Apple Car Play Connection Problems

[SteveWR]

I am having intermittent problems with connecting my iPhone 11 to Apple Car Play (using the cable). (T6 Ocean 2016). I have no navigation on the head unit so use Maps on my phone via Apple Car Play. Usually the connection is established and all goes well, but sometimes I get a message to the effect "please connect a device using USB" or words to that effect. Re-starting my phone, switching the ignition off and on again can help, but not always. Yesterday I activated transfer data via VW app as an attempt to get a connection, plugged my phone in again and saw that all my contacts had been transferred. So there is a connection, you would think. But no, still got the please connect message. My wife often charges her iPhone SE via the data cable and never gets the please connect message.
Does anybody have any suggestions as to what I can change to stop this?

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Sounds silly but have you tried changing the cable (for a new one)? I have spent ages trying to sort similar problems only to find a new cable sorts things. Sometimes when damaged you get some functions but not others, other times what you get is inconsistent.

 

[Palm]

Update iOS 16.3 and try again, I lost my voice call audio and microphone last week and upgraded yesterday and every thing worked as before. I don't know if it was the iOS or just the reset an update will cause thou.

 

[edocali]

I used to get the disconnection and "please connect a device using USB" problem very often.
Usually after minimal touching of the cable.
Usually phone reconnects, or I have to press the button on screen.

My best solution was to put a Carlinkit dongle for wireless carplay in the glove box, where the 2nds carplay usb socket is available. Much much more stability now.

 

[edocali]

Note that I found the Carlinkit 3.0 Wireless CarPlay Dongle very stable.
I also have a Carlinkit 4.0 but I keep it in the other car (Mazda) where it works well while it doesn't in the VW.

 

[Aubisque]

First suggestion is to carefully clean the lightning socket in the phone. Vacuum/air blower if you can.
Second suggestion is what edocali suggests above, swap to a wireless dongle. If you want power after a bit you can plug it in, but it will stay connected via the wireless.

 

[SteveWR]

I've connected a new cable and got my navigation via Car Link. Trouble is that I got that on the other cable so can't see yet whether it was the problem. I'll also look at cleaning the connection in my phone. That's the bu@@er with intermittent failures, difficult to find the cause and difficult to see whether a certain action has solved it. Thanks for the replies. If the problem repeats itself, I'll update the post.

 

[Mr_Grimbo]

I had a problem recently with no data transfer using either USB-C connections for Car Play and I had a very sketchy Wi-Fi connection. Carplay was pretty much unusable. I tried multiple cables, resetting both phone and VW infotainment system but nothing seemed to work. Strangely one USB-C socket would still charge my phone but no data connection the other wouldn’t do anything. I recently had the whole infotainment system replaced by VW due to a system crash and I have it booked in with VW next week to fix. Then early last week I was notified of a random VW update and all of a sudden everything works. USB-C connections are both working as they should and Wi-Fi connection is stable. Just came back from a trip to Scotland >1K miles and no problems. Fingers crossed it continues

 

[Hawthorn37]

I am having intermittent problems with connecting my iPhone 11 to Apple Car Play (using the cable). (T6 Ocean 2016). I have no navigation on the head unit so use Maps on my phone via Apple Car Play. Usually the connection is established and all goes well, but sometimes I get a message to the effect "please connect a device using USB" or words to that effect. Re-starting my phone, switching the ignition off and on again can help, but not always. Yesterday I activated transfer data via VW app as an attempt to get a connection, plugged my phone in again and saw that all my contacts had been transferred. So there is a connection, you would think. But no, still got the please connect message. My wife often charges her iPhone SE via the data cable and never gets the please connect message.
Does anybody have any suggestions as to what I can change to stop this?

I’d try cleaning the phones lightening connection. It regularly happens to my phone when connecting in my car (cable only). A wooden or plastic toothpick is tge best tool I’ve found. Always amazed how much fluff gets stuck in there!

 

[Cali Phillip]

I’d try cleaning the phones lightening connection. It regularly happens to my phone when connecting in my car (cable only). A wooden or plastic toothpick is tge best tool I’ve found. Always amazed how much fluff gets stuck in there!

Mine suddenly stopped working yesterday.
I did the socket clean (not much came out) and update to v16.3.1, it all worked then.

 

[dspuk]

I think we underestimate how much fluff gets into the charging port from a phone bouncing around in our pockets all day. I gave my last phone to my daughter and it was a mare charging and connecting - would only work one way. I cleaned it with cotton buds and a toothpick to no avail. After she had it she popped into the Apple shop who used a special tool to clean the port and it’s been perfect ever since.

Not related to the OP but I did also get an OTA update this week. No idea what it was, see below, but for some with connection or carplay challenges it may have some fixes in it.

“This update is free and will run in the background. If you leave the vehicle, the update will pause and continue the next time you start the vehicle.
This update contains:
Background System Services
• Minor improvements
• Errors fixed”

 

[SteveWR]

I've connected a new cable and got my navigation via Car Link. Trouble is that I got that on the other cable so can't see yet whether it was the problem. I'll also look at cleaning the connection in my phone. That's the bu@@er with intermittent failures, difficult to find the cause and difficult to see whether a certain action has solved it. Thanks for the replies. If the problem repeats itself, I'll update the post.

Intermediate update - had the please connect etc problem again on Sunday, unplugged the phone and gave it to my wife. She plugged it in and it worked. Don't think the system likes me! ;-)
Also cleaned out the cable socket on the iPhone today and did get some bits of fluff. Fingers crossed.

 

[RockinNRollin]

I've found this generally with wired CarPlay; I don't think it's vehicle specific. Bizarrely, rotating the charging cable so it's flipped in the 'phone port often sorts it, but as alluded above I think grime is generally the culprit.

 

[kp64zl]

I’ve had similar issues that are getting worse (i.e. more frequent). I‘ve changed the cable multiple times. I’ve actually booked the van in to VW to have a look at it. Maybe a firmware update needed?

Found that an airplay dongle unsatisfactory as too much lag on the maps.

Will try cleaning out the charging port.

 

[RockinNRollin]

I’ve had similar issues that are getting worse (i.e. more frequent). I‘ve changed the cable multiple times. I’ve actually booked the van in to VW to have a look at it. Maybe a firmware update needed?

Found that an airplay dongle unsatisfactory as too much lag on the maps.

Will try cleaning out the charging port.

Have you got access to another iPhone? Might be worth trying to see if it behaves identically; if it does, it's probably not the charging port as it's fairly unlikely they're in an identical state.

 

[Aubisque]

I’ve had similar issues that are getting worse (i.e. more frequent). I‘ve changed the cable multiple times. I’ve actually booked the van in to VW to have a look at it. Maybe a firmware update needed?

Found that an airplay dongle unsatisfactory as too much lag on the maps.

Will try cleaning out the charging port.

Mmm, I’ve not perceived any difference in response between wired and wireless.

I do sometimes get a glitch where the head unit crashes and restarts itself (seems to be caused by changing volume on steering wheel) and it can happen both wired and wireless…so not a hardware issue.

 

[Charlotterobin]

Note that I found the Carlinkit 3.0 Wireless CarPlay Dongle very stable.
I also have a Carlinkit 4.0 but I keep it in the other car (Mazda) where it works well while it doesn't in the VW.

Hi Edocali - I can't dm you - did you resolve the Carlinkit 4.0 working in the cali please? I'm looking at a 4.0 but may need your advice...

 

[edocali]

Hi Edocali - I can't dm you - did you resolve the Carlinkit 4.0 working in the cali please? I'm looking at a 4.0 but may need your advice...

I didn’t retry. I keep the 4.0 in the Mx5 where it works well and leave the 3.0 in the Cali.
Works for me, but I’m afraid it’s not helping you

 

[Nolan]

Sometimes I find that it just won't connect even after I've cleaned the cable etc and when this happens I reboot the van headhunt but holding the on/off button down until the VW logo appears and it restarts.

 

[Charlotterobin]

I didn’t retry. I keep the 4.0 in the Mx5 where it works well and leave the 3.0 in the Cali.
Works for me, but I’m afraid it’s not helping you

Thank you

 

[kp64zl]

cleaning out the charging port worked for me.