Apple Carplay/Pioneer sph-da120 Problems

I am also suffering CarPlay disconnects on my SPH-DA120 with my iPhone 6s. I am under the impression that things have gotten a lot worse since I updated the iPhone to iOS 9.3.1. It now rarely stays working more than 20-30 minutes. Sometimes it will fail in just a few minutes, once worked fine for over 3 hours just after that. Very odd. The issue also affects my partner's iPhone (an iPhone 6, also on 9.3.1)

I have updated the SPH-DA120 to FW 1.11 but am not seeing any difference to the issue.

What's happening?

While using carplay (maps or even just music playing) the SPH-DA120 out of the blue will issue a short "beep" as if i had pressed a key. At the same time the screen goes black for a few moments, then the source selection shows that there's no USB device connected.

After this, neither the iPhone nor any other USB devices will be recognised anymore, also not on USB port 2.

To reconnect I need to turn off the car and restart it, thus restarting the SPH-DA120.

I do have two VPNs configured on my iPhone, but they were not connected or in use when these connections drop happened.

Say, I hope this is not too off-topic, but how did you upgrade the firmware SPH-DA120? I formatted a USB thumb drive as MS-Dos (Fat) with Master boot record scheme. Copied the AVIC5000NEX folder to it as the only thing in the thumb drive root directory, but I still get a some sort of read error when trying to upgrade the firmware. Got any tips?

I'm experiencing the same issue with iOS 9.3.2 on my iPhone 6S Plus and my SPH-DA120 running firmware 1.11. When it happens and I try hot plugging the iPhone, even after a hard reset, I continue getting the dreaded Error-02-60. Turning off the care and rebooting the head unit does not consistently get everything to reconnect. The strange thing is that when CarPlay disconnects, my lighting cable continues to charge the phone, but all data connection seems to be ignored by the head unit allowing me to switch to bluetooth audio to at least get my iPhone audio to go thru the head unit. This leads me to believe that there is a USB communication error with the head unit, but I haven't had a chance to try swapping out the lightning cable yet. This is making me think that it's a firmware issue with the head unit and not an issue with the cable or iPhone.

Are most of you plugging your lightning cables directly into USB 1 on the head unit, or using the extension cable to relocate the port to a more convenient location?

I have now solved my issue: Turns out it was the Belkin Lightning-cable I was using. That cable seems totally fine elsewhere but on the SPH-DA120 provokes these spontaneous disconnections disabling the USB inputs.

I've now plugged in an old and ugly Apple cable and that has been working for 2 weeks now without a hitch

I have had this issue with old firmware, other cables, extension cable, and latest firmware (1.11) with the apple cable directly plugged into USB1. Usually hot plugging the phone solves the connection issue. Interestingly, sometimes my 6S will totally lock up for a minute after turning off the car and unplugging the phone. Other times, podcasts will start playing out of the blue a few seconds after I unplug. I don't usually notice because I have the volume turned low. My friend with a new VW and carplay, does not have this issue.

Hi i have issues with Maps since iOS 10

It worked fine In my pioneer sph da 120 firmware 1.11 until i upgraded to iOS 10

Although i see directions On The iPhone , in the radio screen i dont get any, it get stuck in calculating the route . Have the issue with iPhone 6 and my new iPhone 7

Please help!

I still have the same issues after a year of firmware updates, iOS updates, I even have a brand new iPhone cable installed directly into USB 1. I have reset the headunit, I have reset my phone. Spotify drops, Pandora drops, podcasts drop, music drops, maps actually stay connected. Sometimes it resets itself, sometimes I have to restart the car, sometime hot-plugging the phone works. It is simply unstable. Pioneer wants me to pull the headunit and mail it in. So...I will just have a hole in the dash for a month. Most-likely I will just put the phone through the screen of the App Radio 4 and need a new phone and radio.

The Pioneer SPH-DA120 definitely is unstable. About 1-3 times a month if have to hot-plug my iPhone or restart the whole unit by turning my car off and on again. In the last few weeks the music started to stop from time to time, I assume it's because the touchscreen is so low-quality triggering some events from time to time.

If I ever bought a CarPlay unit, I'd give the other manufacturers a try. The headunit from Alpine costs around the same and seems to be much smaller.

Hi, I just install theSPH-DA120 myself two days ago and had the same problem. Everything worked, but it would not connect to CarPlay. I just got it working. I went through the settings on the head unit and had it do a complete reset. When it was done, it plugged in my phone and CarPlay popped up immediately. I know this is few months out from your issue so I hope you got yours going as well

Hi!

I have the same problem as you...have you figured out a solution by now? 🙂

Where did you get v1.08?

I can only find v1.07 out there. Running 8.1.3 iOS

Just bought SPH DA120 and with my Iphone 6 64gb with ios 8.3 same problem.

Today I Will try downgrade Ios to 8.2 .

I found the issue, which is absolutely ******** but also obvious!

Without Siri the pioneer does not start Carplay! Please enable Siri on your phone and it should all work properly!

I have recently updated my phone to the iOS 9 beta and after playing with the carplay and it seems to be cooperating a lot better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfH4L8EZGUI

You are a genius!! that was the solution! You need to have Siri turned on.. also, for maps, you'll need to make sure location services is turned on as well!!

thanks so much for your help!