If you are having trouble with CarPlay or Android Auto on your Hamilton Conversion Kit for Lexus, this article will offer solutions to your issue.
1. Above all else, make sure you have read our relevant Audio Setup articles first. We have one for CarPlay linked here and one for Android Auto linked here. It is critically important you read these articles fully first, as it is easy to mistake an issue with your audio setup as a CarPlay/Android Auto glitch. These articles will tell you how to set your device to AUX mode and other essential points.
Once you are familiar with the relevant pairing article for your car, continue reading:
Scenario: My CarPlay/Android Auto normally pairs just fine but today it is stuck on the loading symbol or not pairing at all?
Step 1
Turn "Wireless Connectivity" from the Hamilton Conversion Kit off and back on. Simultaneously restart your phone.
If your issue is solved, you may stop here. If your issue persists, continue reading.
Step 2
Completely delete all CarPlay/Android Auto Bluetooth pair records from your Hamilton Conversion Kit. Forget and delete all CarPlay/Android Auto Bluetooth and WiFi pair records from your iPhone/Android Device.
After fully erasing the connection from your phone and the Hamilton Conversion Kit, fully restart both devices.
In the above video, we show how to fully erase your CarPlay/Android Auto connection from both the Hamilton Conversion Kit and your iPhone. After watching this video and erasing, follow our pairing articles to properly re-pair CarPlay or Android Auto.
How to restart your Hamilton Conversion Kit:
On a Lexus (IS, RC, GS, RX, NX, ES) with a mouse/knob, long-hold the return button (back arrow) for more than 6 seconds to initiate a device restart.
You can also restart the device (as long as standby/sleep mode is not enabled) by turning off the car for more than 5 minutes.
Restarting your Hamilton Conversion Kit can be helpful, similar to how you may restart an iPhone if it encounters a glitch or abnormal behavior.
Other Important Considerations/Troubleshooting Steps (Not in Order):
Both CarPlay and Android Auto (designed by Apple and Google respectively) use Bluetooth to initiate their connections and then take over your phone's WiFi channel for high-speed data transmission. That is why you may see Bluetooth first show as connected and then switch to showing as disconnected, even though CarPlay and Android Auto still work. This is normal behavior. No manual WiFi pairing is required.
If your phone is connected to a VPN, it will prevent CarPlay/Android Auto from starting and working.
If your phone has recently been connected as a hotspot or if your Hamilton Conversion Kit is connected to your phone or another device as a hotspot, it will prevent CarPlay/Android Auto from starting, as CarPlay/Android Auto needs to have an accessible WiFi channel. (No manual WiFi connections are required; just avoid simultaneous hotspot connections.)
It is good periodically, similar to your iPhone, to close out of all apps, including T-Link. Swipe down from the top to reveal the Home, Back, and Apps Activity buttons. Then swipe up on each app to close them individually.