Android auto not working well

[DevonMG4]

If cable connected I've had this a lot if I go into the HVAC control screen and then press left Star to go back to Android Auto. If I come away from the HVAC screen back to home then go into AA it seems OK.

Had black screens if the car is using the Carlink AA wireless adaptor and we stop and don't lock the car and I get out of the car, it'll sometimes black screen. Theory there is it is within range of two phones it knows and swapping from one to the causes the problem.

This is R16 in a SE.

 

[NickHeynes]

Very occasionally I'll get a black screen (e.g. if I've been driving, I stop at a shop to get some things, then go back to the car within only a few minutes - 5-10) ... before the stop AA will have been working fine, and it's only maybe 1:10 times that this will happen. Mostly AA works fine for me.

I'm on the same software version.

Mine's the same .
I find that I have to let the car fully Boot up before I connect my phone .
Usually if I'm only going to make a short pit stop I'll put my phone in the centre console with the blind pulled over it .
Most of the time it's fine .

 

[DevonMG4]

Whether cable connected or wireless I find there's no need to reset the head unit with the long home key press, just reach under the shelf and unplug the USB A and plug it back in after a few seconds. I'd rather it didn't do this but...

 

[NickHeynes]

Whether cable connected or wireless I find there's no need to reset the head unit with the long home key press, just reach under the shelf and unplug the USB A and plug it back in after a few seconds. I'd rather it didn't do this but...

When I do that I only get a partial connection. i.e music will play again (for a short while) but I don't get a map or Android auto menu screen .

 

[ukslim]

I had similar problems in my previous car, an ICE Peugeot 2008. Both with Apple Carplay and with Android Auto. It leads me to think the protocols, or the car-side software Apple/Google distribute are fundamentally flaky in some respects. And of course, they're baked into the car's software - they'll only ever get updated if a dealer does it.

I found that getting a really good cable helped, in both vehicles. I trust Anker cables.

When it goes flaky, sometimes only stopping the car (in the Peugeot, key out of the ignition) and restarting everything would work. But I haven't needed to reboot the MG yet.

 

[Yorkshire Hillbilly]

Having the same dam issue nearly every 3 or for times. Only way getting it working again is to factory reset the unit . Then will happen again after a few times. Must be some sort of software bug in mg

This happens to me too sometimes. An unplug followed by a plug usually sorts it out

 

[Surfdog]

So in 5 months I have had no major problems with AA which works as it should and I use Google assistant voice commands for navigation and media instructions. So the wife decided she would now start driving the car after the lka software was updated to make it less lethal. Her phone is a new model Samsung, similar to mine. However after a few days of trying I just cannot get it to connect. I use the same data cable that works for me, have made the settings on the phone the same as mine, but no joy. Her phone suggests AA connection has been made by displaying the AA icon when I plug in cable but the AA icon on infotainment system remains grey (not black for successful connection). Not sure if this is phone or car issue. Both similar new phones running same operating system with one working and one not.

 

[evcog]

Fortunately I have not had these issues with Android Auto since receiving the car. However, Because I need to unplug every time I exit the car, after all I need my phone with me when out, I decided to purchase a 5GHz WiFi Wireless Adapter so I didn't ruin the connector on phone, or car, every time.

They can be quite expensive from Amazon (£60) but found a good one on Aliexpress.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100....order_list.order_list_main.17.16991802xDVFbS

This one only cost about £31 delivered.

I have never had any problems with this and it's perminately connected to the car. I have used a 3m sticky pad to attach it unobtrusively just above the USB port.

 

[sosbanfawr]

I have had so many issues with Android Auto and considering it's a Google Pixel phone it's really not good enough...

It's definitely the MG side. The cables are good. Also I have to use USB-A to C, a straight USB-C won't work on Google phones...another known (but nonsense) issue.

I've booked in to have the software updated as I'm on v.24 (Trophy). I was really hopeful but as someone on here is still getting black screen and random behaviour with the latest software I guess I should just go buy an iPhone!!

 

[siteguru]

Fortunately I have not had these issues with Android Auto since receiving the car. However, Because I need to unplug every time I exit the car, after all I need my phone with me when out, I decided to purchase a 5GHz WiFi Wireless Adapter so I didn't ruin the connector on phone, or car, every time.

I'll just leave this here.

http://www.siteguru.co.uk/MG4/Under_Shelf.jpg

http://www.siteguru.co.uk/MG4/Shelf_No_Phone.jpg

http://www.siteguru.co.uk/MG4/Shelf_Phone.jpg

When I place the phone on the shelf the cable essentially auto-connects. And as the adapter is permanently in the phone, the connector doesn't get wear and tear. (I have another such lead in the house for charging the phone). Way cheaper than a WiFi adapter, plus it charges the phone whilst I'm driving.

 

[evcog]

I'll just leave this here.

http://www.siteguru.co.uk/MG4/Under_Shelf.jpg

http://www.siteguru.co.uk/MG4/Shelf_No_Phone.jpg

http://www.siteguru.co.uk/MG4/Shelf_Phone.jpg

When I place the phone on the shelf the cable essentially auto-connects. And as the adapter is permanently in the phone, the connector doesn't get wear and tear. (I have another such lead in the house for charging the phone). Way cheaper than a WiFi adapter, plus it charges the phone whilst I'm driving.

Hi sitegura, I'm getting security warnings from those links as they are not https, which Chrome has defaulted to, for security reasons, for sometime.

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

I have had so many issues with Android Auto and considering it's a Google Pixel phone it's really not good enough...

It's definitely the MG side. The cables are good. Also I have to use USB-A to C, a straight USB-C won't work on Google phones...another known (but nonsense) issue.

I've booked in to have the software updated as I'm on v.24 (Trophy). I was really hopeful but as someone on here is still getting black screen and random behaviour with the latest software I guess I should just go buy an iPhone!!

It's not the phone, it's the car.
For... reasons, the MG4's USB-C port is not connected to the Android Auto/Apple CarPlay chip in the car.

 

[Yorkshire Hillbilly]

It's not the phone, it's the car.
For... reasons, the MG4's USB-C port is not connected to the Android Auto/Apple CarPlay chip in the car.

I concur, the USB C port (the small one) is useless and is just for show.
It doesn't allow for connectivity to Android Auto / Apple CarPlay and it doesn't conform to current USB C charging standards so it won't charge anything newer than about 2021.
It's actually backed off to a bog standard USB A port connector on the infotainment system although, I believe it's some kind of proprietary pin connector on the head unit end.

So in 5 months I have had no major problems with AA which works as it should and I use Google assistant voice commands for navigation and media instructions. So the wife decided she would now start driving the car after the lka software was updated to make it less lethal. Her phone is a new model Samsung, similar to mine. However after a few days of trying I just cannot get it to connect. I use the same data cable that works for me, have made the settings on the phone the same as mine, but no joy. Her phone suggests AA connection has been made by displaying the AA icon when I plug in cable but the AA icon on infotainment system remains grey (not black for successful connection). Not sure if this is phone or car issue. Both similar new phones running same operating system with one working and one not.

If your phone's are both USB C then not all data cables are the same. My (Google) Pixel 7 Pro wouldn't work with the same cable as my old OnePlus 8 Pro. I can highly recommend AAWireless as a solution to this as it allows multiple phones to be added to it and no more cables. If I need to, I just charge my phone from a cable plugged into an Anker 12v accessory phone charger as the charging pad in the trophies are beyond useless.

 

[siteguru]

Hi sitegura, I'm getting security warnings from those links as they are not https, which Chrome has defaulted to, for security reasons, for sometime.

My website doesn't have a security certificate - it's not something I've set up. The website though is perfectly safe. (And those links are directly to JPEG files).

Click on Advanced and it'll give you an option to go to the images.

 

[evcog]

My website doesn't have a security certificate - it's not something I've set up. The website though is perfectly safe. (And those links are directly to JPEG files).

Click on Advanced and it'll give you an option to go to the images.

Just put them in a post. Just click the image icon in the message menu when you create your post. You can even edit the post with the links and add them as an option. No need to worry about certificates or potential security issues. Highly recommended.

 

[siteguru]

No thanks - I've posted these images many times before (and also as snips from the photos). Can't be bothered to do so again.

 

[Tonych]

The Android Auto system is crap. In the cars that I've had the version has always been years behind and in my ZS EV it's no different. In the last few cars it's always been an old outdated feeling system with a USB connection always required, at least initially. In fact my last car, a Suzuki, required a USB connection but only to initialise Android Auto. It worked reasonably well after that without needing a cable. The annoying thing is that Android Auto has it's favourites amongst mobile phone brands with Samsung being prominent. Such a shame all car manufacturers can't use a robust standard that will just connect and let us get on with using our communication devices as we would like to, totally hands free and cable free. I envy those that can afford to buy cars with new software systems that simply 'work' and do what you need. I've worked with technology at the cutting edge and Android Auto is not there. That reminds me... To continue looking for an alternative.

Im not an expert but can respond that in 2020 AA in my ZS EV was awful, but since a software update late 2020 has been pretty much faultless. Havent used it much in the MG4 yet but nervous reading all the comments

 

[dawson2099]

I had problems with AA disconnecting at random intervals and sometimes no greater than a minute or two. I also saw quite a few black screens. I used the lead that worked with AA in my previous car, so i assumed that the lead was OK.

After weeks of frustration i decided to invest in a high quality data cable and like magic, all my previous issues have gone away.

If you are having random issues it is always worth getting a decent cable from an EU manufacturer.

Thats one issue ticked off my list just another xx to go

Which lead did you use? Supplier and length. Thanks

 

[Deleted member 10041]

No thanks - I've posted these images many times before (and also as snips from the photos). Can't be bothered to do so again.

Yeah all those folk that post the same thing over and over

 

[Tonych]

AA has behaved itself since I posted this, must not like being told off!

The other issue I still haven’t resolved on AA is that guidance audio doesn’t come through when on DAB or FM, Audio dips but nothing is heard. Guidance audio does come through when streaming or listening to audio from memory stick on the usbC port, so I dont think it is a phone problem. Must be an MG software issue I think. Car is an SE.

Once I adjusted "voice" volume in settings to a place I was happy the guidance voice works fine. Can be enabled/disabled by touching the speaker symbol on the navigation scheme. Useful if listening to the radio as it doesnt lower the volume when giving directions. I have a Trohpy