So, I had this 2016 Sonata, right? Nice car, but no Apple CarPlay. And honestly, who lives without CarPlay these days? It’s like, essential. I did some digging online, found some chatter on forums and stuff.
It looked like some folks with the 2016 model managed to get it working. Apparently, the higher-end versions with the bigger screen had the potential. Mine had the 7-inch screen, so I figured, why not give it a shot?
First, I went to this place and signed up my car. You know, put in the VIN and all that jazz. Then, somewhere on the site, there was a section about software updates. Fingers crossed, I clicked around and bam! There it was, an update for Apple CarPlay, and it was free! Can you believe it?
So, I downloaded the update file. It was this folder named DAUDIO. Then I grabbed a USB flash drive, you know, one of those little memory sticks, and dragged the DAUDIO folder onto it. Pretty straightforward so far.
Next, I headed out to my car. Started the engine – apparently, the car needs to be running for this to work. I plugged the USB drive into the car’s USB port, found the “Setup” button on the radio, and then scrolled down to “System Info.” There was an “Update” button at the bottom, so I gave that a tap.
Then, the waiting game began. It felt like forever, but probably it is around 15-20 minutes. The screen showed some progress bar, and I just sat there, trying not to get too excited. And then, finally, it finished!
After the update, I plugged in my iPhone using a Lightning cable. I went back to the “Setup” menu, then “Connectivity,” then “iOS,” and there was a new option to “Enable Apple CarPlay.” I switched that on, and boom! There it was, the familiar CarPlay interface on my car’s screen.
It was seriously like magic. I could use Siri, access my music, get directions, everything! It felt like I had a brand-new car. So, yeah, if you’ve got a 2016 Sonata with the 7-inch screen, definitely check if you can get this update. It’s a total game-changer.
Just follow these steps:
- Register your car on .
- Look for the software update section.
- Download the DAUDIO folder.
- Drag the folder to a USB drive.
- Start your car.
- Plug the USB drive into the car’s USB port.
- Go to “Setup” -> “System Info” -> “Update.”
- Wait for the update to complete.
- Connect your iPhone and enable Apple CarPlay in the “Connectivity” settings.
Enjoy your new CarPlay experience!
Trust me, it’s worth the effort. You’ll be cruising around with all your favorite apps right there on your car’s screen. It’s like stepping into the future, even if it’s just a 2016 model.