Boosting Turn Indicator volumn

[Barry14UK]

As I believe I mentioned somewhere previously, I couldn't hear the turn  indicators on my RX with the audio on even at moderate levels and with the benefit of hearing aids, Also  with the seat and steering wheel in my preferred position, I cannot clearly see that the indicators have self cancelled  as they sometimes fail to do depending on the lock applied. and in any event I prefer not to have to look down as I have Head up Display. (I read on another model forum of the club that this was a problem for a member too),  Somebody suggested I adjust the seat /steering wheel configuration but  why try to make the foot fit the shoe rather than the shoe fit the foot?  The answer was to boost the sound emitted by the Lexus (relay?). Not wishing to do this myself, I got my local auto electrical firm to wire in two sound emitters, one to each flasher circuit.  These emitters are very small, about the size of the tip of your finger but produce a a good and unmistakable higher pitched sound in tandem with the Lexus ones and serve as a reminder that my turn signal has not cancelled.  These did not have to be coded and you don't see them.  So if anybody else has my problem this is a good solution. It's possible that any subsequent owner would find this a little too loud but it would be easy to disconnect and in any case I don't plan on selling the car any time soon.

Whilst the tecky had one of the small panels out he tidied away the hard wire cable that powers my TomTom and connected it to a new dedicated socket which is not visible, so you only see the couple or so inches of cable as it comes out from between the A piller and end of dash to the TomTom base.  I am very pleased with the result.   

[katabrontes]

The connection to the TomTom sounds interesting.  Was the "socket which is not visible" added by the techie or is it already under the dash panel?

[Lager shandy]

Your tech guy should be able to drill some small holes say 2or 3 in the A pillar trim and push some small bright orange LED through from the back that just protrude through and wire in to indicator circuit .so when you indicate you get this flashing in your eye line in orange .put them on a dimmer switch to be adjustable at night and bob your uncle no noise but a visual reminder with no looking down .you won't even notice them untill they come on . Or just wire the indicators to the horn 😂

[Barry14UK]

Tech fitted a new socket so the other one under the central arm rest and the other one beneath the central consul still available.  Didn't want any flashing lights, the audible warning serves the purpose well and you wouldn't want it to sound for long.  The sound could be reduced if required by adding a bit of acoustic insulation.  No drilling involved.  Connect to horn - like your sense of humour!

[Herbie]

12 hours ago, Barry14UK said:

I got my local auto electrical firm to wire in two sound emitters, one to each flasher circuit.  These emitters are very small, about the size of the tip of your finger

Any further details for these Barry - make, model, where to buy etc., etc?

I don't need them for the same purpose as you but I could use something like that on another project.

[JeffL]

I'd also be interested to have the details of the product. I assume it's different to the one I mentioned on the GS thread?

 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAR-INDICATOR-WARNING-BUZZER-A-MUST-HAVE-/252651891201?utm_source=LexusOwnersClubUK&utm_medium=ForumLinks

 

[Barry14UK]

In view of response, on Monday when they reopen, I will contact the firm who did this work for me.   I explained my problem to them about a week or so previously while I was in Barnstaple and they didn't have any of the sounders left at the time so ordered in for me. When these arrived they temporarily hooked them up to a power supply in their workshop to see whether I found them suitable, before fitting to my car. I didn't ask what they were referenced and it was not specified on their invoice.  It's probably better if I ask how these are described and where available and post what I find out so they don't have to potentially give the same information to several people who will not be buying or having work done by them anyway. Because everything is hidden behind panels, there is nothing to see.  I will try to do a short video recording  the sound and also showing the connection to the Tomtom mount which has has been neatly done.

[Britprius]

This type of sounder is ideal for increasing the indicator sound level. Two can be wired into the indicator circuits "one for each side", and will fit int the steering column housing.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Piezo-Buzzer-Sounder-3v-12V-85Db-3-12-V-Volt-DC-BUY-2-GET-1-FREE/183981556539?hash=item2ad627c33b:g:HhkAAOSwiWBdl4a7

John.

[Barry14UK]

On 10/11/2019 at 3:00 PM, Herbie said:

Any further details for these Barry - make, model, where to buy etc., etc?

I don't need them for the same purpose as you but I could use something like that on another project.

Hi Herbie,

I called in at the electrical place where the sounders were fitted yesterday and was told the ones they had fitted to my car they had found in a draw.  They said they come with tow bar kits (it being a legal requirement that either a warning indicator by a light or by sound is installed for towing.) They showed me a sample but when I popped the small panel that caps the end of the dash on the drivers side, I found they had fitted a slightly different type.  The two sounders don't incorporate any fixings (as some do) but have been coupled together by a tie looped round the Lexus fabrication.   They are black without any markings each with 2 black wires coming out of a common cable or sleeve for the 4 wires. I made the diameter 11.5mm and the length 9.5mm of each sounder.  I will try to upload pic and video with sound in due course but nearest I can find to mine https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Miniature-Electronic-Buzzer-Sounder-5v-or-12v-Subminiature/113895625290?hash=item1a84b5524a:m:mvAUe7q7vXMNrwO6cCNQUNQare these. They are of course 12v and there are a number of variations on eBay.

[Herbie]

Cheers Barry, thanks very much.

[Barry14UK]

😊                                                                                                                                                                                                 

[Barry14UK]

This very short clip plays sound as now boosted by  two sounders with radio on and shows the small amount of cable from Tomtom now visible when the TT screen is not in place.

IMG_0202.MOV

[JeffL]

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/167053-turn-signal-indicators-too-quiet/

See above link. It's from 2015 so some of the eBay links don't work. From what I understand, gazza1286 on the Toyota forum fitted an ADDITIONAL( ?) relay?  which activates in parallel with the original one in the car? If I'm understanding this correctly it will have increased the sound volume 100%. What do anyone of you think about this solution? Personally I wouldn't attempt to do anything like this myself, I'd have to get an auto electrician or my local indy to do it for me, but in principle do you think this might resolve the problem?

[Barry14UK]

Like you I didn't want  to do this myself so suggest you ask auto techy what options you have?  I like the higher pitch of the sounders that were fitted to my car because it comes over more distinctly above sound on radio.  No extra relays were fitted and the connections were just made into the feeds for the door indicators so bleep in time with them only. The two small emitters (one for each side)  terminate together just inside where the end cap closes off the dash on the driver's side.where they are cable tied  to a convenient fixture. Should I sell the car it would be very easy to cut these very small sounders off and fit a miniature termination plug.