How to use OEM XM Radio antenna

January 4, 2010 1:17 PM

Where is the antenna hookup on a 2010 Toyota Corolla for an XM RADIO?

Have this radio I took out of my old business car and want to put in the new one, but want to hook the antenna up to the one that is built into the car. Where is the plug? The dealer wants an absurd price to plug it in, there has to be an easy way. I have antennas, docking station and power plugs and have installed several times before, just not into the OEM antenna supplied. Also, is there a way to use the radio I have and control it from the internal radio?

posted by ~Sushma~ to technology (2 answers total)

Those connections are usually in the back of the headunit where the rest of the wiring hooks up. When installing Sat Radio, you usually have to take the factory headunit out of the console and plug your aftermarket connector into the empty spot on your stock radio.
posted by Jon-o at 2:14 PM on January 4, 2010

It looks like you have a discrete (not headunit) unit for your radio. I have an old XM Roadie and a Toyota Matrix. I had to buy a converter (this one - which is discontinuned. But There are other, newer Auxiliary Interface units youthat should be able to install. ) and installed it myself. It was pretty easy: I unhooked the battery, removed the trim around the radio, and pulled it out. Following the instructions that came with the converter, I hooked in the cord to the converter box and snaked it down the passenger side where I tucked the box itself. Then I ran two AV cords from the box to the XM box and for my ipod. I put the radio back in and trim back on. I rehooked up the battery, and it all worked.

It still works almost 4 years later, but there's more visible cords than some folks like (to the ipod and to the xm radio)

Unless your existing car radio is already set up for satellite radio, you'll have to continue using your old radio which will just direct the sound through the radio.

If your car is set up for sat radio, then you will need a diferent converter.
posted by julen at 6:32 PM on January 4, 2010