hi guys, I'm own tlx 2017 base model. it does not have a navigation system and apple car play. So, I'm going to replace it with 2018 bottom display screen which has apple car play features. I'm not sure if it works. Has anyone done it before? I just need apple car play or android auto and don't care navigation system if it works or not.

 

You need the bottom radio unit, the top screen, new controls to activate carplay, the carplay module and the usb ports. Once you have all the parts, it is plug and play.

 

Hi,
you wrote it‘s plug‘n play.
Can i buy the cables or have i to buy a complete dash harness from the 2018+ TLX?

What is different on the upper display why it have to be changed?

regards Hans

 

It's not as simple as just swapping the newer headunit. There are different modules and harnesses I believe. I've heard maybe 2 people attempt it without 100% success.

You're better off going a 3rd party route if you want CarPlay. Try GROM audio or NavTool.

 

Bringing this back, I have interest in doing this not the 3rd party route... now the guy who did the 2015-2018 Acura TLX conversion switched out his whole center console for the OEM CarPlay/Android Auto and he reported it to be a success with no issues at all. If I can get the parts at discount I may consider doing this for my 2016 Tech so I'm doing some research to see how feasible this is

 

I‘m doing the swap at the moment. I‘ll report when i‘ve done it. I‘ve a 2015 Elite from Canada. What i‘ve changed is the head unit and the upper screen. I‘ll get the carplay unit and wiring in the week after eastern.

 

Let us know please, and if you could what the cost would be. I have the 17 TLX V6 Tech (Love it) but wish I had the funds to get the 18 model but would have been broke if I went with the 18 model.

 

Sooooo is there an update on this??? Still wanna do this to my 2016 TLX

 

I'm still waiting for some wiring parts. I've ordered them from Acura now because my friend was flying back to germany and can't wait for my parts.
What i need is the USB and HDMI Wiring from the Head Unit to the Carplay Unit. All other i've still here.

 

My Carplay Conversion is complete now.

 

I did the 2018 Swap to my 2015 Elite.

I‘ve to change following parts:
- Head Unit
- Upper Display
- Interface dial unit

Additional i‘ve bought
​​​​​​- Carplay Unit
- Both USB/HDMI wiring from the 2018 TLX
- Custom harness to connect the carplay unit to the head unit

- additional you‘ve to change the Tuner Unit. The older one works but it’s with communication failure

 

This is big!! Thanks so much for sharing the info John ... I will be doing this towards the end of the year!! Most of the parts you had got was from Acura Genuine Parts website right? if so I can go ahead and begin finding all the specific part numbers and build a "How To-" Thread on it. I would jump on this immediately but im in the middle of another big TLX project right now!

 

Here are the part Numbers:

- Head Unit (without navi 39540-TZ3-B020, 39540-TZ3-A510, with navi 39540-TZ3-A610, 39540-TZ3-A710, 39540-TZ3-C620)
- Upper Display 39810-TZ3-A110, 39810-TZ3-C110
- Interface dial unit/hard buttons (without navi: 39050-TZ3-A31, with navi: 39050-TZ3-A41
​​​​​​- Carplay Unit 39095-TZ3-A011
- Both USB/HDMI wiring from the 2018 TLX (39117-TZ3-A20, 39118-TZ3-A00)
- Tuner Unit 39800-TZ3-A311
- Custom harness to connect the carplay unit to the head unit (JAE MX34 20P025-MX34-JAE-F-tr with Pins for the Carplay Unit. Some extra pins to connect them in the 16-pin Plug from the radio)

Most of the wiring is directly from the carplay Unit to the Audio Unit connector H. 3 Wires are from Connector A from the Audio Unit to the Carplay Unit (GND is A1, +B from A3 and SWD +B from A21)

 

Awesome Sauce!!! definitely documenting this for my records

 

Few questions if you don't mind.

Did you need a radio code for the unit you bought?

I found this unit on eBay but it list 2017
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393304225889

Was there a 2017 that had those buttons? The part number does match one of the ones you listed but I'm hesitant since the seller is listing it as a 2017 unit.

On the harness you built. Did you just add pins to empty slots on the existing connector in the car? I found the 20 pins connector and terminals to plug into the carplay unit but not sure about the other end

 

Hi,

the unit you‘ve bought is correct. I think it was one of the first facelift delivered at the end of 2017.

yes, i needed the code. You can get it on the acura website very easy.
Type in there your car vin and the sn from the new radio. You don’t need the other vin.

The 16-pin connector is already on the radio. 4 pins are in this connector comming from the hft unit. All the other are empty on this so you can pin the carplay there.

regards
Hans

 

Thanks for the help so far. Everything is in the mail.

Where did you mount the carplay/AA unit? I ordered the bracket and screws but I don't know where it should be located in the 18-20.
Also where do the USB and HDMI cables you bought go? Does the USB replace the existing one or is it additional ?
I guess my next part of the question would be how long the harness is that you made. I 'll figure that out once I know where I am mounting the unit. I've already received the carplay unit so I wired up the female side of the connector.

I was thinking about making a t-harness to allow me to just plug my harness in without having to add pin to the existing connector but the male connectors I am finding are all shipping from China and will take 30-50 days according to the sellers.

 

I‘ve mounted the carplay unit under the center console behind the srs module. This is the place on the 18-20, too.

The existing usb cable i‘ve plugged in into the carplay unit, because it will fit better on the center console.

I took the hdmi wire and the usb with brown and green plugs and made my harness to the same lengh.

 

Did the tuner unit (39800-TZ3-A311) you received have 2 connectors or 3. The one i received has 3 connectors but the unit in the car has only 2.

I got everything hooked up but when I plug in my phone the car recognizes that the phone is plugged in but it's stuck on loading.

 

The new Tuner Unit have 3 Connectors, thats correct.
In the 2015-2017 TLX there is a external XM Receiver Unit behind the right rear seat back assy. The 2018+ TLX has the XM Tuner in the other tuner Unit included. So you only have to plug in the XM Antenna from the old unit into the new unit.
The old XM Unit you can disconnect from your car.

 

Ok I see. I still have issues. The new tuner that I got has a 20 pin connector but the connector in the car to the old tuner unit is not the same size so it doesn't plug in.

How can the XM antenna behind the seat reach the rear deck to plug into the new tuner unit?

 

What Part number is your new tuner unit?

 

I don't use the Tuner Unit from the TLX because i'm from germany. We don't have XM here and we need the other frequences.
So i've the Tuner Unit from the european NSX in my car. In the developer menu i've still the failure but the tuner works.

You can rewire the new TLX tuner unit, but you have to add about 8 wires from the head unit to the tuner unit.
The XM Antenna Cable i think you can get one a little bit longer to connect.

Here is the wiring diagram from the old tuner and the new tuner. I've also added the Connectors from the head unit, where you can get your signals.

 

39800-TZ3-A311 is the tuner I got. I don't need XM so I could technically keep my old Tuner but there is no name on the source when I select source.

I think I'm just going to scrap the project because I don't want to do so much rewiring for the tuner.

Thanks for all the help John.

 

Hi John, do you remember what the total cost was for your conversion? I have a Canadian 2016 TLX and wanted to add carplay. I was looking at the GROM VLINE 2 solution, but if I could install an OEM solution it would be much better.

 

It was about $500 complete. Depending on the prices you‘ll get for the parts.

I had luck to get them cheap.

 

How did you get everything so cheap? The carplay/android auto unit itself is showing as almost $600 at every acura parts website i've looked at so far. I tried looking on ebay, but the head units are about $500-$700 each, plus the cost of the tuner ($100), carplay/aa unit ($600) and new upper screen ($100) and i'm tallying up about $1,500...any insight onto how/where you got your parts? (all the prices i posted are US dollars fyi). I was looking at this, but I may get a Grom Vline2 unit instead. I had a Navtool unit which wokred good for a few years but is now non-functioning so need a new solution. Thanks in advance!

 

I had a lot of luck:

carplay unit 160 CAD
Upper Screen 75 USD
Head Unit 150 CAD
Wiring 130 USD
Tuner 65 USD

Searching a long time on ebay.

 

Did you purchase Canadian head unit or USA? Do you know if there is a way to change temperature from F to C if I purchase a USA unit?

 

I remember seeing the option in the diagnostic menu to choose between C and F but not sure if that changes the actual display. I'll try the next time I'm in the car.

You have to keep checking eBay for the parts to show up. You definitely don't want to get them new. I was able to get the Tuner for $60, AA/CP unit $100, Upper Display $100, Head Unit with Lower Buttons $300. The USB and HDMI will have to come from the dealership because I haven't seen those for sale.

I did get the head unit installed but my project is on hold for the time being unless I decide to move forward with rewiring the tuner. I'll probably sell it all because I don't want to go through the hassle. Making a T-Harness is something I thought about so I can preserve my factory connectors but that requires ordering all the connectors on ali express.

 

That’s for checking that - do you need any special tools to get into diag mode?

I would be interested in purchasing your parts if you end up selling, but will keep an eye on eBay in the mean time.

 

I went in the Diagnostic screen and I must have been mistaken. To get in the diagnostic menu press and hold MENU, BACK, and NAV for 5 seconds. Both screens will change to some diagnostic info. Press and hold MENU again the top screen will change to another 3 page set of menus. If I do sell not sure how to handle shipping to Canada.

 

I have a 2017 shawd and i’m upgrading the head unit because i want carplay. I already have the new head unit and top screen from a 2019. I also have the cp/aa module. Do i need to get the new tuner unit from a 2019? I dont care about xm. I never use xm.

 

The system will work with the old tuner, too. You only have failure in your audio bus system.

 

The new head unit works, except for the carplay feature. When i push the smartphone button, it just says “launching” and i never get past that. Please help.

 

Does the tuner have any affect on the carplay feature? If so, what do i have to rewire? Thanks in advance.

 

The tuner unit is not the problem. Your problem is a wire problem. I haven‘t seen how you rewire the CP/AA Unit. Do you have pictures?

 

hi john, i noticed on the audio navigation 16p plug, number 13 and 14 are exactly the same. Is that correct? Or is one of those pins supposed to be CP/AA SIRI RG-?

 

+B (A3) from the audio navigation unit goes to +B BACKUP (A10) on the carplay unit. Is that correct?

 

It seems so, but H13 is CP/AA SIRI RG+ and H14 is CP/AA SIRI RG-

A3 from the head unit goes to A10 from the CP/AA unit.
A1 from the head unit goes to A9 from the CP/AA unit.
A21 from the head unit goes to A8 from the CP/AA unit

What usb and HDMI wiring do you have?