CarPlay Head Unit for Renault Trafic 2, Opel Vivaro A and Nissan Primastar (2001-2014): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The second-generation Renault Trafic, the Opel Vivaro A and the Nissan Primastar are three names for the same van: the X83 chassis, one of the most common working vehicles on Spanish roads for more than a decade. Courier work, building sites, installers, camper conversions… many of these vans are still out there every day with hundreds of thousands of kilometres behind them.

What has not kept up is the radio. Anyone who spends the whole day in the cab ends up with a phone clipped to an air vent, juggling the navigation app, the list of addresses and incoming calls. For that kind of use there is a much better answer: a model-specific head unit for the X83 that fits the original opening and brings wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Does the Renault Trafic 2 have CarPlay as standard?

No. Neither the Trafic 2, nor the Vivaro A, nor the Primastar ever offered Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in any trim. These vans predate those systems, and were designed when the multimedia kit in a commercial vehicle meant a radio and little else.

Depending on version and year, these vans could have:

• Factory radio-CD with a monochrome segment display, in the upper opening of the centre console.
• Aux input and, on later versions, USB for MP3 sticks.
• Bluetooth calling only on higher trims or through aftermarket kits.
• Audio controls on the steering column (the typical Renault satellite stalk) on many units.
• A portable sat nav on a suction cup, which was the norm back then and can now be retired.

None of those options shows your phone's apps on screen or integrates a reversing camera, which in a van with no rear window is arguably even more useful than the navigation.

The solution: an Android head unit for Trafic 2, Vivaro A and Primastar

The model-specific head unit for this chassis replaces the original unit and brings:

• HD touchscreen fitted into the console opening, with a fascia made to measure for the van.
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: the phone stays in your pocket and connects on its own when you start up, which you appreciate when you make twenty stops a day.
• Built-in GPS navigation plus Google Maps and Waze for planning the delivery round.
• Bluetooth hands-free calling and audio streaming.
• FM radio and playback over USB, Bluetooth and Spotify, with several USB ports so the phone charges while it plays.
• Column controls kept through the included CAN Bus module.
• Reversing camera included: essential in a panel van for loading bays and narrow streets.
• Plug & play installation, with a model-specific harness and without cutting any of the van's wiring.

X83 chassis compatibility: supported versions

As these are three twins, the same kit fits all three badges:

• Renault Trafic II — from 2001 to 2014, in panel van, crew cab and Passenger versions.
• Opel Vivaro A — same period and same cab.
• Nissan Primastar — same period, the Nissan version of the X83.
• Pre-facelift and post-facelift vans, checking the outline of the opening.
• 1.9 dCi, 2.0 dCi and 2.5 dCi engines, in short and long wheelbase versions.
• Vans with the factory radio and vans that already have an aftermarket unit.

Before buying, compare the outline of your console and the size of the radio opening with the photos on the product page: it is the most reliable check, because the trim surrounds vary between trims and between the three badges.

What is the installation like?

The X83 cab is an easy one to work on: the trim is simple and the radio opening is right to hand.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal and wait a couple of minutes.
2. Release the centre console trim with a plastic pry tool, starting at the edges.
3. Remove the original radio: depending on the version it will come out with extraction keys or by undoing the cage screws.
4. Unplug the ISO connector for power and speakers, and the aerial lead.
5. Plug in the new screen's harness: it fits the same connectors, and the CAN Bus module keeps the satellite stalk on the column and the ignition and illumination signals working.
6. Route the camera cable to the rear doors or tailgate along the side of the floor, using the existing grommets.
7. Place the GPS aerial at the base of the windscreen and the microphone near the rear-view mirror.
8. Fit the screen, refit the trim and reconnect the battery to test sound, controls, CarPlay, GPS and camera before closing everything up.

If FM sounds weaker afterwards, check whether your van has an amplified aerial: in that case you need a powered aerial adaptor, a small part that sorts it out.

How much does it cost to install CarPlay in a Trafic 2 or a Vivaro A?

Neither Renault, nor Opel, nor Nissan offers an official CarPlay retrofit for these vans, so the honest comparison is between fitting a generic head unit at an audio shop — with the fascia adaptor, harness, control interface and camera all bought separately, plus labour — or installing a kit already prepared for the X83.

The model-specific kit saves precisely the expensive part, the adaptation, and adds the reversing camera without having to source it separately. If you fit it yourself the saving is bigger and the van is off the road for a single morning. Memory options and up-to-date prices are on the product page.

Frequently asked questions

Does the same kit fit Trafic, Vivaro and Primastar?
Yes. All three are the same vehicle with a different badge, with the same cab and the same radio opening.

Does the satellite stalk on the steering column still work?
Yes, if your van has one. The included CAN Bus module keeps it and it is set up from the head unit's menu.

Is a reversing camera worth it on a closed panel van?
It is one of the upgrades you notice most. With no rear window, the camera shows the whole blind spot when reversing and prevents scrapes at loading bays and car parks.

Does CarPlay work well if I make lots of stops a day?
Yes. Because it is wireless, the phone reconnects on its own every time you start up, with nothing to plug in.

Can I add parking sensors?
Yes. The screen accepts the signal from rear sensors and shows the warnings alongside the camera image.

See the CarPlay head unit for Renault Trafic 2, Opel Vivaro A and Nissan Primastar

You can see all the details, photos and memory options on the product page for the CarPlay and Android Auto head unit for Renault Trafic 2, Opel Vivaro A and Nissan Primastar (2001-2014). If you are unsure about your version, write to us with the badge, the year and the trim and we will confirm compatibility before you buy.