It’s no surprise that your car and iPhone are among the most essential things in your everyday life. Since they are incredibly useful, Apple ensures they both work seamlessly with CarPlay. If you are an Apple loyalist, you must be familiar with it. CarPlay is a safer way to use your iPhone while you drive, without actually using your iPhone.
Apple CarPlay is currently supported on 800 car models across different manufacturers. You can check our guide to see if your car is on that list. But, what if your car is old and doesn’t have Apple CarPlay support? That’s why we are here to help you with this guide. Here, you’ll learn how to install Apple Carplay in older cars.
How to Install Apple CarPlay in Older Cars
Apple CarPlay typically interacts with your iPhone through your car’s infotainment system. If the system is incompatible, options for adding CarPlay to older cars are limited.
1. Update the firmware of the old car’s infotainment system
In some cases, Apple CarPlay can be added to your older car by simply updating the firmware of the car’s infotainment system. Updating the firmware of your car’s infotainment system might be a Google search away. You can simply search your car’s manufacturing year and model followed by the phrase “CarPlay firmware update.” Once found, install it and enjoy the Apple CarPlay experience on your older car.
2. Check for the head unit of your old car
If you’re unable to update the firmware, you’ll be required to replace your head unit to install Apple CarPlay in older cars. To do so, first check if your old car has a single-DIN head unit, or double-DIN head unit, or a non-standard head unit. Do note that this is a costly and more extensive option.
3. Contact or search car audio retail website to find a CarPlay-compatible head unit
Once you’ve figured that out, visit a car audio retailer’s website or contact them directly with your requirements. You might have to provide them with your car’s manufacturing year, model, and some other info to find out the perfect CarPlay-compatible head unit for your older car.
4. Installing the CarPlay-compatible head unit in your older car
Once you find the replacement head unit, it’s time for you to install it into your older car to make it CarPlay-ready. You can ask them to install the CarPlay-compatible head unit on your older car. Remember, that’ll cost you extra bucks. So if you don’t want to spend more, try to install it yourself. It should be noted that you’ll need the right tools and wiring knowledge for the same.
Tip: Try finding a harness adapter designed specifically to connect your vehicle to the replacement head unit. This will prevent the hassle of cutting and soldering the wires.
5. Connect the new CarPlay-compatible head unit to your iPhone
After installing the head unit in your car, you’ll want it to show directions, play your favorite music, and so on. But wait… did you connect your iPhone? You’ll have to first turn on the head unit and enable the CarPlay mode. Generally, head units with Bluetooth compatibility connect to your iPhone easily giving you the best CarPlay experience in your older car.
Since you have bought a third-party head unit, it’s possible that CarPlay won’t connect to your iPhone in the usual way. So, you might require a compatible USB wire to establish a connection with your iPhone. In any case, you should look to connect your iPhone to your car.
Alternative & Affordable Way to Add Apple CarPlay in Older Cars
If you are looking for a more affordable way to install Apple CarPlay in older cars that don’t have it, we suggest you go with CarPlay adapters. These devices act as a bridge between your old car’s infotainment system and iPhone, allowing the car to mimic the Apple CarPlay experience through the existing system.
Here’s how you can install Apple CarPlay in older cars:
- First, plug the adapter into the car’s USB port.
- Now, wait for the car’s infotainment system to boot, and select CarPlay to get the device name
- Next, enable your iPhone’s Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and select the car.
- Then, pair the car with an iPhone using whichever connection is feasible and wait for Apple CarPlay to start.
- If required, connect the adapter’s AUX output to the car.
- Finally, complete the initial setup and enjoy Apple CarPlay in your old car
While CarPlay adapters are handy, they come with a few caveats. All the adapters may not work seamlessly to add Apple CarPlay experience in older cars due to connectivity or functionality issues. That’s not all, audio and display quality might not be as good as you’d expect with a native Apple CarPlay system.
This is generally caused by limitations of the car’s existing hardware. So, if you’re not worried about the cost, the best way to install Apple CarPlay in older cars is to replace the head unit entirely.
How Much Does It Cost to Install Apple CarPlay in Older Cars?
The cost of installing Apple CarPlay in older cars depends on the various methods you choose. As an estimation, if you want to replace the entire head unit, it might cost you around $200 to $1000. Remember, head units with smart displays often cost more, so you have to set a budget accordingly.
When you opt for professional installation, it can cost you somewhere around $100 to $500 depending on the complexity of installation and the car model. For those willing to install by themselves should keep a budget of at least $100 to cover the cost of harness or dash kits.
That’s all we have for you in this guide where we discussed how to install Apple CarPlay in older cars and the cost related to it. We hope you were able to install it by yourself or with the assistance of professionals. If this piece helped you enjoy the CarPlay experience in your older vehicle, please do the deed by sharing with someone who has an older car.
Banner image source: Unsplash/@yanli247
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