IOS 14 CarPlay Audio Issue (crackling sounds)

Same issue with calls, bad quality just with some calls, sound like distortion, updated today to iOS 14.4.1 and the same. Went to dealership I have a Kia Sportage, they said made some changes to the firmware but the problems persist. Please help! Very annoying!

I also have a Skoda Fabia, just over a year old, and have the same issue. Bluetooth works absolutely fine, and Android Auto also has no issues but whenever I’m using CarPlay after I turn the engine on it starts crackling! Unusable. I just have to put the radio on.

Have done the latest update to iOS for iPhone 11. This is still happening on GMC Sierra Denali. This is absurd how long this is going on for. What is the purpose of having CarPlay when it's useless.? Apple please fix...there seem to be numerous vehicles this occurs. If you have such great products and are customer focused, why hasn't this been addressed.

When I first weighed in on this forum my crackling issue with my 2019 VW Golf was confined to phone only, showing up about 4 min into a call. I needed to tap the audio button on the phone to briefly use its speaker for just a second, which would “fix” the audio for about 1-2 minutes. And it started with iOS 14. VW told me there was no firmware update in US, and suggested I reset the car’s media system. This may have helped, as now the crackling only happens 8-10 min into the call and sometimes doesn’t happen at all. Strange.

racenutj wrote:

Have done the latest update to iOS for iPhone 11. This is still happening on GMC Sierra Denali. This is absurd how long this is going on for. What is the purpose of having CarPlay when it's useless.? Apple please fix...there seem to be numerous vehicles this occurs. If you have such great products and are customer focused, why hasn't this been addressed.

Because it's GM's problem to fix (along with other automakers.)

Apple obviously knows how CarPlay is implemented and their products comply with the protocols; GM's obviously does not.

Were this not the case all CarPlay systems would have this issue, and they do not.

The only solution I have was to purchase wireless earphones to use with my iPhone 12, so I could continue listening to podcasts and make clear phone calls.

I now just use my work’s Android phone to use Google maps via android auto.

Absolutely no sound distortion.

For reference: 2020 VW transporter t6.1

It is so annoying! Here is Video of the behavior, when my Iphone 12pro is connected to my 2011 BMW.

This is happen since IOS 13. The Internet is full of this error and Apple does not care...

https://youtu.be/3nNtogeTLCE

I don’t have CarPlay - my Ford Mondeo is a 2012.

But I do have the crackling - like a record player so that would have been ok but the sound itself is shallow or lacking fullness.

My pixel 2 that I replaced with the 12pro had a great sound in the car.

So I cough up £1200 and end up with sh*t sound.

☹️

You can believe that, in which case it won't be fixed.

Somehow this error doesn't manifest on other vendors' products, and gets fixed by changes they make.

All you've told me is GM got it wrong, too.

How funny that Apple carefully didn't break 2011 Toyotas, among others.

Didn't worked for me either. Updated to iOS 14.5 and it keeps doing it. Very annoying. Went to Kia for a firmware update and they say it's updated to the latest. They say is an Apple problem.....Please somebody help!

My last comment on this topic was several weeks ago, when I said that I had to show my VW dealer the firmware upgrade they did not know about and they had to request help from VWNA IT specialist. Never heard back of course. But weirdly, the problem, which for me was only with phone calls, now seems to have gone away as mysteriously as it appeared.

I have the same problem only with calls. I can't find any firmware update for KIA on the internet, but they say there's no update, they insist that it's an Apple problem, but the noice is also on bluetooth, not only when connected to CarPlay, that's why I tell them the problem is from KIA, they don't understand. Can anyone recommend something that can make this crackling noice during calls go away. Thanks.

Took my Skoda Fabia into the dealership today for another issue and asked them to update the firmware of the head unit and it resolved the issue. Skoda know and there is a TPI out so it’s covered by warranty.

Anyone who tells you to change cables or changing anything on your phone is a moron. It has nothing to do with your phone but with your head unit.

head unit software version is now 8755. It works. Finally.

Update to14.5 didn’t solve it. Please be honest Apple - are you looking into it or do you not acknowledge this is your fault but the fault of different car stereos ? I have two cars with different radios with Apple CarPlay . The same different phones SE and 12 pro works perfectly in one car but crackles sound in the other.

Hi there,

In my case after much insistence I asked Pionner to refund my money or solve my problem, the company then asked to take the device in a technical assistance and they replaced a hardware card (I don't know which one, but it was not the mainboard ).

After that the occurrence of the crackling sounds decreased, it still happens sometimes but with less frequency than before.

Previously the technicians had told me that this is due to the fact that I am listening to music via streaming (WTF) and if I have listen to the songs offline, which made me even more infuriated since we are in 2021 and no one else downloads songs to listen offline...

So, do a test listening to the songs offline on the iPhone and check if the issue still happens.

Cheers