I would think thats due to our touchscreens being resistive type but I could be wrong
GROM VLine Owners (Please post only if you've owned this device) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter 82SC
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #22
Swipe does works in other screens. like for the main GROM screens. It's not great and alot of time a swipe is interpreted as a push.
So likely for reliability push is probably better. Just as and FYI for people
So likely for reliability push is probably better. Just as and FYI for people
- Thread starter
- #23
My mounting system. Four long zip ties. There are perfect holes that fit the Vline. Also I got these 3M stickered wires clips with one of my many car chargers I think. Helps keep the zip ties positioned.
I gathered the cords and tucked them
Under the removable panel.
I gathered the cords and tucked them
Under the removable panel.
Last edited:
I'm thrilled to report that the latest firmware / software updates have solved all of the issues that I had. The screen flickering, reboots, etc. Even wireless CarPlay is now super stable. I haven't had a single issue since the latest updates. I'm super happy I waited things out and didn't return it.
I finally got my grom vline2 installed and fully concealed on my 2011 lx 570. The microphone and gps antenna are routed all the way to the top of windshield where the rear view mirror is. The microphone points nicely inside the car away from windshield.
The GPS antenna is glued to the windshield right beside the rainsensor. If anyone is interested I can post pictures.
I have routed the USB cable to the factory USB cable plug, pulled the existing factory usb connection and replaced it with grom's usb female which sits right into the factory USB slot.
The grom vline2 console is mounted under the glove box but you cannot see it unless you are all the way ducked down. It have zip tied it to the panel. Will post pics soon.
The GPS antenna is glued to the windshield right beside the rainsensor. If anyone is interested I can post pictures.
I have routed the USB cable to the factory USB cable plug, pulled the existing factory usb connection and replaced it with grom's usb female which sits right into the factory USB slot.
The grom vline2 console is mounted under the glove box but you cannot see it unless you are all the way ducked down. It have zip tied it to the panel. Will post pics soon.
It works but I have some issues:
1. The video display switches back to factory GPS once in a while like 15 mins into the drive. The navigation and voice all are still active but the display show factory GPS. Not sure if the grom display signal is going to sleep and the lexus media software is switching the display to default nav.
2. I installed Gapps and waze and maps on the grom itself. The internet connect doesn't auto establish if I connect my phone with USB or connect with bluetooth, I have to go into wifi settings and connect it again to my wifi hotspot. Is there any setting where grom can automatically tether to my phone's internet when connect with usb or bluetooth?
1. The video display switches back to factory GPS once in a while like 15 mins into the drive. The navigation and voice all are still active but the display show factory GPS. Not sure if the grom display signal is going to sleep and the lexus media software is switching the display to default nav.
2. I installed Gapps and waze and maps on the grom itself. The internet connect doesn't auto establish if I connect my phone with USB or connect with bluetooth, I have to go into wifi settings and connect it again to my wifi hotspot. Is there any setting where grom can automatically tether to my phone's internet when connect with usb or bluetooth?
Last edited:
Does the VLine2 have any effect on the rear entertainment in the LX? I keep DVDs loaded for the kids and would hate to take away their quest to memorize every line of Thor Ragnarok...
Let me check it. I was wondering the same as rear entertainment is completely controlled by the built in audio system. If the audio system is in vline2 mode, I doubt if the dvd movie audio will play in the speakers. Will test it out.
Can someone explain how following items work? I understand it's simply an android device with wiring harness which will do following:
1. Hook into vehicle CAN to read "MENU" press to switch signal source.
2. Wire splitter to show video/audio from either OE multimedia or from VLIne
Correct? Or it does more? I assume following shortcomings:
1. Backup camera will not work without switching to OE. Or they provide hookup into reverse signal?
2. On-demand camera (by pushing camera button) will not work for sure, right?
3. Factory mic, usb and so on will not work for calls, right?
4. Audio quality might be compromised because of android signal processing. No?
I kind of want ApplePlay but if all my assumptions correct I'd rather live without it..
1. Hook into vehicle CAN to read "MENU" press to switch signal source.
2. Wire splitter to show video/audio from either OE multimedia or from VLIne
Correct? Or it does more? I assume following shortcomings:
1. Backup camera will not work without switching to OE. Or they provide hookup into reverse signal?
2. On-demand camera (by pushing camera button) will not work for sure, right?
3. Factory mic, usb and so on will not work for calls, right?
4. Audio quality might be compromised because of android signal processing. No?
I kind of want ApplePlay but if all my assumptions correct I'd rather live without it..
After the whole setup and installation and 600$ worth of device. I would say, having factory nav maps update will be a smoother experience rather than jumbling through these different interfaced and pressing buttons etc.
I like way factory nav sound is played in the front middle speaker (for driver to hear) while the song or movie is played through rest of the speakers.
I like way factory nav sound is played in the front middle speaker (for driver to hear) while the song or movie is played through rest of the speakers.
The grom vline2 will hook into your factory audio media interface and replace the USB input to it. So to switch and see the vline2 interface you need to press the USB/Aux button on your audio system.
Go to grom vline2 website and you can see the manual on how the connections work. its very simple, remove existing plug-in wire behind factory display and connect the grom vline2 wire and it daisy chains the factory wire you removed so you plug that removed wire into the grom's cable.
You dont do any wire splitting for a OEM setup, just plug and play type mostly. If you already have hacked the factory setup with in motion bypass or others, you need to do things a bit different.
It works smoothly with reverse camera so if you are using vline and reverse, it will show just the reverse camera (not the side camera combination on my 2011 lx 570) some of these features may change with the year model of your car. It doesn't use the factory interface for showing reverse and slow down/stop cameras on front and side in vline mode. So on demand camera will work but you may need to switch back to vline again by pressing the USB/Aux button. (Although the audio for the vline will still play as you view camera).
I think grom vline2 sells additional cameras to provide 360 degree view of your car using a different app within grom, but for that you replace factory cameras with another type of cameras and at that point this view will only work from grom display.
Factory mic is left intact but will not work within vline2 and if you want to use vline2 for speaking (Txt to speech commands, taking call with carplay, you need to wire its own microphone).
What most people do is that they take their phone call using the factory bluetooth as its noise cancellation is superior to vline2 microphone. But its a choice, you can use both. You can be connected to grom as well as factory bluetooth at same time so your carplay will work as well as answer call via factory bt.
4. Audio quality is not noticable compromised as its feeding the audio to factory audio system rather than controlling the signals and providing it directly to speakers. This is one of the major advantages touted with this setup as you are not replacing the factory unit and even if grom is not working or toasted, you have the default oem setup still working.
This is what I think,
If you need carplay badly, this is the best way to go and just expect carplay to work. Other features like grom's map apps and others will only work when you are connecting it to your phone's internet hotspot. but carplay works well everytime you get in the car it auto connects etc.
another useful thing, if you see any other lexus or toyota compatible models being sold used on ebay, you can reprogram (firmware update) them to make it work for your model year by buying the right wiring harness on grom website. (This may even work for any model of grom for any car, you can confirm this with support on grom if you see a used ebay model).
In my case, I bought a wrong version of grom vline2 which is lex6rt , which is not exactly the model for my car. The right one for my car should have been lex6.
When I talked to their support, what i realized is that the actual grom unit is the same for all cars, the only thing which is different is the firmware (which can be updated via usb) and the cable harness which will match for your car. So I ended up buying the right cable harness for 20$ and updated the firmware and this one started working for my car.
If you notice the pics on their website, its the same unit for all make, model year. they also sell car specific wiring harness separately on their website.
In my case, I bought a wrong version of grom vline2 which is lex6rt , which is not exactly the model for my car. The right one for my car should have been lex6.
When I talked to their support, what i realized is that the actual grom unit is the same for all cars, the only thing which is different is the firmware (which can be updated via usb) and the cable harness which will match for your car. So I ended up buying the right cable harness for 20$ and updated the firmware and this one started working for my car.
If you notice the pics on their website, its the same unit for all make, model year. they also sell car specific wiring harness separately on their website.
By splitting I mean "theory of operation". Not physical hookup. They are plug and play. But what they do - they detect signal on CAN bus to do video signal switch.
I have 2021 with 360 cameras and I like it a lot. There is also different special button on panel to activate camera which I can use when parking not in reverse and I like that too. Not sure about 2011 LX.. So, if they don't support all that - it's a big no no for me. I was hoping they also intercept CAN signal for reverse or camera activation on factory and do video switch.
may be they do for 2021 model. talk to the support to understand. Some of the features and what works or dont is really specific to factory nav units.
- Thread starter
- #35
1. You should update software and firmware. I had issues and hounded the guys at GROM. ALOT of them have been ironed out now. I would say I'm 98% stable. but I have a flickering line at the bottom (which they are aware of) Random restarts and switch to GPS is almost nonexsistant. maybe 3 times in a months. And alot of the time I think the Car OEM NAV or Audio does something like pull up gas stations or try to give a low fuel warning. Sometimes I think it's Apple Carplay causing it. Sometimes it is probably the GROM.
2. I think it's your phone's hotspot. I know my iphone hotspot won't show up on devices unless I open to the hotspot screen on my phone. I think that is to keep from having your phone have it's hotspot on all the time. Others have bought and aftermarket hotspot with a data plan and have that sitting in their glovebox acting as an always on WiFi....but I think that defeats the purpose of the GROM....I use is 99% for the CarPlay because when stable it is seamless. Some have said GAIA looks better on the GROM...also I am able to run OBD Fusion on my GROM screen so that is cool I've been trying to get Pedal Commander to run on the GROM screen but it doesn't want to connect.
No effect. The rear entertainment system should work fine. I've also experimented with casting the GROM screen to the rear using a Amazon Firestick in the HDMI port in the back
So I observed a weird behavior,
I have two phones (mine and my wife's) both paired with carplay.
I went through the pain of routing the USB cable from back of grom to the factory USB port so I can use it for charging.
So when I use one phone connected via charging cable, and I disconnect the cable in the middle of carplay. The screen goes black with carplay written in middle and nothing works from then on.
Even if I plug my phone back, it doesn't help or even when I press the blank screen or nav buttons to toggle back into GROM mode. Nothing changes unless I restart my car.
I am talking to support on this, not sure if you peeps know what this is.
The support guys says this message appears when carplay is disconnected in middle, but I dont agree that this is a friendly way of blocking everything.
I have two phones (mine and my wife's) both paired with carplay.
I went through the pain of routing the USB cable from back of grom to the factory USB port so I can use it for charging.
So when I use one phone connected via charging cable, and I disconnect the cable in the middle of carplay. The screen goes black with carplay written in middle and nothing works from then on.
Even if I plug my phone back, it doesn't help or even when I press the blank screen or nav buttons to toggle back into GROM mode. Nothing changes unless I restart my car.
I am talking to support on this, not sure if you peeps know what this is.
The support guys says this message appears when carplay is disconnected in middle, but I dont agree that this is a friendly way of blocking everything.
- Thread starter
- #37
I’ve been only using wireless. Have you tried that?
I bet the GROM usb output charging is gonna be really low. Like 1A.
With these new phones running CarPlay and gps a lot of car chargers can’t keep up even on long trips.
They have special high amp USB ports for cars that charge rapidly. And if you also go with USB-C cables it charges even faster.
I use wireless car play and a USB-C cable as my setup and I don’t have that issue.
I did run wired in the past and didn’t see that either.
One thing you may have to do is choose one or the other. What I mean by that is if you gonna run wired then you shouldn’t even pair the GROM via Bluetooth to your phone. Cuz it may get confused as to which connection your trying to use.
Just makes sure your firmware and software are up to date.
A lot of my glitches have been solved after the recent updates.
I bet the GROM usb output charging is gonna be really low. Like 1A.
With these new phones running CarPlay and gps a lot of car chargers can’t keep up even on long trips.
They have special high amp USB ports for cars that charge rapidly. And if you also go with USB-C cables it charges even faster.
I use wireless car play and a USB-C cable as my setup and I don’t have that issue.
I did run wired in the past and didn’t see that either.
One thing you may have to do is choose one or the other. What I mean by that is if you gonna run wired then you shouldn’t even pair the GROM via Bluetooth to your phone. Cuz it may get confused as to which connection your trying to use.
Just makes sure your firmware and software are up to date.
A lot of my glitches have been solved after the recent updates.
I totally agree about recent updates. I've only had mine installed for a few weeks ('08 LC). Initially, I was pretty bummed with the connectivity reliability with CarPlay, but my most recent VLine SW update (about 2 weeks ago?) is really solid now. Connects every time, seems to connect much more quickly, and is rock solid. I've not tried wired, but I charge via a usb in the ciggy port to a wireless charging mount and that works fine to charge while using CP.
- Thread starter
- #39
Anyone have a horizontal line flicker at the bottom.
I seem to be one of the few. They say they are aware and will have a fix but it will mess with other aspects of the program so they working on it but it’s on back burner cuz it affects so few.
I didn’t have it about 2 firmware updates ago.
So I had to trade less glitch and solid connectivity for an annoying line at the bottom.
Hopefully thy fix it soon.
I seem to be one of the few. They say they are aware and will have a fix but it will mess with other aspects of the program so they working on it but it’s on back burner cuz it affects so few.
I didn’t have it about 2 firmware updates ago.
So I had to trade less glitch and solid connectivity for an annoying line at the bottom.
Hopefully thy fix it soon.
- Thread starter
- #40
alot of new features have come online it seems
HDMI in can be used to watch and HDMI sourced input. Firestick, Chromecast etc....
HDMI out can mirror the screen. I'll have to try this with the rear infotainment stuff
Can also hook up accessory cameras. This could be nice if anyone needs a hitch camera...although I have found the OEM camera to be more then adequate for getting my hitch close
