Wireless CarPlay Adapter connectivity

[JoeBlow]

Or Carplay starts, but the screen remains black. The music runs though but black screen. Very strange.

This isn’t the fault of the adapter. This is just a bug in the car. This happens to me when using the cable about 25% of the time, just driving along and the CarPlay screen will drop out but music keeps working.

Random Amazon adapter worked just as well except for the startup issue. Currently trialling a carlinkit 5 with a 20 second startup delay and auto connect turned off.

It’s only been a few days but being able to choose which phone at startup seems to be working ok so far.

 

[AusCo]

The adapters all have the same problem in the MG4. Reconnect. I didn't have one that could do it satisfactorily. And I tested 6 different ones. Some even several times and for weeks.

If you stop the car for a short time and start it again it doesn't work. If you start the car and immediately put it in reverse it does not work. (The camera in the Lux starts first and the screen stays black).

What works is a simple USB switch. On/Off with Carlinkit Mini and Ottocast.
However, only for a single smartphone.

All adapters do not identify the MG4 as an electric car. If you want to plan a stopover in CarPlay (Apple Maps), only gas stations are displayed instead of charging stations. Only a connection via cable works correctly here. Fortunately, you can manually search for charging stations on the route (with a few steps) and then display them. It works very well.

My ranking of speeds. Boot times, operation, smooth display, response & latency:

1. Ottocast
2. carlinkit mini
3. carlinkit 5 2Air
4. carlinkit 4
5. carlinkit 3
6. noname (Anyfong / Gobesty)

I have just setup an Ottocast with a usb line with an on/off switch for Apple CarPlay. Works perfectly, thanks for posting your suggestion. Pretty cheap option from eBay …just has to have data & power.

 

[DarrenG]

I've had none of these issues with my Carklinkit 4.0. On a couple of rare occasions it has refused to connect but powering off the car and back on (rebooting the head-unit does not help) always resolves it.

 

[AusCo]

I've had none of these issues with my Carklinkit 4.0. On a couple of rare occasions it has refused to connect but powering off the car and back on (rebooting the head-unit does not help) always resolves it.

From what I’ve seen with various posts about Carlink, it appears to behave a lot better than the Ottocast in that regard.

 

[RP67]

Interesting topic. This is the first time I feel lucky with my (51kWh) car's electronics. I have the Ottocast 2 air Pro. No issue whatsoever. Well, occasionally, AA doesn't change to dark mode, which is a bit annoying, but switching the light off and on solve the problem. Apart from that, no disconnection, or re-connection issue, works every time. When I bought it, from a local dealer, he suggested to buy the "pro" version as opposed to the simple one, and I guess it wasn't an empty upselling trick.

 

[APH]

Does the Carlinkit 5.0 wireless CarPlay adaptor work ok with the MG4 Trophy MY23.

 

[Willavoy01]

I have the Carlinkit 5.0 and works fine with my MY23 Trophy. It seems to only work though when it's plugged into the normal USB port not the USB-C, but it boots up fine each time I start up. Only had the car a few days mind.

 

[APH]

Thanks for that. I’ve just bought the Carlinkit 5.0 from Aliexpress, delivery expected within 5-days.

I’ve had my MG4 Trophy 3 weeks now.

 

[dsimpkins]

I have the Carlinkit 5.0 and works fine with my MY23 Trophy. It seems to only work though when it's plugged into the normal USB port not the USB-C, but it boots up fine each time I start up. Only had the car a few days mind.

Yes, the normal USB-A port is the only one that connects to the car to provide Apple Carplay/Android Auto functionality. The USB-C port can provide charging, or playing of media files from a USB stick.

 

[filippa0831]

My experience is, if you're buying a product that may require post-sales consultation, avoid purchasing from Amazon. I bought the Carlinkit 5.0 from a store with dedicated post-sales support, and it's been running fine.

Autokit CarPlay Download Store

 

[FunkyWorm]

I found that my Carlink 5.0 always needed to be re-powered (unplugging/replugging the LH USB A port) every time. On the extended settings web interface there is a setting for “delayed startup” (or some such) and increasing it to 25 seconds made wireless CarPlay rock-solid.
I bet the CarLink box boots quicker than the MG4’s infotainments system and gets nothing when it tries to connect.
Now it works without any intervention and has never dropped the connection whilst in use on long trips. Occasionally black screens if I got back to the Home Screen and then press the CarPlay icon, but tapping the screen brings Apple Maps (or whatever) back.

 

[Tig170]

... it also helps if you set location access on your main apps as "always allow", I only use AmiGo & Radioplayer and find that at start-up its does some sort of authorisation linked to your location?

 

[APH]

Isn’t the Carlinkit 5.0 just simply plug & play?
What is the “extended settings web interface”?

 

[dhoogland]

Isn’t the Carlinkit 5.0 just simply plug & play?
What is the “extended settings web interface”?

It will work out of the box without any changes but you could configure it by connecting your phone to the Carlinkit's wifi (pass = 12345678) and browsing to the site: 192.168.50.2. On this website you can configure some options and even update the software on it.

Sadly I have not gotten the carlinkit 5.0 to work flawlessly with my MG4. When the device is connected when the car boots it alsmost never works. I have to unplug it and plug it back in to get it to work. I have also tried the delayed start but no luck. Then when I do have it working my phone gets very hot when using Waze to navigate. To the point the phone shuts down features.

This only happens when I use the wireless carplay in combination with Waze, when I use Waze when connected wired everything is fine. This is on an iphone 12.

@APH Did you manage to get the carlinkit to work correctly in your car? I think we have the same or similar version / software of the car.

 

[APH]

It will work out of the box without any changes but you could configure it by connecting your phone to the Carlinkit's wifi (pass = 12345678) and browsing to the site: 192.168.50.2. On this website you can configure some options and even update the software on it.

Sadly I have not gotten the carlinkit 5.0 to work flawlessly with my MG4. When the device is connected when the car boots it alsmost never works. I have to unplug it and plug it back in to get it to work. I have also tried the delayed start but no luck. Then when I do have it working my phone gets very hot when using Waze to navigate. To the point the phone shuts down features.

This only happens when I use the wireless carplay in combination with Waze, when I use Waze when connected wired everything is fine. This is on an iphone 12.

@APH Did you manage to get the carlinkit to work correctly in your car? I think we have the same or similar version / software of the car.

Hi,

Yes I have got the Carlinkit 5.0 working this morning.

I managed to suss out updating the firmware and altering the "delayed start" to 20 seconds.
It seems to be working ok, although I have not fully tested it as not been out in the car since installation.

 

[Susanna]

@seamust1000 I had been having awful issues with my Carlinkit 3, but reading your tip, it’s now working flawlessly in my ZS. Thank you so much!

 

[dhoogland]

Anyone knows what the GPS toggle in the options of the Carlinkit does? Does it mean it uses some GPS build into the Carlinkit unit? Or does it mean it uses the phone's gps (which I always assumed it did anyway).

 

[dsimpkins]

On mine the option says "Use vehicle GPS" with a on/off toggle.

 

[olliewebb]

None of the adapters work the way you want them to. I've had all the big name ones here.

The biggest problem for us was: to pair two different iphones automatically. Carlinkit does this, but the adapter is slow and often fails. For example, if you start in reverse. When in the city often the 360° camera goes on and off. Then the picture remains black. Ottocast and Cralinkit Mini have no problems here. Carlinkit 3, 4 and 5 2Air have massive problems here. Vehicle software R40 MG4 Luxury model year 2023.

The next problem is the automatic reconnection of the adapter to the vehicle. You park the car for a short time, take your child to school what ever, come back, the adapter no longer starts either no USB connection. Or Carplay starts, but the screen remains black. The music runs though but black screen. Very strange.
The only solution: The USB plug must be pulled out and plugged in again.
This was not an acceptable behavior for us!

The problem with Ottocast or Carlinkit Mini is that they can't manage two or more iphones. If the driver or the iPhone changes, bluetooth must be reconnected. Again, the problem arises that you have to take your smartphone out of your pocket again and set something. It sucks!

I invented the very crazy solution with the help of 2 OttoCast (they are very fast) and a switch. a push on the button starts the other adapter. One adapter for my wife's iphone, one adapter for my iphone. If a new disconnect is necessary, just press twice. This is very fast and very uncomplicated. Since this installation, we have no more problems.

Greeting from Germany and thx to deepl translate

This setup gives me nightmares, looks like my cable junk draw at home.

I know wireless CarPlay is great and all, and I’ve had it on a few cars, but the idea of one wire seems preferable to this.

 

[Mick b]

I've had none of these issues with my Carklinkit 4.0. On a couple of rare occasions it has refused to connect but powering off the car and back on (rebooting the head-unit does not help) always resolves it.

Hi Devilish, my iPhone does not connect to my Carlinkit 4, automatically from when l enter, have you got a next dash cam connected as l have, thinking that is the reason why