Lexus RX 350 CarPlay Retrofit: Which S-Connect Kit You Need
Lexus RX 350 CarPlay is possible on a car that never offered it, and you do not have to give up the factory screen to get it. The S-Connect interface lives entirely behind the radio, feeds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into the display Lexus already gave you, and leaves the rotary knob, the steering wheel buttons and the backup camera doing their normal jobs.
The short version: there are two S-Connect kits for an older RX and the deciding factor is factory navigation. An RX with factory navigation takes the LGVIF-CB2W. An RX without factory navigation takes the LGVIF-CB3W. Ordering the wrong one is the single most common mistake on this retrofit.
Which Lexus RX 350 CarPlay kit matches your car
Both kits do the same job and install the same way. They differ in how they talk to the factory head unit, which is why the navigation question decides the order.
The LGVIF-CB2W covers Lexus models with factory navigation, and its listed RX fitment runs 2013 to 2019 on the RX 350 and RX 450h, plus 2018 to 2019 on the RX 350L.
The LGVIF-CB3W covers Lexus models without factory navigation, with listed RX fitment from 2016 to 2019 on the RX 350 and RX 450h, and 2018 to 2019 on the RX 350L. Three row owners: the RX 350L is covered by both kits, and it has its own choice in the vehicle selector on each product page, so pick the RX 350L option that matches your navigation setup.
The RX in the video is a non-navigation car, which is why its dip switch module is configured for the no-navigation setting. If you are not sure which camp your RX falls into, open the factory menu and look for a built in map. No map means no factory navigation. Our broader guide to Lexus CarPlay compatibility by model covers the rest of the range, and the Lexus CarPlay and Android Auto collection lists every kit we build.
The one setting that decides everything: the dip switches
Inside the kit is a small dip switch module. It tells the interface what kind of car it is plugged into. On the non-navigation RX in the video the configuration was switches one and five on, with the rest off, and that layout is printed on the underside of the module itself.
You should not have to touch it. Kits ship from us pre-configured for the vehicle you selected at checkout. The reason we still show it on camera is that if your CarPlay screen never appears, the dip switches are the first thing to check, and the answer is printed right there on the module.
How the install actually goes
Get the dash apart
Shift knob first: pull the shift boot down and unscrew the knob counterclockwise. Then the center console panel, the silver trim, the driver side cover and the thin plastic cover all come out, each held by clips. Lay a thick towel over the surrounding trim, because this is where scratches happen.
Free the radio
Behind the trim there is a connector on the back of the start and stop button. Unplug it, then pinch the two tabs and push the button out. That exposes a 10 mm screw on each side. Use a magnetic socket, because a dropped screw here disappears into the console.
Pull the screen
A thin panel and a back cover come off, then three 10 mm screws release the display. The third one sits well back on the passenger side and is easy to miss. The screen lifts straight up once they are out.
Insert the GVIF cables
The kit includes a GVIF in and a GVIF out cable. Unplug the factory blue GVIF, connect it to the female end of the supplied cable, and run the other end back into the screen. Then route both down into the cavity behind the radio.
Connect the main harness
Three factory ports behind the radio take the main harness, two smaller connectors and one larger one. Photograph everything before you unplug a single thing. The photo is what tells you at the end whether a factory connector is still sitting loose.
Wire the modules
GVIF in goes to the outermost port on the dip switch module and GVIF out goes to the innermost. The big white connector from the main harness feeds the module's white port. A 90 degree HDMI cable then runs from the dip switch module to the NV17W wireless module, alongside its power lead. Two 3.5 mm jacks follow, and this is the step people get backwards: microphone in goes to the jack beside the USB port, and the auxiliary lead goes to line out, not to external speaker. Push each jack fully home. They feel seated well before they actually are.
Finish the connections
Screw the wireless antenna onto its port. The external USB lead plugs in between the microphone input and the antenna, and it handles charging, wired CarPlay and Android Auto, plus firmware updates to the Beat-Sonic system. We like to leave the USB end tucked in the factory cubby, though it will reach the driver footwell if you want it hidden.
Test before you rebuild
Plug the start and stop button back in, press it twice, and run the whole demo with the dash still open. Rebuilding first and testing second is how an afternoon becomes an evening. Once it checks out, wrap the two modules in the supplied foam tape and mount them under the radio cubby or behind the passenger under tray panel.
Two things to set before you call it done
Audio does not come through the interface itself, it comes through the factory Bluetooth audio channel. So in the factory Lexus menu, set the audio source to Bluetooth audio, not radio. Then max the media volume on your phone. Skip those two steps and you get a working CarPlay screen with silence behind it, which looks like a hardware fault and is not one.
Siri has its own volume. Hold the power button on your phone until the Siri bubble appears on the CarPlay display, and raise the volume while it is showing. That sets Siri's level independently of music.
What still works afterwards, and what changes
The factory rotary knob drives CarPlay. Hold the menu button to switch into the Beat-Sonic interface, and hold it about three seconds to drop back to the factory Lexus menu. Steering wheel volume and track skip keep working. Put the car in reverse and the display jumps to the factory backup camera, then returns to CarPlay in park or drive. The factory microphone handles calls and Siri.
One honest limitation: while you are on the CarPlay screen, the on screen volume number does not display. Volume still changes from the knob and the wheel, you just will not see the numeric readout until you return to the factory menu.
The install cuts nothing and splices nothing, so the car goes back to stock whenever you want it to. That reversibility is the whole argument behind why we build S-Connect the way we do, and it is the same thinking behind OEM integration generally. Other mirroring options live in the smartphone mirroring collection, and the full lineup of Lexus interfaces sits in the Lexus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces collection.
Frequently asked questions
Which S-Connect kit does a 2018 Lexus RX 350 need?
It depends on factory navigation. With factory navigation the listed kit is the LGVIF-CB2W. Without factory navigation the listed kit is the LGVIF-CB3W. Check for a built in map in the factory menu before ordering.
Do I lose the factory screen or the backup camera?
No. The factory display stays and the interface feeds into it. Shifting into reverse switches the screen to the factory backup camera and it returns to CarPlay in park or drive.
Why is there no sound after the install?
Set the factory audio source to Bluetooth audio rather than radio, and turn your phone's media volume up to maximum. Audio travels over the factory Bluetooth channel, so both of those have to be right.
Is CarPlay wireless with this kit?
Yes. The NV17W module connects wirelessly, and an iPhone pairs through the CarPlay menu in iPhone settings rather than through Bluetooth. There is also a USB lead for wired connection and charging.
Can the install be reversed?
Yes. Nothing is cut or spliced. Every connection is plug and play, so the RX can be returned to full factory condition.
Not sure which RX you have?
We build and ship these kits out of La Mirada, California, and we would rather spend five minutes confirming your configuration than have you unbox the wrong one. Send us your year, model and a photo of the factory menu through the Beat-Sonic contact page and we will tell you which kit matches. If you would rather not take the dash apart yourself, email info@beatsonicusa.com and we will point you to an authorized installer near you. Recent additions to the range are in the new products collection.