CarPlay Disconnecting - iPhone XS Max

I think Apple support is big enough to handle anyone calling from this thread without effecting helping others. Audi won't be helpful here, this is an Apple software issue. Taking the new phone out of the mix (XS Max), my wife's phone (8 Plus) is experiencing disconnects, her phone was fine before iOS 12. So this is a power management issue with larger phones. I for one, think everyone should have a trouble ticket associated with their account/phone, so one, the more incidents they associate with this issue, the more this gets on their radar, plus if they don't resolve this in a timely matter, you have some recourse to swap the phone, etc.

I agree with us all contacting apple about this issue to increase its visibility. It’s not right that this issue is still lingering. Does the user bossing everyone around actually have this issue? Why is he/she even posting in this thread? Get a new hobby and stop lecturing everyone.

Level 9 support forum troll

No matter how big they are if someone repeatedly calls with the same issue someone else will be affected.

How do you know this is solely an Apple issue? Are you saying that every XS Max user is unable to use CarPlay with every vehicle? How do you know it isn't a joint issue with Audi/Apple? My CarPlay is working with my car, a friends XS Max is working with her car and another's is working with her Ford with CarPlay. Actually in her case first it was an XS Max then and XS. Both work.

But have you called back and gone beyond the Tier 1 support? If not I would recommend that you do so.

The car is unchanged (this issue didn't rear its head after an update to their software), the phone is the variable here, so its irrelevant if the phone works in other Vehicles, if a phone that previously worked in this vehicle no longer works after a software update, there an issue with power management, that could only be solved by Apple, again, not sure what Audi would do this situation.

Second, nobody suggested flooding support with the same issue, I recommended everyone report their issue with support if you haven't already. You must be fun at parties.

Nope, as I just said, I don't have the issue. My XS Max is working with my BMW. So why is that? What is different about your Audi and my BMW and the phones in question? That is what Apple (and Audi) have to work on. And as I said to the other person if you have not called back and asked to be transferred to a Tier 2 engineer you need to do so. If they ask you to put a profile on your iPhone to test volunteer to do so. Do the same with Audi.

And this is not new, even with Bluetooth connections. The only thing I have seen new here is the "fix" of connecting a meter in the line. But you are dealing with multiple variables in these types of situations, whoever makes Audi's head units may have not completely followed a Bluetooth standard/profile, or something similar, which is causing this issue. Does this mean Apple will quit trying to fix it? No, they want your iPhone to work. They will work with Audi, and whoever made the head unit and try to come up with a fix if it is possible. If the fix has to be on Audi's end they will work with them to try to get that done. But first they have to identify what is causing it. So be part of the solution, get up to the Tier 2 engineers and volunteer.

No, the car is still a variable, your logic is flawed. As I already said if Audi's head unit maker used a chipset that is flawed and did not strictly adhere to BT standards and USB standards (assuming you connect with USB) it could indeed cause this problem. This thread and all of the others are predominantly Audi with some Kia thrown in for good measure. If the XS and XS Max are working on all other vehicles except these two models, how does that indicate it is solely and Apple problem?

I agree that people with the problem should report it but I also recommend that they not stop at the Tier 1 level, ask to be transferred to a supervisor or Tier 2, or Customer Service. Volunteer to assist in fixing it. Spend your time doing that instead of posting here.

You're Apple paying me $20 bucks if this gets solved with an iOS update. I hate to keep harping on this, but the USB port, chip set from the head unit, didn't change, and a phone that worked with this car on iOS 11, no longer works on iOS 12. But I digress.

This is absolutely NOT restricted to Audi. Ive spent night after night in my Mercedes A class having exactly the same issue, trying to fix.... random disconnects... cut out through calls, all of which are extremely dangerous when you’re then fumbling around the centre console trying to fix!

just to throw into the mix I do not have an IPhone XS Max... just the iPhone XS

frustrated.... fed up.... and hilariously only way to connect to CarPlay in the 67 plate Mercedes is via the cable 😔

i’ve been having the same problem recently. i read elsewhere that people have found a link between this problem and having a VPN profile on your phone. i’ve just deleted mine so hopefully that helps.

99.9% sure it’s a power management related issue. I’m now using a USB power meter in my car and haven’t had one disconnect since. If I unplug it, it disconnects frequently. It seems the power meter keeps the current steady and prevents the disconnects. Apple needs to fix this in the software so the phone is telling itself to pull the same amount of power no matter the charge level when CarPlay is initiated. Get a USB power meter from Amazon, they’re cheap and at least a temp fix until they address this.

After reading this - on Monday I purchased the USB power meter as suggested in this discussion. I have also opened a trouble ticket with Apple so that they are at least aware that many of us are having this issue. I started using the USB meter on Tuesday. I have not had a single disconnect/reconnect since using the meter (4 days now) - no matter what charge is remaining on my iPhone XS Max (2018 Audi A5). I updated Apple on this discovery and they said that they have noted it in my open trouble ticket - hoping that helps Apple figure this issue out (it does seem like a software power management issue) and hoping that this helps all of you reading this thread.

Has anyone tried using the cable that came with the iPhone XS/ MAX?

I’ve had weeks of issues in my 67 plate Mercedes A class... been using an official iPhone cable albeit the IPhone 7 one... swapped to the official IPhone XS out of the box and I’ve had 3 days of no disconnects and fast connectivity... maybe a fluke but worth a try!!!

I thought that could be the solution...but no.

After 3 days with XS cable with no disconnections, my iphone XS Max has been disconnecting again with my A5 Sportback. This problem is really ANNOYING.

Please Apple, try to fix it asap.

Same here, on Audi Q7 (2018) iphone Xs disconnects when previously used iphone 7 works like a charm.

Tried all suggested fixes, USB meter does not work for me. It indeed feels like a problem with power consumption cause for me disconnects happens more frequently immidiately after plugging the phone into usb. I think current consumption from USB socket is higher at the beginning of charging cycle. Surtain way to trigger disconnect is to ask Siri to play something from Apple Music. Could be that spike in cpu consumption + network drains more juice from USB.

Something i want to try is https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NIGO4NM/ref=psdcmw_464394_t2_B00NIH0RLE

An y-splitter that will draw power from separate USB socket (and not the one where data is coming from), or wireless charging mat. In theory that should help with power problems.

I have the same issue with CarPlay disconnecting in my 2018 Audi A4 Allroad. I have been visiting my Audi workshop aswell for some troubleshooting with no luck. They could only refere to miss match between iOS version and Audi MMI versions and advices me to wait for upcoming updates...if any...

I did a quick try of the above mentioned tip with flight mode but it didn’t work for me. I will try again...

One more thing, for information, is that I also have the Audi phone box with wireless charging of my iPhone 8 but when connected to CarPlay USB port but it still keeps disconnecting (regardless of wireless charging or not). It is getting very frustrated, since it is a neat function that only should work...

I’ve tried my phone in a Volkswagen Passat CarPlay system and it works flawless, makes me wonder if it is an Audi problem still?