Aftermarket Carplay/Android Auto

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TheWidup

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I think I finally came up with the perfect solution for me and my LR4. I bought an aftermarket 10.26" Apple Carplay/Android Auto unit. It does Bluetooth handoff for music and handles wireless for the carplay/AA so there's a little bit of a hiccup if you have your phone auto connect to the LR4 via Bluetooth as it will start there and then the aftermarket unit has to grab it and then do a handoff so it's a little goofy to start but solid after that (that's my experience with android auto at least).

I was going to try to mount it to the dash or the windshield but ended up getting the vent mounts off of Aliexpress. It's mounted on a single vent with a little modification to the vent mount bracket. I basically drilled an 11/64ths hole through the ball mount and through the back of the bracket. I then threaded the thumb screw for the back of the display unit through the vent mount bracket. It doesn't bounce or move around at all and quite honestly looks like it could have been part of an original design had they modernized the LR4 dash instead of that goofy pivipro dash in the new Defenders. It doesn't block the view of the OEM system and it's about 1/4" inch away from the cowl over the instrument cluster.

I did end up getting a switchable power socket for it as I found turning it off is a good thing as it will auto connect if anyone opens a door and it powers up. That was causing goofiness with my phone. The whole system doesn't even need to be powered on for your phone to continue to work via Bluetooth to the LR either which is really nice.

Ask away if you have questions or want more details.

Aftermarket Apple Carplay/Android Auto Unit
Aliexpress vent mount
 

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powershift

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Nice install and the screen is closer to the driver. I had thoughts of a car pc and picked out this monitor and wasn't sure about mounting but saw this beanbag mount. I have bespoke software that uses google maps, a GPS and overlays for public land (BLM/Forest) boundaries and weather so that when I pick a spot to camp I know I have a right to be there. BLM land is kind of hard because there are no property boundary signs.

As an aside, I like the chrome/silver looking knobs you have for the HVAC and factory HU. Mine are black and have some crust gewy residue on them that I need to address. Where did you get those knobs or are they factory? Do those knobs come off so they can be cleaned?
 

TheWidup

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The dial covers are aftermarket and I always forget they're not OEM. I put those on because I was concerned about the rubber dials failing over time. They use 3M tape to stay put and I have never removed them to clean and I probably never will.

Qiilu Air Conditioner Radio Volume Button Knob Covers, 5Pcs Chrome Volume and Air Conditioning Knobs Trim for Land Rover Discovery 4 LR4 2009-2016 https://a.co/d/2arDbQM
 

powershift

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The dial covers are aftermarket and I always forget they're not OEM. I put those on because I was concerned about the rubber dials failing over time. They use 3M tape to stay put and I have never removed them to clean and I probably never will.

Qiilu Air Conditioner Radio Volume Button Knob Covers, 5Pcs Chrome Volume and Air Conditioning Knobs Trim for Land Rover Discovery 4 LR4 2009-2016 https://a.co/d/2arDbQM
How did you remove the factory knobs, did you just pry them off with a screw driver?
 

steevo

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I liked this idea and bookmarked your post. I finally got around to installing mine. I got a similar 10.26" portable Android unit. I found a 3d print file for a dash mount, it needed slight modification for my specific unit:


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Then I wanted to hardwire it in the cleanest way possible. I ran a USB C cable down under the trim and behind the glove box to the fuse panel. I use **** trimmer string to fish wires through small gaps like this.

IMG_20250101_134212883_HDR.jpg


I wired in a buck converter to step down 12v to 5v. I had this one from another project (you can get them on ebay or AliExpress), but you could also just cut up a 5v USB cigarette lighter adapter if you have a spare one laying around. Again, some generous smart person had a 3d print file for a nice case for the buck converter:


IMG_20250101_134146117.jpg


IMG_20250101_134446183.jpg
 

steevo

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I wired it into the "cigar lighter" fuse using an add-a-fuse. I hate the junk blue crimp connectors that come with them, so I use nice copper crimp connectors and heat shrink.

IMG_20250101_150800732_HDR.jpg IMG_20250101_151215109_HDR.jpg

The "Cigar Lighter" circuit comes on with your interior lights when you unlock the doors. The Android unit takes some time to boot up so having it come on as soon as the doors unlock instead of waiting for the ignition seems to work well. Downside is it also stays on until your dome lights go off when you shut the truck down. If you want it to come on with the ignition, I'd add the fuse tap to the "cooler box" circuit if equipped. I found that it only comes on when the ignition switch is on. Here it is all connected:
IMG_20250101_151726056_HDR.jpgIMG_20250101_151732367_HDR.jpgIMG_20250101_165854082_HDR.jpg
 

DiscoLR4

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I wired it into the "cigar lighter" fuse using an add-a-fuse. I hate the junk blue crimp connectors that come with them, so I use nice copper crimp connectors and heat shrink.

View attachment 25586 View attachment 25587

The "Cigar Lighter" circuit comes on with your interior lights when you unlock the doors. The Android unit takes some time to boot up so having it come on as soon as the doors unlock instead of waiting for the ignition seems to work well. Downside is it also stays on until your dome lights go off when you shut the truck down. If you want it to come on with the ignition, I'd add the fuse tap to the "cooler box" circuit if equipped. I found that it only comes on when the ignition switch is on. Here it is all connected:
View attachment 25588View attachment 25589View attachment 25590

This looks great. I may try this myself. I have a carpuride system that I attached using two of the same phone mounts you have in your car. But I felt a more elegant solution would be 3d printed one.

I wish there was a 3D printed solution to adding wireless phone charging where the coin tray goes...
 

steevo

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Looks like the Carpuride unit has the same slide type mount as mine, not the 4 screws. I remixed the original mount to fit this style mount:

 

CRYA

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I'm pretty dumb on electrical stuff, but at this price point, I'm interested. I understand this is a standalone device, but can I get the "bluetooth for dummies" explanation for how the iphone would work with both the truck's system and the screen? Second question, where does one get one of the mounts printed/made?
 

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