Android Auto cutting out randomly

[McSwanky]

Anyone else have trouble with Android Auto randomly cutting out from time to time? Sometimes it't fine for 20 mins/half an hour, sometimes it fails after only a minute or so. I usually just have to click twice on the infotainment display to reconnect the phone (until the next disconnect!), but sometimes I end up having to unplug and reconnect the phone.

This has been happening off and on since I bought the car new (Ibiza FR, early 2018).

I love Android Auto, but this is getting more than a bit annoying. Tried different cables, and connecting up to the second USB port, but it doesn't help. This is the second Android phone I've had, and both have done the same thing, so I figure it's either AA/Android being crap, or something hardware-ish with the infotainment unit.

 

[ayrshiredude]

Interesting I have also had this issue since I first got my car in 2018. I am using Samsung Galaxy S7. Regularily, no matter what I do, it will not connect to AA. I plug it in and it reads the phone but then fails to connect. After several reboots of both the phone and the Entertainment system it eventually connects. However randomly it will loose the connection and disconnect. Then taked ages to re connect.

One thing I have recently thought of is I have my phone in a Gel Cover. I am wondering if the cover is preventing the USB cable from making a good connection so I am currently trying to use it with the gel cover removed. So far I have not had one problem connectiong or of the phone disconnecting. This could, of course, just be coincidence but time will tell.

 

[GordonMcC]

yip me to, this happens on my 2019 Leon Cupra. phone is a Huawei Mate 20 Pro.

 

[Maypack]

Happened on my CUPRA too but I have an iPhone so similar issues. I find that doing a reset of the infotainment system by holding down the on/off button until the unit reboots (approx 10-20 seconds) does help.

Also make sure the software on your phone is current. I had loads of issues with iOS 12 but since moving to iOS 13 I haven’t had any issues.


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[McSwanky]

Interesting, thanks for the replies. Mine is an Honor (cheap-o version of the Huawei ) but I had the issue on my old OnePlus 3T as well, so I'm figuring it's not (phone) manufacturer specific. I had suspected that Android was being over zealous with its Power Management and killing AA, but you would think that would happen at more regular intervals, rather than the randomness I see with my setup.

I guess this is going to be a hard one to pin down, as Seat would no doubt point to it being an issue with AA and wash their hands of it. Googling turns up a few other people in other cars having similar issues, so I'm thinking I'm at Google's mercy here (therefore I'll just need to put up with it).

Software is up to date BTW, including the new version of Android Auto which kicked in the other week. It's a shame, I really like the technology, but it needs to be more reliable!

 

[Maypack]

You could always check you have the latest firmware on the head unit. This can also cause problems.


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[McSwanky]

You could always check you have the latest firmware on the head unit. This can also cause problems.


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Cheers for the reply... Without wanting to appear dim (it happens too often to me these days), how would I go about doing that?

 

[Maypack]

Cheers for the reply... Without wanting to appear dim (it happens too often to me these days), how would I go about doing that?

There’s a thread on here about doing it but as I’m on my iPhone and using Tapatalk I can’t link to the thread.

I hope @Tell will be able to point you in the right direction. It’s an easy thing to do once you’ve read the thread.

P.S. Cheers @Tell in advance


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[Tell]

Mine turned out to be a faulty USB lead, bought a new one and it was fine after that. Dont use Android Auto much so knew it worked. Thought it was the infotainment unit issue after I had the retrofit software installed on the Plus unit but nope. You need a lead of 1 metre, no longer and of good quality.

Think the bouncing about breaks the wires as they go into the plug round the phone end. Ive binned two now, but was definitely the last issue I had when Android Auto dropped out after connecting a period later. I know it won't connected with a 2 metre cable at all. Took me a while to pin the duff cable down as the issue. Galaxy Tab S2 is the device I use. Nylon braided USB, but it was one of them that failed. That shielding bit as they go into the plug softens the bend, so I look for that now.

Sephia spring reinforced is one where it should lesson the twist. Think at the end of the day they are pretty disposable in car use. Of the two I've binned in the car one was the broken wire issue the other was the clamping pins were not going back out, reckon plastic or something behind, the heat of the car did the second one in.

Now what did Maypack say . May be this is the thread:

https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/android-auto-feedback-thread.425985/

 

[tak-fr]

Have the same issue but with Apple CarPlay even used a SEAT USB that they gave me and sometimes it doesn’t pick up my phone or Full Link doesn’t start up (Screen stays on Starting ‘Full Link’) and it does drop out but reconnects when I tap connect back - sometimes.


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[vc-10]

I've been having issues with cables disintegrating. My phone with the cable sticking out the end kind of doesn't fit in the tray. And it's not a particularlly large phone, it's a Samsung S10. I was thinking of getting a cable with a 90 degree bend on it to see if that might fit better.

 

[Blaptastic]

I've been having issues with cables disintegrating. My phone with the cable sticking out the end kind of doesn't fit in the tray. And it's not a particularlly large phone, it's a Samsung S10. I was thinking of getting a cable with a 90 degree bend on it to see if that might fit better.

Depending on the car have you not got the little phone holder in the centre arm rest?
I leave mine in there and use a 1m lead, doesn't jump about then or ruin the cable.

 

[vc-10]

I don't have a phone holder in my armrest, also I don't particularly like leaving cables trailing around the car!

 

[Tell]

I've been having issues with cables disintegrating. My phone with the cable sticking out the end kind of doesn't fit in the tray. And it's not a particularlly large phone, it's a Samsung S10. I was thinking of getting a cable with a 90 degree bend on it to see if that might fit better.

Perhaps I'll look out one of my right hand exit ones next time. The Ateca has the recess where the phone goes and not much else forward space to lay it down.

 

[ayrshiredude]

Well I have been trying mine with the phone out of the case now for a week and no issues connecting or staying connected so far. Could it have just been that for me? Obviously could just be a coincidence so will continue to monitor it.

 

[farrar]

The Apple Carplay disconnect affects pretty much all cars in the Seat range. I've got family members that have Ateca, Alhambra, Leon etc. and they all report issues with it disconnecting and having to hold down the power button to reboot. I had an Audi A3 for 2 months as a hire car whilst my Ibiza was being repaired and Carplay worked flawlessly and never had any connection issues. It's really annoying as it's firmware related and Seat are just not proactive in any way of updating the media system firmware.

 

[Tell]

Android here but I use the cars internal navigation 99.99% time but noted it was a duff cable that stopped mine working when I tested it after having the Plus firmware modded to retrofit. Thought it was that but no the connecting cable bust inside. Second one on the micro sub where the pins that pop out stayed in. Think that ones due to the inside of the car cooking in the sun and probable some plastic spring or something in thebplug that makes it loose it's twong. Second incident of that one.

Pass on Apple.

 

[McSwanky]

Thanks for all the replies. I've ordered another cable (one with the wee springy bit on it) and will try keeping the phone in the mesh by the passenger footwell to see if it makes any difference. The space is just that bit too small for today's monstrous phones, so I suppose the cables could be getting damaged. Although I'm pretty sure it happened immediately after I tried the last new cable, so I reckon it's probably not that.

 

[McSwanky]

Just as a wee update to this:

I bought one of these:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TYPE-C-M...var=611406439358&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

and started stowing the phone in the little mesh basket thingy in the passenger footwell, and the connection has been rock solid since. Thanks to all for the advice, really helpful!

 

[ayrshiredude]

I've just got a new phone, Samsung Galaxy S10 so bought a new cable and its connected everytime and stayed connected. Between getting the new phone and the new cable I used the old cable with the USB C adapter than came with the phone and it was kinda wobbly, It kept disconnecting all the time. So far so good.