What the Vehicle Upgrade Console Does
The Vehicle Upgrade Console is a fabricator-style machine in Subnautica that installs upgrades directly onto your submarines and the Prawn Suit. You build it inside your base, place it like any other piece of furniture, and then interact with it to add modules to your vehicles — things like depth upgrades, faster engines, or better storage. The console does not craft the upgrades themselves; you must craft those separately in a regular fabricator first, then bring them to the console to install them.
This is different from the standard fabricator because it only accepts vehicle modules and only installs them onto vehicles. You cannot use it to make food, tools, or base parts. Once you have built the console and have an upgrade module in your inventory, you can walk up to it, open the interface, select which vehicle you want to upgrade, and install the module.
Key Takeaways
- The Vehicle Upgrade Console is built inside your base using the habitat builder and requires 1 titanium, 1 computer chip, and 2 glass to construct.
- You must craft upgrade modules in a regular fabricator before you can install them; the Vehicle Upgrade Console only installs, it does not craft.
- The console works on the Seamoth, Prawn Suit, and Neptune rocket, but not on the Cyclops submarine.
- You can remove installed upgrades from the console by interacting with the vehicle and selecting the module you want to uninstall, which returns it to your inventory.
Building the Vehicle Upgrade Console in Your Base
To build the console, you need the habitat builder tool in your hand. Open the build menu, scroll to the "Fabricators" category, and select "Vehicle Upgrade Console." The game will show you a ghost outline of where it will sit. Place it on a flat floor or wall inside your base — it takes up a 2×2 space and needs a clear area in front of it so you can interact with it.
The console costs 1 titanium, 1 computer chip, and 2 glass to build. Titanium is common in wrecks and on the seafloor. Computer chips come from fabricators or from breaking down certain items. Glass is made in a fabricator from sand. Once you have the materials, the habitat builder will construct it when ready when you place it.
You do not need to power the console with a power cell or battery — it draws power from your base's electrical grid like any other fabricator. If your base power runs out, the console stops working until power is restored.
Crafting Upgrade Modules Before Installation
Upgrade modules are made in a regular fabricator, not in the Vehicle Upgrade Console. Open any fabricator in your base or in your vehicles, navigate to the "Upgrades" category, and craft the module you want. Common upgrades include the Seamoth Depth Module Mark 2, Prawn Suit Drill Arm, Seamoth Engine Efficiency Module, and Cyclops Shield Generator.
Each module has its own recipe and material cost. For example, a Seamoth Depth Module Mark 2 requires 2 titanium, 1 diamond, and 1 plasteel. The fabricator will tell you if you do not have enough materials. Once the module is crafted, it appears in your inventory as a physical item you can carry and drop.
You can craft multiple copies of the same upgrade if you want to install it on different vehicles or have backups. There is no limit to how many upgrades you can carry at once, though they do take up inventory slots.
Installing Upgrades on Your Vehicles
Walk up to the Vehicle Upgrade Console and interact with it to open the interface. The screen will show a list of vehicles you own that are currently in or near your base — typically your Seamoth and Prawn Suit. Select the vehicle you want to upgrade. The console will then show you a diagram of that vehicle with empty module slots highlighted.
The interface will also display a list of upgrade modules in your inventory that are compatible with the selected vehicle. Click on the module you want to install, then click the slot where you want to place it. The module will move from your inventory into the vehicle, and the upgrade takes effect when ready. You do not need to pilot the vehicle or restart it.
Different vehicles have different numbers and types of slots. The Seamoth has 4 upgrade slots. The Prawn Suit has 2 arm slots and 4 upgrade slots. The Neptune rocket has specific slots for its own modules. The Cyclops cannot use the Vehicle Upgrade Console at all — Cyclops upgrades are installed through a separate Cyclops Upgrade Console that you build inside the Cyclops itself.
Removing Upgrades and Swapping Modules
If you want to take an upgrade off a vehicle, open the Vehicle Upgrade Console again, select the vehicle, and look at the installed modules shown in its diagram. Click on the module you want to remove, then confirm the removal. The module will return to your inventory as a physical item you can carry, drop, or store.
This is useful if you want to move an upgrade from one vehicle to another or if you need inventory space. Removing an upgrade does not damage it or consume any materials — you get the full module back. You can swap upgrades as many times as you want without penalty.
Some players remove depth upgrades from the Seamoth when they do not need to go deep, then reinstall them later. Others move engine upgrades between vehicles depending on which one they are using that day. The console makes this flexible.
Vehicles That Work With the Console
The Vehicle Upgrade Console works on three vehicles: the Seamoth, the Prawn Suit, and the Neptune rocket. The Seamoth is your first submarine and benefits from depth upgrades, engine upgrades, and storage upgrades. The Prawn Suit is a walking mech that uses arm modules (like the drill or grappling arm) and suit upgrades (like jump jets or depth modules).
The Neptune rocket is the late-game vehicle you build to escape the planet. It has its own set of upgrades that improve its systems. The Cyclops, your large submarine, does not use this console — instead, you build a separate Cyclops Upgrade Console inside the Cyclops hull and install upgrades there.
If you try to select a vehicle that is not in your base or is too far away, the console will not show it in the list. You must have the vehicle physically present or docked at your base to upgrade it.
Common Upgrade Modules and What They Do
Depth modules increase how deep a vehicle can go before taking damage. The Seamoth Depth Module Mark 2 lets the Seamoth reach 350 meters instead of 200. Engine efficiency modules make vehicles faster or use less power. The Seamoth Engine Efficiency Module increases speed and reduces power drain.
Storage upgrades add inventory slots to the Seamoth. The Seamoth Storage Module gives you 2 extra slots. Prawn Suit drill arms and grappling arms are installed in the arm slots and let you mine or grab objects. Prawn Suit jump jets let you jump higher and move faster on land.
You can find the full recipe for each upgrade by looking it up in the fabricator or by checking the in-game PDA entries. Most upgrades require materials you gather from the ocean, such as titanium, diamonds, plasteel, or rare minerals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install upgrades on a vehicle that is not in my base?
No. The vehicle must be physically present at your base or docked there. If your Seamoth is out exploring, you cannot upgrade it remotely. You have to pilot it back to base first, then use the console.
What happens if I uninstall an upgrade and my vehicle goes too deep?
If you remove a depth upgrade and then take the vehicle deeper than its new limit, the hull will start taking damage. The vehicle will warn you with audio and visual alerts. You can still pilot it back to shallower water, but the longer you stay too deep, the more damage it takes.
Do I lose the upgrade if I uninstall it?
No. When you uninstall an upgrade, it returns to your inventory as a complete module. You can reinstall it on the same vehicle or a different one, or store it in a locker. There is no cost or penalty to removing upgrades.
Can I install the same upgrade twice on one vehicle?
No. Each upgrade slot can hold only one module, and you cannot stack the same upgrade in multiple slots. However, you can craft multiple copies of the same upgrade and install them on different vehicles.
Why is the Cyclops different?
The Cyclops is too large to fit inside a standard base room, so it has its own internal upgrade console. You build the Cyclops Upgrade Console inside the Cyclops hull using the habitat builder, then install upgrades through that console instead of the Vehicle Upgrade Console in your base.