[cholden]

Hi all,

For the past year, I've been trying to take advantage of the Apple Carplay retrofit on my 2018 Camry LE. My dealership offered to install it for free about a year ago, but after getting the car back nothing appeared to be different.

I have taken the car back 2 more times since then and have gotten weird/nonsensical explanations for why I still apparently don't have Apple Carplay. First, I was told I need to install an app on my phone and call the troubleshooting number in it. Which app? They don't know. Most recently was told that the Apple Carplay retrofit wasn't the full Apple Carplay. I find this dubious as I doubt Toyota would advertise a retrofit that makes no discernable changes.

This leads me to 3 questions:
1. Does this retrofit not work for the LE model?
2. Am I doing something wrong? This is certainly possible, but from the research I've done, it sounds like, if the retrofit was successful, I would have an "Apple Carplay" option in Menu --> Setup. This does not appear in my vehicle. Is there something I'm missing here?
3. Is my dealership is doing something wrong? Has anyone here had a dealership successfully install the retrofit? Should I just try another dealership and hope they don't charge me? Is there a magic word/phrase to use so they do it right?

I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts and/or personal experience on this.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mattviper]

You can try DIYing it. There is a giant thread on here about it and many have successfully installed it on their own with a usb key.

 

[cholden]

You can try DIYing it. There is a giant thread on here about it and many have successfully installed it on their own with a usb key.

Thanks mattviper, I have looked a little bit into that option. Unfortunately, I don't have the best track record with DIY attempts, to put it lightly. I have nightmares of me bricking my console and making things worse. But if it looks like the dealership route is hopeless, I might have to give it a shot.

 

[fungabriel]

Apple CarPlay Update Files (18 Camry/Sienna & 18/19...

WARNING If you don't know what you are doing, please DO NOT attempt this. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR BREAKING YOUR CAR! WARNING What you need: 1) A Windows Computer (Or a Windows VM) 2) 4~8GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive, good quality!! USB Flash Drives 32gb and under are FAT32. Above 32gb is exFAT...

www.toyotanation.com

 

[NameofUser]

I bet the dealership did NOTHING and just charged you for it. Since you paid for this "service upgrade", have the tech show you that it works. If the person or anyone at the dealership won't show you that it works as paid for:
*demand a refund
*start a chargeback claim w/ Credit Card
*report this malfeasance to your State's Automotive Repair Regulator
*File a complaint w/ Toyota
*1star Yelp review
*1star Googlemaps review
*1star dealership survey when it comes from Toyota

 

[misguidedute]

If it isn't in the setup menu it isn't installed. Menu > Setup > General > Apple CarPlay > ON.
Once your 2018 Camry is retrofitted with CarPlay, turning this feature on is fairly straightforward. You’ll need to connect your iPhone to the Camry using a lightning cable, then check the multimedia display to ensure that CarPlay is turned on. You’ll find the option by following Menu > Setup > General > Apple CarPlay > ON.

 

[cholden]

If it isn't in the setup menu it isn't installed. Menu > Setup > General > Apple CarPlay > ON.
Once your 2018 Camry is retrofitted with CarPlay, turning this feature on is fairly straightforward. You’ll need to connect your iPhone to the Camry using a lightning cable, then check the multimedia display to ensure that CarPlay is turned on. You’ll find the option by following Menu > Setup > General > Apple CarPlay > ON.

Thanks for the confirmation, this rules out scenario 2 as a possibility. I guess I'll either have to try another dealership or DIY it.

 

[cholden]

I bet the dealership did NOTHING and just charged you for it. Since you paid for this "service upgrade", have the tech show you that it works. If the person or anyone at the dealership won't show you that it works as paid for:
*demand a refund
*start a chargeback claim w/ Credit Card
*report this malfeasance to your State's Automotive Repair Regulator
*File a complaint w/ Toyota
*1star Yelp review
*1star Googlemaps review
*1star dealership survey when it comes from Toyota

Just to clarify, they did this "service" for free. Which really just makes this all the more confusing. Why proactively offer me a free service and then not do it?

 

[MegaSnorlax]

Do you have another dealership nearby that you can ask? I have a '18 SE and I had it installed at the dealer last year.

 

[SKORPiO]

And just to make sure, you are using usb port under the radio, not the one inside the console under armrest.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

 

[myang]

Thanks for the confirmation, this rules out scenario 2 as a possibility. I guess I'll either have to try another dealership or DIY it.

There should be a “Projection” section in the settings to enable carplay if you have it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NameofUser]

Just to clarify, they did this "service" for free. Which really just makes this all the more confusing.

No, they LIED, and said the “service” was performed, which it was not.

Why proactively offer me a free service and then not do it?

You realize people/companies lie at various points in time for various reasons.
Why? That is something the liar can only answer as to why.

Just chalk it up to a crap dealership. Go elsewhere, but be sure to leave a multitude of crap reviews for the crap service. Unless you like being lied to and having your time wasted.

 

[SKORPiO]

You won't be able to go to another dealership and get it "re-done". The service writer won't be able to charge Toyota again. First dealership already performed the service for which Toyota already paid for. Weather or not they did it, you will need proof and You need to contact Toyota corporate and have them resolve with original dealer or allow you to get this done again at another dellaler and cover the charges. I think the software code changes when you will install this update. What does your radio show now?

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

 

[drumman]

When I received the letter from Toyota about the retrofit of AppleCar play for my 2018 Camry SE, I contacted my dealer. They said they would do the upgrade for free. To do it they needed my car for half a day because the upgrade takes a while. They did it and it worked, but it is NOT wireless! You must connect your iPhone to your car via a USB cable. You will find the Apple Car Play under the Menu/Setup/General and the Apple Car Play should be there and it must be turned ON. If Apply Car Play is not there, they didn't install it. They might have thought they did, but the upgrade might have failed. WARNING - There is some information out there on how to install it yourself, but DON't do it. I had a friend who tried to do it and he failed and his entire intotainment unit became a brick. The entire unit had to be replaced. Very expensive failure.

 

[Alex85Hil]

Don’t go to dealer. Find in google about CarPlay for Camry 2018. So first find it (hard to find), download to your computer, take usb(format the usb) and put into usb. Go to your car but first read the instructions in website how to update.

PS I did download for free and updated it. I have not issue with CarPlay in Camry 18 since 2019.

 

[drumman]

Don’t go to dealer. Find in google about CarPlay for Camry 2018. So first find it (hard to find), download to your computer, take usb(format the usb) and put into usb. Go to your car but first read the instructions in website how to update.

PS I did download for free and updated it. I have not issue with CarPlay in Camry 18 since 2019.

I don't recommend this. My friend tried it and his unit failed to upgrade the unit became a brick. Your choice.

 

[Alex85Hil]

I don't recommend this. My friend tried it and his unit failed to upgrade the unit became a brick. Your choice.

Your friend did not read the instruction because failed it. Be careful to read the instruction and then never fail.

 

[drumman]

Your friend did not read the instruction because failed it. Be careful to read the instruction and then never fail.

We are retired IT technicians. He read the instructions. It is like updating a computer. Most of the time it goes ok but there are times it doesn't. We have updated hundreds of computers and that is what you are doing. You are updating the firmware of the infotainment unit. For some reason it burped. I don't think you can 100% guarantee that the the update will go flawlessly. I'm just putting this warning out there. Hopefully if you try to do it, you will have no problems. The letter that Toyota sent out, said it was up to the dealer if they would charge you or not. Because we have been customers with our dealer for many years, they did it at no costs. But, I did call other Toyota dealers and some were charging to do the upgrade for $100. I don't blame you for trying to do the upgrade yourself.