New Yaris Dab Option

[Fusion400]

Hi all,

I've just placed an order for a shiny new Yaris D4D so thought i should do a bit of research into what it is that i'm actually buying (probably a bit late now though )

Anyway, i added the full DAB option when i placed the order and now i'm concerned that it may not be as nice as the standard Toyota Touch stereo......

Does anyone here have any experience of the full DAB unit, or even a manual that i could have a look at and compare the functions to the Touch unit I would be very grateful.

[Lustral]

Hi all,

I've just placed an order for a shiny new Yaris D4D so thought i should do a bit of research into what it is that i'm actually buying (probably a bit late now though )

Anyway, i added the full DAB option when i placed the order and now i'm concerned that it may not be as nice as the standard Toyota Touch stereo......

Does anyone here have any experience of the full DAB unit, or even a manual that i could have a look at and compare the functions to the Touch unit I would be very grateful.

The DAB option is just extra options within the Touch system it will have the extra menu called DABS. Other than that it will be exactly the same as the functions of the Touch System

[Fusion400]

Thanks for your reply, the configurator on the internet does show two different options for DAB, one is an add on and the other is a fully integrated head unit.....

[buklau111]

Ive got the DAB on the Auris. Makes no difference so pretty much a waste of money.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Ive got the DAB on the Auris. Makes no difference so pretty much a waste of money.

Most of the first generation Auris head units were DAB-ready - meaning that they can receive DAB broadcasts when the optional DAB tuner is also installed. For example most have a button marked AM-DAB which will do nothing unless a DAB tuner (an option) is present.

[Devon Aygo]

The original and more expensive DAB on current Yaris is an additional unit fitted behind the dash which interfaces with the standard fit Touch head unit and is controlled fully via the touch screen. see: http://www.toyota-tech.eu/aimuploads/%7B9943BE30-F5C5-6ACD-0E07-03CB0833F5C5%7D/Yaris_DAB_RHD_PZ473_T0210_A0_AIM_002_028_0.pdf

You may want to check with your dealer though as Toyota have just introduced a lower cost DAB option that works on FM via the cars antenna input and is operated via a remote control.

[Fusion400]

thanks to all for your input, and I appreciate the dab add-on kit is just the unit that connects to the touch head unit. However, the catalogue and internet show a seperate dab head unit in addition to the add-on.....

[FROSTYBALLS]

Be aware that the DAB switchover has been delayed indefinitely: http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/154484-dab-radio-switchover-postponed-indefinitely/

[buklau111]

Ive got the DAB on the Auris. Makes no difference so pretty much a waste of money.

Most of the first generation Auris head units were DAB-ready - meaning that they can receive DAB broadcasts when the optional DAB tuner is also installed. For example most have a button marked AM-DAB which will do nothing unless a DAB tuner (an option) is present.

Ah, I see. Is there anyway to test if the vehicle has this DAB tuner? Because I don't see the difference between the Auris's radio and any other car.

[FROSTYBALLS]

If when pressed the AM-DAB button switches from AM to DAB, a tuner has been installed. If the head unit stays on AM, there isn't a DAB tuner installed.

Bit like the bluetooth button in the other topic you've posted on tonight.

[buklau111]

Okay thanks!

[orangezorki]

I had the DAB fitted before I got my Yaris as well, and have these observations:

1. It is hideously overpriced. No way round that really - for comparison, on a luxury car I bought in 2009, an upgrade including DAB, iPod connection, 6CD changer, and an awesome B&W amplifier and Speakers only cost a few times the price. Having said all that...

2. It is well integrated - shows up in the menu like it was always there. Software isn't perfect though, as it is a pain browsing stations that you haven't saved, and if you change the station when on another screen, it doesn't pop up a message at the top like it does when you change a CD track etc.

3. The antenna is tiny - I was expecting something at least twice the size. No worries here about visibility or the car looking like you have a motorised radio telescope. Reception (in inner and outer London) has been perfect too.

4. Don't expect a massive improvement in sound quality. AAA stations are a little better, but the stereo is sadly the bare minimum they could get away with. Not that it is unlistenable, but coming from the ultra-luxe Suzuki swift (hmm...), they could have done much better with 6 Speakers. And more niche stations (e.g. Absolute80s) are such low bitrate that you wouldn't get the best out of a potato.

Ultimately, if you want stations that aren't on FM, there is no better solution, but it's far from a must-have.

David

[Berisford]

I was disappointed to find that my new Yaris Icon+ didn't have DAB, I'd got it into my head that it was standard (the test drive vehicle had it fitted....) but I did have a play with the DAB radio during a Auris test drive and found it less than intuitive to operate.

However, my listening is almost always Radio2 or Radio4 so I don't actually need DAB. I'm more concerned that the Toyota Touch turns out be a bit of a con, it promises much bit gives so very little with its many shortcomings and the lack of DAB (which, lets face it, would add just a few ££'s to the cost) just compounds that opinion.

[ArkAngel32]

I'm fuming with toyota after DAB was fitted to my Yaris hybrid on Monday.

I had a 2013 Yaris which had DAB fitted at the factory, little ariel that was well hidden down the side of the screen and full integration with the head unit.

Great sound quality with only minimal drop outs in a few area's. Really pleased with it overall

Then I asked for it to be fitted to my new hybrid. I had to wait 5 weeks for it to be delivered then when i went to pick it up despite having the newer touch and go 2 system in it the DAB is accessed through the FM menu, the steering wheel controls don't work (you get a remote control with it for gods sake!!!). The ariel is much larger and it was stuck half way down the windscreen and has right angles on it so intrudes into the windscreen by about 4 inches!!.

It was off more than it was on, drops outs were 30 seconds to a minute long. On a 12 minute journey it was off for 7 minutes :-(

I've gone back and complianed and they are seeing if there are other options. I expected to get what a got on my old Yaris and have ended up with what looks like a crappy add on system. I've already removed the ariel from the windscreen and cut the cables because it constantly caught the edge of my vision and all passengers complained about how intrusive it was.

If they can't come up with a better, fully intergrated unit with a small ariel then they can cancel the order and i'll do without.

Shame, because all my other dealings with our dealer have been great.

[Berisford]

How much did they charge you ArkAngel32?

I stand by what I said in my last post above, the Toyota T&G looks good in the vehicle but it's a crappy bit of kit with too many ill thought out operating procedures.

I don't know how it got 'signed off' by Toyota and from your post it looks as if the after market DAB option is worse than the factory fitted kit in the Auris!

[FROSTYBALLS]

From another topic, Toyota earlier this year introduced a cheaper DAB (and I think additional) option to the DAB tuner that fitted to the rear of the Touch system - this cheaper system operates through an FM transmitter. Sound like the dealer fitted this option to your car, rather than the more expensive, integrated option.

[Devon Aygo]

I'm fuming with toyota after DAB was fitted to my Yaris hybrid on Monday.

I had a 2013 Yaris which had DAB fitted at the factory, little ariel that was well hidden down the side of the screen and full integration with the head unit.

Great sound quality with only minimal drop outs in a few area's. Really pleased with it overall

Then I asked for it to be fitted to my new hybrid. I had to wait 5 weeks for it to be delivered then when i went to pick it up despite having the newer touch and go 2 system in it the DAB is accessed through the FM menu, the steering wheel controls don't work (you get a remote control with it for gods sake!!!). The ariel is much larger and it was stuck half way down the windscreen and has right angles on it so intrudes into the windscreen by about 4 inches!!.

It was off more than it was on, drops outs were 30 seconds to a minute long. On a 12 minute journey it was off for 7 minutes :-(

I've gone back and complianed and they are seeing if there are other options. I expected to get what a got on my old Yaris and have ended up with what looks like a crappy add on system. I've already removed the ariel from the windscreen and cut the cables because it constantly caught the edge of my vision and all passengers complained about how intrusive it was.

If they can't come up with a better, fully intergrated unit with a small ariel then they can cancel the order and i'll do without.

Shame, because all my other dealings with our dealer have been great.

I am making a few assumptions here so bare with me: You have a new Facelift 2015MY Icon Hybrid? As both Sport and Excel have factory fit DAB.

None of the previous Mk3 yaris had DAB as standard but if you had "Touch" fitted an additional module could be fitted which it seems you did, with the new MY2015 Yaris now having "Touch2" fitted the old module won't fit.

With the new MY2015 there are two versions of the Touch2 with and without DAB, Icon models get the without option and at the moment Toyota do not offer the option of upgrading the installed unit to the DAB enabled one ( not without huge expense anyway ) leaving the add on DAB kit you had fitted as the only DAB option available to MY2015 Icon.

Did the dealer specify or you request at any time that the DAB be the same as you previously had as assuming and requesting are two different things if you requested the same and the dealer didn't give it then he is at fault, if you assumed then it's yours and the fact that you have destroyed the DAB antenna/lead means the DAB kit you have is now scrap ( or have a cost involved in returning it to supplied condition ) and I'm sure your dealer is not going to be best pleased or even willing to give you a credit as damaging it seems a bit malicious not even allowing the dealer the option to remove it first?

[ArkAngel32]

No my car is a 2014 pre-registered (pre facelight) hybrid yaris.

A bit of background:

I bought a new 2013 Petrol yaris to replace my Aygo. I was never truly happy with it as i thought the gearing was all wrong, the clutch had no feel and I just never 'got on' with it. 3 months after i bought mine my wife replaced her car with an Auris hybrid. I loved driving that so after a year of mine I negotiated with the dealer and changed mine to a pre registered 14 plate Hybrid Icon plus. I'm really really pleased with the hybrid. I love driving it and think it's a fantastic car although i still think that DAB should come as standard. Hopefully in the future it will as talking to my dealer the other day the next genertion of head units apprently won't have CD players in them just USB connectivity.

I didn't know that there are two options for the DAB upgrade (as it appears my dealer didn't either, it seems DAB upgrades are few and far between for people)

For both cars they were going to charge £400 but the Toyota website claims £220 fitted and when questioned about it on both occasions they reduced the price (i wouldn't pay £400 for it, i object to £220 but i only listen to Planet Rock as a Radio station)

So the way i see it is

On my first Yaris where the DAB unit was factory fitted i SHOULD have been charged £400 but by their own advertising and lack of knowledge I got it cheaper than I should have done.

Or

They have fitted the wrong unit this time as it really looks like something you would buy from somewhere like Halfords to fit yourself, there is no level of integration to the car at all.

Everyone spoken to so far has assumed like I did that I would get the same system that I got last time so there is a level of assumption on both sides here.

They are sympathetic and are looking into the problem I should stress. Both my wife and myself have had 5 cars from them now over the years and have been pleased with the cars and the level of service. In this instance I hope it's just a 'blip' as no-one in the dealership really seems to understand the aftermarket options.

I also realise they are not going to be chuffed that I have chopped out the ariel and if that negates any level of refund or leaves me out of pocket then that is just a hit I will take. The size and placement of this ariel was just plain ridiculous, it caught the edge of my vision constantly and actually obscured the vision of the passenger. Think of three normal sized tax disc holders that are sort of see through stuck at eye level half way down the passenger side of the windscreen. It looked horrible, didn't work and annoyed the hell out of me. Going on how it looked our delivery guy scared the hell out of me when he drove past where my car was parked and phoned me to say " Your windscreen has a big crack in it". I panicked and ran up to the car to find no crack, just the hideous looking ariel!!!!

Don't get me wrong this isn't a rant at Toyota and give the dealership their credit they are trying to sort it out for me. If my actions leave me out of pocket then I have no one to blame but myself

Just sharing my experiences to hopefully aid people in future

[Devon Aygo]

No my car is a 2014 pre-registered (pre facelight) hybrid yaris.

A bit of background:

I bought a new 2013 Petrol yaris to replace my Aygo. I was never truly happy with it as i thought the gearing was all wrong, the clutch had no feel and I just never 'got on' with it. 3 months after i bought mine my wife replaced her car with an Auris hybrid. I loved driving that so after a year of mine I negotiated with the dealer and changed mine to a pre registered 14 plate Hybrid Icon plus. I'm really really pleased with the hybrid. I love driving it and think it's a fantastic car although i still think that DAB should come as standard. Hopefully in the future it will as talking to my dealer the other day the next genertion of head units apprently won't have CD players in them just USB connectivity.

I didn't know that there are two options for the DAB upgrade (as it appears my dealer didn't either, it seems DAB upgrades are few and far between for people)

For both cars they were going to charge £400 but the Toyota website claims £220 fitted and when questioned about it on both occasions they reduced the price (i wouldn't pay £400 for it, i object to £220 but i only listen to Planet Rock as a Radio station)

So the way i see it is

On my first Yaris where the DAB unit was factory fitted i SHOULD have been charged £400 but by their own advertising and lack of knowledge I got it cheaper than I should have done.

Or

They have fitted the wrong unit this time as it really looks like something you would buy from somewhere like Halfords to fit yourself, there is no level of integration to the car at all.

Everyone spoken to so far has assumed like I did that I would get the same system that I got last time so there is a level of assumption on both sides here.

They are sympathetic and are looking into the problem I should stress. Both my wife and myself have had 5 cars from them now over the years and have been pleased with the cars and the level of service. In this instance I hope it's just a 'blip' as no-one in the dealership really seems to understand the aftermarket options.

I also realise they are not going to be chuffed that I have chopped out the ariel and if that negates any level of refund or leaves me out of pocket then that is just a hit I will take. The size and placement of this ariel was just plain ridiculous, it caught the edge of my vision constantly and actually obscured the vision of the passenger. Think of three normal sized tax disc holders that are sort of see through stuck at eye level half way down the passenger side of the windscreen. It looked horrible, didn't work and annoyed the hell out of me. Going on how it looked our delivery guy scared the hell out of me when he drove past where my car was parked and phoned me to say " Your windscreen has a big crack in it". I panicked and ran up to the car to find no crack, just the hideous looking ariel!!!!

Don't get me wrong this isn't a rant at Toyota and give the dealership their credit they are trying to sort it out for me. If my actions leave me out of pocket then I have no one to blame but myself

Just sharing my experiences to hopefully aid people in future

Right you have a MY2014 Yaris which is fitted with Toyota "Touch" and not the new "Touch 2" which is the new type you mentioned which no longer has a CD player, as you have the earlier "Touch" you can have the integrated DAB kit as fitted to your 2013 Yaris, see:

Yaris_DAB_RHD_PZ473_T0210_A0_AIM_002_028_0.pdf

[Fusion400]

Well, we collected our Yaris a couple of months ago now, and weren't particularly happy. We'd initially explained to our dealer that we were undecided between a Polo and Yaris, but as VW had a new polo due shorlty there would be a wait in deliveries so we swayed towards the Toyota. The dealer never mentioned anything about the new facelift Yaris being due at the same time so when we heard this after placing our order we were particularly displeased. I had asked specifically for the fully integrated DAB headunit as i mentioned in my first post of this thread, but when we went to collect the car and were shown around it it only had the add on FM DAB unit. I immediately mentioned this to the salesman who was unaware of the difference in spec and price and was sure we hadn't paid the higher price of the full unit. It wasn't until we sent him an email from one of his colleagues showing the breakdown of price/spec that they conceded they had fitted the wrong unit. So we asked for the full unit, and they said they can't get it and offered us a refund of the difference between the prices of the different units.

Still not happy with this as they now wont remove the DAB add on for a full refund (we didn't want it, didn't order it, and it doesn't function as you'd hope) or provide the full unit we asked for.

As my wife has mentioned to the Dealership manager, if she ordered a pair of shoes with buckles on them and they delivered a pair with velcro fastenings we would not be happy with an offer of stick on buckles to make them look like they work.

We're currently awaiting further communication from the dealer.....

[FROSTYBALLS]

The dealer never mentioned anything about the new facelift Yaris being due at the same time so when we heard this after placing our order we were particularly displeased.

I would suggest that no salesperson, irrespective of marque, is going to openly raise with a prospective buyer they have in the showroom there and then, that a facelifted model is due out in a few weeks or months. At the end of the day, they want to sell you a car whilst you're in the showroom, not give you the opportunity to change your mind whilst waiting for the revised or new model to be launched. Its about monthly sales figures.

If a customer asks about a facelifted model, that is another scenario.

Often sales staff are some of the last people to know about facelifts and the like - something which I've come across several times over the years - there is a tendency to wait until they are invited to pre-launch events, and similar.

As regards the Polo, the 'new' Polo launched in April was an extensive facelift.

[Fusion400]

And that's why we hate salespeople. I don't want a salesman, all i want is someone to give me their best price for the car i want, and follow up with a little aftercare to keep me coming back......

[Catlover]

too late now, but if the car presented to you was not what you was expecting then I would have refused to accept it.

Now you fighting from behind by the sound of it.

[Berisford]

"Often sales staff are some of the last people to know about facelifts and the like"

So true 'cause they treat all customers as 'punters' to be fleeced for as much as possible. It's very rare indeed to find a sales person in any dealership that knows his/her product...........and remember folks, they are not your 'friend', no matter how sincere they appear, once the money is out of your wallet they aren't going to be interested in any comeback.

In my 40 years of car buying I've learnt to check and double check what you're buying and if it isn't as it should be on the delivery day, don't part with the money! Despite my distrust of car dealers I still make mistakes, the recent Yaris purchase, I missed checking for the DAB radio and was initially disappointed, however, seems I'm not missing much at all..........

[Malcolmz1]

This reply is a bit late but maybe worth reading. I've had the DAB option fitted and it depends on where you live whether it's useful. Where I live the reception is rarely good enough. In my previous car I had a Pure Highway mk1 costing seventy pounds that was far better than the four hundred pound toyota unit. The Pure unit connected via FM transmitter which I understand is how the "cheaper" Toyota option works. A FM frequency had to be found that is not used and this varies geographically and therefore the Pure used to cut out in different parts of the UK.

I can' t explain why the Dab part of a seventy pound tuner has better reception than the four hundred pound (panasonic) Toyota unit.