Forte GT Head Unit Infotainment System Aftermarket Upgrade - 2021 Forte GT
NOTE: This post assumes the reader has a basic working knowledge of vehicle audio systems and components.
This is not as much of a how-to but more of a what to expect and what you’ll need to replace the stock infotainment unit with an aftermarket stereo, and includes a side discussion on options to keep the stock head unit intact and attempt to use sound processors to correct the factory signal. This write-up is for a 2021 Kia Forte GT with the GT2 package - Harman Kardon premium audio, Lane Keep Assist, Back Up Warning System and all other goodies that were present on a fully-optioned Forte GT. This information will work for the ‘BD’ generation Fortes (2019-2021) and might work for the refreshed years 2022-2024. I am not an expert and this thread represents a sound obsessed DIYer’s research and findings, so take it as you will.
If you are just looking for information on adding a subwoofer, an amp, and or speakers, this is not the post for you. There is already an excellent thread on that and you can refer to it for those aspects.
See: https://www.forteforums.com/threads/forte-complete-audio-install.110141/
Before we get started, I want to document a few other resources that have helped me along the way:
Stock infotainment wiring diagram
Stock amplifier wiring diagram
Crutchfield.com
https://www.crutchfield.com/car/carselector.aspx?lp=%2fcar%2foutfitmycar%2fmycar.aspx
Excellent resource for seeing which products are needed/fit your car, plus if you buy from them they will supply their own ‘research notes’ on your specific vehicle and good customer support
Brief write-up on a full competition grade install on a 2020 Forte
Note: toward the end of this post I’ll provide a list and my review of the items used to accomplish my stereo upgrade.
Why upgrade the infotainment unit?
Nearly all stock stereo systems, and especially those offered as a premium upgrade are not just amps and speakers to sound better, but are carefully engineered as a whole cohesive system. When they design the system they choose the speakers and locations and the amplifier, then they measure and tweak the system with professional tools until it sounds like they desire. They then take these custom sound settings and program them into the underlying firmware of your infotainment and /or amplifiers to extract the best sound from the equipment. They also program safety settings, like limiting bass etc. This default sound setting firmware cannot disabled or bypassed. Even with the balance, fade, and tone adjustments, the base firmware programming remains. This is all fine and dandy until you begin upgrading your speakers and amplifiers and adding subwoofers. Now all those settings are no longer compatible with your new equipment. In the case of my Forte, the subwoofer lower frequencies had a large peak in the response, creating a one note wonder of overly emphasized bass with nothing in the lowest frequencies. The tweeters in the stock system were also boosted, especially the highest of highs. This left my new tweeters with the desire to kill and pierce right through ears into your head, inducing listening fatigue and headaches.
Quick Note before we get started- some vehicles have factory integration solutions offered by 3rd party vendors that have already had the hard work done that can tap into both the digital audio signals and other necessary vehicle data inputs and have had the hard work of programming and correcting the signal from the factory to a new flat clean signal. Unfortunately, the Forte as of this writing is not one of them. In fact support of Korean made cars is quite poor in this regard. So more tedious, single-scope solutions must be employed.
The ‘how’ to solve this OEM sound profile problem comes in two main flavors:
Correct the stock signal with the use of a DSP (Digital Sound Processor), essentially using an audio computer to try and correct all the issues to flatten out the signal, not easy but not impossible. It takes measuring and time and often expertise to truly provide a clean signal.
Replace the source with a new head unit to provide a clean unmolested signal. Appealing, but with modern systems all spidered into the infotainment units of today, swapping them out and retaining the features and functions offered by the stock setup is the big challenge with this option.
A little more info on the DSP route - In the case of the Forte, the popular option would be to convert the high-level amplified signals coming out from the stock amp in the trunk using an active line output converter (such as AudioControl’s LC7i). Then from there add a DSP to correct and adjust the signal (brands such as JL Audio, miniDSP, Rockford Fosgate, etc. offer these) then from the DSP to the amp, and then finally to your speakers. This results in this signal path:
Head Unit -> stock amplifier -> line output converter -> DSP -> aftermarket amplifier -> speakers
The Stock Digital Audio Signal
The audio signal going from the head unit to the stock amplifier is a digital signal (SPIDF, in this case a few wires running in the loom that are actually just the same as the orange digital coax RCA connector you might be familiar with in home audio). Is it possible to use that instead? Yes, but there are a few considerations: In car audio the sound signal is in two parts: 1. The audio itself on the SPIDF signal and 2. A control signal to handle the volume etc.(which is not a regulated industry standard spec, so tapping into that control signal is no easy walk in the park). Also, it is unclear in the case of the Forte whether this SPIDF signal is flat or unaffected by the stock sound programming or if it includes it, so still a bit of a gamble on whether it provides a true flat signal. However, if that sounds like a good option to pursue as it leaves the head unit untouched, there are some limited products and options:
For a retail-style solution, It is a two-part solution - 1 a digital signal converter and 2 a sound processor. The sound processor or DSP, can be built-in to certain amplifiers or as a standalone DSP. But overall, brands and options are limited as these units must be compatible with one another.
See: https://www.idatalinkmaestro.com/en
Option 1 - https://www.idatalinkmaestro.com/en/products/maestro-ar
Option 2 - https://www.idatalinkmaestro.com/en/products/maestro-dsr
The more DIY variation: It focuses on using *or* converting the SPIDF signal into an analog signal then to a DSP with a separate volume control unit. This option ignores the control signal and only uses the sound SPIDF signal feeding a DSP. Because there is no control signal in use, you will not be able to use the stock infotainment unit to control volume, fade, balance, & tone. The use of the stock head unit as the source, and all other smartphone and factory features etc. will remain, just not volume control, so the DSP needs to have this feature (usually by means of a separate volume remote). Other than losing the steering wheel volume controls, this option almost won me over instead of replacing the head unit.
Here is an example of some items that would be used but you could find others:
A digital to analog converter that can run on a DC5v USB cable - https://a.co/d/7lsH0ru
Used ONLY if the DSP it will connect to has no digital input
DSP with analog only inputs -
OR
DSP with digital and analog inputs and a separate volume control -
The options above may require additional add-ons or they sell the remotes and/or software separately. And again, no one has confirmed if the Forte’s SPIDF signal is a flat signal or contains the OEM firmware sound profile settings embedded in that signal.
Replacing the stock head unit with a new aftermarket unit:
Replacing a head unit used to be so much easier when there were two sizes and nothing else was integrated. A totally separate standalone audio system. In the current days of infotainment systems, it is a bigger task. Google, web, and other sources are spotty at best since a lot of people don’t replace infotainment systems and seemingly no one in the Kia/Hyundai world does it at all. This is the real reason for this post, to document what I learned along the way so it's out there for others looking to do something similar.
Choosing a Head Unit
If you go through all the trouble of replacing a stock head unit, then choose one that has all the features you may ever want and/or is known for having all the audio quality and adjustments that solve the original problems that inspired you to take this route. Going basic or cheap should not be a serious consideration. In this specific case for the Forte, options are limited anyways, but still don’t leave yourself unsatisfied by the choice in hardware.
Some items to consider that I feel are important if the reason you are upgrading the Forte’s head unit are for better audio and feature upgrades:
Audio quality of the unit (read reviews etc.)
Audio adjustments:
Time delay - if you are not familiar with this feature, it is an excellent way to adjust the time/delay in signal from each speaker so that sounds reach you at the same time, this is a big deal in car audio as you sit very close to the driver’s side speakers but far away from the others and subwoofer. I recommend head units have this feature. It can be the difference between good and great sound.
# of bands of EQ adjustment - (Parametric EQs etc.) The number of bands allows more control of where in the frequency band you can raise or lower output to fine-tune the sound signature of your equipment.
Pre-out Voltage - The RCA audio connection between your head unit and amp can experience a lot of interference in a car. The higher output voltage (usually 4v or higher is preferred) helps reduce the tendency of noise to enter into the signal and then in-turn be amplified by the amplifier, causing annoying hissing and humming/buzzing.
High quality audio playback - if you want the most from your equipment start with a high quality audio format. DSD and other high bitrate sources should also be compatible with your unit.
Additional features:
Wireless smartphone connection (Android Auto & Carplay)
Additional Inputs: HDMI, AUX, Video Sources, USB, Integration of dashcams, etc.
Navigation - I think this is not critical for most users as maps navigation via smartphone is best, but if it is needed as a standalone option, be aware that only some units have an actual built-in navigation app.
6 channel minimum outputs for connecting to amplifiers
If using a separate external amp - ignore the watt output ratings as they will not be used
Touchscreen - should be high quality, good touch response, clear, and general user interface design easy to learn and use (read reviews)
Stock OEM integration options - how will it work with data signals, cameras, steering wheel controls, etc.
Size and dimension compatibility with your vehicle and adapter kits
Size Matters
Go ahead, say it, you know you want to. Apparently she already said it anyways….
Okay, jokes aside. I chose the Alpine iLX-507. This is a 7” unit an inch smaller than the stock 8”. Not a huge downsize but it is smaller. I chose this because the only dash kit available fits 7” units as far as flush mounting options went. But bigger is an option, 8-10” available at time of this post. The Metra dash kit supports certain 7” units to mount totally flush within the adapter but you can get certain head units that have ‘floating’ screens that allow you to mount the processing unit and then attach the screen separately with varying degrees of flexibility on placing the screen in just the right place. It will leave the screen floating in front of the adapter housing, so that's up to you as an option. In my case the screen is smaller but the resolution and screen quality are better, and so I have not felt the screen size has been a downgrade at all. Text on navigation via Android Auto is so clear I have no issues seeing street names etc.
Vehicle Integration
This is probably the section most people are interested in. How do you replace the head unit without losing all the stock functionalities? Spoiler: You cannot retain ALL factory features when replacing the infotainment system. It is just not possible since there are no OEM data link adapters made for these Kia/Hyundai systems. But I’ll go into detail on those below. I think for the most part, the main functionalities are compatible and adaptable while only minor features are lost. Each feature though is a matter of opinion, so it's up to you on how critical they are.
Stock amplifier - Cannot be used*. Must use the new head unit’s speaker outputs or better yet a new amplifier fed by the new head unit for the best results. This really isn’t a hurdle if you are even considering replacing the stock unit, but just wanted it stated up front. (*See the Driver Warning System section below for more info on why the stock amplifier should not be removed and how to make use of it for safety reasons)
Install Location Size - Touchscreen head units have two main parts, a processing unit (roughly the rectangular shape of an old school radio) & the screen itself. That rectangular opening is an industry standard and comes in 2 main sizes, DIN (single DIN) and DDIN (double DIN). The Forte allows for a single DIN sized processing unit. The Metra adapter kit allows for the use of a single DIN unit with an attached screen at the bottom of the unit (L-shaped) or single DIN units with a separated screen. The screen size will either be a flush mounted attached 7” or you have to get a single DIN unit with a floating/separate screen of the size of your choice, but it will sit (float) in front of the adapter kit housing.
Steering Wheel Controls (SWC) - Information really sucked here, but yes it is possible. The Forte uses the somewhat universal 2-wire SWC. It does this by each switch/button having a specific resistance that the SWC adapter can use to identify the function selected. Those resistance values are not universal, so the aftermarket SWC adapter needs to be flexible and programmable enough to adapt to each vehicle.
Install tips: I used the Axxess ASWC-1 Steering Wheel Control Adapter. After wiring it up, the instructions say to follow the specific vehicle programming steps. Well guess what? They don’t exist for the Forte. After fiddling for a very long time trying to follow the manual, I gave up and watched their old YouTube video and it worked like a champ. Screw you manual writers and editors for Axxess, sheesh. How hard would it be to include universal initial programming steps? They have all sorts of instructions for all sorts of scenarios and RE-programming, but the initial setup is absent……. Okay, venting over. After powering it up and it detects the head unit (Alpine in my case) I was able to program the buttons in the order listed in the manual by following the video instructions. While this does work pretty well, I have noticed the SWC buttons are not as responsive or forgiving as they are when talking to the stock head unit. Not a big deal as I have now gotten used to the required touch times and quirks after a week or two. Part of the issue is that the Axxess ASWC-1 allows for multi-functionality if you hold certain buttons down, so it's picky on what the quick press vs the hold down timing etc is. But minor issues overall. 7/10
Note: If using the Metra/Axxess Metra 70-7306 Receiver Wiring Harness the SWC wiring is already done for you. So it makes that part of the setup easier, that was a really nice touch.
Backup Camera: Nearly all new touchscreen head units can be adapted to work with the stock backup camera.
There are a few items I’ve noticed and install tips:
The stock camera works on 6v not 12v, so a step down adapter is required, or you may kill your stock camera. I used this adapter: Axxess AX-CAM6V and it worked fine.
The adapter for the Alpine unit (included with the head unit) I used reduces the visual quality a little bit (feels like it went from 720p to 480i), but still ‘good enough’. The Alpine supports higher input resolutions but it has to be one of their separate cameras.
Lines on the screen: The stock guide lines, including the lines shown when rotating the steering wheel are retained, yay!. But, (you knew that was coming) the Alpine also has built-in guide lines when showing the rear camera…meaning you now have 3 sets of guide lines. The Alpine lets you tweak the guide lines location on the screen, so it took a few minutes of adjusting in the head unit’s settings, but I eventually got the Alpine’s lines to sit right on top of the stock lines. Looks and feels fine now.
You will lose the red warning chevrons/arrows when being warned of items in motion coming from the sides when backing up. More about that in the Driver Warning System section below.
Reverse Trigger: There is no easy access in the dash area and no trigger wire in the factory harness. So in order to pass the 12v trigger when the vehicle is in reverse to let the new head unit automatically switch to the backup camera, I located the wire that feeds the actual reverse lamps in the trunk area and ran a wire from the truck to the head unit, which works like a champ. If that seems extremely far to run that wire, it's not really. If you are already running wires for the amp/speaker wiring; remote amp trigger, speaker wires, power wires etc, it's easy enough to add one more cable for the 12v reverse trigger. Choose a similar gauge wire to the blue remote wire used to trigger an amp, but try to use a different color when possible.
Which wire is the trigger wire for the reverse lamp? (note: this is a fully optioned Forte GT with the GT2 package, so it has all the possible wires running through the vehicle, if you don’t have the exact same model Forte, the number of wires could be less).
Fortunately you don’t have to dig real deep into a harness or bundle of wires to find it. Unfortunately there are a few wires that are the exact same color, so it may take some testing with a 12v check light or multimeter.
If you remove the small access panel on the passenger side trunk area (small service panel to replace bulbs/lamps etc.) there is a small loose bundle of wires. The reverse trigger is a single blue wire. NOT a blue wire that is also in a twisted pair with a red wire. Even then, there are a few single blue wires to choose from. You’ll need to use a 12v check light or multimeter to check which wire gets 12v when the vehicle is placed in reverse. Once Identified, tap into it and run that wire to the dash area for the new head unit to use.
Driver Warning Systems: There are a few situations in which the driver is warned via audio and visual cues of dangers. It’s a bit of a mixed bag on retaining those warnings, but altogether almost all features can be kept.
The warning sounds are not run through the stock head unit, they bypass that altogether and are fed directly into the stock amplifier via the vehicle’s CAN system. These sounds are Left/Right stereo dependent and so use both the Front Left and Front Right channels of the stock amplifier. That’s both good and bad. Good that it is not required to have some data adapter that does not exist for the Forte, but Bad in that it requires you to keep the stock amp inputs connected (and at least the front left/right outputs connected) and feeding a signal into the new head unit and amplifier combo might not be easy.
To retain the audible warnings:
Solution 1 - The simplest solution - if you go this route, you will lose one channel of sound, so be aware that in some driving situations and some backup situations if you choose this option you will lose some warning sounds on the side you choose not to connect.
Take the stock amplifier Left Front output and wire it into the stock Center channel wires going to the center speaker (center channels are generally not used in aftermarket systems)
That’s it. So in cases where the danger is in the center of the vehicle and/or on the left side you’ll get the warning sounds.
The right side only warnings will no longer be audible.
Do NOT try to wire both Front Left and Front Right signals into a single Center speaker. This is not how electricity works, and will most likely cook your stock amplifier.
Solution 2 - a variation on the above solution. Run another speaker wire to the center channel area from the stock amp, and replace the stock center channel speaker itself with two smaller separate speakers and then wire the stock center wire to one of the new speakers and then connect the new wire to the other output of the stock amp and to the other new small speaker.
This gives you both Left/Right warnings, uses the stock center wiring and requires only one extra speaker wire to be run from the trunk.
Finding small speakers to fit the small center channel area is challenging and many small speakers will lack the sound output volume to be useful in noisy situations. Please test the volume, you will not be able to adjust the volume, so you are stuck at whatever the output volume is.
Solution 3 - Multi-inputs or mixing signals. This will require a Line Output Converter (LOC) to convert the stock amplifier speaker outputs into a low-level RCA connection. Once that has taken place:
3.1 - If using a DSP, check to see if the DSP software lets you run/mix multiple inputs at the same time. If so, mix in the signal from both the head unit (stock or aftermarket) and the converted output from the stock amplifier to allow for both signals (one from the head unit and one from the stock amplifier warning system).
3.2 - If you can find a head unto that allows the use of multiple inputs/sources at the same time, please post it, so far I haven’t but if there was such a feature, set it up similar to 3.1 above.
3.3 - use a low-level RCA input mixing device. These allow you to bring in multiple channels of RCA connections and mix it into one RCA output. While this solution idea is great, the mixing devices will most likely have an effect on the audio quality by reducing either the highest or lowest frequencies, and/or introducing hiss/noise into the system. They come in both powered and passive flavors and can be quite small. They might be worth trying out but if audio quality is your main reason for replacing the stock head unit, it might degrade the signal to the point you are stepping down in quality and sonic enjoyment.
Additional info on the warning systems-
While driving:
Note the blind spot warning lights on the side-view mirrors are separate and unaffected.
Blind Spot audio warnings are 100% left or right. See cautions with solution 1 above.
Front Collision warnings are sent equally to both left/right front speakers
When backing up:
Unmoving obstacles are left/right dependent, but most of the time the warning are sent to both sides
If an object is approaching from the left or right, the sound only comes from that same side. See caution in solution 1 above.
The arrows/chevrons will not be displayed on the backup camera. No solution to this issue. However, the center dash gauge cluster will indicate which direction the danger is coming from.
Attenuate/Mute - The Alpine head unit I used has the option to mute the audio when backing up.
AUX Input - Almost every single source online says you’ll lose this functionality. This is actually wrong. If your new head unit has an AUX input, you’ll easily be able to adapt to it. In fact, If using the Metra/Axxess Metra 70-7306 Receiver Wiring Harness the AUX input is adapted to RCAs already as part of the harness. So you just need to be aware of what female/male and AUX cord adapters you’ll need to connect to your new head unit’s input.
USB Input/Connectivity - For the stock location that has the AUX, USB Data port, and the Charging Port:
Again the AUX input is easily adaptable via the wiring harness.
The USB charging port is unaffected as well (it's just connected via power so is not part of the infotainment system)
The USB data connection is directly connected to the infotainment system and so replacing the head unit disables this port. My new head unit came with a few USB dongle cables. You can use these instead for hardwiring USB data connections. If you still want to use the USB port you have a few options:
Tap into the stock USB wiring at the harness, a small rectangular connector listed here: https://www.kiforte.com/audio_unit-779.html
Replace the USB connector board altogether with this unit: iDatalink uHK2 USB Adapter
Amplifier/speakers - The stock amplifier cannot be used for normal music amplification once you replace the head unit/infotainment system. This is because the stock system uses a SPIDF data connection and a separate control signal. The control signal is the real issue for adapting the amplifier. But that said, almost no aftermarket head units will have either of those connections. The stock amplifier is used for the Driver Warning System as stated in that section above so it still has some use.
The stock speakers could be used directly with the head unit or a new amplifier, but they are not of high quality and generally measure around 3 ohms which should be okay for most aftermarket systems but refer to their manuals to be sure.
Seriously though, I’d imagine most everyone replacing the head unit would be upgrading the amplifier and speakers so this section is probably quite moot.
Antennas/Satellite Radio - None of the radio or GPS or Satellite Radio connectors are universal. So all either need to be adapted or the aftermarket unit requires the use of separate antennas.
Radio - easily adapted by using: Metra 40-KI11 Antenna Adapter
GPS - Nearly all aftermarket touchscreen head units come with their own GPS antenna. (more info on how the GPS antenna is used in aftermarket system in the General Tips & Observations section)
Satellite Radio - Most aftermarket systems require or come with a separate satellite radio unit. Stock is generally not adaptable, but wouldn’t hurt to check occasionally and see if one exists.
See Vehicle in Motion Safety Systems for more info on how these antennas are part of a safety system
Smartphones - Depending on your choice of head unit, you either connect via USB or wireless or both.
Vehicle Info - Generally speaking, what I have noticed is that almost every functionality the infotainment system had that communicated with the vehicle CAN or data system is also available on the center gauge cluster. Honestly little here is lost from my experience. But I’ll cover some of those items below:
Drive mode - no cool graphic to pop-up on the head unit screen, but again the center gauge cluster shows you your drive mode. Also, if you have the lights that change with drive mode, that is not part of the infotainment system so it remains 100% functional.
Track info - with a new head unit the song/track info is no longer relayed back to the center gauge cluster, so that quick pop-up of info is no longer possible after swapping out the head unit.
Top speed, UVO, parking reminder, etc. - These little extras, as I call them, in the infotainment system are pretty much a Kia only item and so replacing the stock head unit removes them. The 2019-2021 sold in the US didn’t have much in the way of connecting to the vehicle via mobile phones, so there really isn’t much there that is lost. The refreshed years and some Canadian models do have a more fully featured suite that is useful via mobile devices, I do not know how much of that is actually dependent on the infotainment system, so you’ll have to research that on your own.
Vehicle in Motion Safety Systems
A lot of states require safeguards to be in place to reduce driver distraction. Accessing the advanced menus while driving would be a massive distraction for any driver. To control or know when a vehicle is in motion, head units and factory infotainment systems get motion data as part of their controls. If you disabled all of these the head unit would assume you are not in motion and allow access to the menus at all times. This might be useful when parked or in use in the rear of an RV or some other rare cases. So just be aware they are there for a reason and disabling requires you fully understand the risk you are taking.
GPS - the GPS can tell motion. In the case of the Alpine unit I used, it's also where it gets the clock time, so leaving it disconnected causes the head unit to not display the current time (you can adjust timezone and a few other settings, but you cannot actually manually set the clock.)
Vehicle Speed sensor wire - tells the unit the speed the car is traveling with the same signal your speedometer uses
Parking Brake Sensor - Coming to a short stop vs being fully stopped is the difference between the parking brake being set or not, at least that’s how the head unit feels about it. Generally, this seems like overkill to me and I actually used a parking brake override signal adapter.
Most of the time the speed sensor is not required, just the GPS and Parking Brake are used in most installs.
Leaving the GPS, Speed Sensor, and using a Parking Brake sensor override will cause the unit to operate in what is considered an unsafe manner.
General Tips & Observations:
The main point of replacing the head unit (or trying to use the stock audio signals) is improving the sound in the vehicle. Trying to replace the head unit for some other features will most likely not make the journey worth it.
There are some that have adapted the later larger screen infotainment head units from the newer refreshed years of Fortes into the 2019-2021 vehicles, so that could be an option as well.
If you just want wireless Carplay or Android Auto there are USB dongle adapters.
If your new desired head unit does not come with a physical volume knob and you’ll really miss that feature, some Alpine units are compatible with a wireless bluetooth volume knob you can mount just about anywhere Alpine RUX-H02
Replacing all the stock audio system and head unit will not sound as amazing as you hope if you do not use high quality audio formats, higher bit rates etc. Do yourself a favor and experiment with these other options to extract the best sound.
Even with the best, most flexible equipment, it can still fail to sound great if you do not tune the system properly. If you are unfamiliar with doing this, there are great forums, videos etc. that can show you what to do. Another great option would be to pay your local audio shop to do the tuning for you. Most of the installers that I know enjoy this part the most, so they would be grateful for your business and concern for great audio quality.
Tapping into the amplifier wiring in the trunk area I think is easier than doing via looms elsewhere in the vehicle as some others have done. If you can find a T-harness that fits the two plugs for the stock Harman Kardon amp that would save you from having to cut into all the stock wires.
I fed the output from my new amplifier into the stock speaker wires. Not the best as the wire gauge is a little small, but it helped keep things easier and more simple.
Items I Used to Accomplish a Full Head Unit Replacement:
Head unit:
Alpine iLX-507 - You can choose different models as long as they are compatible with both the vehicle DIN size and the dash kit. So far this unit has not disappointed. Great sound and a lot of adjustments to truly fine-tune just about any equipment in any situation. Follow the link for a full run down on all the features. The screen resolution is amazing, the responsiveness is pretty good as well. It has wireless Carplay and Android Auto, supports nearly all audio formats, has every input I could ever want, including an HDMI input. Highly recommended. My biggest complaint at this time is that I wish the screen was treated with some anti-glare coating. At times it reflects too much and can be hard to see. Not usually an issue as the interior is so dark, but when bright items and/or direct sunlight hits just right, it's not as easy to see as the stock infotainment unit. 9/10
Alpine RUX-H02 - Bluetooth volume knob that can mount in many convenient places. Its a bit big for what it is and requires you to do a quick pairing when you start up the vehicle. Also I wish for the size they would have added 3 buttons: Play/Pause, Next, & Back. If they did it would be perfect. 7/10
Dash Kit:
Metra 99-7394B Dash Kit - The fit and finish are great. The finish is a soft touch matte finish. It fits well with the new unit and in the stock location. Easy to assemble and use as well. One issue, and it's really not as much of an issue with the kit as it is with the stock physical layout, is that it sits the head unit a few inches lower than stock. The bottom row of stock buttons are gone and the bottom of the new head units start where the buttons used to be. This causes you to have to look more down than you would with the stock unit that sits higher and is more in line with the other gauges etc. 8/10
Connectors and Adapters:
Metra 40-KI11 Antenna Adapter - It adapts the connector type from one to another and causes no issues. Simple 10/10
Metra 70-7306 Receiver Wiring Harness - Has all the necessary connections you’d want/expect for this vehicle. The documentation on the back could be better, as only online does it explain what some of the connectors are. But it does include all the speaker wires for the new unit if you are using those, and the AUX connector, SWC connectors, and rear camera connection. 9/10
Axxess AX-CAM6V - Similar to most Axxess/Metra stuff, the build is good and they are flexible and adaptable, but documentation is lacking. Granted their main audience is probably installers who do this for a living but, just a little more effort to clarify stuff and or link to videos would go a long way. Adapter does what you need it to. 8/10
Axxess ASWC-1 Steering Wheel Control Adapter - Flexible and adaptable. Almost helpful user manual. A bit slow in button responsiveness. It’d be nice if the USB programming allowed you to do FULL programming rather than only adjust once initial programming steps have been completed. 7/10
iDatalink uHK2 USB Adapter - I haven’t actually made use of this yet, but reviews are good for it. I may try tapping into the stock connector that originally plugged into the back of the stock head unit, but time will tell. This unit replaces the USB board in that center console area to allow for use with aftermarket head units.
AXXESS - Universal Bypass Module for RV, Off-Road and Exhibition Vehicles - Parking Brake bypass. It just seems like overkill to wire a parking brake sensor on top of a GPS and Speed Sensor wire. It works by delaying a ground signal to the head unit to make it seem like you enabled the parking brake. Easy to use, instruction clear as mud. 8/10
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