The ETC system ( Japanese Electronic Toll Collector) is a waste of space and electric, and that Japanese voice that forces itself into your space everytime you start the van, has to be removed, but how? 

i tell my wife it's my Japanese mistress, i have also noticed she says something different everyday. Also how she gets irate when parking close to something.

 

1 hour ago, AlphaMZ said:

that Japanese voice that forces itself into your space

I managed to turn it off, but now its disconnecting the main ETC unit and antenna, and I'm thinking of reusing the 12v connection for something else such as an AC inverter rerouted into the center console. 

Hi, if you manage to re use the 12v supply can you let us know how you did it- I thought of using it to power my dashcam.

48 minutes ago, AlphaMZ said:

I managed to turn it off, but now its disconnecting the main ETC unit and antenna, and I'm thinking of reusing the 12v connection for something else such as an AC inverter rerouted into the center console. 

 

Is the ETC wiring through the ignition switch ?

I cannot see the sense in it being live 24/7.

2 minutes ago, Rojie said:

I cannot see the sense in it being live 24/7.

I wouldn't have thought so either; only the Alarm!

 

The ETC system is live when the ignition is on, so it is wastetful whatever the draw!

Edited April 6, 20223 yr by AlphaMZ

On 4/6/2022 at 7:51 PM, Alphard Club said:

i tell my wife it's my Japanese mistress, i have also noticed she says something different everyday. Also how she gets irate when parking close to something.

 

 

She tells you the day/date when you first start the car that day, except for when she wishes you a Merry Christmas / Happy New Year on those days

Edited April 26, 20223 yr by calimba

1 hour ago, calimba said:

 

She tells you the day/date when you first start the car that day, except for when she wishes you a Merry Christmas / Happy New Year on those days

 

 こんにちは Calimba

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Just what we need; a Japanese translator !

5 hours ago, calimba said:

 

She tells you the day/date when you first start the car that day, except for when she wishes you a Merry Christmas / Happy New Year on those days

Yes, I love this so much.

For those who need, you can just enable google translate on your phone to verify

On 4/26/2022 at 11:17 AM, calimba said:

 

She tells you the day/date when you first start the car that day, except for when she wishes you a Merry Christmas / Happy New Year on those days

@calimbamine only tells me i need to install my etc card. Do you know how to get all the other announcements?? i love it, its a cool quirk that all jap cars have. everyone that gets in the van and hears it and wishes their cars did the same

 

I find the shouting when parking amusing if i say so myself

Sorry to renew an old post, but can anyone point me in the direction of instructions on how to remove this permanently (series 20)?

turn off the notifications by using the volume controls on the etc itself.

You can also just disconnect the wiring at the back - just undo the panel, starting with the panel under the dash - you could also then remove it, but what for? youll just end up with a gap in the small storage unit.

1 hour ago, Chris.ac said:

turn off the notifications by using the volume controls on the etc itself.

You can also just disconnect the wiring at the back - just undo the panel, starting with the panel under the dash - you could also then remove it, but what for? youll just end up with a gap in the small storage unit.

got you, I’ll just try the volume then!

It should work, as i think all the 20 series have the integrated etc with volume controls. 

 

If not i can share the disassembly instructions

Hi Chris, the right hand button I found was a volume setting but just toggles between low, medium and high volumes - never off. So looks like I will have to disconnect it. 

Oh, that's different to mine. Mine actually counts in Japanese and has a zero volume with two separate buttons for increase and decrease. 

Do you have original headunit? As that also has an etc mute setting.

6 minutes ago, Chris.ac said:

Oh, that's different to mine. Mine actually counts in Japanese and has a zero volume with two separate buttons for increase and decrease. 

Do you have original headunit? As that also has an etc mute setting.

yes I HAD an original unit that I muted it on, but since removing this to put in an android head unit, it’s come back on again annoyingly. 

Not difficult, remove a couple of screws from black cover under the drivers footwell.

Remove the plastic kick panel on the right side, held on by one plastic thumbscrew. 

You'll reveal a few screws holding the lower dash panel,  undo, and pull from the door side, you'll see the etc unit, disconnect the larger plug that powers it.

On 5/9/2025 at 10:44 PM, Chris.ac said:

Not difficult, remove a couple of screws from black cover under the drivers footwell.

Remove the plastic kick panel on the right side, held on by one plastic thumbscrew. 

You'll reveal a few screws holding the lower dash panel,  undo, and pull from the door side, you'll see the etc unit, disconnect the larger plug that powers it.

Hey thanks for this. Really straightforward instructions. I removed the ETC unit but I still get these three irritating beeps on start up and every 90 seconds or so. Do you reckon I've gotta disconnect the sensor on the windscreen as well?

6 hours ago, ANG said:

Hey thanks for this. Really straightforward instructions. I removed the ETC unit but I still get these three irritating beeps on start up and every 90 seconds or so. Do you reckon I've gotta disconnect the sensor on the windscreen as well?

No. If the etc unit is disconnected, the only thing it would be is the headunit itself.

 

Are you sure it's the etc beeping?

What is on your windscreen? 

 

Could you record the beeping sound?

I'm pretty sure it's not the ETC now as I've removed the card reader and the windshield sensor.

 

The beeping is not like any other noise the car makes (attached m4a). It's like a 90s midi mobile phone beep. And always three beeps on start up and every 60-90 seconds. It almost sounds like it's coming from between the head unit and dashboard display.

After another poke around i found the beeping: the electronic damping force controller! Turned it off and finally got rid of the noise 😂