iPhone not working with car iPod connection

Any luck with this? I'm having the same problem - it sees that it's been plugged in, gives the message about switching to Airline Mode, and charges just fine, but no matter what I do it only plays music from the iPhone's speaker rather than through the deck.

Awfully frustrating!

I have the same problem sometimes..

I have a iPod/iPhone car charger in my car and at times it feels like charging and it actually works, and at times it just doesn't...

I think it's a software glitch in the iPhone that Apple will have fixed by the next update.

Anyone know of any answers?

I have the same problem with the adapter I hard wired into my stock Honda stereo.

I called the company, and they said it was an issue with the iPhone- apparently Apple must have changed something with the dock connector.

The adapter company said that they finally found out what the issue was, but they have to make an entirely new adapter for the iPhone now- which means that I have to spend $80 for the new version just to use my iPhone!

It's strange, considering my travel speakers (JBL SoundStage 2) work with the iPhone just fine. I guess it's going to be hit or miss with the peripherals...

I was at the Chicago Apple store yesterday and a guy their told me that the phone must be in airplane mode for the car adapters to work. I haven't tried this for myself yet, but maybe it will help.

Airplane Mode really shouldn't matter other than helping with interference if you're using an FM transmitter with the iPhone (or a really low quality cable connection, I suppose). In any case, I've tried it both ways and also plugging in the dock connector cable before I start the music, during playback, while it's paused, while the phone is asleep and awake, plugged in while I reboot the phone, etc., and nothing seems to make a difference.

2 observations, though:

1. If I have the iPhone connected with my deck set to that input and then shutdown and restart the iPhone, I get a few small pops from the speakers. So there's definitely a connection there, Apparently just not being output to properly by the iPhone?

2. Again, when I plug in the dock connector in my car the iPhone give me the Airplane Mode message and starts charging. Then, if I have the iPhone connected and playing music (which is incorrectly coming out the internal iPhone speaker) and then unplug the dock connector, the music pauses. This seems to indicate that the iPhone definitely knows the dock is connected and that it should be outputting music there but for some reason plays through the internal speaker instead.

If this turns out to be a hardware problem (the dock connector having been changed, for example), that's highly irritating but I can accept that. All the signs, however, seem to point to this being a software problem or a defect with these particular iPhones. I'm heading out on a 1100 mile road trip tomorrow and it looks like it's going to be a lot more boring than I had hoped. sigh

Conejo,

I would suggest contacting the manufacturer of the dock connector you are using to see if they have certified it as "Works with iPhone", if they have, then it could be an issue with the cable or the iPhone.

This article contains more information on iPod accesories and the "Works with iPhone" labeling:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=305766

Hope this helps,

Nathan C.

I'm pretty sure that none of the connection methods mentioned in this thread are "Works with iPhone" certified as most of them were released before the iPhone was even announced so that's really no help in resolving the issue, but that's not really the point.

There's simply no reason the iPhone shouldn't output it's audio through the dock connector when it's plugged in. I don't see how or why the connector on the iPhone would have been substantially changed in such a way as to allow it to work with some peripherals (that are not iPhone certified) but not with others for such a simple thing as audio output. Everything I've seen from Apple and elsewhere seems to indicate that most "properly designed" iPod accessories will work with the iPhone. The "properly designed" statement really seems to mean that anything with the standard dock connector will work as the physical connection is the same, but there may be some issues with the iPhone physically fitting (since it's a different shape than the iPod) or with the software side of things (if the accessory attempts to control the iPod remotely or uses the iPod's display for it's own control).

This case falls into the former category of "the physical dock connection should be the same - what's the deal?"

I have run into the same problem. I have found a solution that may work for some. My plan with my iphone was to use it as an ipod in my car and then have it act as a hands free unit when a call was to come in, the call to be heard on the stereo and then the mic on the phone to for me to talk into. When i plugged the iphone into the dock i got the same problem as everyone else. In my car i have an aux jack that I have used for my ipod. I got the belkin headphone adapter and found out that when listening to music through the headphone jack the phone call would be heard over the stereo when that was not the case through the dock. Now when i listen to music in my car, the music pauses, i answer the call and then dont have to touch the phone like any other hands free unit. This works very well but some complain about hearing themselves on the other end. Hope this helps.

--Ben

Guys,

Its been about 10 days since i got the iphone. I have a Logitech Car FM transmitter/ adapter and works PERFECTLY.
Absolutely no issues so far.

See if you can get hold of one of those and try it out.

Good luck!

hey guys,

i spoke with apple care yesterday morning. i was disappointed by a couple of things with the ipod. the recessed headphone jack, and no audio through the dock connectors for all of us that use them in our vehicle (mine is a monster icarplay). what he stated is that they realize the dock connector is a problem and they plan to fix that with an update soon. at least thats what he said. i know there are some transmitters out there that may work with it. but from what i have read from you guys, most do not. hopefully they will get the dock connector issue fixed soon.

as for the recessed headphones? i know belkin has an adapter our there, but it is the poorest design i have ever seen. i am sure apple will issue one that will settle all of our minds. hopefully they aren't that stupid to think we all want to use the white earphones.. if anyone gets knowledge of anything else, please let us all know.

since then, on another forum i was asked if the apple rep talked like it would be a software update situation and the answer is yes. i agree with most of you on here that this is a software issue as the connector is the same 30-pin connector it has been since the beginning.