iOS 15.1 broke connectivity to my car stereo

Same problem with a Mercedes’ using (lightning to MB aux) cable. & iPhone 13 pro max

No audio after installing 15.1

Just called Apple support.

tech recommended I ‘reset all settings’

settings->general->transfer or reset iPhone-> reset->reset all settings.

worked like a charm.

You say it's "definitely" an iOS 15.1 "bug," but I am in touch with several people who have been able to make the issue go away by doing a factory reset (remove the fuse for 30 minutes, replace) on their head ends.

Certainly there are a variety of issues here, notably that for many of these systems, if the radio knows about a BT connection it will assume the USB connection is for power only and will not play music from the phone over USB, only via BT.

The question is what changed in 15.1, and I don't have access to that information, aside from the fact that the issue is not universal; many if not most radios do not have this issue. I realize that means little if you do.

What I do have access to is test showing that at least for one Mercedes:

1) iPhone with iOS 14.8 plugs into USB, audio works

2) Update iPhone to iOS 15.1, audio via USB no longer works

3) Mercedes radio is reset to factory settings using "pull fuse" technique

4) Audio via USB from iPhone running iOS 15.1 works perfectly as before

That's why I wanted someone to try the "fuse pull" reset with their Cruze, just as a data point.

It's not only GM vehicles, but to date from what I have been able to determine it seems to be in vehicles with head ends manufactured by Panasonic for various car makers.

(Companies like GM or Mercedes generally don't make their own radios, they have a company in the industry make the radios for them on a contract basis.)

I don't see anything about this in the iOS 15.2 release notes, but I can confirm that the problem seems to be fixed for me with 15.2 also. Both my vehicle, and a personal stereo device with a built-in lightning jack that didn't work with 15.1.x work again with 15.2!

The 15.2 fix was for the radio not recognizing the iPhone as a playback device when plugged in via USB.

If you are having BT issues, that's different and should start by deleting the association from both the car and phone, then try re-pairing.

Great news Julienvf. I wasn't that fortunate. Should have been more specific in my first post, but too darn angry. Here's my details. 2010 Honda Civic with stock radio. Ios15.2 .3 and .31 updates, no joy for radio recognizing Iphone 8 usb output for music to Aux radio input. ONLY after downloading and playing 1 song from iTunes was the phone usb recognized by radio. After said download, radio played the itune song AND all subsequent usb output (non apple) music apps. Tidal, Deezer, music DOWNLOADS.

Figure that out. Spent a month fooling around, hope it helps someone else.

hi! 15.2 fixed it for everyone i have a 2014 chevy cruze and as soon as i updated to 15.2 from 15.1 my car was back to normal, 15.3 is different. i hope this helped

It’s been a bit of a pain, but I was able to download a copy of iOS 15.0.2 and get that on my phone, and it is working again. It was a pretty painful process for me since I didn’t have any backups to restore, so I had to manually download and log in to every app. But at least I can plug back in. Odd how many people I’ve seen have this issue with a Chevy Cruze. I’m a 2016 Chevy Cruze with the same green radio as OP. I’m just going to ride with 15.0.2 until I see that this bug is fixed (assuming they actually fix it.)

I was told by Apple , that it is a software update that needs to me done on my 2014 Chevy Cruze , I called Chevy and they said it is an update that is need at the dealership and it would be $100 , I know it’s the software in the radio because my ios15.1 phone worked on the usb on my wives 2020 equinox , I went to Walmart and bought this Bluetooth dongle and it works perfect , I recommend this as a $12 solution , until apple fixes this bug , apple need to make it compatible with the older radio again like the ios14.8 was , I can’t see anyone playing over $100 to update the software in the car , hopes this helps everyone, I know frustrating this has been .

I have a 2014 Chevy Cruze and 2012 Nissan Quest with same issue. iPhone 11 and 12 pro max on 15.1.

go to

settings/transfer or reset iPhone/reset/reset all settings.

it will reboot. Once phone comes back on plug lighting plug Mack into phone and USB port. Start your app. Select other.

this will work works on both phones in both vehicles.

[Edited by Moderator]

I was also having this problem and brought the phone to Apple. They did a hard reset of my phone (volume up, volume down, hold power button until phone restarts) then had me go into settings > general > transfer or reset phone > reset > reset network settings. Totally worked. I’m on an iPhone 11with iOS 15.1.

Well it turns out that 15.2 fixes the issue in my car (2011 Chevy Cruze LT). Only problem is, while playing Pandora, is if you switch to another audio source and switch back Pandora keeps playing and the audio is muted without actually being on mute. So you have to stop and restart audio by hitting play on the phone. Not good when driving. But I'm just glad Apple fixed this issue some what!

Just for the record, ios 15.2 solved the problem with USB connectivity in both of my cars: Audi A4 Avant 2005 (with enfig car stereo iphone USB AUX) and Subaru Outback 2010. I did not encounter any problem with ios 15.3.x neither.

iOS 15.2 should be released today or tomorrow. I installed it already and the problem is fixed for my Chevrolet Cruze. Good luck everyone. Its been a long 2-3 weeks without music lol.

15.2 fixed the problem.

iPhone XS, Opel Astra GTC 2013