2014-2019 Toyota Tacoma Hamilton Upgrade Kit for CarPlay® and Android Auto™

Awesome!! I have been looking for a solution to add Carplay to my 2017 Tacoma for several years. Hamilton Motors upgrade was EXACTLY what I was looking for. Excellent price and integrates very nicely with the existing Tacoma environment. Thank you Hamilton Motors! Grateful customer. 🙏 😁

I feel the 2014-2019 Toyota Tacoma Hamilton Upgrade Kit for CarPlay was one of my best purchases this year. It breathes new life into my 2014 Taco. The installation videos were very accurate and it went in and worked the first time. I opted to deinstall my factory Sirius package , but I lose no functionality because I still have Sirius from my iPhone app. Gaining a graphic equalizer was an unexpected benefit that makes my OEM speakers sound great.

It was a bit intimidating removing so many cables, and installing two internal ribbon cables, but so worth it to retain factory cabin microphone, steering wheel controls, radio head screen, and factory reverse camera. I am an experienced electronics technician and would rate the DIY difficulty level a 6 out of 10. I took my time and found the removal of radio head to be about 45 minutes. (Took plenty of pictures) The upgrade install to be about an hour. The reinstallation took 30 minutes.

I hesitated to spend so much on the upgrade, but less expensive radio head replacement CarPlay solutions all seemed like compromising. (Loss of steering wheel controls, or cheap sounding microphones, backup camera attached to license plate, etc.)

What sold me was the 3 year warranty, North Carolina based support, and the ability to perform a firmware update via USB port should some future IOS update require it.

Have recently installed the Hamilton CarPlay module in 2015 Tacoma. Install was easy enough. Enjoying CarPlay and don’t think I’ve ever had the need to go back to the base Toyota interface. Only negative I can think of is sometimes there is a little lag when changing/selecting CarPlay options. Other than that, great upgrade to 11 year old truck.

So far this unit has performerd well. I had previosly purchased the Car Sync Tech unit and it worked for a week and stated going out periodicly. only had thirty day warrenty. It got so bad that i took it out and went back to stock. Wasted my money. When i saw that this unit had a real warrenty and good reviews I pulled the triger and ordered it. I had already been into the unit once so the install was a breeze till one of the ribbon locks came off. If this happens to you dont panic it will go back into place be patiant. I kept my xm tuner, it will fit in under the hamilton unit and go through the hole, once again patiance! over all I am very pleased with this unit. Still playing with the audio mixer. Love telling Siri to get directions, open my garadge door when I turn into my neaborhood and the doors up when I hit the driveway. I wanted to keep my JBL OE unit because it sounds fine to me and to replace the whole unit with something I would be happy with would cost over twice what I paid for this. Kinda makes my 2017 Tacoma feel newer. Very happy costomer!

Works pretty well, and It's nice to have the option to switch back to the old interface. Installation was pretty straightforward using the online video as a guide. However, the video doesn't show removal of the screws holding the faceplate that you need to remove. Had to tug a couple of times and review the video before I realized. Mostly works out of the box with a couple of minor problems that some might find challenging. First thing, the screen brightness was too high leaving the interface to look washed out. I was able to find the adjustments for this and now the screen looks good. Next was the volume of waze compared to any media (Pandora, Spotify, etc). Much like the video settings, the audio setting were kind of buried in the configuration menu, and at least to me, not intuitively labeled. After some fiddling with different settings I was able to normalize the Waze volume with the media playing. The system also auto starts every time the car starts and attempts to connect to Android Auto even when I have it turned off on my phone. This is kind of annoying, especially when running errands with lots of stops as I have to cancel out of the new interface every time so I can see my factory radio Not a deal breaker, but annoying. It would be nice to have the unit save 'last state' so if I turn off the truck with the old interface open, I will get the old interface when I start the truck back up. Beyond that, so far, it is working well and it's nice to have Android Auto now. For the money, it's not as polished as I would have hoped. But it does run Android Auto, while keeping your original head unit.

Amazing product!! Absolutely love the interface! Such a treat over the Toyota Entune garbage. Only complaint was the Youtube video guide to installing it missed a step of removing a few screws when trying to pop the screen off - that was easily noticed and everything went smoothly. Highly recommend this to any antiquated 3rd gen Tacoma without Carplay/Android Auto. Super happy and grateful for this upgrade!

Good that you provided quite extensive notes and installation video. Would have been lost without them. Still, a couple of things could be presented a bit more clearly. The install video glossed over the 5 screws that attach the screen to the factory unit - would help to spend a few seconds on that. Missing from the notes is how to listen to a radio station when out of mobile coverage. I figured it out but likely not optimal: shut down and reboot and get off AUX before it switches to your system. Finally, a diagram to show unconnected ports once installed would help assure the buyer that nothing has been overlooked.

I love the CarPlay upgrade from Hamilton Motor Company. It feels like it’s from the factory.

Easy install and works perfectly

We did have to rematch the video a few times, and there were a couple of small hiccups, but we got it installed in about an hour and it is fantastic! It's so nice to have wireless Android auto now and be able to speak to my radio, maps, call/text. 10 out of 10 would recommend.

This unit works flawlessly. It takes a bit of patience to install. The videos are very helpful albeit imperfect. While the unit is on the more expensive side it is an excellent value. The end result is factory CarPlay

The step where you remove the 5 screws to separate the head unit from the box is not clear in the install video, but I figured it out. Had a bit of trouble aligning the ribbon cables but I also figured that out. Re-installed the unit in my Tacoma and it work fine, no need to contact Hamilton customer service. Apple CarPlay is light years ahead of the Entunes that came on my 2018 Tacoma.

Perfect convienence upgrade!

First, I love carplay on my 2017 Tacoma. This upgrade brings it up to current standards. I watched the installation video 5-6 times. Taking out the head unit went according to the video. I took plenty of photos so I didn’t have any issue putting connections back. I then brought the head unit in and followed the installation video to attach the Hamilton unit and put it back together again. I re-installed it in the truck and had no screen. I called Hamilton tech support who told me to check my iphone bluetooth to see if the Hamilton showed up. It did so I was told this is a ribbon cable issue. They were right. I took the head unit out, took it apart, re-seated all the ribbon cables, and put it back together again. After reinstalling it, I had my carplay screen. After connecting to the bluetooth, and pressing the “Mode” button a few times I had my sound. Thank you for all the tips/ warnings, etc in the video, and the support. You were there for me when I needed you. I highly recommend this upgrade kit.

Title: Great Upgrade for Older Tacomas – Excellent Product & Support with Minor Documentation Gaps

Overall Rating: 4/5 Stars (Pending Long-Term Update)

The Good:
Modernized Functionality: Adding Apple CarPlay to my older Toyota Tacoma is a massive upgrade. It brings modern features to a dated head unit and is a huge safety improvement over using suction-cup phone mounts.

Retained Factory Features: The module integrates cleanly while retaining all original factory head unit functions.

Straightforward Hardware Install: Overall, the physical installation was very straightforward. The Tacoma’s trim setup makes accessing the head unit quick and simple.

Outstanding Tech Support: This is my second purchase from Hamilton, and their technical support team remains top-notch. Every time I have called with a question, they have been responsive, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful.

Areas for Improvement (Documentation & Mobile Navigation):
Mobile Website Video Layout: When viewing the product page on a desktop, all three necessary videos (Overview, Installation, and Pairing/Setup) are clearly visible. However, on a mobile device, only the Overview video appears. Since most people use their phones while working, adding all three videos to the mobile page would prevent unnecessary troubleshooting.

YouTube Organization: Finding the correct videos directly on YouTube was difficult because the channel lacks dedicated playlist organization by vehicle model (e.g., a "2014–2019 Tacoma" playlist containing all relevant guides).

Installation Video Omission: The install video I found via search omitted a crucial step. When instructing the viewer to pop out the display board, it failed to mention removing five retaining screws first. Forcing the board without removing these could easily crack or damage the display. Note: Tech support immediately pointed this out when I called. A simple one-page correction graphic spliced into the video would resolve this.
Ribbon Cable Clearance: During reassembly, the display bracket sits on top of the internal ribbon cables, causing them to pinch slightly. A quick note in the installation guide addressing that the ribbon cable will be pinched but not a problem which would give buyers peace of mind.

Pairing Video Accessibility & Details: Searching for the pairing video on mobile was tough because the demo in the video uses a different vehicle model rather than a Tacoma. Additionally, key setup steps - such as deleting existing phone pairings from the factory Bluetooth menu and forgetting the truck’s Bluetooth on your phone - are easy to miss if you aren't watching the desktop version of the video.

Note for Marketing/Sales:
I noticed a YouTube video showcasing a newer Tacoma CarPlay display. While I am very happy with the module I purchased, featuring unreleased or unlisted display options on social media without clear website availability could confuse potential buyers.

Final Verdict:
Despite the minor documentation hiccups, the product performance, hardware design, and customer support are outstanding. I am very satisfied with this upgrade and will update this review in a few months after putting the system through daily use.

I bought this as a belated Father's Day present to myself, hoping to breathe new life into my 2015 Tacoma.

As I am located near Raleigh I probably could have gone and picked up the unit myself in person, but I ordered on a Thursday & had the unit in hand on Friday via UPS. The unit itself is beautifully engineered - it’s a shame really that such a beautiful piece of kit will be forever hidden from view.

Installation took a few hours & was not nearly as easy as Hamilton’s videos make it look. I attribute that partially to my big hands & worsening eyesight; also partially to the fact that in my 2015 model the procedure to remove the head unit is slightly more involved from that which is depicted in the otherwise excellent videos. Using the videos as a baseline I was able to apply some engineering common sense to deduct how I had to modify the procedures from the videos to fit my particular circumstances.

After getting everything back together I’m thrilled with the purchase. I ran some errands around town to put it through its paces. It’s useful that the Hamilton config screen allows you to adjust the phone volume independently from the audio volume as I found that was definitely required.

I’m looking forward to seeing what other products you all come up with in the future!

A few minor quibbles:

1) the whole “temporarily tape the units together” thing was hokey. I understand that with the design of the Hamilton unit once the head unit is re-attached to the mounting brackets that everything will be secure…but still that seemed chintzy. I would have preferred to have the Hamilton unit also attached to the mounting brackets in the same way that the satellite radio was.

2) I wish the cable for the bluetooth/wifi antenna was longer. I mounted the antenna on the underside of the dash using the provided double-sided adhesive. Unfortunately doing so almost did not leave me enough length on the cable to attach it to the unit. I ended up needing to hold the whole assembly very close to the final installed position, balancing it precariously in one hand, while fumbling around trying to connect the antenna with the other. Not fun. Please make the cable longer.

3) I wish that you made or sold accessories to go along with your product. In this particular case I’m referring to a USB passthrough that can be used in place of one of the blanking plates below the climate controls. I found one on Amazon that I think will work but it would be nice to know that you all have already tested such things.

As I said, these are minor complaints. Very happy with the unit and looking forward to getting many years of use from it!

I like how it works and it works good. I had some trouble putting it in because of big hands and I wanted to keep my Xm modual. So with my issues it did take a long time about 6 to 7 hrs total. But it works good no issues after 2 6 hr road trips.

Had a few moments in the install where I thought I was going to mess up (clamp fell off a ribbon cable). Customer support was awesome and very available.

The actual product itself is 10/10 so far.

Fabulous product! Very happy customer, Thank-you!

It is an awesome product! Very satisfied with the whole process

The unit works perfectly. The customer is happy . I'm glad Hamilton Motor company came up with a solution for these vehicles. Shipping was great! Love this supplier!

I heard about the upgrade kit from a friend installing one in his Land Cruiser. The install in my 2018 Tacoma was straightforward since I read the instructions a couple of times, watched the official video and also an unofficial one to see where I might get tripped up. The install was super smooth and the system fired right up perfectly. Loving the much easier navigation for my music and the ease of using Siri now. Well designed upgrade. Worth the price.

I installed this today and can’t believe how great it is! I have a 2018 Tacoma Limited and like another reviewer-hard to believe it did not come with CarPlay but don’t have to worry about that anymore! Install was great, only had the one small issue when I attached the smaller ribbon, the latch popped off but I managed to rig it back and the unit is working great! Thank you guys for creating this and I will be upgrading my 4Runner also!

Why a 2019 vehicle does not have apple CarPlay stock is beyond me but if you’re looking for a mod that feels stock this is it. It works flawlessly also, it auto starts into CarPlay every time you start the vehicle so no need to hold the voice button to go to the system. I will say, be very careful of the ribbon cable/clamps if installing by yourself, they are very prone to snapping off. All in all 10/10 system and exceeded all of my expectations.