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8.4 uconnect touchscreen upgrade?

141K views 326 replies 51 participants last post by  J1PSY12 
#1 ·
Anyone know if it is possible to upgrade the 8.4 unconnect in a 2015 to the new 8.4 uconnect from a 2017? I know there are no software updates for our units but what about swapping the unit out with a new one?
 
#3 ·
As far as anyone can tell so far the answer right now is no. Maybe Dodge will make it available? Seems like if that was a possibility something would have been released before the end of '17 production which is sometime this Summer. That is one of the reasons I traded in my 2015 for the 2017, the new Apple Car Play is fantastic! Also with the Active Exhaust I am very happy with '17 models.
 
#11 ·
Sometimes they will do that, try disconnecting the battery for 15 mins. I had it happen on one of my challengers but the next day it came right back on and it never gave me any problems after that.
 
#14 ·
So what is so great about the Apple Car play or Android? I mean yeah I get it, the apps from ur phone are accessible. But what is it your going to do with the apps from the car? I have Spotify on my phone that I use through bluetooth since my 2012 Charger. Now I have a 2017 SRT and I have to plug my phone with a cable in order to use Apple Car play. I was under the impression it would work through bluetooth.

So everytime I get into the car, I have to plug that cable in?

Aside from plugging it in, Im not trying to be an Ass Hat, I think its cool, but I havent had any compelling reason to see my apps on my UConnect screen when I can play all the audio through Bluetooth.

Would like to hear what you guys feel.
 
#16 ·
Car Play



They have Wireless car play now. I dont think car companies have radios for this yet but they have radios that have wireless car play. Our cars are also easy to get one added aftermarket as they have devices that plug into the radio and into the car so you keep all your stock options and get all the new radio tech. Most people like the car play for navigation options if the radio does not have nav built in. I like the fact that you get a lot of gauge options to display if you have a radio that supports the maestro and carplay. If your aftermarket radio supports the maestro and wireless carplay then you can have both.
Apple is one of those tech companies that a lot of companies hate really. The first version of carplay did actually work through bluetooth. I think that was back in 8.x days. The thing was bluetooth was too slow to do video well so they switched to the cord. Then when they announced wireless carplay the idea was to use bluetooth and wireless lan. There was even a 9" 2din that had wireless standard that stated they would support wireless carplay. Then apple stated the wireless had to be AC wireless so that radio retracted the statement that it would work with wireless. So I think its clear to see why so many companies dont like working with apple as it takes 3-4 versions to get working correctly and by that time they changed the hardware requirements just as many times if not more. The reason consumers like them is all that time testing all this stuff is normally done by beta testers and specific in company people so when the tech is actually available to the masses nobody sees all the beta testing and hardware flip flops that happened before that.

Ron
 
#15 · (Edited)
There's a company in Sweden I think (read it on a cherokee forum) that sells something to make the car get andriod auto.

It's a bridge circuit board that gets installed between the screen and the uocnnect board. It's pretty cool and looks easy to install. I think it's $500.

I'm thinking about getting it when my uconnect trial period ends.... unless FCA decides to update the pre -17s *crosses fingers*
 
#21 · (Edited)
It's funny because I bought my '16 over a '17 because I was saving 3 grand (and the '17 was a sublime, my wife did not like the color at all... HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE) but I mightve foregone the savings had I known it had android auto.

I bought this car strictly for the 392, 6M, 3.90 gears & didnt do much research on model year differnces besides making sure HP & TQ numbers didnt change for '17.

If they update the pre-17, which I surmise will eventually have to happen (to avoid rioting in the streets, haha), I will be a happy camper.... and if not, I will install a 3rd party work around.

There's no f***ing way I'm paying for monthly uconnect once the trial ends! And the factory NAV sucks from what I heard, so I'm not paying 6 bills for that s**t.... unless its a requirement to get the update :/
 
#30 ·
It connects your phones apps like Google Maps to the screen and such. No it does not give you internet access unless you sign up for it through uconnect I believe.
I got it because the price was right, its suppose to have better resolution and has the carplay features.
 
#36 ·
Integrating the phone via android auto/Apple car play, imo is much safer than having to grab the phone to do anything. Of course, putting aside the technology all together would be the safest option, but the reality is, we are just too 'connected' to really 'disconnect' these days.
 
#41 ·
I just spoke to my salesman whom is also a friend from before his sales days.

He says that they've been told that there's different hardware in the new radios and the previous cannot be updated.

Maybe that's why the mod had you add hardware vs hacked software.
 
#42 ·
I have the 2016 challenger with the 8.4 I connect and it's definitely bigger than a standard double din, you'd have to do some SERIOUS modding for it to work, and even then there is so much that the head unit controls I don't think it would be compatible. However you could get a good Pioneer double din with navigation and the audio controls would be MUCH better than anything you'd get from MOPAR.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#43 ·
It's no bigger than the 8.4 RA4 unit and for wiring there is only 4 snap in plugs and the harness connector. I'll be attempting the swap next week. Stay tuned!
 
#56 ·
It works! 2015 radio is on the left, 2017 is on the right. All plug and play. Took all of 5 minutes once the dash trim was removed. :grin2::grin2::grin2:
 

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#61 ·
So a few glitches with the new unit, haven't got carplay working and also lost my heated/cooled seat controls. Sirius/XM not active (but I'm sure thats just a call to them) and I'm waiting to hear back from RS on what I need to do.
This unit is an OEM unit out of a 2017 Challenger and I don't believe the infotainment systems are (I could be wrong). I do like the higher res screen and HD radio but until I get the other features figured out I'm not going to be happy with it.
I'll keep everyone posted once I hear back from RS.
 

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#64 ·
And just so everyone knows I did not pay $1400 for this unit. That would of been out of my budget, although if I get this stuff figured out and proven to work, atleast others will know if they want it they can have it! :)
 
#65 ·
This link

https://www.infotainment.com/collec...e-challenger-gps-navigation-8-4-nav-uaq-radio

Does NOT say it works with the 15-16 cars. It says it only works with 17-19 cars. The part that is interesting is the part it talks about car play and states what others have said in this thread Quoted

"Pre-programmed to function with your vehicle's existing remote USB hub for Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® use." Not sure what the existing remote USB hub is but I dont think those features work without that piece of hardware. On another note to set precedence, Ford did update 16 mustangs to AA/ACP but it required another different usb plug and that disabled the one that came with the car originally.

That would lead me to believe you need a different center console media stack as well as the radio to get AA or ACP to work in the 15-16 cars.
I do believe however this should be workable relatively simply as the non AA/ACP radios work in 17+ cars as well and economies of scale do not work well in the auto industry if it takes a lot of different stuff to make the assembly process work.(Note to that, I saw a discovery show on the making of the cars and they all use the exact same wire harness.(C300,Charger, and Challenger) This and the post with the walk through on how to upgrade from the 5.0 to the 8.4 with/without nav and xm says its pretty much all just PnP.)

Ron
 
#67 ·
Good info Ron. I am wondering also about the usb/media stack as this radio also is not seeing my SD card slot which is where all my music is. Not sure if the connections on the back of the new unit are the same as the 15 unit and there are two that I do not have plugs in my harness so not sure what they are for.
Here is a list of what does not currently work with the new unit (I'm hoping RS can shed some light on this but have not heard back from him yet):

Cannot find Carplay
No backup camera
No heated/cooled seat controls
No heated steering wheel controls
No SD card
Not sure USB is working correctly

-Scott
 
#66 ·
You should try a full default reset in the engineer menu. When I had an issue after installing the Tazer in my 2015, I had to do that and after doing this the radio when in the default unbranded mode and I had to wait before it reads my car options. After a full reboot by opening/closing the door the radio went into dodge challenger mode with all options for my car.
 
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