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Grom VLine VL2 Install & Review
Nowadays, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are commonplace in production passenger vehicles. I always enjoy the former when driving new press cars, an appreciation that came about sometime after I had already purchased my 2018 Lexus GX460 which didn’t come with this tech. Thankfully, the automotive aftermarket is flush with ingenuity. To bring my GX’s infotainment into the modern age, Grom came to the rescue with its VLine VL2 phone mirroring kit. After installing and testing the “VLine2,” I can provide a rundown of the installation process as well as a review of the product itself.
Why did I, and why do so many others, want to add CarPlay to an existing screen? Reason one is to tidy up the cabin by eliminating the need for duplicate interfaces. Then there’s the safety aspect in that it helps limit how much one has to divert their eyes from the road when looking at directions or music selections. Any way you approach it, CarPlay is beneficial for those who use their phone in any capacity when in the vehicle.
Lexus didn’t add Apple CarPlay/Android Auto to the GX460 until 2022. To modernize my 2018 GX’s infotainment, Grom kindly sent over their VLine VL2 infotainment upgrade unit for me to put to the test. The VLine VL2 system is an Android-based car infotainment add-on that integrates into your vehicle’s factory (OEM) stereo. It works seamlessly with the existing stereo screen/display, sound system, and buttons/controls. CarPlay can be used wired or wirelessly, and there’s Google-backed voice activation to further the safety factor. Once installed, the VLine2 can run apps like Google Maps, Spotify, Pandora, and so on, the former two of which were my main reasons for pursuing CarPlay in the first place.
Now, for the installation process. While the VLine2 is made for the GX460, I did run across some nuances in how the Grom unit isn’t perfectly tailored to all GX460s with differences in year, options, and so on. Likewise, while Grom recommends installing the “brain” in the glovebox, I did not deem that an efficient use of space and didn’t like the mounting options, so I opted to put it in the center console which is already partially-occupied by my Midland MXT500 GMRS radio. Overall, the installation process isn’t insurmountable but it isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Your results and experience very well may vary from mine, and keep in mind that this is more of an outline than a perfect step-by-step (with the included instructions being the best practice for following to install the unit). Note that my instructions vary slightly from Grom’s, and the pictures of the process included below aren't entirely in the perfect order.
Here’s my general walkthrough of installing the Grom VLine VL2:
Nowadays, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are commonplace in production passenger vehicles. I always enjoy the former when driving new press cars, an appreciation that came about sometime after I had already purchased my 2018 Lexus GX460 which didn’t come with this tech. Thankfully, the automotive aftermarket is flush with ingenuity. To bring my GX’s infotainment into the modern age, Grom came to the rescue with its VLine VL2 phone mirroring kit. After installing and testing the “VLine2,” I can provide a rundown of the installation process as well as a review of the product itself.
Why did I, and why do so many others, want to add CarPlay to an existing screen? Reason one is to tidy up the cabin by eliminating the need for duplicate interfaces. Then there’s the safety aspect in that it helps limit how much one has to divert their eyes from the road when looking at directions or music selections. Any way you approach it, CarPlay is beneficial for those who use their phone in any capacity when in the vehicle.
Lexus didn’t add Apple CarPlay/Android Auto to the GX460 until 2022. To modernize my 2018 GX’s infotainment, Grom kindly sent over their VLine VL2 infotainment upgrade unit for me to put to the test. The VLine VL2 system is an Android-based car infotainment add-on that integrates into your vehicle’s factory (OEM) stereo. It works seamlessly with the existing stereo screen/display, sound system, and buttons/controls. CarPlay can be used wired or wirelessly, and there’s Google-backed voice activation to further the safety factor. Once installed, the VLine2 can run apps like Google Maps, Spotify, Pandora, and so on, the former two of which were my main reasons for pursuing CarPlay in the first place.
Now, for the installation process. While the VLine2 is made for the GX460, I did run across some nuances in how the Grom unit isn’t perfectly tailored to all GX460s with differences in year, options, and so on. Likewise, while Grom recommends installing the “brain” in the glovebox, I did not deem that an efficient use of space and didn’t like the mounting options, so I opted to put it in the center console which is already partially-occupied by my Midland MXT500 GMRS radio. Overall, the installation process isn’t insurmountable but it isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Your results and experience very well may vary from mine, and keep in mind that this is more of an outline than a perfect step-by-step (with the included instructions being the best practice for following to install the unit). Note that my instructions vary slightly from Grom’s, and the pictures of the process included below aren't entirely in the perfect order.
Here’s my general walkthrough of installing the Grom VLine VL2:
- Read the user manual (Sounds silly but just do it… there’s some helpful, can’t-miss steps in there)
- Disconnect the negative terminal from the battery
- Put the parking brake on
- Pull off the panels that cover either side of the center tunnel from the bottom of the center stack to the center console (Note: All panels can be removed with a trim removal tool or by hand if you can get the right leverage)
- Remove the trim panel above the glovebox
- Remove the three metal screws on each side of radio that hold it in (They’re all 10mm bolts)
- Undo the Start/Stop ignition button (You can leave it hanging so the wires from the button are still connected)
- Unscrew and remove the shifter
- Remove the plastic tab that covers the shift release button (You can use a pry tool or a small flathead screwdriver; I used the latter)
- Push down on the button and put the truck in Neutral (If the vehicle isn’t on a perfectly flat surface you’ll also quickly find out if your parking brake is working)
- Lift up and back on the area that surrounds the shifter and nearby switches. It should separate from the cupholder, which should be left in place. Undo the connectors for the 4LO and DAC switches, and any others if you have them (I had heated/cooled seat controls to unclip; others may have MTS switches to disconnect).
- Remove the small rectangular plastic panel above the little cubby/lid by pulling backwards
- Pull outward on the radio to remove it, then undo the connectors (I recommend keeping these connectors together with a rubber band or some sort of zip-tie)
- Pull outward on the plastic that surrounds the center screen to remove this panel, then undo the connectors
- Find the provided antenna. Use the tape on the bottom of the antenna to stick it to the top side of the passenger-side vent that sits atop the center stack. Make sure it’s far enough back that it won’t interfere with reinstallation of the vent housing when you put the screen assembly back in. Push down on the antenna and hold for thirty seconds so the tape sticks well.
- Run the wire for the antenna through the dashboard into the glovebox (Or wherever you choose to mount the metal box. This is where I diverted from the instructions and chose to put it in the center console, which in turn affected all of the install steps that follow).
- Take the other provided wires-- USB, video, harnesses, etc-- and run one end out of the middle of the center stack, and the other end to wherever you’ll be mounting the “brain." I first tried it in the glovebox, but didn't like it there. Images reflect this later.
- Connect the Grom VLine VL2’s “brain” to the radio and the screen. Match up the wires to the correct plugs/connectors and snap them into place. Make sure to plug the male end of the blue plug into the female end of the Grom line (blue). Push the screen section back into the dashboard.
- Test the unit. To do so, you need to make the vehicle aware of the module. The process is to first reconnect the battery. Then, push ON/ACC (without starting the vehicle), count to five, shut the power back off, wait one minute, then put the vehicle back into ON/ACC mode.
- Access the VLine by going to the audio source menu and selecting AUX. Go through the setup process as the Grom unit and the vehicle’s computer become friends.
- If it all works, proceed to the next steps. If not, make sure everything is properly connected (Consult the Installation Manual if required).
- Mount the module. Grom’s recommends doing so in the glovebox, but I put my VL2 in the center console. It has to be at a slightly awkward angle, but it's still better than the glovebox in my opinion.
- Run the wires in a way that you can keep the wires out of the way and logically sorted. Should you want, find a place to run the end of the USB that is used for wired CarPlay so that it’s easily accessible (I ran it between the radio and the little cubby that’s in front of the shifter)
- Work backwards to reinstall the screen, radio, and panels in reverse order
- Download apps by using WiFi if so desired
- Enjoy that your vehicle’s infotainment is no longer in the technological stone age
