So, I was wondering if anybody knew where you would mount the OEM gps antenna? It says here that it mounts on the roof. Also, I did do some research on my own, and i'm pretty positive the " Shark Fin " antenna is not where the gps antenna is. When it says " GPS, Telematics " it is probably referring to the SOS Safety Connect system. If somebody could help answer my question that would be nice. Thanks in advance.
OEM Navigation System Install?
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Here are pics of the internals of the OEM shark fin antenna. Hope this helps.
www.siennachat.com
OEM shark fin antenna mod
This will only work with the one's equipped with GPS black antenna and navigation system. May work with other models and system as well depending on the package that came with the vehicle. Will do a write up later. Van came with only 1 black wire that connects to the black GPS antenna. The shark...
www.siennachat.com
If you look at the illustration in the link I attached it does look like the " Shark Fin " antenna. Also, I do have the " Shark Fin " instead of the smaller antenna. I don't know if I have the GPS antenna. I know I do not have the navigation package, but most limiteds did come equipped with it. If you have the " Shark Fin " antenna, even if you do not have the navigation package, do you get the GPS antenna anyway? Many thanks.
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That is what I bought. I did not need the internals on the shark fin antenna. Just swap the chip that came with my premium SE as you can see in my thread. Honestly, I don't even know for sure if any of those chips is a GPS antenna.
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There are antennas in the rear side glasses not sure what they are for.
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They're for AM/FM.
Edit: I never thought about the location of the navigation antenna in our 2014 Sienna Limited but I doubt that it is in the shark fin. I remember distinctly that the navigation antenna for at least some older Lexus vehicles (e.g. LS430) was inside the dashboard. I do know for certain that the roof antenna for our Prius does not include its navigation system antenna but only the antennas for AM, FM, XM and Safety Connect.
Navigation antennas have become far more sensitive over the years. Twenty years ago, portable GPS devices had standard or optional antennas to improve reception and it could take a number of minutes for a GPS device to "acquire" enough satellites to function. A modern cell phone is an excellent example of how far GPS technology has come - its GPS works fine inside a vehicle without the need for an antenna on the vehicle exterior.
Yes, I do know. But the on this site here the description of the part mentions it is roof mounted. It does mention on the " Shark Fin " antenna description that it has " GPS, Telematics " but once again I still think that is linked to SOS Safety Connect.
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The "official" descriptions for parts sometimes aren't very meaningful. The term "Mayday" is used for some Toyota models to describe the telematics roof top antenna which seems like an odd term to use unless you're a pilot. I think the fact that the pre-2018 non-Limited Sienna with navigation had only a small satellite radio antenna on the roof, if they had a roof top antenna at all, is confirmation that the navigation system antenna is not in the shark fin antenna. The shark fin antenna was added to all 2018-up Sienna only when Safety Connect became standard on all trims. Prior to 2018, only the Limited had the shark fin antenna except in the early gen 3 model years in which Safety Connect was optional on the XLE.
As I said, I am certain that the navigation antenna for older Lexus models was in the dashboard - just under the top surface at the center. And I am certain that the roof top antenna on our Prius does not contain the navigation system antenna - I've seen discussions on what each "chip" in the rooftop antenna is for.
I've forgotten more than I remember about the chipset improvements that made it possible for GPS receivers to function inside vehicles without needing external antennas. Older GPS devices sometimes took "forever" to acquire enough satellites to function. I've got an old large clunky hiking oriented GPS device that I sometimes had to wave high in the air like a maniac for 10 to 15 minutes to acquire enough satellite signals (minimum of three required for triangulation) on cloudy days or in hilly terrain. The GPS chipset integrated into a modern cell phone can perform the signal acquisition in a split second. If only our military had had this technology when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor!
As I said, I am certain that the navigation antenna for older Lexus models was in the dashboard - just under the top surface at the center. And I am certain that the roof top antenna on our Prius does not contain the navigation system antenna - I've seen discussions on what each "chip" in the rooftop antenna is for.
I've forgotten more than I remember about the chipset improvements that made it possible for GPS receivers to function inside vehicles without needing external antennas. Older GPS devices sometimes took "forever" to acquire enough satellites to function. I've got an old large clunky hiking oriented GPS device that I sometimes had to wave high in the air like a maniac for 10 to 15 minutes to acquire enough satellite signals (minimum of three required for triangulation) on cloudy days or in hilly terrain. The GPS chipset integrated into a modern cell phone can perform the signal acquisition in a split second. If only our military had had this technology when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor!
Thanks for the input! But, I was wondering where could I find the OEM GPS antenna? The diagram on the site I had linked before looked to big to fit in the dash?The "official" descriptions for parts sometimes aren't very meaningful. The term "Mayday" is used for some Toyota models to describe the telematics roof top antenna which seems like an odd term to use unless you're a pilot. I think the fact that the pre-2018 non-Limited Sienna with navigation had only a small satellite radio antenna on the roof, if they had a roof top antenna at all, is confirmation that the navigation system antenna is not in the shark fin antenna. The shark fin antenna was added to all 2018-up Sienna only when Safety Connect became standard on all trims. Prior to 2018, only the Limited had the shark fin antenna except in the early gen 3 model years in which Safety Connect was optional on the XLE.
As I said, I am certain that the navigation antenna for older Lexus models was in the dashboard - just under the top surface at the center. And I am certain that the roof top antenna on our Prius does not contain the navigation system antenna - I've seen discussions on what each "chip" in the rooftop antenna is for.
I've forgotten more than I remember about the chipset improvements that made it possible for GPS receivers to function inside vehicles without needing external antennas. Older GPS devices sometimes took "forever" to acquire enough satellites to function. I've got an old large clunky hiking oriented GPS device that I sometimes had to wave high in the air like a maniac for 10 to 15 minutes to acquire enough satellite signals (minimum of three required for triangulation) on cloudy days or in hilly terrain. The GPS chipset integrated into a modern cell phone can perform the signal acquisition in a split second. If only our military had had this technology when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor!
I recently purchased an updated SD (2019) to replace the 2014 maps on my 2015 van. eBay for around $50. It took the head about 25 minutes to load and update, but the new card fixed a number of missing roads in the area.
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That's because the antenna on the site you linked to is the "shark fin" antenna that goes on the roof. The one on my Limited contains two antennas - one for Safety Connect and the other for XM radio. I assume that the navigation system antenna in my Sienna is inside the dashboard - probably inside the navigation head unit since a separate navigation antenna is not shown in the parts lists or diagrams.
Even before the significant chip set improvements that improved satellite reception in the early 2000's, Toyota was putting navigation system antennas inside the dashboard - even 22 years ago on the first navigation system on a U.S. market vehicle made by Toyota. I know it's not for a Sienna but the attached image shows the location of the navigation system antenna on the 2000 Lexus LS400 I used to have.
Yes, those pesky Germans in their Zeroes!The "official" descriptions for parts sometimes aren't very meaningful. The term "Mayday" is used for some Toyota models to describe the telematics roof top antenna which seems like an odd term to use unless you're a pilot. I think the fact that the pre-2018 non-Limited Sienna with navigation had only a small satellite radio antenna on the roof, if they had a roof top antenna at all, is confirmation that the navigation system antenna is not in the shark fin antenna. The shark fin antenna was added to all 2018-up Sienna only when Safety Connect became standard on all trims. Prior to 2018, only the Limited had the shark fin antenna except in the early gen 3 model years in which Safety Connect was optional on the XLE.
As I said, I am certain that the navigation antenna for older Lexus models was in the dashboard - just under the top surface at the center. And I am certain that the roof top antenna on our Prius does not contain the navigation system antenna - I've seen discussions on what each "chip" in the rooftop antenna is for.
I've forgotten more than I remember about the chipset improvements that made it possible for GPS receivers to function inside vehicles without needing external antennas. Older GPS devices sometimes took "forever" to acquire enough satellites to function. I've got an old large clunky hiking oriented GPS device that I sometimes had to wave high in the air like a maniac for 10 to 15 minutes to acquire enough satellite signals (minimum of three required for triangulation) on cloudy days or in hilly terrain. The GPS chipset integrated into a modern cell phone can perform the signal acquisition in a split second. If only our military had had this technology when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor!
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Some might recognize my homage to the 1978 film comedy "Animal House":
D-Day: [to Bluto] War's over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.
Bluto: What? Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: [to Boon] Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.
My wife and I first saw Animal House at a full house late night showing in 1978 in a theater under a bowling alley in the Kansas City Country Club Plaza entertainment and shopping district. I remember thinking that my wife and I appeared to be the oldest people in the audience which was the most raucous I've ever experienced.
I completely forgot about ToyoDIY. I'll go check there immediately.
Now that I think about it, I don't know if there IS an antenna for the in OEM Navigation system.... I looked at Toyodiy and it mentioned nothing about a GPS antenna. I do have one more question though. I am probably going to purchase an OEM one (Because they are cheaper used than an aftermarket) which should I buy, A Gracenote or the JBL Premium Navigation System. Thanks again in advance.
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