Jeep JL Car Play Project.

[emgeesea]

I love that the JL has Apple CarPlay, but hate the cords hanging out all over. So I bought a CarPlay2Air, to connect via WiFi. I tried using the port in the center console with the CP2A but had connectivity issues on that port, so I was using the media port below the radio. I was not at all satisfied with that setup. So I did a little in line mod, best of all it’s all plug and play.

Items needed:

1. Carplay2Air adapter
2. Female USB to Female USB adapter
3. AXXESS - USB Adapter Wiring Harness for Select 2010 and Later Vehicles - Multi
4. USB A to mini USB
5. Any double sided sticky tape or Velcro

Steps 1 and 2 remove panels. You shouldn’t need to completely remove panel 1, just pop it loose. The pop off the radio/climate control panel, pull from the corner near the engine start/stop button.

Remove radio/climate control panel and then remove screw 3, I recommend leaving all wires connected to the panel, so you can power up the radio when you are testing. Then pull out window switch panel but don't completely remove it. You only need to pull the panel out far enough to access the cable plugged in above the media port. (See next picture)

Find cable (4) to remove press clip on back and pull up. You will no use the cable with the white connector. If you attempt to use the cable with the white connector it will not work properly.

Here you will attached the AXXESS - USB Adapter it will connect to the cable you just unhooked.

Insert the mini USB side of the cable into the port where you just removed the stock cable from.

Now its time to piece everything else together.

Secure Carplay2Air in the below location. It keeps it up and out of the way. Manage your cables and tuck them in so they are out of the way of the control panel.

Once it's all connected and secured, make sure its working and close it all back up.

All Done!!!! Works perfect.

Hit me up if interested or need help setting yours up.

I have noticed that when connecting my iPhone (11) via any USB port in the JL music skips, usually at the start of songs, but does not do so when playing the same source via Bluetooth. Others have reported the same issue. I am wondering whether going to a wireless connection like this solves that issue, or if it would remain because the wireless component is still using a USB port.

Any thoughts? Thanks,

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[RubiSc0tt]

This is slick as hell. Great work. Definitely something I'd think about doing.

Can you still connect to car play via the USB in the console?

 

[Jeepstrangler]

This is slick as hell. Great work. Definitely something I'd think about doing.

Can you still connect to car play via the USB in the console?

I'm guessing if you disconnected your phone from the Wireless carplay you could connect via USB Ill try it out and get back to you.

 

[Jeepstrangler]

I have noticed that when connecting my iPhone (11) via any USB port in the JL music skips, usually at the start of songs, but does not do so when playing the same source via Bluetooth. Others have reported the same issue. I am wondering whether going to a wireless connection like this solves that issue, or if it would remain because the wireless component is still using a USB port.

Any thoughts? Thanks,

Hey emgeesea, I have not had this issue at all so I cant speak to it. Are you using cellular to play the music like Pandora or Amazon Music?

 

[Jeepstrangler]

Another idea is to bury so,etching like that in the dash and run the cables down there. I like the idea of having the ports accessible so I can switch out what’s plugged in.

I'm thinking this would work if we could find the cables (see diagram) . If not we could find always make a cable. Sorry picture is kind of lame tried to do it quick.

 

[Mikeyut3]

I love that the JL has Apple CarPlay, but hate the cords hanging out all over. So I bought a CarPlay2Air, to connect via WiFi. I tried using the port in the center console with the CP2A but had connectivity issues on that port, so I was using the media port below the radio. I was not at all satisfied with that setup. So I did a little in line mod, best of all it’s all plug and play.

Items needed:

1. Carplay2Air adapter
2. Female USB to Female USB adapter
3. AXXESS - USB Adapter Wiring Harness for Select 2010 and Later Vehicles - Multi
4. USB A to mini USB
5. Any double sided sticky tape or Velcro

Steps 1 and 2 remove panels. You shouldn’t need to completely remove panel 1, just pop it loose. The pop off the radio/climate control panel, pull from the corner near the engine start/stop button.

Remove radio/climate control panel and then remove screw 3, I recommend leaving all wires connected to the panel, so you can power up the radio when you are testing. Then pull out window switch panel but don't completely remove it. You only need to pull the panel out far enough to access the cable plugged in above the media port. (See next picture)

Find cable (4) to remove press clip on back and pull up. You will no use the cable with the white connector. If you attempt to use the cable with the white connector it will not work properly.

Here you will attached the AXXESS - USB Adapter it will connect to the cable you just unhooked.

Insert the mini USB side of the cable into the port where you just removed the stock cable from.

Now its time to piece everything else together.

Secure Carplay2Air in the below location. It keeps it up and out of the way. Manage your cables and tuck them in so they are out of the way of the control panel.

Once it's all connected and secured, make sure its working and close it all back up.

All Done!!!! Works perfect.

Hit me up if interested or need help setting yours up.

Do steering controls still work?

 

[Jeepstrangler]

Do steering controls still work?

Yeah no issues there at all.

 

[emgeesea]

Hey emgeesea, I have not had this issue at all so I cant speak to it. Are you using cellular to play the music like Pandora or Amazon Music?

It’s a strange issue, but one that several other members here also experience (I posted a thread about it here a few weeks ago). It happens with any music source connected via one of the USB ports in the JL when using an iPhone (e.g., Spotify, iTunes), so not just when using cellular. It does NOT happen with an Android phone, as I tested this with a friend’s phone. I even took my iPhone 11 to a local Jeep dealership and plugged it in to a new JL in the showroom and it too skipped, so does not appear to be specific to my JL. And it’s not cables, as I’ve bought 4 different cables, including Apple cables - and both USB A and USB C - and music skips with every cable and any of the 3 USB ports in the vehicle. Sounds like an issue with the phone, but it did not happen when using the same phone via USB in the JK I just traded in on the JL, so a real mystery. And odd that it does not occur when connecting to the radio via Bluetooth, which points back to an issue with USB. Very frustrating.

I just ordered the CarPlayAir unit, so we‘ll see if it works to correct the issue.

Thanks for making this post. It is a great solution for functionality Jeep should have included with the Uconnect radio, as Apple has had wireless CarPlay for over 4 years now. According to @JeepCares on this site, wireless CarPlay is coming in the next version of the Uconnect radio, but it will not be available as a software update only, so not upgradable for current Uconnect radios, unfortunately.

 

[Jeepstrangler]

It’s a strange issue, but one that several other members here also experience (I posted a thread about it here a few weeks ago). It happens with any music source connected via one of the USB ports in the JL when using an iPhone (e.g., Spotify, iTunes), so not just when using cellular. It does NOT happen with an Android phone, as I tested this with a friend’s phone. I even took my iPhone 11 to a local Jeep dealership and plugged it in to a new JL in the showroom and it too skipped, so does not appear to be specific to my JL. And it’s not cables, as I’ve bought 4 different cables, including Apple cables - and both USB A and USB C - and music skips with every cable and any of the 3 USB ports in the vehicle. Sounds like an issue with the phone, but it did not happen when using the same phone via USB in the JK I just traded in on the JL, so a real mystery. And odd that it does not occur when connecting to the radio via Bluetooth, which points back to an issue with USB. Very frustrating.

I just ordered the CarPlayAir unit, so we‘ll see if it works to correct the issue.

Thanks for making this post. It is a great solution for functionality Jeep should have included with the Uconnect radio, as Apple has had wireless CarPlay for over 4 years now. According to @JeepCares on this site, wireless CarPlay is coming in the next version of the Uconnect radio, but it will not be available as a software update only, so not upgradable for current Uconnect radios, unfortunately.

Sorry to hear, both the wife and I have an iPhone XS Max, neither have had any issue like you described. Sounds like and Apple issue. I know they did a software update awhile back that caused my phone to repeatedly shut down and restart my stereo in my Toyota Tacoma when connected via Bluetooth. They fixed it pretty quick.

 

[INCRHULK]

It’s a strange issue, but one that several other members here also experience (I posted a thread about it here a few weeks ago). It happens with any music source connected via one of the USB ports in the JL when using an iPhone (e.g., Spotify, iTunes), so not just when using cellular. It does NOT happen with an Android phone, as I tested this with a friend’s phone. I even took my iPhone 11 to a local Jeep dealership and plugged it in to a new JL in the showroom and it too skipped, so does not appear to be specific to my JL. And it’s not cables, as I’ve bought 4 different cables, including Apple cables - and both USB A and USB C - and music skips with every cable and any of the 3 USB ports in the vehicle. Sounds like an issue with the phone, but it did not happen when using the same phone via USB in the JK I just traded in on the JL, so a real mystery. And odd that it does not occur when connecting to the radio via Bluetooth, which points back to an issue with USB. Very frustrating.

I just ordered the CarPlayAir unit, so we‘ll see if it works to correct the issue.

Thanks for making this post. It is a great solution for functionality Jeep should have included with the Uconnect radio, as Apple has had wireless CarPlay for over 4 years now. According to @JeepCares on this site, wireless CarPlay is coming in the next version of the Uconnect radio, but it will not be available as a software update only, so not upgradable for current Uconnect radios, unfortunately.

I’ve not encountered this issue either, using Music, Spotify, etc. I’m running an iPhone XR on 13.6 beta.

 

[emgeesea]

Sorry to hear, both the wife and I have an iPhone XS Max, neither have had any issue like you described. Sounds like and Apple issue. I know they did a software update awhile back that caused my phone to repeatedly shut down and restart my stereo in my Toyota Tacoma when connected via Bluetooth. They fixed it pretty quick.

I ordered the wireless unit you recommended. Just got an email re: shipping from China. that was a surprise, as I thought it would ship from the States since the company is in Delaware. Did it take long to receive yours?

 

[Jeepstrangler]

I ordered the wireless unit you recommended. Just got an email re: shipping from China. that was a surprise, as I thought it would ship from the States since the company is in Delaware. Did it take long to receive yours?

It took about 2 weeks or a little less. It wasn’t To bad.

 

[emgeesea]

Arrived today, and I just installed it. An early report:

It seems to work! It takes a bit of time to boot up when I turn the car on, but then CarPlay is active. It appears to use the bluetooth connection of the radio, as if I do not manually connect my phone via bluetooth the radio will show the CarPlay icon, and I can select music, but no sound will be heard until the bluetooth connection is made. (The bluetooth issue is another story: for some reason, my radio never automatically connects bluetooth, and I have to manually connect every time. I've reported this to Jeep and supposedly they're working on it.)

So, for now we have a winner! Thanks for starting this post; it's a great addition to the JL.

Oh, and when I am connected via the wireless CarPlay the music skipping I was experiencing when connecting via USB is gone. (Makes sense, I guess, since the wireless connection is using bluetooth.) It still occurs if I plug in via a USB port, but I don't imagine I'll be doing much of that anymore.

 

[Jeepstrangler]

Arrived today, and I just installed it. An early report:

It seems to work! It takes a bit of time to boot up when I turn the car on, but then CarPlay is active. It appears to use the bluetooth connection of the radio, as if I do not manually connect my phone via bluetooth the radio will show the CarPlay icon, and I can select music, but no sound will be heard until the bluetooth connection is made. (The bluetooth issue is another story: for some reason, my radio never automatically connects bluetooth, and I have to manually connect every time. I've reported this to Jeep and supposedly they're working on it.)

So, for now we have a winner! Thanks for starting this post; it's a great addition to the JL.

Oh, and when I am connected via the wireless CarPlay the music skipping I was experiencing when connecting via USB is gone. (Makes sense, I guess, since the wireless connection is using bluetooth.) It still occurs if I plug in via a USB port, but I don't imagine I'll be doing much of that anymore.

Sweet good to hear. Also an FYI as strange as this will sound, the more times you connect the better it will work. Mine was slow the first 5 or 6 times. But after about a week of using it, it’s working (connecting) much better. It’a almost instantaneously on.

 

[emgeesea]

I'll look forward to that! Now if I can just figure out why my bluetooth does not automatically connect.

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