OEM Audio+ Install

Finally got around to installing my OEM Audio+ system on Saturday. I received the system back in February, but had rotator cuff surgery a couple of days later, so have been rehabbing. The system I bought was the Reference 500Q, which can be seen here:

https://oemaudioplus.com/toyota/tcm/

Overall, the install process wasn't too bad, although I have to be honest and ding OEM for their documentation. The video they have available goes way too fast, with not enough detail, and the .pdf is dated, having been created in 2016. An earlier review here:

https://www.tundras.com/threads/i-u...hare-my-input-and-feedback.5500/#post-1250697

mentions that the documentation needed work back then (2016), so they should step up and get it done. However, Daniel from OEM could not have been better, in terms of walking me through the install, via timely responses to my FB Messenger posts, and a couple of phone calls. I was sharing pics of what I was seeing, and he got me to the end, with more than a bit of patience. Would clearer documentation reduce the need for the calls? I think so, but at least Daniel was there for me on a Saturday afternoon.

The install itself was fairly straightforward; I had already taken the door panels off a few weeks ago, to install sound deadening, so there was no learning curve there. I pulled all the seats out, except the driver's, just so I had easier access to everything. The only thing that broke was one of the retaining tabs on the passenger side dash panel. It went back in just fine, but if it rattles down the road, I'll figure out a way to pull the broken tab out, and simply replace the panel. As the OP of the earlier thread mentioned, getting the pins pulled out of the connectors on the dash tweeters, so they can be used again, was a bit of a pain, but I managed, while using a pick and a small jewelers screwdriver. And also, as the earlier thread mentioned, cutting the nipple on the firewall pass through was a real PITA; probably the worst part of the project. Why Toyota placed the nipple at the bottom of the rubber boot, under the cable bundle, and behind all the metal tubing, is beyond me. Thank goodness my wife, with much smaller hands than me, was able to lay out in the engine bay and cut the nipple. I think another way to do this might be to drill the nipple from inside the cab, but not sure how drilling rubber would work. The rest of the install steps were pretty much plug and play.

The sound itself, after I hooked up the negative to the battery and dropped the fuses in, was even better than I expected. I've included a short video clip:



I still have to figure out where to place that gain control you can see me fiddling with, but I slapped the seats back in and am very happy with my purchase and install.