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Using Android Auto

25K views 122 replies 25 participants last post by  jsherrillj 
#1 ·
On my 3 week old Subaru Outback Touring 3.6, I cannot seem to make Android Auto work. When I plug my Android phone into the USB port under the head I get an error message suggesting that I unplug and wait a few minutes and try again. This is a new cord and NOT a cheap one. I tried a different cord and same results. The cord work great for charging in that same port, just no data transfer. It will be a couple of weeks before I can get back to the dealer and was wondering if anyone has a suggestion.

Thank you
 
#2 ·
Have you connected your phone to your PC's USB ports? And then enabled data transfer by pressing allow data transfer on the phone's touchscreen to download photos or whatever? If so use that USB cable. Your phone should auto connect to AA when you plug in your phone. You might try deleting AA from your phone & reinstalling a fresh copy. That's all I can think of to help you.
 
#3 ·
Yes, I tried a different cord and no joy. I connected my cord to my laptop and data transferred just fine.

I just uninstalled Android Auto from my phone and re installed. I will check it out next time I am in the car.
 
#4 ·
You wouldn't happen to have an LG V30 phone would you? Don't ask me why I'm asking you. Let's just say I burned a few hours over the course of two days getting my phone to work. My wife on the other hand - her Google Pixel 2 worked right off the bat. Same cable. And that was a good test... the cable and the head unit works, but my phone was not happy.

I'll tell you how I have my phone set up, and maybe you can configure yours similarly and re-try.

1). After installing AA, and without it connected to the USB cable, launch it.
You'd better see some blocky rounded rectangles popup. In other-words the program shouldn't launch and then disappear on you.
2). Choose the 3-horizontal lines upper left (the Menu Icon).
3). Select Settings
4). For General,
I have Limit Wi-Fi off.
When I select Accepted Cars, I have "Subaru" selected. For Rejected cars, I have None selected.
5), For "OK Google" detection, currently I only have "while driving" turned on
For Google Assistant, I haven't made any changes yet.
6) For Autolaunch, I have it selected OFF. The rest of the settings won't matter if it's OFF.
7) For System Google Analytics, I have that turned on. I think Google needs a lot of data to really hone this app, specially when it crashes. YMMV

Now then, for me? I think the thing that helped my phone to work were two-fold.
A), I power on the head unit. I wake up the phone. I do not have to explicitly launch AA on my phone. It does so when I connect the USB cable.
B). I have gone into Settings on my Phone. General | Apps & notifications | Special Access|Unrestricted Data Access, then when the App list comes up, I enable Android Auto to have unrestricted Data Access.

Reboot your phone.
Now I seem to be able to get my phone to connect to the head-unit if I do or if I don't launch AA. You can try it both ways.
If I see a message on the HU to plug and unplug my phone, I just ignore it. A few seconds later, AA will launch on the phone, and the Head Unit display will be taken over. On my LG, and I don't know why but I think AA is not fully baked yet, even though I've told it before it has all priviledges, it asks me to Allow or Deny access. I can just refuse to answer that question on my phone, and things still work fine. I can do an Accept, and that works fine too. I do not think you should select Deny.

If I go into AA on the phone, and select it's settings, I am running Ver 4.4.592334-release. You might try uninstalling and reinstalling the app again from the Google PlayStore, set the settings like mine and perform one more reboot then plug your cable in..

Let me know if this has helped you or not. Trust me, others are having problems with AA, and they had working versions until recently, but I think they did a new release a few days ago. Hopefully they undid what they did. :)

Good luck.
 
#11 ·
It is hit or miss in our 2019 2.5 premium. I haven't used it in our 2019 limited 3.6R yet. I guess the app isn't stable yet. Hopefully it stabilizes over the coming months to make it less painful to use.
 
#12 · (Edited)
We are not alone. This problem spans many car manufacturers and phones but primarily Android 9 (Pie)


My advice is to try another cable you already own but if it's not damaged and was working yesterday I wouldn't waste my $ on another cable. Buying a new cable is Google's advice not unlike IT asking you to reboot your computer when you have a paper jam.
 
#13 ·
I'm using Samsung Galaxy S8 and initially had spotty success getting AA to connect (around 50%). Found a tip on the Android forum to make sure "USB Debugging" was turned OFF on the phone's developer's settings .. That seems to have fixed everything, connecting up 100% of the time.
 
#14 ·
I just did that plus I turned off my Bluetooth. I set AA to start my Bluetooth. I was noticing that with bluetooth always on it would start my AA on my phone before plugging in the USB cable. There was some indication that it was occasionally causing a conflict.
So debugging is off. Bluetooth is set to off but AA turns it on. Now when I plug in my cable AA starts up which starts Bluetooth.

For the moment it is all working but we shall see...

One behaviour change for me is for short trips where I keep my phone in my pocket I will have to remember to toggle BT on to receive calls.

Fingers crossed.
 
#16 ·
So I'm a good trouble shooter but I'm also very impatient. After many reboots and door openings it did work again. Only this time I did not toggle "Want to use the new AA?" And I waited for the radio to turn itself off. When that happens you get the Caution splash screen as it starts again.

Now the screen started like my phone looks with a chunky home screen. Then I turned on directions and chose Waze. Even Waze looks different.

I will keep you posted but for now I need a break.

With AA I may have to visit the local AA. Android Anonymous ?
 
#17 ·
Do you get that "wanna try the new one?" prompt every time you connect? If so, note there's a similar toggle in the settings of the AA app on the phone. If you answer yes there, maybe it will quit asking you every time on the vehicle screen?
 
#18 ·
Do you get that "wanna try the new one?" prompt every time you connect?
Yes and there in lies the problem. Over this last week, if I toggle yes on the phone or yes on the HU the app gives me a different layout but has failed to connect via USB within a day or less.

I did the whole Hokey Pokey and removed everything everywhere and restarted with the version presented and have it working. Only after satisfying my curiosity that this version is not prone to failure will I try the new AA.
 
#21 ·
Solution:

STEP 1:Take Android phone back
STEP 2: Replace with Iphone
STEP 3: Watch Carplay work every time.

And no I'm not an Apple fanboy, and yes there is some sarcasm there, but Android Auto just plain sucks. No other way to say it.

I was a diehard Android guy who attempted to use Android auto on my Pixel 2 in 2 different cars and it was FRUSTRATING...same complaints as a above. A friend with a Samsung and Audi has similar complaints. I'd seen CarPlay with my wife's iPhone was was sold; So I thought "why not" as I was up for renewal anyway. Wow...what a difference. CarPlay is a superior interface in every way, and based on that alone it is a reason to have the iPhone.
 
#23 ·
Solution:

STEP 1:Take Android phone back
STEP 2: Replace with Iphone
STEP 3: Watch Carplay work every time.

And no I'm not an Apple fanboy, and yes there is some sarcasm there, but Android Auto just plain sucks. No other way to say it.

I was a diehard Android guy who attempted to use Android auto on my Pixel 2 in 2 different cars and it was FRUSTRATING...same complaints as a above. A friend with a Samsung and Audi has similar complaints. I'd seen CarPlay with my wife's iPhone was was sold; So I thought "why not" as I was up for renewal anyway. Wow...what a difference. CarPlay is a superior interface in every way, and based on that alone it is a reason to have the iPhone.
I think it just depends on any number of factors. My Samsung Galaxy S7 and my wife's S7 work fine with Android Auto. My previous phone, an S3, couldn't hold a bluetooth connection with my Jeep to save it's life.
 
#24 ·
I just went out and did a driveway try in the Outback. The new AA interface came right up and seemed to work fine. This is with a Samsung S10e, FWIW. I'll give it a better workout on a four-hour trip tomorrow and Monday.
 
#25 ·
OK a couple hours and 100+ miles in, and so far it has been flawless. My impressions are identical to the experience in my Jeep, which can be summed up as -- wow, what an improvement. Everything I've tried is working great -- Google Maps, Pandora, Spotify, phone, and including the press-and-hold on the steering wheel's talking head button to bring up Google Assistant voice commands. "Where's the nearest Wendy's?" "Searching for Wendy's on your route ..."

Paying attention to the Outback's screen this much did, however, focus me on how much more it is exposed to direct sun and thus made somewhat more difficult to read, unlike my Grand Cherokee where this almost never happens unless the sun is coming from a weird low angle. I guess it's because the Outback's windshield rakes so far back over the dash, combined with the screen having no hood whatsoever.

I was also reminded how much I despise piano black finishes on interior trim, especially anywhere near the dash. Oh well.
 
#26 ·
Sigh......

3 days it worked flawlessly.

My phone app is still the older version 4.5.592854 because that's the only one Google Play provides me with. I'm using a Samsung A8 with android 9 (Pie). I have de-selected the option to have the newer version on my car's screen because I thought that was causing me all the grief.

Now after 3 days of it working fine, I went into my car after a 20min stop at Homer's and it won't connect. Spent the time at the next 3 red lights messing with the darn thing and nothing. Even went so far as to turn off the car and open the door to shut off the radio. Nope. On that, I noticed that if you do open the car door and restart the engine the car screen does not give you the warning screen about operating media while driving. It just turns on. I have a feeling that the radio doesn't truly turn off with the door opening. It may need a few more minutes to power down.

Since I was on my way to work I could not pull over to mess around any further, but perhaps on my break I will see what can be done.
 
#27 ·
@Wilbour - I was using and enjoying the most recent and anticipated update to the AA interface, and then Google pulled it back and reverted to the old interface on my device. Are you using the new interface or the old? If the new, did you have to do any "clear cache, clear data" trickery with AA or Google Play Services to get the new UI to come up?
 
#33 ·
My condo's garage is located about 50 yards away from my home network router. Evidently, right on the very edge of the router's coverage area. I have to either turn off WiFi on my phone, allowing it to flip over to 4G, or wait until I get to the bottom of the drive before AA will connect.

Thanks for the pointer on the AA update, @Wilbour. I'll have to try that out.
 
#37 ·
Imagine that. I didn't see that. Must look again. Remember there are cables that charge only. They won't work with AA or ACP. But a good charging/data/sync cable will. You sure you aren't looking at another product? I swear the mid length cable is working well in my '19OB.
 
#39 ·
#40 ·
Equally flawless on the trip home. Maybe it's the phone. My S7 had some serious bluetooth issues with my Jeep, for example, and this S10e has so far been, well, knock wood ... perfect. I really like it a lot, including the fact that its form factor is almost exactly the same size as the S7 but the screen is considerably bigger. Magic.

But for those who're having connection problems, even those who have tried a couple of different cables, I have to say try a couple more. I know the AA connection on my Jeep was very cable-finicky when I first got it.
 
#65 ·
Maybe it's the phone. My S7 had some serious bluetooth issues with my Jeep...
It probably had more to do with Jeep's Uconnect feature than it did with your phone. My S7 also had serious issues with BT connections in my 2011 Jeep Liberty. So did my S3 before that. With the OB I've had no issues at all with either BT or AA with regard to connectivity. I did have a minor issue with Waze and AA but the car's recent software update seems to have solved that.
 
#42 ·
Slightly different issue, and hope I'm not thread-jacking.

I too have had sporadic failures with AA and usually uninstalling and re-installing the app works.

I still occasionally have a curious issue - when plugging in the phone and presumably after a handshake is made with AA since it is always a few seconds later, seeming to coincide with the HU pop-up (when safe, check phone), I'll lose sound out of the front speakers. Back still working; front silent. Unplugging and replugging usually fixes it (sometimes have to do so twice, rarely three times).

I've only ever lost the front speakers once or twice when AA wasn't in play. It's entirely possible I have a loose connection somewhere in my car's system, but was wondering if others encounter this in plugging in a phone. I think I saw others so state, but I haven't yet figured out an efficient way to search since the forum software change. Just curious if this is familiar to others or unfamiliar enough that I should task a dealer to investigate before my standard warranty runs (a while from now).
 
#64 ·
Slightly different issue, and hope I'm not thread-jacking.

I too have had sporadic failures with AA and usually uninstalling and re-installing the app works.

I still occasionally have a curious issue - when plugging in the phone and presumably after a handshake is made with AA since it is always a few seconds later, seeming to coincide with the HU pop-up (when safe, check phone), I'll lose sound out of the front speakers. Back still working; front silent. Unplugging and replugging usually fixes it (sometimes have to do so twice, rarely three times).

I've only ever lost the front speakers once or twice when AA wasn't in play. It's entirely possible I have a loose connection somewhere in my car's system, but was wondering if others encounter this in plugging in a phone. I think I saw others so state, but I haven't yet figured out an efficient way to search since the forum software change. Just curious if this is familiar to others or unfamiliar enough that I should task a dealer to investigate before my standard warranty runs (a while from now).
I've also been dealing with this problem. It seems that the system is treating the phone's charging beep like it does other notifications (sms/facebook etc). It usually does this by playing the notification through the front speakers while continuing music through the back, except the beep is played through the PHONE and this confuses the HU.

a quick fix for it is to hit the voice command button which opens google assistant and forces a notification sound through the front speakers. Hit it again quickly to cancel the request (just after the sound but before the thing starts listening) and you'll notice the music return to all speakers
 
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