2015-2017 Subaru Outback Hamilton Upgrade Kit for CarPlay® and Android Auto™

High Quality Unit. I decided to go with the Upgrade Kit for my 2017 Subaru Outback, so I could keep the original Radio/CD and the car’s Original Look. I found the installation very straightforward; just followed the video step by step and everything is working as it should. The only challenge I came across was that the car’s wiring awarenesses to the radio are barely long enough, which makes it hard to remove and reconnect the radio unit. Other than that, I’m extremely happy with the Hamilton Upgrade Kit and highly recommend the unit to anyone.

I just installed the Apple CarPlay upgrade kit into my 2017 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited. Having CarPlay absolutely changes the interior and I love the fact that it keeps the original screen. Installation was quite straightforward but there were a lot of little steps to get everything just right. The whole process took me about 3 hours going slow and not forcing things to happen. It was absolutely worth it though. Pairing my phone was stupidly easy and it has worked virtually flawlessly so far. Thank you guys for creating this kit.

I only had a few issues (all self inflicted and not any fault of HMC). My car put up a fight because many of its trim pieces and electrical connections almost refused to separate. Having so many electrical connectors dangling out of the dash was very daunting but they can all only go in one place so it was relatively easy to figure out where they went back in to. Unfortunately, I stripped several of the screws that held the factory XM module in even using a large screwdriver so I had to drill them out, whoops. Luckily they weren’t needed during reinstallation anyway. The last dumb thing I did was attempt this in my car and I dropped several of the smaller screws beside the driver’s seat which were a pain to dig out. I would HIGHLY recommend using strong magnetic screwdrivers and not trying this in the car when installing the kit.

A few things I learned by playing around that I haven’t see mentioned anywhere else are:

If you use the tuning knob when in CarPlay or the HMC software, it acts as a scroll wheel that you can push in to select different options. Additionally, in CarPlay, if you press the “Info” touch button to the right of the screen, Siri activates (the same thing happens if you press and hold the button in the lower left of the screen when in CarPlay). If you press the “Home” or “Apps” touch buttons to the left of the screen, it will take you to the main 3 widget page of CarPlay or the first page of apps in CarPlay (respectively).

Even though I had a frustrating installation experience (due to my own errors), the kit is absolutely worth the money and I’m super glad that I got it.

Great product. A bit of maneuvering to get all the wires back in place. A snug fit. But one person did it. It takes some time to learn the system. But now 2 weeks later I am pleased and wondering why I didn't upgrade 10 years ago. I would recommend this product.

Great product!

This CarPlay upgrade kit is excellent! I was really impressed with the design implementation in the manner that it connects between the original head unit and the LCD screen. The video instructions are super clear and detailed, the unit and included wiring harnesses are top notch quality, and customer support is A-plus. Even the packaging of the unit speaks to the overall high quality of this product, as does the 3-year warranty. Once installed, operation of the unit was flawless and pretty much as expected for a modern CarPlay experience. I highly recommend this kit.

Funciona perfectamente, es una solucion brillante para ,mantener el equipo de fabrica con el agregado de Android Auto o Carplay

I used this kit to add CarPlay to my 2017 Outback. I’m not super handy or good with cars but I was able to put this in no problem.

Wonderful result. YouTube installation video is essential to installing the unit. And the result is seamless and clear. Only hiccup was that my iPhone 17 Pro Max was not set to allow CarPlay as an app by default so I thought the unit was defective. It worked with my iPhone 11 so I knew hat the answer was with Apple. A quick google search pointed me to how to fix it. Maybe add this issue to the installation video.

I did some minor modifications to the install process to make this fit in my STI. I installed it below the telemetry module and slid the ribon cable from the front towards the Hamilton unit. it works great! its been almost a year and still happy with it! I was also able to wire my front camera to the screen!

Very good experience. Everything works exactly as the supplier said. The only thing I would correct is the installation of the Hamilton module antenna. In my opinion, there's an error in the installation video. The video shows that the antenna has an adhesive backing so it can be attached to a desired location, but the installer in the video leaves it hanging loosely down in the opening where the radio goes, and states that he "has no reports of noise from it not being attached." In my case, a 2015 Outback Limited, there was no noise when installed that way, but every now and then there was a "beep" and it seemed like something was disconnecting and reconnecting. I decided to open up the installation again and attached the Hamilton module antenna with its adhesive backing to the top of the radio opening, below the upper ventilation tubes. By relocating it to this higher position, there were no more "beeps" or interruptions. To make this more convenient, the black antenna cable should be 5 cm longer.

I was able to install the Upgrade kit successfully with the help of the on line video. Works Great!

I was able to install the Upgrade kit successfully with the help of the on line video. Works Great!

works great, very happy with it. would recommend it to anyone looking to update their stock unit.

I'm from Poland and it literally took few days for my order to arrive (ordered on 12.03, received on 16.03) including quick mail exchange with courier company (had to give the description of ordered goods for customs clearance - nothing out of ordinary)!
First impression I got after opening the transport box was "high quality" - very neat satin white box with HMC embossing, metal plate with HMC engraving on the actual module, wiring harness looks like OEM, everything nicely secured.
Installed the same day (Outback 2017, 3.6R) and it works as advertised! I have to give credit to HMC for video instructions too - it's always much easier to see how something is done, rather than reading the instructions alone.
It really takes my (and probably yours too) favorite car to a whole new level, while keeping the "original car" vibe. So far all the functions seem to be working as intended, sound quality is awesome, just as it was, pairing of phones (Apple CarPlay in my case) was seamless, data exchange feels fast and natural, switching menus from CarPlay to the main car software is quick and easy. Another great feature is the built in, extra usb port (charging & data-exchange, so full package) - I still can't decide whether I want to extend it to back seats (2017 model didn't have usb ports in the back yet), or hide it inside armrest and extend it when necessary.
My suggestion for anyone installing the module - make sure you find a correctly sized phillips screwdriver for the 4 smallest screws around the screen - they are quite tiny and even though you don't need to fasten them too much, it's easy to damage them.

Very easy to install, I’ve literally never touched car electrical and did it all myself with no problems. However, while it works great, it does cut out from time to time, and then reconnects to my Apple CarPlay. It’s never disconnected for longer than a few seconds, but a bit annoying. Still a great product - especially for an after market.

I haven’t had it that long, it’s not perfect and hasn’t been a remedy for the connection issues, but I knew it was a crap shoot in the first place.

Thank you HMC! I was finally able to install your Upgrade Kit. Your YouTube directionals made things so simple. I was glad I made sure I had the trim removal tool and long phillips head prior to. The swap took 20 minutes max. I will highly recommend your Upgrade it. That original operating system was no bueno. Now it feels like I'm driving a rental car every day.

Nice unit, resolution is great, latency is very good and feels faster than most other units I have used. I just hope the Subaru radio lasts longer than most...

Not sure why the instructions state to remove starlink module and then put it below Hamilton module without any screws... I had no problem with ribbon length leaving the starlink module in its proper home and putting the hamilton below it.
Instructions also state to use with AUX only but the native settings has an option to use with OE BT and in my testing it worked just fine.

I purchased the module just over a week before writing the review for my 2016 Outback 3.6 with Harman Kardon System. I watched the associated video for removal and installation making the process extremely easy to perform and follow along (Took me just under an hour start to finish). There was no programming when testing and the system just worked out the box. Able to have Android Auto on my vehicle while keeping all the OEM components. I have already highly recommended this product to a coworker who also has an Outback. Fantastic product.

Installation video provided has great detail and is one of the best installation videos I've seen. Wireless android auto works well.

We were looking for a solution for our 2017 Outback which sdid not have Apple CarPlay. After market stereos were quite expensive, one quote was for $800 for parts and labor.

After watching the very informative YouTube installation guide, I decided the Hamilton CarPlay module was the best approach. My son and I installed it one afternoon, the system works perfectly! Highly recommended.

The only suggestion I would add to the super detailed video is that it helps to have a high-quality screwdriver to remove the factory brackets once the radio is removed from the dash. They must have been assembled by robots at the factory, they do not want to break loose and I could not remove them until I found one of my Klein combo screwdrivers, that thing made short work of the bracket screws (which I hasten to add is not something the fine folks at Hamilton can prevent, this is how the parts are installed at the factory ).

Best car play solution we found

I was waiting for something like this for 5 years. Finally someone made it. If you follow instruction it just works.
P.S. after the installation make sure to choose in Hamilton settings "Car Bluetooth" for the audio to work.

The install and user friendly interface made this a perfect upgrade for my 2015 Outback. Easy to follow video instructions and some gentle persuation for dash clips and I was done within an hour. After looking at a few other brands I was happy to go with a system that was 100% plug and play. Great customer service as well.

Pretty easy to install, and wish I did it sooner. Love having this in the car.

Such a great upgrade for my 2018 Subaru. Was quite easy to install following the video guide, and it works! Now I don't have to take my phone out of my pocket anymore, and also can postpone upgrading my car :) Highly recommend!

It was harder to install than I thought it would be. I recommend installing with a friend! It’s been a great product so far!

Own a 2015 Subaru Outback 3.6 Limited with a Harman Kardon audio system. Had a few tech questions prior to purchase; emailed tech support, and they responded in minutes. Decided to order the kit. I had looked at a couple foreign kits but, they seemed a more complicated install and resulted in aftermarket looking console. With the Hamilton, the center console looks the same after installation, for me a big plus.
Received the unit, followed the helpful instruction video, and installation was completed in 2 hrs. My only comment on the installation is that removing the panels is a lot tougher than in the video; my panel clips held fast and took a lot of careful effort to release them.
My Outback now has Apple CarPlay with Siri and great audio using my Harman Kardon. Plus, I can switch back to the old system. Super happy, glad I went with Hamilton.