We brought the touch back to Lexus IS250 - Touch screen restoration.
Hi all.
This is one of those jobs something we don't advertise as our speciality, yet totally keepable task to be done.
Although Lexus has been following footsteps of European prestige vehicles, that making a car with trim of without any sort of audio infotainment and completely leave it as optional feature. Especially early models of IS and ES lineups, that there was option between standard basic audio system and 7" Touch infotainment system which was marked around $3500 of upgrade.
Yet come to think of it, It had touch screen, cololr audio display and system to keepable of playing DVD / music and also rear camera compatibility - It might have seemed as a worth upgrade.
The slight problem is - that is not just dedicated to Leuxs but most of car with touch screen - that Touch screen's life expectancy isn't same as car's engine.
In fact, the touch screen's standard life span is about 5 to 7 years on standard usage. Probably less than that if the climate changes frequently - just like Melbourne weather.
Which leads up to to a 2006 build Lexus IS250 visit our shop, looking for any sort of fix.
Frankly speaking, compare to numbers of installing GPS / camera / DVD system, genuine audio fix is what we don't normally do. (Although we do fair number of fixing Colorado's MyLink system and Jeep's UConnect 8.4)
Yet we do know how the audio system works with touch function and It seemed totally doable.
Along with help of our supplier from Japan, we were able to order an OEM 7.2" Touch panel designed for Lexus and JDM toyota vehicles.
Although took it fair bit of time to be reached to us due to It was shipped 2 days for NYE,
still arrived without any sort of damage and we carried on after customer brought the car in from his New years break.
*Our advice :
Touch Screen restoration is definitely not something recommended for DIY.
It requires proper tool and skillset, It's something that even Audio technicians makes mistakes while doing it. You have to let approved and profeesional technician to take it from disassemble to the restoration.
The installation involves with pulling out audio headunit from the car, including disconnecting all those connectors.
Fun part is that this headunit is just monitor difference to other similar units from Japanese vehicles, such as Honda Accord Euro CL9's Luxury Nav audio that was sold within Australia back in 2004 to 2007. Also is same unit as JDM Toyota Crown S180's head unit.
Once the headunit has been removed from the car, obviously it has to be disassembled again to separate monitor from the headunit.
This is the after Audio headunit has been disassembled into 3 pieces: - Monitor control facia
- main head unit
- Monitor Display
Apart from the monitor display, the rest 2 aren't relevant for fix - yet careful handling is always required and we did so.
As you can see, the monitor has been disassembled into facia and actual display - which will also required to the 'display' to be pulled out from the frame.
Again, this isn't the job that is DIY standard, It may look easy so far by just pulling out and removing bolts, after it is far more complicated.
Once the frame is removed and you will be able to separate the display to see its PCB board and film cables.
PCB board is something very sensitive that using connecting electrical device / screw driver on board itself can seriously go wrong.
Once PCB board cover is gone, you will be able to see the small film connector, that connected between actual touch panel and connector.
All we had to do was replacing the touch panel with new OEM touch panel, and seal it properly.
Once It was done, simply reassemble the whole parts and put it back to the car.
After replacement was done, car's audio system finally proceed from it's alert message mode and was able to access car's audio menu, and the most important part, its GPS Navigation mode - which customer was dying to have it back. - was working fine and receiving proper touch pressure.
Not totally sure with vehicles other than Lexus IS 250, but all those touch panels gets installed and works similar.
If you ever get into this kind of trouble end up not able to use the audio system - replacing it to newer one (whether genuine or aftermarket) headunit will be good.
But yet, If you reckon the audio system still has some few shots left in it - now you will know who to call ;)
Us, Naviplus provides not just Car audio accessories and installation, but also we provide Car electrical scanning / coding for European Prestige - such as Audi , BMW , Benz and Porsche.
Not to mention providing quite a few range of audio restoration - as proven in this post.
Thank you for reading and hope you have a great coming February!
