I've got a MY18 206 sportline (280) with the newer 'glass' columbus unit, and I am driven to insanity by the unreliability of the Apple CarPlay connection and whether or not it will be established when I plug in my phone. I estimate a 50% success rate, including the times I have to 'agree' through three separate finger clicks to select CarPlay, then agree data will be transferred. I've tried multiple cables, ensuring the connection is physically clean (it is), and many different timings of when I connect such as before turning on, after boot up etc etc. I can even see the banner at the top telling me the phone is connecting via CarPlay and can no longer be used as a source in Media, only to have it effectively invisible and unable to connect - the screen will show the 3 options (Apple, Android, Mirrorlink) and refuse to recognise there is anything plugged in.

 

When it does work, it takes an eternity for Siri to wake up and ask, for example, who I would like to call when hitting the phone button.

I travel a lot, and rent a lot of cars, and none of them despite being largely base models in rental fleets, have these kind of issues - is it just me?! Surely a platform shared across so many VAG vehicles can't be this undependable.

 

 

Hi,

 

Welcome to the forum. I use CarPlay all the time and don’t have any of the issues you mention, same headunit/screen. Using an iPhone X though, seems pretty zippy, came from an iPhone 5 and think that would have been seriously challenged. What phone are you using?

 

First time connecting I think I got a confirmation. Ever since then I simply plug it in and it connects (I get the message about potential data usage and phoning being only through CarPlay). If I start a route with Maps say, before getting into the car and connecting, that is fine. Jumping between the CarPlay apps is quick, nothing I’d call laggy.

 

I did change the setting for the main MENU so that it has the static icon buttons instead of the scrolling left/right to find the different settings, to make it easier to get to the various screens, but I think CarPlay always came up “on top” anyway when connected.

 

My experience is problably 99% connecting okay, only had it not work once or twice. Not much help to you, I know, maybe there is a difference in Columbus software version? If you want me to check/try something, let me know.

 

Regards,

Ivan.

Hi Ivan, thanks for the speedy response. Can't believe I've been a member here since 2013 and that was my first post! The site is much more useful to me than I am to it, obviously, although I've updated my profile to show the correct car at least.

 

Anyway, I'm using an iPhone6 and the experience is quite the opposite of yours. I'm always having to go to the main screen (yes I set to static icons too) - hit the smart link button, hit the CarPlay button for the phone, OK the data transfer and then........hope for the best. Sometimes I can leave the cable plugged in and go through that routine several times and it works, sometimes it won't even recognise a phone at the second screen (gives the full 3 smart link options). Sometimes, it does like yours and all the rental cars I drive and 'just works' going straight to the apps screen.

 

The only thing google tells me might be the problem is that the phone has a security client called MobileIron installed on it which itself installs profiles on to the phone. That said, it's quite common software, I wouldn't have thought I'd be the only one with issues. Everything is up to date etc etc.

 

Oh, and resetting the unit (full reset, holding down the power button for 10 seconds or so) usually fixes the issue but it's not practical or safe whilst driving especially as the power button is located on the left hand side of the car!

 

I'll check the Columbus version at next chance, and try to get hold of another phone to record what's actually going on.

 

Cheers

 

My versions.

 

I have a 2016 Superb and I have to say that Carplay is flaky.  I'd agree with the 50% success estimate.

Quite a lot of the time the phone fails to connect which is only fixed by a hard reboot of the entertainment system.  Spotify as an app is fairly flaky and often won't connect at first, second or even third attempts.  I've tried two Iphones 5s and multiple cables.   To make matters worse IOS 11.3 was released last week and seems to have introduced outbound calls sounding like they're underwater (but all is fine over Bluetooth).

21 minutes ago, Chalky1980 said:

I have a 2016 Superb and I have to say that Carplay is flaky.  I'd agree with the 50% success estimate.

Quite a lot of the time the phone fails to connect which is only fixed by a hard reboot of the entertainment system.  Spotify as an app is fairly flaky and often won't connect at first, second or even third attempts.  I've tried two Iphones 5s and multiple cables.   To make matters worse IOS 11.3 was released last week and seems to have introduced outbound calls sounding like they're underwater (but all is fine over Bluetooth).

 

*Mental note to NOT upgrade to 11.3 yet*

I'm on 11.4 beta and as far as I can see there's been no noticeable difference in CarPlay connection success between any iOS versions. I've written about this before but in my experience it's all down to cables.

 

I've had a few cars with CarPlay now and have had to return loads of Lightning cables, both Apple and third party, because although they'll work with power and data everywhere else they just don't work well in the car.  The Skoda is better than my previous cars with regard to connection though, the worst being a 2016 Polo which was extraordinarily picky.

 

The batch of official Apple ones I bought via Amazon last year have been great though, every single one of them works 99.9% of the time in the Superb, front or back USB ports, and if they don't it's always been the port fluff problem (link above). This wasn't always the case, some of the Apple ones I bought in 2015 or 2016 are decidedly flaky with CarPlay. Even cables from reputable manufacturers like Aukey or Anker haven't been reliable in the car.

 

The black 10cm Amazon Basics one I bought in Nov last year to leave in the front cubby USB has been great though, works perfectly every time.

Edited 19 April, 20188 yr by juux
Clarified iOS version comparison

This is the lead I’ve been using for the last couple of months:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01BYN7HRK/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524249494&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=fospower+mfi+6+inch&dpPl=1&dpID=41kFFqCn5EL&ref=plSrch

 

Twin pack for when the first one breaks 

 

Came much quicker than it predicted despite coming from the US. Although I would say that it is about as short a length as you can get away with.

 

On iOS 11.3 since it came out. Tried a couple of calls yesterday after reading the above post, hadn’t made any calls since installing it – the other person said I sounded fine.

I've had no connection issues so far with Carplay - although I haven't used it too much yet as the Skoda built-in bluetooth and satnav works perfectly well.  So far at least...

 

I did spend a bit of time looking for a cable that would allow me to close the door on the phone tray.  Found a great on on Amazon:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01MFBZXFM

 

Making sure I got the correct 'hand' on the cable.

 

Works really well and I can get the phone in and shut the drawer now.  Although it's not the roomiest place for a phone.

I like that lead  looks much better for the space than mine.

 

 

On ‎15‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 08:18, rsp8 said:

I've got a MY18 206 sportline (280) with the newer 'glass' columbus unit, and I am driven to insanity by the unreliability of the Apple CarPlay connection and whether or not it will be established when I plug in my phone. I estimate a 50% success rate, including the times I have to 'agree' through three separate finger clicks to select CarPlay, then agree data will be transferred. I've tried multiple cables, ensuring the connection is physically clean (it is), and many different timings of when I connect such as before turning on, after boot up etc etc. I can even see the banner at the top telling me the phone is connecting via CarPlay and can no longer be used as a source in Media, only to have it effectively invisible and unable to connect - the screen will show the 3 options (Apple, Android, Mirrorlink) and refuse to recognise there is anything plugged in.

 

When it does work, it takes an eternity for Siri to wake up and ask, for example, who I would like to call when hitting the phone button.

I travel a lot, and rent a lot of cars, and none of them despite being largely base models in rental fleets, have these kind of issues - is it just me?! Surely a platform shared across so many VAG vehicles can't be this undependable.

 

 

I have posted numerous times and I have endured various intermittent issues since moving to iOS11. Through lots of web research, I have found a solution (and it was nothing to do with cables, of which I have many working ones which didn't make a jot of difference) The solution which I found elsewhere, was when the car was only intermittently recognising the iPhone was to plug my iPhone into my computer with iTunes and sync it, then the issue seems to resolve for about 10-12 weeks and when it reoccurs I repeat and the issue is resolved. Somewhat annoying but I hope this helps.

6 hours ago, mccrosss said:

I have posted numerous times and I have endured various intermittent issues since moving to iOS11. Through lots of web research, I have found a solution (and it was nothing to do with cables, of which I have many working ones which didn't make a jot of difference) The solution which I found elsewhere, was when the car was only intermittently recognising the iPhone was to plug my iPhone into my computer with iTunes and sync it, then the issue seems to resolve for about 10-12 weeks and when it reoccurs I repeat and the issue is resolved. Somewhat annoying but I hope this helps.

 

Thanks, and to everyone above. My phone is plugged in and syncs to iTunes every (work) day as it sits in a cradle on my office desk. It's been much (much) better lately, I wait until after I've opened the car door - system says "Don't forget your mobile phone" - to unplug it and I plug it in before I start the engine. Seems more reliable than plugging in at any other time especially if I don't unplug it before opening the door. I'm on the latest iOS which does admittedly seem better than previous.