Overcoming Honda ANC and maintaining Apple Carplay

[Pil]

Hello all - I have a 2023 Honda with ANC that I intend on getting a new system installed. While talking to the install shop, they mentioned a "major concern" overcoming the ANC while maintaining the ability to use voice commands in Apple Carplay. How difficult is this to overcome, and if known, how? I feel like I'm doing the work of the shop here by even asking this, as I assumed this was a main reason why people take it to shops instead of DIY.

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[JohnPD]

Hello all - I have a 2023 Honda with ANC that I intend on getting a new system installed. While talking to the install shop, they mentioned a "major concern" overcoming the ANC while maintaining the ability to use voice commands in Apple Carplay. How difficult is this to overcome, and if known, how? I feel like I'm doing the work of the shop here by even asking this, as I assumed this was a main reason why people take it to shops instead of DIY.

What's ANC? I drive a Honda CRV and have no idea what that is.

 

[Pil]

What's ANC? I drive a Honda CRV and have no idea what that is.

Apologies - its an acronym for Active Noise Canceling - Apparently there are microphones within the cabin that detect certain frequencies and "cancel" them with opposing frequencies. The problem with this, is that a subwoofer generates a lot of these frequencies, so the system basically starts overriding itself. You can deactivate the ANC mechanically by disconnecting the wires for it, but in-so-doing it disconnects the ability for Apple Carplay/Android Auto to work with voice commands from the steering wheel.

That is my completely unprofessional understanding of this process.

 

[Pil]

Anyone? Bueller?

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

Anyone? Bueller?

Replace the HU.

 

[Pil]

Replace the HU.

I have been informed that this is not an option on new Honda Pilots?

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

I have been informed that this is not an option on new Honda Pilots?

Might not be or it may take time for an adapter kit to become available. If the mics for ANC and the mics for voice commands or are separate mics, then you could just disconnect the ANC mics. No option in HU to disable ANC? I'd check the Honda Pilot forums and see if they have any answers there. It just might be a while before somebody figures out how to properly defeat the ANC.

 

[Pil]

Might not be or it may take time for an adapter kit to become available. If the mics for ANC and the mics for voice commands or are separate mics, then you could just disconnect the ANC mics. No option in HU to disable ANC? I'd check the Honda Pilot forums and see if they have any answers there. It just might be a while before somebody figures out how to properly defeat the ANC.

Good point - Yeah I have checked the Piloteers.org forums, no luck - they said they've been in contact with crutchfield and no known solution as of yet. I will have to see if unplugging the module affects the voice mic or not, as I do not for certain know yet if it does. Thanks for your input!

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

Good point - Yeah I have checked the Piloteers.org forums, no luck - they said they've been in contact with crutchfield and no known solution as of yet. I will have to see if unplugging the module affects the voice mic or not, as I do not for certain know yet if it does. Thanks for your input!

I'm not as familiar with car audio ANC, but typically on headphones the ANC mics are separate from the voice mics. Any chance there's a setting to turn off ANC? You could also try Honda Tech support.

 

[Pil]

I'm not as familiar with car audio ANC, but typically on headphones the ANC mics are separate from the voice mics. Any chance there's a setting to turn off ANC? You could also try Honda Tech support.

Again, great point - I am working through this problem on several fronts at the same time, and have come to the conclusion that disconnecting the ANC module has no affect on the Apple CarPlay voice commands - this coming directly from Honda. It took a lot of searching and digging around to connect to the right people, but ultimately that is what has been concluded. So for the '23 Pilot, the location of the ANC module is on the far right of the dash just behind the passenger glovebox. It can be disconnected rather easily by popping off the side panel of the dash and using a hook tool to disengage the clip holding the pins in. That's all that is required to disable to ANC without it shooting error codes or messing with anything else, as the microphone for the hands-free on the steering wheel is separate from the microphones used for the ANC.

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

Again, great point - I am working through this problem on several fronts at the same time, and have come to the conclusion that disconnecting the ANC module has no affect on the Apple CarPlay voice commands - this coming directly from Honda. It took a lot of searching and digging around to connect to the right people, but ultimately that is what has been concluded. So for the '23 Pilot, the location of the ANC module is on the far right of the dash just behind the passenger glovebox. It can be disconnected rather easily by popping off the side panel of the dash and using a hook tool to disengage the clip holding the pins in. That's all that is required to disable to ANC without it shooting error codes or messing with anything else, as the microphone for the hands-free on the steering wheel is separate from the microphones used for the ANC.

Good to know. Put that info on the Pilot forum(s) for the world to know.