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Wireless and wired CarPlay and Android Auto. Retain Subaru factory features.
Upgrade your 2015–2017 Subaru Outback with the Hamilton Upgrade Kit for CarPlay and Android Auto. This system adds wireless and wired CarPlay and Android Auto to your factory screen while keeping your original Subaru features.
Easily access your original Subaru Interface.
The Hamilton Upgrade Kit preserves your original Subaru Crosstrek features, including the factory reverse camera, factory microphone for calls/Siri, and factory CD player. You can still access the original Subaru operating system by long-holding the voice button for three seconds to reach your factory XM, FM, and AM radio. The kit uses the vehicle’s AUX input, so the wired AUX port won’t support audio from external media players (such as DACs, MP3 players, or other line-out devices) after installation.
Durability and reliability above all. Expert engineered in Raleigh, NC.
The Hamilton Upgrade Kit stands alone on the market due to its premium manufacturing process and use of quality internal chips. The Hamilton Upgrade Kit is based on an ARM-Cortex processor that is rated for Automotive AEC‑Q100 Grade 3. This means it can operate in any environment: from the hottest deserts of Saudi Arabia to the Alaskan wilderness in wintertime.
Our hardware engineering team designed this PCB in Raleigh, NC, and it is produced using premium gold-plating techniques to ensure durability and performance.
Hamilton Motor Company employs some of the finest vehicle systems engineers in the world to make sure Hamilton Upgrade Kits work with all factory Subaru features and never compromise OEM systems. The Hamilton Upgrade Kit is tuned to work with your factory microphone so call quality sounds great.
The Hamilton Guarantee. We treat you the way we want to be treated.
The 2015-2017 Subaru Outback Hamilton Upgrade Kit is backed by our 3-year Hamilton Guarantee. It is a white-glove warranty that means our team will take great care of you before, during, or after your purchase. Should your unit have issues within 3-years, we will repair or replace it. Details are available on our warranty and support page. Call us with any questions at (919) 858-2890.
| Components | Details |
|---|---|
| Operating System | HamiltonOS-25 |
| CPU |
ARM Cortex‑A7 CPU with N13 Co‑Processor with DDR3 RAM |
| Audio | DSP multi-channel I/O, I2S, ADC |
| Audio Routing | Uses Factory OEM Head Unit. No changes to audio quality |
| Video Decoder | MPEG‑1/2, MPEG4‑SP, full‑HD H.264 (1080p). Exceeds Subaru OEM Screen |
| Temperature Rating | AEC‑Q100 Grade 3 (-40c to +85c) |
| Heat Sink |
High Dissipation Hamilton Designed |
| Circuit Board (PCB) Technology | Designed in NC. HDI Technology. Precision plated for durability and performance. |
| Apple CarPlay | Wireless and Wired Compatibility |
| Android Auto | Wireless and Wired Compatibility |
| Microphone | Vehicle OEM |
| Special Notes | Hamilton Upgrade Kit uses AUX input. AUX port may not be used for other audio devices after installing. Factory FM, XM, and AM radio can be used with CarPlay/Android Auto on display but Siri/navigation cannot speak while using factory radio channels. |
CarPlay Overview and Setup
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, we support both wireless and wired CarPlay and Android Auto. You can access your original factory OS at any time by long-holding your voice speech/menu button (this button may vary model to model; please check your pairing and setup video on our manuals page).
We employ some of the finest engineers in the world in this aftermarket CarPlay/Android Auto space. We do our testing here in the USA. This means we leverage our partnerships to locate American vehicles and gather all of our data off American cars. This way, we can be certain we do not disrupt factory equipment.
For our electronics, we use gold-plated PCB technology and premium components throughout. We use high quality harnesses and connectors to minimize the risk of damaging your wiring during installation and to protect against wiring faults. Also, we use a top-of-the-line reputable chipset that is specifically tailored for automotive applications.
You can use your factory radio channels and have CarPlay/Android Auto showing on your screen with the Hamilton Upgrade Kits with one important limitation: Please note that the factory radio channels are sealed channels. This means Siri cannot talk through these channels.
When you are streaming audio via CarPlay (e.g. Spotify, Apple Music, Sirius App, etc.), your music and Siri/Navigation will come out of your vehicle speakers mixed together.
However, while using the sealed factory radio channels, you will only be able to hear radio audio. System audio (Siri, navigation sounds, phone calls) cannot be mixed into the factory radio channels.
Note: You will not be able to use the AUX port for any external media devices liked DACs or MP3 players. The Hamilton Upgrade Kit consumes this audio input for CarPlay/Android Auto.
Playing audio via the factory USB port is not supported while using CarPlay/Android Auto. If you prefer USB, please use wired CarPlay/Android Auto.
Stereo working perfectly customer was very happy with it.
First of all, using the original equipment is not only cost-effective for the consumer and for the manufacturer, but it is also responsible from the standpoint of throwing away a head unit. My experience was the installation was very straightforward, the videos helped a lot, and I even used the help chat and that was fantastic as well
Slick unit. Really good way to update an older car.
My Subaru Outback Hamilton Upgrade Kit was installed about a month ago and I can report that the kit has worked great. After starting my Outback, Android Auto starts immediately and connects consistently to my Samsung phone. I rent cars frequently for business travel, so I have a lot of experience with newer integrations. The only feature I was missing from my Outback was wireless Android Auto and now I have it! I did have a local car audio shop install my Hamilton Upgrade kit and they had experience installing these kits in other cars. If your Outback and OEM Outback headunit are in great condition, then I recommend the Hamilton Upgrade kit for your car.
Really impressed with the unit and the service. I bought the upgrade kit for my 2017 Subaru Outback after researching for a while and asking around for the best way to get carplay on my Outback. Unit shipped quickly and the video online was incredibly helpful. Took maybe an hour to install. I had some issues installing though as one of the connectors for the audio was seating properly and would wiggle a tad lose when I pushed the head unit back in (this was not anything to do the with Hamilton unit, it was the original head unit as i'm guessing they wanted to save on wiring for my car and i had very little, if any, play in some of the wires). I called the service number and the guy on the other end was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable and within 10 minutes or so he had diagnosed the lose wire and the unit worked perfectly. Great unit, great service and would definitely recommend.
Excellent product. Still learning system. Will call Tech support next week for orientation. Thanks
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.