My mom just purchased a used 2019 Kia Soul with base trim. Purchased it from a great licensed dealer. I asked the guy who sold it to her if it comes with Apple CarPlay included because both me and my mother have iPhones and I know a lot of people dislike the built in hands free units that come with a lot of cars these days. Not to mention there’s almost no learning curve to using Apple CarPlay.

I asked the dealer if they could update the cars head unit software so we can use CarPlay. He said he doesn’t know much about that kind of stuff and that I’d have to contact Kia directly. I said that stuff like that is supposed to be done at the dealership and they are supposed to have either an OBD tool or usb drive with the proper software update. All they need to do is plug it in and initiate the update. He said he never heard of anything like that. 

After a little research, I found out that Kia switched their update system from physical media (ex. OBD tools & usb drives) to an app that that the customer signs into on their smartphone. Once you sign into the app, you enter the VIN and it will let you know if there’s an available update. Then you plug your phone into the USB port and put the head unit in update mode. 

I tried all of that and nothing worked. I eventually found out that the cars head unit doesn’t have CarPlay compatibility because the original owner opted out of the fancier head unit with Kia UVO Link. Not to mention the dealer said the usual, “well, if it doesn’t have CarPlay and you really want it. You can always replace the unit at Best Buy. It’s really easy and they’ll do it for you”. 

I went online and found a website by the name of Crutchfield that charges the least amount of money. They make it very easy for you to perform the installation. They recommend all the parts and tools you need. They’ll even include a special adapter that allows a seamless plug and play setup. That is, if it’s relatively easy for them to implement such a feature. For a head unit that offers all the features as the original with the addition of CarPlay. They wanted $1,200 plus the cost of cables and adapters. Just so we can retain the back up camera and hands free buttons on the steering wheel. 

I looked around for cheaper alternatives with no luck. However, a lot of people that have been in the same situation said it’s just easier and cheaper to make sure the car has what you want before you drive it off the lot.

Now, about a month after getting the car. I found that having my 60 watt dual port USB-C with Quick Charge 4.0 and Type C power delivery, with added type A quick charge 3.0 is causing a smell of burning plastic to come from the 12V 120W outlet in the car.

I originally plugged it into the 12V 180W outlet with no problems. However, I had no problems using it in my mothers old 2004 Camry. The usb charger I’m using has intelligent charging built in.

To be honest, my mom has had some difficulties using the cars hands free setup with her phone because of the learning curve. She has driven rental cars that have Apple CarPlay and really enjoyed using it. It was like second nature.

I would really like to have Apple CarPlay in the car and with everything you’ve said in your videos about cars being loaded with computers and not messing around with them. I really don’t want to take a chance by spending over $1,200 dollars to install a head unit that will screw something up.

Another problem I’m having… At night when the sun goes down and shortly after. I am having a hard time pickup up radio stations that are between 20 and 30 miles away. One in particular that shouldn’t be a problem is 28 miles away as the crow flies. That seems very strange because that never happened in my mothers Camry. Does it have to do with the antenna, the crappy radio, or just digital radio in general? By digital radio I done mean HD. 

Should my mom go back to the dealer and return the car for another one of the same year that has Apple CarPlay? Should she get the antenna replaced? Should she get a new radio head unit? Would a new head unit be cheaper?

Please help! I’m worried the guy that sold her the car was taking advantage of her. 

If you would like to know. The vehicles VIN is  KNDJN2A20K7021507  

I’m getting conflicting information online that says the car comes with Apple CarPlay if it has a touchscreen unit. Others are saying they upgraded the base model to a standard touchscreen unit without UVO Link. I did here that UVO Link is optional in the base 2019 Kia Soul. Does my mom just go back to the dealer and have them activate or install UVO Link software?

I would appreciate your help and input. 
Also, I greatly appreciate all the free help and information you provide to people. Until I found your YouTube videos, my mom was like an old lady who’s dumber than a box of nails. Someone could really take advantage of her. especially now that she has a car that’s mostly computerized. She could go to a major mechanic chain to have one thing replaced, they hand her a list of things that need to be done that’s about a mile long. She tells them she doesn’t have the money. So they tell her, “well… these things we are fixing/replacing are connected or affected by these other things on the list. We have to do all 10 things in the first list or we can’t insure the repair. We can do just what you want and charge for that. But we would need you to sign a liability form.” 

I remember that happened to my mom around 2010. National Tire & Battery worked on her car. She wanted to give them the money in the parking lot. They said they had to go back in and print out a liability form along with a list of what wasn’t fixed. She told them to just take the money for the repairs and bring back her change. They said that she had to sign the liability form before they could close out her ticket in the register. They also had to plug in their diagnostic tool to update the list of what still needs to be done. That was after they did the repairs she had asked for. I believe they wanted to have the AC fixed. They said whatever was causing the AC to malfunction and wind up overheating the engine in her ‘02 Mitsubishi Galant was bad for the engine. I think they were trying to scam her. 

I would like to know if mechanics can use the OBD tool as weapon against customers. Maybe program the computer so the stuff they opted out of stops working within 45 days. By that I mean, the computer wouldn’t allow that part to work anymore. 

If that’s possible. I would like to know how to tell when a mechanic is taking advantage of her and how to stop them.

Thanks