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Nissan Upgrade Kit Audio Setup

This is a very important article that will show you how to properly set up your phone's audio and pair wireless CarPlay with your Hamilton Upgrade Kit.

Read this article closely before using the Hamilton Upgrade Kit for Nissan.

With the Hamilton Upgrade Kit for Nissan, you will use your original Nissan Bluetooth connection to play audio through the vehicle. The wireless connection generated by the Hamilton Upgrade Kit is used to transmit the visual data required for CarPlay.

Before setting up wireless CarPlay, your phone must first be paired to the vehicle's original Bluetooth system.

  1. Long holding the back button on your steering wheel or center panel will switch between the original car’s software and the Hamilton Upgrade Kit software.
  2. Start on the original factory OS. Select the Settings button on the Nissan's center panel below the screen. Then select Bluetooth. Finally, select Connect Device, and "Add New". The Nissan system will display a device name, such as MY-CAR, along with a pairing PIN.
  3. From your phone, make sure Bluetooth is turned on. Select the Nissan's Bluetooth device when it appears.If prompted for a PIN, enter the PIN displayed on the Nissan screen.
  4. Accept the Bluetooth pairing and allow access to contacts if prompted. 

Verify the Nissan is Using Bluetooth Audio

Once your phone is paired:

  1. Ensure the Audio source is set to Bluetooth.
  2. Long hold the back button on the steering wheel or center panel to return to the Hamilton OS.
  3. Select the “Settings” app > Enter the “System” menu > Make sure “Use Car’s BT Channel” is turned ON.

To Setup CarPlay

  1. Pull out your iPhone and open “Settings” on your phone > Then select “Bluetooth.” Quickly turn Bluetooth “Off” and then “On.” Scroll to bottom of phone Bluetooth device list and locate a device starting with “Hamilton-1234.” Touch the “Hamilton” device from your Bluetooth device list.
  2. Approve the prompts as they appear on your iPhone. First, approve the pairing code. Next, allow to “Contacts and Favorites.” Finally, touch “Allow” when the iPhone asks you to check for apps. Finally, when you get a large “Connect to CarPlay” button, click “Connect.”
The reason we turn the device Bluetooth off and back on is to allow the Hamilton CarPlay to use the Bluetooth channel to initiate the wireless CarPlay handoff before the phone connects to the factory Acura Bluetooth. Frequently, when the phone is in a stable connection to the factory Bluetooth, it may not allow you to establish the CarPlay connection. This is an important step.

Seeing "Not Connected" Next to Hamilton Bluetooth is Normal

Once CarPlay is connected, you may notice that your iPhone shows “Not Connected” next to the Hamilton Bluetooth device. This is normal and does not mean that CarPlay has disconnected or that there is a problem with the connection.

Wireless CarPlay uses Bluetooth to initiate the connection. Once the connection is established, CarPlay switches over to your phone's Wi-Fi connection for the high-speed data transmission required by CarPlay. Because of this handoff, the Hamilton Bluetooth connection may show as “Not Connected” while CarPlay is actively running.

Disconnecting CarPlay

  1. CarPlay uses Bluetooth to initiate the connection then takes over your phone’s WiFi channel for high speed data transmission. This is inherent to wireless CarPlay, and not designed by Hamilton.
  2. Once connected to CarPlay, the iPhone turns your WiFi button in Control Center into the default button to disconnect CarPlay. The video below walks you through properly disconnecting CarPlay.