DIY - Converting a 2nd gen Yaris to the best part of a 3rd gen (Steering wheel audio)

[CTScott]

After driving my Subaru Crosstrek so much this winter I found that I really missed the audio controls and handsfree phone connectivity, so I decided to upgrade my 2009 Yaris with those features from a 3rd gen Yaris.

I purchased a 2013 Yaris headunit from someone on here and also got the microphone assembly from him as well. I then purchased a 2012 Yaris Hybrid steering wheel and airbag from a person in Lithuania. I went with the European
Yaris Hybrid steering wheel because it also included the phone controls (which the US 3rd gen steering wheels lacked). I also purchased a 2012 clockspring from a junkyard to upgrade mine to one with the extra wires required to have audio controls as well as cruise control. The final item I needed was an antenna adapter (off ebay) to adapt my antenna plug to the newer style of the 3rd gen headunit.

The hardest part of the install was figuring out where to put the rather large microphone assembly. After a bit of head scratching I realized that the perfect place was to the right of the steering wheel, where the push to start switch mounts on so equipped European and Japanese market cars. I just so happen to have a bunch of the trim pieces with the hole for the switch, so I glued a piece of speaker mesh over the hole and stuck the mic behind it.

The wiring changes are relatively simple.

Head unit wiring for the mic (brown, white, black and red on top) and steering wheel controls (blue, pink and red on the bottom):



Mic wiring:


Clock spring wiring for audio contols (red, pink and blue on the right):



Here's the mic mounted behind a push to start trim piece (I have loads of them on hand if someone else wants to do the same):


3rd gen clock spring with lots more wires running through the clock spring (but same connectors as the 2nd gen):


2012 European Yaris Hybrid Steering wheel and clock spring mounted:


2013 US Yaris headunit: