Just curious, were you able to figure out a way to reuse your existing USB ports? I'm trying to find a clean way to run the USB wire for Carplay without needing to cut into the center compartment. Another option is to try to wait it out for wireless Carplay and not run anything at all.

 

I am using the wireless carplay beta and it is pretty solid at this point. I bet it is right around the corner for general release.

I ran a usb cable to my center console and cut a hole. Can't really tell unless you are looking for it.

 

So this usb adapter only works if you have a single usb port like in 2013-2015 GS. To install it you remove a small gray plug from the back of the radio/head unit, connect that to the adapter, and the usb plug to the input on the GROM(use a usb extension wire if you have too).

In my car I'm using the cars USB port, much cleaner and oem looking than running a separate usb cord.

 

Thanks. I'll most likely wait until wireless carplay to avoid having to cut into the center console. Trying to avoid any of that custom work where not absolutely needed. Thanks!

 

Ahh gotcha. Thanks for catching me on that. If I remember correctly, Isabella is from 2013 so that cable worked for you? I'll try to find a similar adapter for my use case since I have the double usb port in my car.

 

If you get a 2013-2015 GS usb port you can swap them out and use the adapter I linked in my last post, then no cutting, clean oem install.

Grom doesn't have wireless carplay? My Carlinkit does.

 

It's the same adapter for your car but the carplay won't work correctly because the usb line is split in two. You just need to get the single usb port from a 2013-2015 GS.

 

Ahh gotcha. I'll look into it. Thanks peasodos.

Wireless Carplay for Grom isn't officially out yet. It's in beta and some users here like HUSKERnKS have tested it. From what everyone's saying, it should be out real soon.

 

Just an update on the installation of the VL2 in a 2018 RX 350.

• I cleaned up the 8 feet of wires in the glove box and carefully wrapped them up and put them in the space beside the radio.
• The result was a pretty clean looking glove box. The cucumber shaped hole in the side is so the wires don't rub against the cut plastic when the glove box opens. I need to extend it about 1/2 inch.
• I have found that the VL2 unit is too big to be mounted on the top or back of the RX 350 glove box. I am stumped as to how to mount it other than letting is sit on the bottom.

​​​​​​
First impressions:

• CarPlay
  • Based on previous experiences with Siri I didn't have a lot of hope for this, but I'll say that after two days of testing out it has worked flawlessly. Siri has passed every test. It truly has been a plug-and-play experience.
  • My opinion is that an infotainment center should be able to do everything hands-free for maximum safety and CarPlay passes that test for me. It does navigation, music, radio, text messages all without me ever having to click on the screen. Beutiful
• VLine 2 interface
  • Haven't tested it out as much but here are my issues:
    • Sometimes it auto connects with my phone's hotspot, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it is an easy fix, sometimes it refuses to even recognize it as an available network and I have to turn the hotspot on and off multiple times to get it to recognize it.
    • Waze: I don't have much experience with Waze but I have found it to be much less intuitive and user-friendly than Goggle Maps or Apple Maps. I like the idea of Waze and I want to use Waze but it is not totally hands-free - at least I have not figured it out yet.
    • Goggle Maps: perfect. No other comment needed.
    • PlayStore: I love the flexibility and openness of the VL2 interface and all the possible options there are. I will not use them on a daily commute basis (only 15 minute commute) but I can see the value of it in long distance trips
      • Which brings me to this question: How did some of you get Netfix? PlayStore says my device is not supported by Netflix. I can get Amazon Prime and Hulu but not Netflix or Disney Plus.

After only 2 days of using VL2 I could not go back to the OEM interface. I will probably use the CarPlay option for the daily commute and the VL2 native interface for longer trips.
Thanks again for helping me decide on this option.

 

Only the older version of Netflix will work. Recent update has made it incompatible to VL2 which PlayStore equates to a tablet. If you can find previous older version, maybe you can side-load.
Why did you cut a gigantic hole in your glovebox for just the wire harness? Couldn't you have cut from the rear for a cleaner look?

 

On opening, the glove box travels a significant distance. coming through the back would have necessitated cutting a hole in the air filter door. if I would’ve cut a small hole in the back of the glove compartment that would mean the wires would have to have a lot of slack in them to move with the glove box. Testing it out I was having issues with the glove box being able to open completely without the wires inhibiting it. I probably over thought this but in the end I decided it would be better to come in from the side and cut a channel where the glove box would move and the wires would stay still. I freely admit that the channel could have been narrower.

 

I mounted my unit(carlinkit) behind the glove box, velcroed to another module, out of sight out of mind. This requires removing the glove box.

 

I don't recommend you mount VL2 out of reach. You will need access to it if you ever need to flash firmware via USB or pull wire harness if you experience BSOD like me. I just let me sit on glove-box on the shelf. I cut small hole in the filter door. I figure if I ever needed to return things to stock, buying a filter door would be much cheaper than replacing the entire glove-box.I have no issues with open/close glove box. No rattles either.

 

so you didn’t need to cut into the glove box at all?

 

My carlinkit the usb is connected to the factory usb input in the center console, so that's were I upgrade firmware. Also no BSOD or bugs. I have my backup battery for my dashcam in the glove box.