At DSUS Auto Care, we pride ourselves on delivering professional service with transparency and integrity.
But sometimes, unexpected issues arise that are outside the installer’s control — as we recently experienced with a Lexus LX570 (2018 GCC model) equipped with a Mark Levinson sound system.
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🔧 Background of the Case:
This Lexus LX570 came to our workshop for a CarPlay retrofit installation.
Upon arrival, the screen and audio system were fully functional.
As part of the installation process, our team disconnected and reconnected the main head unit harness — a standard and necessary procedure. However, after reconnecting the plugs, the system did not power up correctly:
• The screen only showed the Lexus logo, then turned black
• There was no sound from the speakers
• The CD drive was still accepting discs, indicating power to the unit
• The system did not boot into the main menu
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🛠 Troubleshooting & Diagnosis:
Our team carried out complete diagnostics:
• Rechecked all harnesses and connections
• Verified power and fuse integrity
• Confirmed the MOST (fiber optic) link to the amplifier was functional
Eventually, after opening the AVN ECU (Audio-Visual Navigation Control Unit), we discovered signs of past water damage.
This kind of hidden water ingress can cause the unit to fail completely the moment it’s rebooted or disconnected — even if it previously appeared to work fine.
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⚠ Important Note:
The failure of the AVN ECU was not caused by the CarPlay installation.
It was a pre-existing hardware issue that surfaced only after power was cycled.
However, explaining this to the customer was understandably difficult, as the system seemed functional before the installation process.
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🤝 Our Professional Decision:
To uphold our service ethics and ensure customer satisfaction, we decided to cover the full cost of replacing the AVN ECU, despite the fact that the fault was not due to our work.
We made this decision not as an admission of fault, but as a demonstration of our commitment to responsible service and long-term trust.
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✅ Final Outcome:
After installing a new AVN ECU, the Lexus screen and sound system were fully restored, and the Apple CarPlay upgrade was completed successfully.
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📌 Conclusion:
Modern vehicles with premium systems like Mark Levinson can hide internal issues — such as water damage — that only reveal themselves when the system is powered down and restarted. At DSUS Auto Care, we take ownership of the customer experience, and we’re always here to provide both technical excellence and ethical support.
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📞 For expert CarPlay installations, multimedia upgrades, and professional diagnostics:
📍 DSUS Auto Care – Dubai
📱 +971 52 552 9750