My video review on the Grom VLine unit for the Lexus GX 460 with Apple CarPlay (1 Viewer)

[ben7]

Hi everyone,

I just did a video review on my channel with my initial impressions on the Grom VLine installed on my 2017 Lexus GX 460.

Here’s the link:
I’ll also add the pros and cons here as well:

Pros:

• Allows for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto usage
• Android device means app installs (if you want to install apps on your Grom VLine such as Google Maps and Waze)
• External inputs
• Ability for “some” steering wheel controls (I talk about this in my video)
• Ability to update itself (software and firmware) via WiFi or USB
• Compact design

Cons:

• Intermittent issues such as device freezing, volume setting at a certain level all of a sudden, etc... (I explain my personal experience with this in my video)
• Price is too costly of all you want is Apple CarPlay or Android Auto usage
• Cannot use steering wheel mounted phone buttons

Please feel free to leave your comments in the video. I hope to give an update later on how my Grom VLine usage is going.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

Just installed mine today. So far I like it. Don’t care about the steering wheel phone buttons. Seems to work better than the Phoenix tesla radio I put in our GX470 so far.

 

[GxtOut]

I've had mine for several months now and has been great. I didn't replace my stock 12v in the center console so I can still charge mine separate from the grom unit. To me the biggest disadvantage of the plugged in AA or carplay is the low charging speed, it seems to maintain rather than actually charge. I got a separate usb extension mount on amazon and installed I next to the 12v port so I can use my normal charger (which is why the cover doesn't sit completely flush when nothing is plugged in). I'm on android so waiting one more month for them to release wireless AA.

I have the same audio 22 issue you mentioned. They sent me a new wire harness that hopefully fixes the issue, but haven't had time to reinstall it yet. DYI install very easy for these units and worth doing yourselves over paying someone several hundred $$$ to install. I do wish they had a reset switch on the unit, I think that would make any freezing issues much easier to deal with. I've thought about taping into one of the wires on the power harness to wire something inline, but I'll probably never get around to it. I have used mine maybe 5 months or so and have only had to reset it once.

 

[ben7]

I've had mine for several months now and has been great. I didn't replace my stock 12v in the center console so I can still charge mine separate from the grom unit. To me the biggest disadvantage of the plugged in AA or carplay is the low charging speed, it seems to maintain rather than actually charge. I got a separate usb extension mount on amazon and installed I next to the 12v port so I can use my normal charger (which is why the cover doesn't sit completely flush when nothing is plugged in). I'm on android so waiting one more month for them to release wireless AA.

I have the same audio 22 issue you mentioned. They sent me a new wire harness that hopefully fixes the issue, but haven't had time to reinstall it yet. DYI install very easy for these units and worth doing yourselves over paying someone several hundred $$$ to install. I do wish they had a reset switch on the unit, I think that would make any freezing issues much easier to deal with. I've thought about taping into one of the wires on the power harness to wire something inline, but I'll probably never get around to it. I have used mine maybe 5 months or so and have only had to reset it once.


View attachment 2656895

Thanks for the reply! Please let me know if the new wire harness fixes the volume 22 level issue.

 

[r2m]

I've had mine for several months now and has been great. I didn't replace my stock 12v in the center console so I can still charge mine separate from the grom unit. To me the biggest disadvantage of the plugged in AA or carplay is the low charging speed, it seems to maintain rather than actually charge. I got a separate usb extension mount on amazon and installed I next to the 12v port so I can use my normal charger (which is why the cover doesn't sit completely flush when nothing is plugged in). I'm on android so waiting one more month for them to release wireless AA.

I have the same audio 22 issue you mentioned. They sent me a new wire harness that hopefully fixes the issue, but haven't had time to reinstall it yet. DYI install very easy for these units and worth doing yourselves over paying someone several hundred $$$ to install. I do wish they had a reset switch on the unit, I think that would make any freezing issues much easier to deal with. I've thought about taping into one of the wires on the power harness to wire something inline, but I'll probably never get around to it. I have used mine maybe 5 months or so and have only had to reset it once.


View attachment 2656895

When you reset, is that also all the radio channels including AM/FM/satellite? And any other associated settings?

 

[Mudmoose]

Just installed mine today. So far I like it. Don’t care about the steering wheel phone buttons. Seems to work better than the Phoenix tesla radio I put in our GX470 so far.

View attachment 2655122

Hi everyone,

I just did a video review on my channel with my initial impressions on the Grom VLine installed on my 2017 Lexus GX 460.

Here’s the link:
I’ll also add the pros and cons here as well:

Pros:

• Allows for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto usage
• Android device means app installs (if you want to install apps on your Grom VLine such as Google Maps and Waze)
• External inputs
• Ability for “some” steering wheel controls (I talk about this in my video)
• Ability to update itself (software and firmware) via WiFi or USB
• Compact design

Cons:

• Intermittent issues such as device freezing, volume setting at a certain level all of a sudden, etc... (I explain my personal experience with this in my video)
• Price is too costly of all you want is Apple CarPlay or Android Auto usage
• Cannot use steering wheel mounted phone buttons

Please feel free to leave your comments in the video. I hope to give an update later on how my Grom VLine usage is going.

Nice review.

I have the version for my 2012 and like it as well.

I’m an iPhone user and was looking for a way to run some Android apps in the car. Specifically, I have JBV1 for my Valentine1 G2 and TorquePro. Also using android versions of Gaia maps and Waze running natively on the VLine. The biggest glitch is that the VLine will loose the GPS signal every now and then. Waze just stops tracking, but Gaia thinks that I am thousands of miles away.

I still need to run the mic for the voice commands. I just have it hanging out of the glove box. Any suggestions from the community?

 

[GrizzlyClint]

The biggest glitch is that the VLine will loose the GPS signal every now and then. Waze just stops tracking

I just experienced this yesterday and today. Had to re-initialize the connection for it to fix itself. I assume this is going to be a quirk I have to deal with since we are dealing with android and not a native carplay interface.

 

[GxtOut]

When you reset, is that also all the radio channels including AM/FM/satellite? And any other associated settings?

No its just like turning off your phone. All settings are retained, but I don't use AM/FM/Satallite radio with it, just stream everything as I would from an app on my phone.

 

[Mudmoose]

I just experienced this yesterday and today. Had to re-initialize the connection for it to fix itself. I assume this is going to be a quirk I have to deal with since we are dealing with android and not a native carplay interface.

I have a ticket open with Grom on the issue. They published an OTA update a few days ago that is supposed to fix some GPS issues. I ran the update tonight and plan on testing over the next few days.

When I get the issue, the GPS location comes back after 5 mins or so.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

I have a ticket open with Grom on the issue. They published an OTA update a few days ago that is supposed to fix some GPS issues. I ran the update tonight and plan on testing over the next few days.

When I get the issue, the GPS location comes back after 5 mins or so.

I updated last Sunday...was that update available then?

 

[Mudmoose]

I updated last Sunday...was that update available then?

Not sure of the exact release date. The version is V2OVL3.37.0.0 (31.49.L22).

 

[GrizzlyClint]

Not sure of the exact release date. The version is V2OVL3.37.0.0 (31.49.L22).

Cool, I'll check it out. Another little niggle I'm seeing is sometimes I get the parking sensors disabled icon at the top right corner when I put it in reverse. It's about a 1:10 ratio but it has happened more than a few times.

 

[1ounce]

Good video but it is probably 2x as long as it needs to be.

 

[Mudmoose]

Cool, I'll check it out. Another little niggle I'm seeing is sometimes I get the parking sensors disabled icon at the top right corner when I put it in reverse. It's about a 1:10 ratio but it has happened more than a few times.

Yep. Have that issue as well.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

Yep. Have that issue as well.

Well I hope an update in the future fixes it.

 

[ben7]

Nice review.

I have the version for my 2012 and like it as well.

I’m an iPhone user and was looking for a way to run some Android apps in the car. Specifically, I have JBV1 for my Valentine1 G2 and TorquePro. Also using android versions of Gaia maps and Waze running natively on the VLine. The biggest glitch is that the VLine will loose the GPS signal every now and then. Waze just stops tracking, but Gaia thinks that I am thousands of miles away.

I still need to run the mic for the voice commands. I just have it hanging out of the glove box. Any suggestions from the community?

Thanks! I saw that Gaia GPS is now available on Apple CarPlay. Have you tried it yet? If so, does it work well?

 

[ben7]

I just experienced this yesterday and today. Had to re-initialize the connection for it to fix itself. I assume this is going to be a quirk I have to deal with since we are dealing with android and not a native carplay interface.

Good to know, I haven’t installed GApps so I haven’t used the Waze on the VLine itself yet.

 

[ben7]

Good video but it is probably 2x as long as it needs to be.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[1ounce]

Thanks! I saw that Gaia GPS is now available on Apple CarPlay. Have you tried it yet? If so, does it work well?

I havent gotten my Vline let but I have CarPlay in my 4Runner. Gaia is... so-so. Very buggy still. Tracks will only display sometimes and the current location fails to update sometimes. When it works its great because I use GAIA extensively when offroading. Not having to look at my phone at junctions is awesome. They are pretty new to CarPlay support so I'm sure it'll get better with time.

 

[GrizzlyClint]

Good to know, I haven’t installed GApps so I haven’t used the Waze on the VLine itself yet.

FYI no connection issues since.