CarPlay stopped working after iOS 26 update.

iPhone on iOS 26.1 RC — Wireless CarPlay with my Pioneer SPH-DA360DAB drops every 3–5 minutes and reconnects in a loop.

Wired CarPlay works fine.

Tried forgetting/re-pairing, resetting network settings, turning off widgets — nothing helps.

No new firmware available for this Pioneer model.

Waiting for a fix from Pioneer or Apple.

Brandon2021 wrote:

The CarPlay widgets are what’s causing the issue. Your CarPlay head unit isn’t powerful enough to have them running even in the background.

This "fix" doesn't make sense. CarPlay widgets don't run on the head unit, they run on your phone. The only processing your head unit does is to show the video feed from CarPlay, and it only does that when CarPlay is active.

iPhone on iOS 26.1— Wireless CarPlay with my Pioneer SPH-DA360DAB drops every 30 seconds and reconnects in a loop.

Wired CarPlay works fine.

Tried forgetting/re-pairing, resetting network settings, turning off widgets — nothing helps.

No new firmware available for this Pioneer model.

Waiting for a fix from Pioneer or Apple.

Tested by disabling the widgets. Same issue with Waze and Apple Maps. I tried Google Maps and it worked a little better but also started acting up as well. I found another thread elsewhere that said that the issue is the vehicle's GPS sends a signal to the phone when connected using CarPlay and that it interferes with the internal GPS on the phone and that the solution is to go into Settings > Privacy and Security > Location Services > System Services and to disable "Vehicle GPS"...but this doesn't exist on iOS 26. So I'm still at a loss.

UPdate: my 3 hour driving test did NOT go well. Apple Maps would work for 30 minutes or so, albeit haltingly…music was fragmented. Sometimes the phone wouldn’t fire up CarPlay. NOTE: phone is on 26.2. And my Mercedes Comander module is up to the latest release….

I have a 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime I have a iPhone 15 Pro Max.CarPlay not working since the latest update 26.2 Fortunately I have an android phone too and it works just fine. Now that I think of it all the issues I’ve been having with CarPlay could have been update issues instead of USB port and cable issues?……hmm 26.2.1 is the latest update. On the iPhone Pro Max 15 the date is February 10, 2026. This has been going on for a while. won’t connect at all.

since i have my iphone 17 pro i have the exact same problems as everyone here. Tried evertyhing. With ios 26.0.1 no solution. Wired carplay works flawless.

That would be your sign to disable the widgets

my cabled carplay is fine, and my old iphone8 works ok with my ottocast MiniCube. its actually the iphone 13 prorunning 26.01 that wont connect to the ottocast ...

Used a wired CarPlay setup in my 2018 Grand Cherokee since I bought it. I updated to 26.2 a few days ago and now nothing. I am aggravated to say the least!

Got a brand new Air today with iOS 26, constantly disconnecting CarPlay every couple of minutes. Appears to be either BT or Wireless as only have wireless CarPlay onboard.

My iPhone 15 Pro Max was flawless even on iOS 26.

I am going to try this tomorrow in my rental car. My phone is updating tonight. (Will come back to report if it works.) Much appreciate you posting your troubleshooting steps.

I got in my rental car the other day and was left with no on screen navigation. I tried resetting the network settings and connections settings in the car.

Polestar 2025

17 Pro Max ios26

ios 26.0.0

similar issue I guess, iPhone 17 on mercedes GLC 2018. new phone, even new type-A to type-C cable, almost works except the screen looks like crap. my wife's iPhone 15 with iOS 18 works fine.

[Edited by Moderator]

The same problem here.

USB connection to my aftermarket headunit works as intended, however, wirelessly using the Carlinkit Mini SE PRO does not work at all. Stuck at an infinite "connecting in" screen until it gaves up the connection.

IPhone 16e 256GB on iOS 26.0.1 (never saw wireless carplay working as i got my phone yesterday, october 2th and updated to 26.0.1 right after the unboxing).

Same here. 16 Pro Max, 2024 Nissan. CarPlay works, but Siri cannot hear me and I cannot hear her. He microphone just turns off when getting or giving commands. Was on the phone with Apple for two hours and no luck. Everything else is working but CarPlay is a nonnegotiable for me - I need it to work.