polish_pat

Ok so here is the setup:

GROM-USB2P serial starts with 843, so its the first version, bought 3 years ago.
Phone is a Galaxy Note 5 OS 5.1.1
Car is TL 2005 Navi (but no XM, not available in canada that year). Tried with stock navi and hacked navi

Installed this already 3 years ago, I always used the 3.5mm audio cable to listen to music in my car, if anybody here needs to know, the grom simulates a DVD full of music, so to listen to my music I have to put it in ipod mode and CD/DVD preset on navi.

I never really had any issues with the unit, except for the occasional unit reboots on its own, or changed mode by itself, or when i started the car, it would automatically select CD4. In most cases, i'd stop the car, shut it off and on again and go on with my ride listening to music.

Today I had to wire some stuff under the cupholder and pass cables from arm rest box to the compartiment right under the navi screen, so I decided to also re-wire my GROM unit to be able to use one of its features that I never bothered to setup before, controlling music using steering wheel buttons.

So after rewiring, I test unit and made sure all cables were good and tried to plug phone by USB to grom box, set radio to USB mode, but nothing. I went on grom site, checked all the FAQs and troubleshooting steps, updated firmware, plugged to USB port on grom box directly and not through the EXT1 or 2 port using the Y cable they gave me, but still nothing.

First real problem, i dont even know if firmware has flashed. My USB drive has no light so i cannot see if it flashes lie they mention. Also they say to check firmware version to unplug USB with new firmware from unit and check next to track, a number should appear with firmware version, but it doesnt appear.

Finally, i find a thread that supplies a config file, i flash it and USB streaming of music finally works, in their AALinQ apps and google music also works...problem 2, steering controls still dont work, problem 3, music quality is aweful, choppy music, interference in speakers and phone becomes really laggy. So I spend about 1h searching for a solution, i find a few suggestions saying to unplug neg battery terminal 30 minutes and try again, so I do it, still nothing. Now my USB streaming doesnt work at all. Also, when you plug the phone in the USB port directly on unit, you had to select PTP connection mode (camera emulation) and then a message would show up asking if grom can be authorized to use connection. This time, when I go to the meny to change the USB connection type, both MTP and PTP are greyed out. I just cant change anything. When i plug my phone in laptop, the options unblock, but as soon as I plug back in to grom, they grey out. I tried restarting car, phone, clearing app cache, clearing phone cache in recovery...nothing.

My ipod mode still works, but I really want steering controls to work also.

Anybody have any suggestions?

pohljm

iSimple

polish_pat

Great suggestion. Not.

pohljm

you said you wanted the steering wheel controls to work.

polish_pat

Exactly. On the GROM unit. Your help is always appreciated, but when you can't help, don't post.

AMI8

I empathise. I have a 2005 Canadian TL with NAV & a Frankenstein GROM AND2 unit with an EXT2 port, USB port and electrical tape over what I guess is, was supposed to be the iPod port purchased directly from GROM. The serial # doesn't correspond to GROM's web site info. During several emails they explained it IS a Frankenstein case. Guess they were low on parts that day.

It's connected to the back of the stereos B14P (XM satellite connection) and shows up in the audio display as XM1 (USB) or iPod (never attached one but may steal of my kids' and try it out). I run the infamous AAlinq app on my Nexus 5.

The firmware for our cars is #29 and should show up (amongst a bunch of other numbers) in the GROM display even if your Android phone isn't connected.

With the USB stick or Android phone attached press MODE on the steering wheel 'till XM is displayed. That's the GROM interface. The steering wheel controls should work with the USB stick and Android device.

The first time I installed it I used the wrong firmware but was able to get it to play in CD-C NO TEXT mode by first ejecting the NAV DVD until after GROM loaded. It actually played louder than it currently does.

Hope this helps.

polish_pat

I thought the 05 Can TL doesnt have XM...I don't. I only have the option of using CD

AMI8

I thought the same also when I first installed the GROM unit. I couldn't select sattelite "XM" by cycling through the steering wheels' "Mode" button until after I'd installed firmware #29.

Now there are two XM modes as well as iPod available.

Switch to the correct (XM Emulation firmware #29) for our cars ('03-'10). It works "better" and displays song titles, etc. but still plays dead every so often. For some reason the Grom unit causes the NAV to restart randomly.

If GROM were stable it would be a fantastic app. but it seems the GROM guys just can't get their shit together.

Good luck!

polish_pat

I don't have XM. I'm in Canada. I spoke to their support, and even if i've been out of warranty for a year and a half they still helped me and issued an RMA. I did have a lot of problem, but every firmware I tried solved one problem but created 2 more. I sent my unit a week ago and am expecting a replacement as soon as they take a look at my unit and why it's acting up so much.

AMI8

I'm in Ontario. Our cars don't have XM radio but the GROM unit connects to the XM interface in the rear of the radio which is why it shows up as XM1 Android and XM2 iPod.

GROM and AAlinq always have problems. 1 step forward 3 steps backward. Mine still chops off the first couple seconds of tracks, refuses to play certain tracks, randomly refuses to advance to the next track, and god knows what they'll fix / screw up with the next update. I'd tell them to keep the unit and refund your money. It's not worth the headache.

polish_pat

I really don't want a refund. Their customer service alone is enough to show that they are a decent company worth working with to fix issues, you should maybe give it a try, they are very helpful.

Also, I should check out the XM input, I don't remember anything about that. It has been 2.5 years since I installed it, but when I get replacement, i'll check it out.

AMI8

Emailing their customer service when I first got the unit installed did eventually solve the firmware & XM mode mystery but after several updates AAlinq continues to be an unstable dissapointment.

They offer a couple cool new features but have yet to fix the base features. Firmware 29 was last updated in 2013. I wish they'd just focus on really fixing GROM's base features.

Hope yours works better than mine when you get it back.

Good luck!

polish_pat

i got the unit back, i checked behind navi and there is no xm plug...

AMI8

You probably found it by now but just in case;

Not the NAV unit but the bottom of the radio unit itself. The B14P plug / pinout / harness / whatever. Refer to the radio / stereo pic above.

polish_pat

Yes I know. I say navi but the only plug that fits is right behing power button. No XM. Not sure how you got it, but i checked owner manual and they seem to confirm it. XM US model only. Take a picture of your front panel if you can

AMI8

According to my VIN it's a Canadian model (starts with 800001) assembled in Maryland in 2005. The display is in km/hr and the language options are English and Quebecois only. Took the pics today where you'll note it's a balmy 2 degrees Celcius here in T-dot. At least it's not snowing in the GTA.

I'm not sure how or why your stereo w/ nav doesn't have that plug for the harness. Perhaps some of the more tech savvy here can shed a light?

VIN Decoder - AcuraZine Community

polish_pat

I do have the empty slot for the grom cable to plug in, what i'm still clueless is how come you have a CAN TL 2005 with a hidden XM mode? Thats a first time i hear about that.

What i can tell you, the replacement unit they sent me somehow screwed up my CD player. Before, I could switch to CD mode even if there was no CD. When I plugged in the unit they sent me, CD mode would only appear when a CD was in slot 1. So if I had a CD in slot 2-6, it would be stuck on radio. They sent me another unit, We'll see how that goes, but its possible the grom unit can actually modify the firmware of the cd drive, which would also explain your XM mode. If you unplug grom, xm should disappear from modes

Also I don't have the AND2, I have USB2P

AMI8

Absolutely correct.

The GROM firmware must trick our radios into thinking the GROM unit is either another CD/DVD drive, XM (satellite receiver), and or bluetooth (depending on which firmware you use).

Your newer version GROM unit should enable at least two XM / satellite modes (1 - Android, and 2- iPod). No GROM, no XM mode.

I suggest mounting your GROM unit just to the right of the center console, between the radio and the glove box. I found this makes it easier to access the unit itself whenver I wanted to plug in a USB stick. All I have to do is pop the tabs on the glove box and let it hang all the way. This came in handy when I was doing trial and error testing on GROM's various firmware before settling on the proper but almost three years old firmare #29.

AAlinQ version 2.1 (August 13, 2015) has been the most stable for me thus far.

Good luck!

polish_pat

GROM sent me a USB3 unit instead of my older model. Still no XM. Also i'm on firmware 66. I don't think its released yet but in my troubleshooting with the company, they sent me this pre-release firmware to test, didnt see much of a difference to be honest, except the new unit has terrible USB streaming quality, also the radio powers on oon CD4 half the time and I have to turn off car and start again. Just ended up going bakc to my old habits and streaming my music though BT receiver connected to AUX, and when the urge pops out, I keep all 6 DVD-A slots full for that quality music

AMI8

Firmware #66 is labeled as CD / NO TEXT and if it's like the older CD / NO TEXT version I mistakenly ordered with my GROM-AND2 unit then you're lucky if it "works" at all.

I had to eject the NAV DVD, start the car, wait for the NAV "check DVD" message, attach my Android phone, insert the NAV DVD, then cross my fingers.

When it worked it sounded great but the process was annoying as hell. The wife thought I was insane. I was so happy when I discovered I could use the XM Emulation / Text firmware without doing laps around the car.

Try that XM Emulation firmware #41 and see if that works better.