually just power cycling the head unit fixes the problem first or second try. I can live with that!

bornking

I didn't overhaul anything. Original nak. just added aux.