CarPlay Keeps Disconnecting - iPhone XS Max

I’ve been wrestling with this problem now for exactly one month. Here’s a status update and a list of all the things that have failed to solve the problem for me.

• iPhone: XS Max / 256 GB / AT&T / gold
• iOS: 12.0 to 12.1*
• car: 2018 Audi S5 Sportback
• CarPlay: built-in
• connection: Apple Lightning-to-USB connector (1 m)
• symptoms: intermittent disconnections, each lasting between eight and twenty seconds, with no discernible pattern. Usually begins after a few minutes of use. Rarely can go as long as twenty minutes without it happening. Connection returns without user action, then disconnection repeats.

Here are the remedies I’ve tried that have not succeeded:

• hard reset
• complete wipe and reinstall from backup
• complate wipe and reinstall as new
• replacement unit from Apple Store
• different versions of iOS. (*Note: Apparently, I’m not allowed to mention the use of any unreleased versions of iOS. An earlier post of mine was deleted for that reason. So I can’t tell you that I’ve tried the final, signed version of 12.0 as well as the public releases 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the — let’s use a different word — “bagel” of 12.1.)
• deleting Google Maps from CarPlay and the iPhone
• turning off Wi-Fi on the iPhone (from the Wi-Fi settings, as well as from the Control Center)
• turning off Bluetooth on the iPhone
• turning off both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the iPhone
• turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the car
• different cables, including the Audi OEM cable
• cleaning the USB ports
• reinitializing the Audi MMI system
• avoiding the use of Waze
• avoiding the use of the iPhone as a telephone
• Genius Bar
• Apple feedback site

I think that’s everything. What have I missed? Please feel free to reply with other potential remedies. Please make sure to include the car and model, the iPhone model, and the iOS version. Thanks!

OK. I tested it for two twenty-minute drives starting with the battery at 100%. No disconnections. The hypothesis that it's a power-management issue seems valid. Now we all need to bring it to Apple's attention.

(IPhone XS Max, 2018 Audi A5 Sportback)

I finally got frustrated of getting into my 2018 Q7 and dealing with the CarPlay issue with the iPhone XS Max and searched out this topic I’m glad I’m not alone. Apple needs to fix this ASAP! My wife’s iPhone X works perfectly. I even got a replacement device and it still did the same thing.

(2018 Audi Q7 and iPhone XS Max 256gb)

So I have an xs max and a new 2019 bmw x4 which doesn’t use a usb cable to connect to CarPlay, it uses the car’s WiFi, same problem everyone else here is reporting with the disconnects so the thought to add the usb metering wouldn’t solve anything since I’m not plugged into anything :( anxiously following because as it stands right now going to delete my phone as a CarPlay device and go back to regular Bluetooth unfortunately because I can’t stand my screen flashing like crazy and music stops and starts.

Others said they turned off WiFi and it resolved some of their issues but my bmw won’t work with CarPlay if WiFi is turned off. I did delete google maps and had no issues today but I wasn’t in the car long. Fingers crossed.

I tried uninstalling google maps and then restarted my iPhone XS Max but it did not solve the problem. Still intermittent disconnects. Ugh.

Having the same issue and want to follow this discussion.

Apple: Issuie is NOT fixed...

Haven’t tried that yet. Tricky to time a drive with a fully charged phone. But I will.

It should use Bluetooth for CarPlay, my 2018 X3 does and works fine with my XS Max.

I have a 2018 BMW X5 and when I turn off WiFi, the screen says it must be turned on to use CarPlay. Is there a way around that? I have a XS.

No, and what is the problem with leaving it on?