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2002 Prius 12V Accessory, Center Panel, and Tape Deck Questions

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by CptnDriveThru, Aug 22, 2014.

  1. CptnDriveThru

    CptnDriveThru Junior Member

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    Hey everyone, I joined up on here a little over a year ago when I got my 2002 Prius, but I haven't posted anything in a long time. The car's been running fine, but recently the tape deck decided to eat my tape adapter that I used for music and so now I've decided to take on a small side project to run a dedicated USB accessory port into the 12v line for my phone and a portable bluetooth speaker. I may eventually install a bluetooth-to-fm-modulated kit to make a hardwired bluetooth connection for streaming & phone calls, but one thing at a time.

    I'm going to mount the charger down in the pocket where the CD player would have gone if I had one. AutoZone and Walmart both had dedicated USB chargers that could be wired in with the standard +/- wires and flush-mounted to a surface, so I picked up one that has 2 USB ports and an extra 12v accessory port. A few questions:

    1. I should just be able to tap into the same wires going to the existing 12v/cig-ligher adapter, correct? If so, then it should cut power to that port when everything's off like the existing adapter, right? Besides basic electrical safety precautions, is there anything particular I need to consider?

    2. I'm able to get behind the area below the center panel to reach the cig lighter and "CD player" compartment. I've pulled the tabs out on the bottom panel and pulled away above the CD player pocket. Eventually I'd like to get the main "T-shaped" center panel off and replace the tape deck with another unit from eBay or a junkyard in case I trade/sell the car one day. Does anyone have or can point me to general instructions for removing the center panel? I haven't bought the shop manuals yet for the car.

    3. Alternatively, if I could just get the tape adapter out, I really wouldn't care about the deck working again, and I doubt whoever ends up with the car if I ever part with it will care that much either. Anyone else ever have a tape or tape adapter get completely stuck in the tape deck, and have tips for getting it out? I left the tape adapter in there in the heat by accident and I think it's completely shot now. Eject, play, and any other controls do nothing now. I've tried prying it up with a knife and pulling it away with needle-nose pliers but no joy.

    Thanks in advance for any help!
     
  2. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    You do not want to remove the Tranny shaped portion if you do that have to. It will always crack and crumble to pieces in your hands. That plastic is different than the rest of the dash. And the replacement part is several hundred dollars.

    There are threads somewhere here on Priuschat about that trim pieces.

    Sometimes temporarily removing power from the tape deck can help.
     
  3. primuspaul

    primuspaul Member

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    Yep, the center "T" portion will almost always crack to pieces. I'm not even sure it was designed to be removable. I examined the "clips" at the edges and they don't really seem to be removable, not easily anyway. The bottom piece holding the cig lighter comes out before the T portion, I believe, and that should be removable without issues. If you ever do need to take out the main center T portion, I would suggest cutting out out. At least then you have a clean cut section that you can glue back on with a flexible adhesive. Otherwise it will fall to pieces in numerous places (the worst places) as I have learned.
     
  4. CptnDriveThru

    CptnDriveThru Junior Member

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    Yeah, I've been able to get to the cig lighter portion just fine. I feel reasonably confident about getting the tap into the existing lighter to work. As for getting behind the T-shaped panel, yeah, I actually produced a few hairline cracks already trying to get to it, hence the questions about trying to get to it the proper way. I'm going to leave it alone for now.

    I went ahead and bought a bluetooth-to-fm-modulated kit from Best Buy called the iSimple Tranzit Blu HF. (TranzIt BLU HF) $145 got me the kit + installation, which I won't be able to have them do until Monday. I'm a little wary of having them do it, both from a standpoint of getting behind that center panel as well as wiring in the component to the 12v and the rear antenna connector on the radio. That said, everything's refundable so if after talking with the install techs I don't feel confident they can do it without screwing up the car or providing assurances for fixing any possible damage then I'll back out.
     
  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    As far as I can tell, it is possible to exaggerate how much of a pain the center finish panel is. If it is old and well-baked, it is more brittle than when it was new, but it is designed to be removable. The clips at the edges do not require very much force to release. Even where the Toyota manual suggests prying with a taped screwdriver, I found 'gently pop out with fingers' was enough (and probably less likely to crack anything than a screwdriver). I cracked mine on the first attempt because I wasn't paying enough attention to the manual and I forgot the two nuts under the hazard switch. I am pretty sure that if I had taken all the bolts and nuts out first, I would not have broken it.

    Anyway, if you do break it, it isn't "several hundred dollars", it's $164. And your new one won't be super-brittle (for some years anyway), and you'll be able to think about getting behind it when you want to without worrying about it.

    Good luck,
    -Chap
     
  6. CptnDriveThru

    CptnDriveThru Junior Member

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    Chap, thanks for the center panel info. I've seen your older posts on the DICE iPod integration kit where you mention getting behind the stereo by way of removing the glove compartment. This kit I'm having installed primarily just needs to be wired into the 12v system and connected between the FM antenna and existing radio. There's a control button and microphone that run from it, but those wires will just be hidden behind pillars, etc. Can the FM "antenna in" on the radio be reached from behind the glove box as well? Thanks.
     
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Pretty sure, yes. A longer reach because it's on the driver's side rear corner of the radio, but fairly unobstructed from the glove box side IIRC. Quite possibly easier than trying to reach it from the driver's side; pretty tightly packed on that side.

    -Chap
     
  8. CptnDriveThru

    CptnDriveThru Junior Member

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    So, I have an update on getting this Bluetooth component installed and having to remove the center panel. Despite the fact that I told the Best Buy tech that it was possible to get to the FM "ANT IN" on the back of the radio and the fact that I showed him where I had already made 2 small cracks trying to remove the panel myself, he attempted to remove it and it began to crack into pieces. It was very brittle. This was 2 days ago.

    The good news is, Best Buy agreed to replace the panel anyway at no additional charge. They ordered a new panel from the local dealership and we'll wait until it comes in before installing the component so that we can let the old one that's holding together by faith and friction fall apart as he removes it. I'm hoping it's here today as he was out yesterday. Hopefully this one can also be easily removed at a later date so that I can switch out the cassette player with an eBay unit.
     
  9. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Although I have joked about throwing a brittle Prius dash on an unsuspecting car audio guy just so I could get them to buy a new one, I never though someone would actually do it!
    It was almost mean of you to allow that newbie tech try to take the T part of the dash off.
    Poor guy!

    That is going on that tech's record as a lesson learned.
     
  10. CptnDriveThru

    CptnDriveThru Junior Member

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    Well, it wasn't my outright intention to get them to replace it, but I did decide to pay for their installation so I'd have some assurances. After all, I'd already cracked it myself. When I saw how badly it was cracked, I knew I'd need a new one so I asked him if they would and I specifically prefaced my request with, "I know I showed you where it was already cracked, but that's obviously a lot worse than it was, and it's just waiting to fall apart now". So in my conscience whatever gray area I felt was there because of my foreknowledge of the potential frangibility was put aside by my disclosure of the previous damage and the fact that I was paying him.

    He didn't really argue or act upset but he said he'd need to talk to his manager since it wasn't really a situation where he was just being careless. He said he had no way of knowing it was going to be that brittle aside from some notes from techs in other stores over the years mentioning it. He doesn't really seem like a newbie tech though.
     
  11. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    What I'm saying is that I can guarantee that every single Gen 1 Prius out there will have the exact same problem. (Unless the T portion has been recently replaced.)

    If they were smart they would have at least tried to go from the back, but even then, they may need to charge more than a standard installation fee, since that is not how it would usually be done on most cars.

    Either that or do like I do.

    I tell customers is that it will break and that they would need to buy the T portion of the dash if they want me to take it off.
     
  12. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Mine was replaced seven years ago when I broke it (but breaking it was my fault, I had missed two nuts that needed removed). I was able to get it out successfully this last August as shown in the video below. That doesn't necessarily mean it will work for one that's 13 or 14 years old, but I don't know whether technique might make a difference for anybody, so I put together a video of what worked for me.



    (In case the video embed feature in the forum software gives trouble, here's a direct link.)

    -Chap