Hi all,
After noting the level of interest on the forum and via PM from people seeking information on how to upgrade their current head unit to the GD-03 (Android Auto/Apple Carplay compatible) I decided it would be a good opportunity to share my knowledge on how this is done via a step-by-step DIY guide.
Recently I managed to successfully swap out my factory GD-01 for a GD-03 head unit. There were several reasons I decided to upgrade my head unit to the GD-03:
• Larger screen size
• Visually nicer looking GUI
• Sound quality improvement for radio, Bluetooth and USB media as well having many more options on EQ if you’re into that.
• Android Auto/Apple Carplay compatible – This was obviously the biggest deciding factor to upgrade and one of the best features about the unit.
The installation wasn’t exactly plug and play however and it requires a few extra steps to get the unit working perfectly.
Please note that this guide covers how to upgrade your GD-01 head unit to a GD-03, although, having looked at the GD-02 pinouts vaguely I believe there shouldn’t be a problem with following my steps to achieve the same result.
WHAT YOU WILL NEEDThese are the items you will need to have ready before commencing your installation:
GD-03 Head unit I sourced the head unit from a wrecker and I recommend getting one through this way as you will also then be able to grab yourself the AUX/USB jack assembly and USB lead which are vital components of the install. If you purchase the unit online ensure that it comes with the lead and the jack assembly. All up it cost me $215.
AUX/USB jack assembly + USB lead It is imperative that you have these two items. The AUX/USB jack assembly + USB lead will provide the data link that Android Auto/Apple Carplay needs from your phone to the head unit. Without this you will have a functioning head unit but no AA/Carplay. You will not be able to use the existing AUX/USB jack assembly in your car as Hyundai decided to change the ports for the GD-03 which I’ll explain later.
Plastic trim removerYou can purchase this online for under $10 or you can find them at a local automotive store.
Standard phillips head screwdriverPick (smallest one you can find)This will be needed if you decide to do the de-pining of a wire from the central harness yourself in STEP 6 of the tutorial. Otherwise if you think you can’t then get a technician to do it for you
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION STEPSSTEP 1A - Remove right-side air vent panel:Starting at the bottom we will use the plastic trim remover to wedge it between panel and the gear box cover and then pulling the panel outwards then towards the rear of the car. Work your way up the panel until you have it removed completely. Don’t be afraid to use a bit of force. The panel is held together by clips inside.
STEP 1B - Remove left-side air vent panel:Repeat steps in 1A to remove the left side panel.
STEP 2 – Remove Ac control panel:Remove the screws holding the AC control panel in place, there are four in total as shown. To remove the AC control panel you simply hold the top half of the unit and pull it towards the rear of the car, you will need to use a bit of force as it doesn't come off easily. After that unplug the connectors at the back and set the panel aside. This must be done to access the AUX/USB jack assembly.
STEP 3 – Remove existing AUX/USB jack assembly:This initial step is optional, but I found by doing this it helped provide more room for me to access the AUX/USB jack assembly.
To the left you will see a white-coloured clip holding the compartment together. Using two fingers pinch this clip from the back and push it towards the rear of the car until it pops out onto the other side. You can pull the bottom plastic part where my left hand is positioned to assist with this procedure.
Repeat the same steps on the right hand side.
It should now look like this:
Now you have room to access the AUX/USB jack assembly. To dislodge the jack assembly you will need to press down hard on the groove on both sides of the piece as shown and then either push it towards the rear of the car or use something solid to knock it out.
Unplug the connector from the jack assembly. You will note how the existing AUX/USB jack assembly has only one large port that essentially powers both the USB and AUX. The new AUX/USB jack assembly you will be installing is different in that it has been split into two ports; one for AUX and one for USB. The GD-03 head unit rear ports also differentiate itself from the GD-01 and GD-02 by separating the USB functionality from the A/B and creating its own port. This is why it is important you source the new jack assembly for this to work. Getting the AUX to work will require some extra work (possibly an adapter) but since I don’t plan on using the AUX I’ve decided to leave it alone and only focus on the USB for Android Auto/Apple Carplay and USB media.
STEP 4 – Install new AUX/USB jack assemblySimply take your new AUX/USB jack assembly and fit it into the slot that is now vacant. Plug USB lead into the rear and then loop up ready to connect it to the head unit later. Re-position the two white-coloured clips back to its original place.
STEP 5 – Remove existing head unitRemove the screws holding the existing head unit to the console. There are four screws in total as shown. Slide it out and then unplug the radio cord and the A/B connectors as shown (remove everything that is plugged into the head unit).
STEP 6 – De-pin A9 (reverse cam) wire from central harness terminalThis step is essential if you own a GD-01 head unit WITHOUT reverse cam, although, I believe all GD-01’s do not have reverse cam anyway so either way if you own a GD-01 you will have to de-pin the A9 wire from the central harness terminal to have the head unit working correctly. Someone can confirm this but users who own a GD-02 WITH reverse cam I believe this step is not required at all and it is simply a matter of plug and play. Users who own a GD-02 WITHOUT reverse cam this step may/may not be required. If you are one of these users it might be best to first plug all the connectors in and test the head unit to see if it’s working. If you are having the same issue as I did re: the head lights then do this step.
The issue I encountered when I originally installed the head unit was that when any of the car head lights (parking lights, head lights, high beams etc…) were in the OFF position the display would switch to the reverse cam (even though I don’t have reverse cam) screen and you would not be able to navigate out. Putting the car into P, D, or N also did not make any difference. However, when the head lights were in the ON position the reverse cam screen would no longer show and I could use the head unit freely with no problems. After comparing the pinouts for the GD-01 and GD-03 it was evident that the A9 wiring (reverse cam) for the GD-01 was not in use (N/C not connected) However it was somehow still feeding voltage into this.
Picture of the reverse cam (I don't have a reverse cam) being shown on the screen:
The solution was to de-pin the reverse cam (A9) wire from the terminal.
Before you do this you need to first make the decision on whether you are confident enough to perform this yourself after reading the steps. If you are not confident your next option could be to get into contact with a local technician specializing in car/audio installations and ask them to do this for you at a minimal fee, it is a 5 min job for them if you remove the head unit yourself. Your other option is to cut this wire if you don’t think you’ll ever be installing a reverse cam.
Disclaimer: Please do step 6 at your own risk and I am not responsible for any damages that may result from this.This is the wire (A9) you will need to de-pin from the terminal. Black and yellow striped wire that is part of the A connector:
To de-pin the wire, you need to pry the guard back (grey part) on the underbelly of the terminal. This would then allow you to pop the lever back for you to de-pin the wire. Use the smallest pick you can find and insert into A9 hole and force the pick upwards you should then be able to slide the A9-wire out from the back. Then tape the wire up. I’ve tucked it away under black tape as shown here:
STEP 7 – Plug all connections into the GD-03 head unitOnce you have de-pinned the wire it is time to re-plug the connectors into the GD-03 head unit. Plug the radio lead, A/B connectors and the USB lead into the rear of the head unit. You will also now be able to test the head unit. Switch on the head unit and test that it is powering on and functioning correctly.
STEP 8 – Put everything back into place! First start with slotting your GD-03 head unit into place and screw back in the nuts that you took out (x4 nuts). Next do the same with the AC control panel and screw it back into place (x4 nuts). Then re-insert the air vent panels back in.
STEP 9 – Update Head unit firmwareFollow the instructions in the link below to update your head unit to the latest firmware to use Android Auto/Apple Carplay:
HOW TO: Upgrade GD-03 head unit to current release with Android Auto supportSTEP 10 – Installation complete, enjoy your new head unit!