2013 HS system same as 2012? Cool feature in 2013...

Ok - so while at the dealer this morning getting my auto headlights fixed, I was looking at a 2013 Outback limited - it has what appears to be the same HK system as you find in the 2012 models - however, the sales guy showed me something really cool - when you put the car into reverse, a rear view camera displays on the HK system . Now, previously, folks had said that the HK system couldn't handle a video-in - however, this is definitely not true in the case of the 2013.

<Note - this is not the navigation system - this is the H/K stereo with the 4.3" color display>

So, what would be cool to see is if the part numbers/pinouts are different for the 2013 vs. the 2012 HK stereo. (or if the part numbers are different)

The only difference I can see is that for 2013, they have "Harmon Kardon" written on the front of the radio, while for the 2012 they did not (also - the front speakers in the 2012 had the silver "Harmon/Kardon" logo on them, while the 2013 does not, so I figured the printing on the 2013 was so that they could simplify things and only have one version of the door cards, instead of a different one for cars with the H/K system. Going through the menus on the stereo, I didn't see anything different - it looks like they are the same thing...

it would be cool if you could add a rear camera to the 2012 system... or for 2013, if you could add the Outback camera onto the Legacy system... (since only the Outback comes with the rear view camera and the HK stereo - it only comes in the Legacy if you have NAV.)


(also - they had a BRZ limited that someone ordered then backed out of - pretty sweet looking car!)

Different head-unit from 2010-2012 vs the 2013, made by a different manufacturer (from what I am told). The interface is much better compared to the prior years.

Doubt it would be a plug and play.

Also the HK system is just the speakers, not the head-unit.

Umm, I have a 2012 GT and my head unit switches to a video feed from my rear camera when I shift into reverse.

Having said that, I'm still casually searching around to see if the 2013 unit can be swapped into my 2012 car.

Right - this is for the Non-Nav unit - the regular H/K unit which was introduced for the 2012 model year which has the 4.3" screen on it. The nav has always had the rear view camera - that is not what I am talking about here.
This is the 2013 stereo I am talking about

And this is the 2012

What may also be of interest is that my salesman told me at the time of ordering my GT wagon here in Japan that starting this year the rear camera has integrated wiring in place from the factory regarless of the inclusion or not...

I am not sure if this holds true for other models - like Outback or Forester - but it makes sense that it is there on those models too...

He told me that this is the first time that Subaru has included the wiring in the factory loom...

Sub... I would like to do this if possible...

I took the cover off of the trunk lid and this is the extra plug my car has! Not sure if its the style that fits the camera or not...

Originally Posted by outrunm

I took the cover off of the trunk lid and this is the extra plug my car has! Not sure if its the style that fits the camera or not...

That would make sense but probably the only way to tell may be to try to locate a 2 pronged end in the audio loom under the dash and use an ohm meter to see if they are one and the same....

There should be a couple of unused connectors under there - one for the brake light in the optional spoiler (that's the one you found, I think - it's a 2 pin connector) and one for the rear view camera, which should be a 4 pin connector - should be on the left side of the trunk lid (near where the blank spot is where the camera goes, near the license plate lights)

Just checked my car - the 2 pin connector as pictured above is there (for the spoiler) but the 4 pin connector for the camera is not.

Looking at the wiring diagram, the segment of the harness which goes across the trunk lid is separate from the rest of the harness - so there must be 2 versions - one with the connector, and one without. Also - for the trunk lid itself, it is available in 2 versions - 1 with navigation, and one without - I am guessing the with-nav has the blank where the camera goes punched out, while for the non-nav (which is what I have) it is not (so you can see the depression in the lid where you would penetrate for the camera, but the hole has not been made)

There has to be some amazing reason why they go with these non-replaceable non standard size/shape stereos but it's certainly lost on me. Upgrading the monstrosity in my LGT was such a pain.

So looking more on cars101, there is a pic of the H/K stereo in an Outback showing the rear view camera in operation... need to find out if it would work with the 2012 stereo...

Originally Posted by DrD123

So looking more on cars101, there is a pic of the H/K stereo in an Outback showing the rear view camera in operation... need to find out if it would work with the 2012 stereo...

Please keep us posted.... It would be amazing if all we need is the camera assembly.....