Apple CarPlay is Garbage- Did we get the Beta version?

[Stalactically Gupid]

Since my iOS 18 upgrade on my iPhone 13, I’ve had multiple issues with CarPlay. The vehicle microphone constantly turns on even though I have sirius set to off, and it mutes the radio. This happens frequently. I’m not pressing any buttons when it occurs. Just driving or sitting idling. It constantly occurs.
In addition, I find that at least once a week I have to disconnect the phone forget Toyota on Bluetooth and reconnect everything. LC is built solid, but the technology sucks.

 

[navindralr]

I just got my Land Cruiser yesterday and the car play has been horrible. Every phone call I'm on, the car play automatically switches back to the phone instead of the actual speakers and microphone of the car. I have to his speaker/mute on the phone to get it to go back through the car. This has happened regardless if I'm wireless or wired. And I have hard reset the phone and hard reset the car infotainment. Still happens. Very disappointed esp for a car 2 days old.

 

[EOD Guy]

I don't remember where but there is a setting for the default of speaker, car etc..... I do not remember where I changed the setting, my daughter walked me through it.

 

[D-Train]

Sorry to hear of all the whoas on here. My CarPlay has been almost flawless since day one. Running a 13 mini (wireless connect) on IOS 17.6.

Maybe it's more of an IOS version issue than the LC?

 

[Lola_the_LC]

I finally took mine in to have the tech look at why CarPlay refused to function correctly. It seems they are well aware of this issue. I was told at the dealer and to “be patient and await an update.” To be frank Toyotas Apple Car play software is total garbage. It has more glitches than features and doesn’t connect more than half the time. It recently totally packed up on me on a 4 hour trip and I drove on in silence. Well not total silence, just wind noise from the mirrors. The software code must be riddled with errors as it never behaves the same way twice. Google maps audio drops, then it’s back. Amazon Music freezes completely then it says search unavailable. iPhone randomly disables itself as CarPlay device, then readable all by itself. Don’t get me started on Siri…

Anyone have any ideas on a solution ?

Quote

I feel your pain brother! Pain in the arse.

 

[dato6966]

Having similar issues with it being full of glitches ever since my phone did an update to newest IOS - I didn't touch anything but Spotify stopped in the middle of a song - this has happened many times but it usually recovers if you go to another app & then return - this time no & when I returned to Spotify it worked for a fraction of a second then the screen went blank and froze - nothing but white screen. Next gas station restarted and the system wouldn't recognize my phone. Finally - as it was a long trip - deleted the phone and started over & it worked. Following week it did the same so lesson is delete the phone & start over & it will work for a week of so until it does it again. Complaining to the dealer doesn't seem to accomplish anything - they are aware from other complaints but there's no fix so far.

 

[dato6966]

Google maps I had the same issue with audio dropping - while in maps and it it is attempting to give audio guidance go to the speaker icon in maps and turn up the volume. You can ONLY adjust the volume to the guidance while it is giving the guidance. For some reason the system keeps randomly resetting the volume to zero - this has happened to me multiple times.

 

[jnsplace]

No issues here. I will say it good to know about the guidance volume control. It is definitely a different sound level than my Spotify music, both run through Carplay.

 

[Altitude]

Google maps I had the same issue with audio dropping - while in maps and it it is attempting to give audio guidance go to the speaker icon in maps and turn up the volume. You can ONLY adjust the volume to the guidance while it is giving the guidance. For some reason the system keeps randomly resetting the volume to zero - this has happened to me multiple times.

Standard CarPlay, minus the part about resetting to zero. The only opportunity to adjust the guidance volume is while it’s talking. It’s been that way in every car where I’ve used it.

 

[DudewithaLC]

I've had the exact same issues with wireless Android Auto so hopefully the update will fix both OS'.

 

[Marinna]

I have used CarPlay from early days, over the past 6~7 years I used it over 3~4 iPhone models and over several after-market stereos as well as various rentals cars and now with LC. I did not find major issues and it has a very stable product for us. I found for all the "issues" people complaint online, it is mostly on automakers' part not Apple. Working with Apple for tight integration must not to be an easy thing since Apple is Apple.

Having that said, CarPlay on LC did seem to be a bit "stupid" that I constantly have to go into the "Device" menu and manually toggle the CarPlay switch back on. I would guess it is the car connection sequence to your Toyota app gets in the way. Why every single time I turn on the engine my phone would required me to go to Toyota app to "accept" the connection is beyond me, that seems to be completely redundant and annoying and no other car maker is implementing their app this way. This seems to be a silly integration issue. But for me it doesn't affect my CarPlay experience. It is a useful feature and I even hope they can make some apps (like real time ECU status dashboard type of things) to be used inside CarPlay. (Toyota likely won't but that is a different topic)

Another thing I've learned from Toyota is that it is a very very conservative company. Anything we consider a "fix" is a new feature in Toyota's eyes. So I actually don't expect much change, if at all, to be provided via OTA update. I am curious though what is going to happen if I keep my LC for 15~20+ years and this IVI system becomes so out of date? Would we need to install the third monitor from aftermarket part to keep our IVI modern again?

 

[robsurfskate]

zero issues after my ios update.

 

[Winchester44]

I have used CarPlay from early days, over the past 6~7 years I used it over 3~4 iPhone models and over several after-market stereos as well as various rentals cars and now with LC. I did not find major issues and it has a very stable product for us. I found for all the "issues" people complaint online, it is mostly on automakers' part not Apple. Working with Apple for tight integration must not to be an easy thing since Apple is Apple.

Having that said, CarPlay on LC did seem to be a bit "stupid" that I constantly have to go into the "Device" menu and manually toggle the CarPlay switch back on. I would guess it is the car connection sequence to your Toyota app gets in the way. Why every single time I turn on the engine my phone would required me to go to Toyota app to "accept" the connection is beyond me, that seems to be completely redundant and annoying and no other car maker is implementing their app this way. This seems to be a silly integration issue. But for me it doesn't affect my CarPlay experience. It is a useful feature and I even hope they can make some apps (like real time ECU status dashboard type of things) to be used inside CarPlay. (Toyota likely won't but that is a different topic)

Another thing I've learned from Toyota is that it is a very very conservative company. Anything we consider a "fix" is a new feature in Toyota's eyes. So I actually don't expect much change, if at all, to be provided via OTA update. I am curious though what is going to happen if I keep my LC for 15~20+ years and this IVI system becomes so out of date? Would we need to install the third monitor from aftermarket part to keep our IVI modern again?

Happy to report that while things have improved this is the major issue that remains. Apple carplay will connect 90% of the. However, only when I manually force it to enable carplay in the sub menu. I have to do this every single time I get in the car.

 

[ultane]

My biggest headache is that I sometimes have to sign back into Apple Car Play.

 

[D-Train]

Data point... I never have to 'manually connect' CarPlay if I put my phone on the wireless charge pad when I get in. If I leave it in my pocket, it's 50/50. Other than that, works pretty well. I've had a hiccup here and there, but far from being 'crap'.

 

[Winchester44]

Data point... I never have to 'manually connect' CarPlay if I put my phone on the wireless charge pad when I get in. If I leave it in my pocket, it's 50/50. Other than that, works pretty well. I've had a hiccup here and there, but far from being 'crap'.

I think you are on to something that it does do something when it sense the phone charging. The iPhone often gives me the “allow Toyota to access your phone” pop up when I put it on the pad. However beyond that i don’t notice a different behavior car play wise.

 

[Ishtar]

My iPhone and FE get along well for the most part. The issue I have is with trying to play music I have downloaded on my phone. I've asked Siri to play music from my library using every phrase I can think of but she always comes back with something similar to "You don't have a subscription to Apple music" I know that! I just want to play stuff that's been downloaded to my phone. I can do it manually but I don't like to mess with my phone when I'm on the freeway, during rush hour, in the rain.

 

[EOD Guy]

My iPhone and FE get along well for the most part. The issue I have is with trying to play music I have downloaded on my phone. I've asked Siri to play music from my library using every phrase I can think of but she always comes back with something similar to "You don't have a subscription to Apple music" I know that! I just want to play stuff that's been downloaded to my phone. I can do it manually but I don't like to mess with my phone when I'm on the freeway, during rush hour, in the rain.

Did you try "Hey Toyota"?

 

[Ishtar]

Thanks! Just went out to the garage and gave it a try. Toyota said to login to Apple Music. Oh well. The weird things is once I physically press the CarPlay Music button, I see everything and can even navigate through all my downloaded music with voice commands. What? But if that's my only issue I think I'm ahead of the game. I just don't like it when I can't figure things out.

 

[skipowpow]

The periodic “Your vehicle has been removed from the Toyota app” email has got to be my biggest problem with the software. Seems to correlate with a software update on the vehicle. It means that I have to go through all the re-registration and privacy rejection notices to keep my personalization. I hate being a guest in my own vehicle. CarPlay actually connects much easier simply through Bluetooth.