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Home > In Car Electronics (L405) > DIY Apple CarPlay install L405

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E500

Member Since: 10 Sep 2024
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 50

DIY Apple CarPlay install L405

I bought an L405 a few weeks ago and wanted to add CarPlay to it.

I was searching here for some recent information on here about installing CarPlay in a 405 and couldn't find much, so decided to post this as a new thread. Hopefully it helps someone in a similar position.

I wanted to keep my OEM unit so I could retain the OEM cameras, DAB, TV etc interfaces. Plus I like the OEM look in my cars; to each their own but I didn't want an Android-type unit replacing the entire OEM system. So that left me with the Chinese units that tap into the existing setup.

I bought this (note you can get the same thing a bit cheaper off Aliexpress I found out later...): https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BXDH2D4S

It comes with all the cables you need to fit it. You will also need some trim removal tools (maybe) and a T10 or T20 torx screwdriver (I can't remember but all the screws are the same )

There are some videos on YouTube that use similar units and show you the process but it's really very easy. It took me less than an hour and I hadn't pulled a Range Rover dashboard apart before.

Remove the leather trim around the screen by pulling it off. Be careful not to break the clips, but they're quite tough.

Click image to enlarge

Then remove the torx screws for the metal surround (careful it's sharp), remove that, and remove the control panels on each side - these just clip in - unplug them and put them out of the way.

Pop off the silver 'grab handles' either side of the climate unit - these should just pull directly backwards without much force - then pull off the trim panel around the climate unit; again it should just unclip without much fuss. And remove the climate unit.

Click image to enlarge

Now both units can sit out and give you access to the cables.

Click image to enlarge

The hardest part was actually fitting everything back into the dash. What seemed to work well for me was to connect everything up and then tuck the unit right at the top of the dash, behind the OEM screen. I had seen people try to put it behind the climate unit but I couldn't make that fit. You could also put the unit under the glovebox and route the cables into the dash that way... I did this for my USB cable and my wifi antenna, like so, by dropping the glovebox down and feeding the cables through and into the dash.

Click image to enlarge

Assembly is the reverse but check everything works before you button it all up.

Click image to enlarge

And I still have my OEM stuff when I want it.

Click image to enlarge

This unit works by hijacking the OEM nav function. So you do lose that... Oddly I have also lost my 4x4i screen, and my wade sensor! This doesn't really bother me but be aware.

Other than those issues it works really well. It will connect to the phone using wifi so no need to have it plugged in, and the connection is fast when getting into the car. I was worried about GPS signal, as using Google maps on my phone in a phone mount didn't work well with the car's UV windscreen and sunroof etc. However it seems to use the car's GPS for CarPlay as the location is always spot on.

Hope that's useful for someone.

17th Sep 2024 9:47am

Pvw10

Member Since: 04 Nov 2015
Location: Ledbury
Posts: 315

2014 Range Rover Vogue SE SDV8 Firenze Red

Top job, thanks for sharing this. Many thanks
Paul

20th Sep 2024 3:42pm

PhillV8s

Member Since: 03 Jun 2022
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 37

2013 Range Rover Vogue SE SDV8 Aintree Green

I fitted the same system and is great apart from the track skip function on the steering wheel when using Spotify. Does yours work and if so what were your dip switch settings? 2013 SDV8 4.4 Vogue SE Aintree

20th Sep 2024 4:06pm

fisha

Member Since: 25 Sep 2009
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1368

2015 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Aruba

I'd love to know your longer term thoughts on this as I'm like the OP, I quite like the original look / feel of the units, but the lack of upto nav is beginning to show its issues on journeys.

Can you listen to car DAB whilst having something like google maps running on the screen ? V8 or else ...

21st Sep 2024 8:15am

PhillV8s

Member Since: 03 Jun 2022
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 37

You can have DAB from the OEM system whilst having say Waze on the screen as you just change the Audio setting from AUX to DAB etc but keep the CarPlay screen open. 2013 SDV8 4.4 Vogue SE Aintree

21st Sep 2024 8:24am

E500

Member Since: 10 Sep 2024
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 50

PhillV8s wrote:
I fitted the same system and is great apart from the track skip function on the steering wheel when using Spotify. Does yours work and if so what were your dip switch settings?

I’ve done a bit of a hacky solution for Bluetooth audio. I haven’t used the aux input method at all, I just have my phone paired with the car’s Bluetooth and use that (because I never have instructions on google maps or whatever I don’t care about ‘proper’ CarPlay audio). I think the steering wheel controls still work OK but I don’t think I’ve tried Spotify actually. Will try this evening and let you know.

The CarPlay unit I fitted has a configuration option in the setting screen to ‘use car’s Bluetooth’, which I think means in theory I could use that for the CarPlay audio… But as it’s not a priority for me I haven’t played around with it to see what works.

23rd Sep 2024 7:33am

E500

Member Since: 10 Sep 2024
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 50

Update!

I switched the OEM music input over to Bluetooth, then went back into CarPlay and fired up Spotify and all worked fine, even the steering wheel controls to skip forward/back.

So with my setup as long as I switch the car's usual audio input to Bluetooth it seems to work ok. But, as above, I also have my CarPlay unit set to 'use car's bluetooth' or whatever the setting is called. And my phone paired with the car, not the CarPlay unit.

23rd Sep 2024 5:11pm

Jef Benitez

Member Since: 24 Jul 2018
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 4

2016 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Santorini Black

Click image to enlarge

I found that the unit fits quite nicely under the piping for the dash vents, just above the screen (can see the silver unit in the photo)
I bought the same unit as OP, doesn't seem to have the "use car bluetooth" option in the settings that I can see although works well otherwise (just dont have the skip button working on spotify, all ok otherwise)

13th Oct 2024 1:01pm

twintorque

Member Since: 27 Mar 2023
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 6

2016 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Siberian Silver

I presume that you also lose the indash junction displays at junctions as it’s not the OEM satnav ?
Overall how would you rate the units ?

10th Nov 2024 5:38pm

E500

Member Since: 10 Sep 2024
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 50

Sorry my car’s been away for a while for some work so hadn’t had chance to drive it.

I’m still very happy with the unit. My phone connects automatically every time I get in the car, the unit is fast and responsive and I haven’t had any problems with it so far.

I have a Pioneer CarPlay head unit thing in one of my other cars and that is slow and slightly unstable, so I was expecting similar from this Chinese thing in the RR, but not a bit of it.

edit: yes you don’t get the in dash / HUD directions as you guess.

23rd Nov 2024 7:09pm

will308f

Member Since: 19 Apr 2022
Location: plymouth
Posts: 417

2014 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Loire Blue

how is the the sat nav any issues with google maps ? .does it use the range rovers own gps ariel ?
thanks

...sorry missed the post about sat nav/google

23rd Nov 2024 7:53pm

E500

Member Since: 10 Sep 2024
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 50

Yeah seems to use the car’s GPS as it’s spot on. I only used my phone in the car for google maps once, driving it home from collecting it, and the location was all over the place. So I fitted the CarPlay the next day

23rd Nov 2024 8:39pm

will308f

Member Since: 19 Apr 2022
Location: plymouth
Posts: 417

think i will be getting one of these soon

23rd Nov 2024 8:57pm

will308f

Member Since: 19 Apr 2022
Location: plymouth
Posts: 417

have you used the wifi aerial ?

23rd Nov 2024 9:01pm

E500

Member Since: 10 Sep 2024
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 50

Yes that’s the thing I routed into the back of the glovebox. I don’t ever connect my phone to it by a cable, just connects automatically when I get into the car.

It makes an initial Bluetooth connection ‘handshake’ with the unit then uses WiFi

23rd Nov 2024 9:05pm

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