Wireless Carplay disconnects at the same place on my commute with new iPhone 13

[[SOLVED]]

For wireless apple car play disconnection, Go to:

General -> Cellular -> [your_phone_number] -> Voice and Data -> Select 4G or LTE

My issue is when I have 5G Auto or 5G On it was disconnecting all the time.

Apple, fix this issue. The issue is when 5G is on. And probably some interference with Bluetooth.

Hope this helps.

So after going all the way to escalated support, the gentleman on the phone told me a couple things to try that finally fixed my issue with this.

obviously I tried all the basics but didn’t work, what actually did work was resetting my phone network settings and going through my location services and turning things off for everything/apps that I don’t use or need locations for. I believe the problematic app was most likely the Alexa app in the end.

for context: every time I left home about 1 minute into the drive my CarPlay cut over to my cars phone audio speaker when you are on a phone call and it only comes from the console speaker, then when I came home the same thing would happen when I was about 100ft from my house. Driving an Acura Tlx 2022 with updated software. This followed me from my 12 pro max when upgrading to the 14 pro max. I always had to push my CarPlay button and just said “no” for it to connect back to my regular speakers.

Hi, ky4wvu,

It sounds like you've isolated a CarPlay connection issue to occurring at a specific location along your commute. There may be something in area interfering with your connection, but it could be something else (such as it disconnecting at a specific length of time versus a specific location). To help isolate this, we suggest taking a drive along another route away from the area in question, but that will have you traveling the same amount of time.

In addition to the above isolation suggestion, we also recommend using If you need help with CarPlay - Apple Support, which includes troubleshooting for CarPlay issues.

Don't hesitate to reach back out if you still need assistance.

Thanks for visiting the Apple Support Communities.

Have a great day.

As it is a place that causes the disconnect, it must be related to something special about that location, most likely either a cellular dead spot or a source of radio interference.

To troubleshoot it, is CarPlay connected via Bluetooth or cable? If Bluetooth, try switching to cable. Bluetooth operates in an unlicensed radio frequency band, and many other devices and services share that same radio frequency range. In particular, building security systems and traffic control systems such as “smart” traffic light systems all use that range. Also, if you are using the vehicle’s Wi-Fi connection, it also operates in that band.

Idk if people are still looking for a solution but I found one(for me at least. Kia K5 2022) the solution I found was my software needed to be updated in my car and it wasn’t automatically updating. My iPhone was always update but once I got my car to do the software update(which was a hassle) I noticed that the issue of it going in and out and disconnecting had stopped. So check your software updates in your cars if not already done. This drove me nuts

Like most on this topic, I've had a repeating disconnection every time I drove past a particular location. I tried various settings (ask to join wireless networks, location services, etc.) one at a time to see what would work. Finally, I turned off data roaming and it no longer disconnects at this location. I lose cellular data, though, since I'm no longer roaming, but CarPlay hasn't disconnected since I changed this setting.

I hope this helps others. I suspect that roaming is one of the factors involved, and the reason not everyone is affected at the same location could be due to having different carriers (hence different roaming locations).

I have the exact same issue. In Cambridge, MA at Fresh Pond / Mt Auburn outside of Harvard Square- my 2022 Porsche Cayenne loses connection from my iPhone 14 Pro. Same spot, every time. Coming and going, either direction. I made Porsche replace the PCM computer module in the car this week ($8k) and Apple replaced my iPhone 14 Pro just this week as well. This morning the exact same thing, same location…music started to cut out then screen faded to black. Phone disconnects and nothing works.

In an attempt to isolate it, I turned Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off on my phone and engaged a phone call in each direction this morning and there were zero connectivity issues…phone calls were clear as day without interruption.

Then, I tried another test- put the phone into airplane mode (allowed the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to remain active) and the cellular service was switched off…the issue DID happen again- music cut out and screen blacked out.

This is 100% an apple issue…it began with my iPhone 12 Pro after one of the updates last Spring (‘22). Prior to that my phones never had an issue in this vehicle or any other that I have owned over the past decade. Having replaced all of the hardware it is clear this is a software or Wi-Fi issue Apple has created.

really stinks having spent so much time and money replacing parts to realize this is Apple’s problem….

I finally figured it out! Go to WiFi settings and change the ask to join networks to “off”

also, change auto join hotspot to “never”

it hasn’t drop out since!!!

Yep, that’s exactly what happened to me with my 2017 Honda Accord. After changing the location settings on my Alexa app from “Always Allow” to “Allow While Using” I haven’t noticed that issue since. However I’m sure this may be an issue with other apps as well. Glad we were able to find a workaround!

So I turned off any app that had geo fencing like my like my Ring alarm app and it hasn’t done it since!!!

I went through my privacy and location settings and changed all of my apps using my location to only request location “While Using the App”. The Amazon Alexa app was the only app I changed. Since then, it has been about a week and I’ve had zero issues! While this seems to work, this is still a major inconvenience knowing Alexa routines aren’t able to function so it would be great for Apple to make some progress on fixing this, as it seems to affect other apps as well.

You are losing the cell data signal and it has to do with 5G and fallback to LTE. I have two places when driving to downtown Fort Worth, Texas via State Highway 121 where I drop the signal. If I use a pre-5G phone it only happens very briefly at one location as I stay on LTE. The 5G problem also occurs with a friends Samsung. You can report it to your cell carrier, unfortunately the area in question for me is on a restricted river flood plain so they can't add a tower there. It was really bad on 3G phone calls back in the day.

I have the same issue. If my iPhone is connected through Wi-Fi CarPlay to my bmw when I pass by any toll or speed camera the call sound disappears. But the other person is still hearing you. I have to pass the call to the device and put it again to CarPlay. And it starts working well.

if I have my phone in regular Bluetooth nothing bad happens.

with other cars my iPhone was working well because the car-iPhone connection is by cable.

unfortunately with my Bmw I can’t choose the wire connection. CarPlay always goes by Wi-Fi.

the problem is the interference of the toll system with Wi-Fi.

it is very annoying.

I’ve had the same problem with my iPhone 15 and my Honda Accord ever since I got the car a year ago. Whenever I get close to a particular intersection I loose the connection with CarPlay. It doesn’t matter whether I’m connected with a USB cord or by Bluetooth. It’s not the cellular connection as I’m usually listening to an audiobook that’s already downloaded.

After reading through all of the comments here I tried 3 things that folks posted and it has FIXED the problem!!!!

1. In Settings on iPhone Turned off the WIFI Ask to Join
2. Turned off Personal Hotspot
3. Turned off Settings/Privacy &Security/Location Services/System Services/Network &Wireless

I have had several trips after disabling Background App Refresh for Nuki. In none of the trips CarPlay disconnected, I’m pretty sure this issue can be attributed to Nuki or similar apps that use some sort of geofencing.

Is there anyone with the same issue that can confirm same behavior.