DIY: Aftermarket CarPlay Install

[Maverik259]

Ok so this is going to be short and sweet cuz there are tons of videos covering most if not all of this on YouTube but most are in another language and not very detailed.

So this is my experience for my 2014 X5.
Needed: your choice of CarPlay unit. They all connect the same way.

T-20 for radio and HVAC panel removal
Small flat blade to help remove some connectors
Electrical tape or fabric wire wrap

1) Unichip install link

2) how to remove trim

[Maverik259]

3) once all the trim and radio is removed, separate your canbus fiber optics. I had to cut mine out of the sheath as far back as I could reach. Then re wrap the remaining wires in main harness back up nice and tight.

I also wrapped up the extra set of loose wires attached to the smaller of the two unichip harnesses as well with the video coax they include for third party camera

[Maverik259]

4) remove your screen. There are 2 T20 under the screen beneath the dash trim. Then use some force to pull up gently on the screen. Once loose remove the fakra plug completely. Their video they don't do this but I don't see why keep it attached. There is a plastic tie that holds the bundle. Just pry it loose.

I then pushed the fakra cable down past the center air vents.

Run the smaller harness from the top behind the bracket and leave the male fakra up top. This will plug into the screen. Attach the female fakra part of the y split to the oem pink fakra that came out of the screen originally. Reattach the screen and tuck oh adapter under the passenger side AC vent.

[Maverik259]

5) next attach oem wire bundle to the female adapter and tuck back to the driver side. There is tons of room here. Then attach the both white plugs or the unichip harness to the module. I was able to tuck the box perfectly flat along the bottom across the back of the dash area. I then pushed all the remaining wires along the back and the passenger side. Hooked up my lightning cable and wrapped the connectors so they don't come loose. Run the iPhone cable along the bottom and let it hang out of the opening

[Maverik259]

6) now plug in all the fakras and new wire harness to the HU. This was a bit of a pain for me. Some of the fakras don't give you a lot of room once plugged in. Plus the way the new harness locks in makes it a real tight fit along a pink fakra that runs along the bottom of the harness. You'll see what I mean. So I had to force it to clamp shut. Once all connected then just slide it back. It will be tight. Especially with a cable running under the HU but it should go no problem.

[Maverik259]

6) reattach all the trim and test. Recommend not screwing anything in. and just attach the top trim so you can plug in the start button and then test the unit to make sure nothing didn't plug in correctly. This was important cuz I had a couple of the oem plugs that didn't seat properly and I had to redo it.

Once it all checks out then boom buckle it up and you're done. Enjoy Waze.

Now again I didn't connect microphone. And when I get a call it just goes through the car as usual but as you would expect it does show up on CarPlay as well.

For the 360 camera I set up a couple presets so I can just hit "1" and then the camera button as usual and it all works just fine. Reverse camera immediately opens when in reverse. And you can enter 360 from there. It also remembers if you were in 360 by default too

[The Libertine]

Wow - nicely done! Excellent write-up too!

[daytonaviolet]

looking good

[Googone20]

Looks great! What was the cost of this? I was considering just doing the Apple TV upgrade to gain the mirroring function from my iPhone.

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by Googone20

Looks great! What was the cost of this? I was considering just doing the Apple TV upgrade to gain the mirroring function from my iPhone.

Check group buy over in CarPlay thread for details. But depending on size of group it ranges from $300-400 all in.

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by The Libertine

Wow - nicely done! Excellent write-up too!

Thanks. Not as detailed as I would have liked but I wasnt intending to do a write up until after and so I didn't get all the pics I wanted.

[r33_RGSport]

@Maverik259 , is this the wired or wireless version?

[CatalinP]

Wired.

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

@Maverik259 , is this the wired or wireless version?

Went wired so I could charge. If they ever release the wireless I may upgrade. Bet all the cables are exactly the same so just need to swap box. Ideally haha.

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by Maverik259

Went wired so I could charge. If they ever release the wireless I may upgrade. Bet all the cables are exactly the same so just need to swap box. Ideally haha.

I was about to say, maybe retrofit the front USB port that on the 2016 and up, if I remember correctly.

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

I was about to say, maybe retrofit the front USB port that on the 2016 and up, if I remember correctly.

That's what I'm using now but it doesn't charge my phone very well. Not getting great wattage from it. Would work for older iPhones but my XS max loves power when I'm using Waze all the time.

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by Maverik259

That's what I'm using now but it doesn't charge my phone very well. Not getting great wattage from it. Would work for older iPhones but my XS max loves power when I'm using Waze all the time.

I mean retrofit it to connect with the carplay box.
That box supply enough juice for the Xs, right?

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

I mean retrofit it to connect with the carplay box.
That box supply enough juice for the Xs, right?

It's 5w. So it's what apple gives you out of the box new but I run 10- 12w min if I can.

And I already did the retrofit. Unfortunately not enough room on the iD4 behind the face to install a USB port there. So I just run the cable through the faceplate where the usb plug is supposed to be. Evo is much smaller and shorter than iD4.

[yewlock]

Excellent write-up

[mikew2069]

Damn I need to do this. Any downside to doing this mod?

[mikew2069]

Originally Posted by mikew2069

Damn I need to do this. Any downside to doing this mod?

Nevermind, just read through the other thread and learned the limitations. Tempting....

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by mikew2069

Nevermind, just read through the other thread and learned the limitations. Tempting....

Depends what you're looking for. I just wanted CarPlay for Waze on my main screen. And now I have it lol. Camera has an easy work around that isn't by any means inconvenient.