After 17 years, the radio in my Tundra ain’t right. It’s pre-Bluetooth, so I have to attach my iPhone (or iPod, and yes I have one) thru the auxiliary port. Well, the dang radio will no longer switch to AUX, though everything else works. I suppose it’s time for a new radio, and I also suppose it’ll be one with a touch screen and Bluetooth. Any of you folks have done that on your Tundra? Any radio system to recommend?

Tundra, no, 2003 Tahoe, yes. I installed a Pioneer unit with wireless android & carplay with a hardwired backup camera summer of 2020 - still works great.

I would make sure it has carplay. It is nice to be able to use Waze from an iphone and see it on your truck screen.

Just get a new Tundra. The radio in it will work and you will have a 3 year warranty.

Not just CarPlay, but wireless CarPlay. You don't have to jack around with plugging your iPhone in first. And I would opt for a larger floating screen if you think you'll keep the truck at least a few more years. I would certainly opt for Pioneer, Alpine, Sony, or Kenwood or even JVC over all the lower end and generics units out there. And this is big one, spend the money on a proper installation at a good shop. I had a unit installed a few years ago using a guy that came to my house. He certainly knew what he was doing, but when something went wrong with the unit, I basically had to pay him double to troubleshoot and reinstall it.

I have the wireless car play in my truck and it's nice, much better than having to plug the phone in like you have to do in my wifes vehicle.

Yeah, I've got wireless in both my vehicles. My wife's requires plugging it in, and it sometimes there's a delay of getting it to connect even once it's plugged in.

And I like my Pioneer much better than my Sony. Even though I haven't owned the other brands I suggested, I'd probably go with Pioneer.

Type your truck info into crutchfield and see what available or call car toys

I bought this one to replace the Radio in my 2013 4x4 Tundra (it's one of the base crew cab models and not one of the SR models). We stayed with the factory speakers. I've replaced the radios in my Highlander, CRV and the Tundra and I have to say the Tundra sounds the best of the three. This one has Wireless Carplay which was a requirement. I didn't get the Situs XM module, so we lost that in the car. However, we just use the Sirius XM app in Carplay instead.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_130DMW4660/Pioneer-DMH-W4660NEX.html

I had to buy other stuff as well (wiring harness, dash kit, iDatalink Maestro RR Interface Module), but for the most part, it's pretty plug-n-play to do. If you go with Crutchfield, spend the extra $25 and use their wiring service. That way, when the wiring harness arrives, everything is already pre-wired and all you have to do is plug it into the radio and into the existing connectors in the car. I also replaced the backup camera because the one the dealer installed in the rear-view mirror sucked. You need the Maestro module, or something similar, to retain the steering wheel controls. Total cost a couple of years ago was just under 1K and it took me an afternoon to install. You could also go to Best buy and get something similar for about the same price and they will install it. Car Toys was similar, but they are also really expensive.

The biggest issue I ran into 2 years ago was finding a radio in stock anywhere. Hopefully the supply chain has improved since then.

I would replace the port myself. Probably cost less than 20 bucks.

It's 17, get a fitty dollar boom box and nail it to the dash yo!

Bluetooth fm transmitter. It’s what I use in my 1990s Land Cruiser. Think it cost $9 on Amazon.

603 my daughters radio on her tundra went out. They got one similar to this .
They sold the truck about 3 months after they put in the radio but it was working fine.

that would be a VERY expensive radio.

I would NOT get a cheap Chinese radio if you plan on keeping the vehicle. Espy said they had it a few months only, so great for them to kick the can down the road. Somebody else down the line will end it up changing it out. Cheap Chinese sh!t is unresponsive, slow, and will fail. I think everybody knows that.

I bought a house that came with a cat once.

I’ll have it professionally installed, and will go with a high end unit. That’s the plan anyway. The truck is a Limited, with the JBL audio, and it has sounded better than my BMW or the Lexus. Great radio system…was.

And if the engine blows up like quite a few have, you'll have a way bigger problem. I was looking at a 22 tundra until I learned they are having quite a few issues with the new v6. Wish they had just kept the tried and true v8.

Blow the auxiliary port out with some air.

Make sure your cord is good.

Get a new cord.


When that doesn’t work go to Cartoys, pick the one you want, drink coffee, pay, drive off.

I would go with a name brand with the biggest screen that doesn’t obstruct your other controls. Make sure the powder output is at least equal to what you have now.

Your speakers are 17 years old. Get a full system that is compatible. Those guys in theory know what works best. Just two more cups of coffee. What you have now is perfectly designed for that radio.

It isn’t the cord. The radio needs to be switched to AUX by pushing a button. The button no longer works, though all other buttons work.

I will go to Car Toys, or an alternate, and was thinking about new speakers too.

Update. I got in the Tundra this morning, started it up, grumbled out loud about the AUX problem, and the AUX lit up. Truck gremlin I suppose. Turned on the music from the iPod and off we went to town. Picked up the iPod to see who was singing the song, and AUX shut off. Put it down, wiggled the cord and AUX came back. So…once it’s playing, don’t touch it. You guys that suggested a new cord, you may have been right. Got to be the cord or the plug.

Now I don’t need a new radio (maybe), and I’m not sure if I’m happy or unhappy.

If you are having to rely on an iPod for your music, you probably should get a new head unit with CarPlay anyway.

You can also get the cassette tape with a cord you plug into your phone. That's what I had to do when I had a 2001 Sequoia and the CD player broke. I broke the eletric antenna off coyote hunting. The 21 Tundra is nice.