Android Auto randomly disconnects wirelessly--Don't want to us USB

[SRQ_Ken]

Android Auto usually connects wirelessly without problem to my 2023 Lariat. However, at random I'll get a pop-up message on the screen that says "Wireless Connection Failed", with a suggestion to connect your phone via USB to use Android Auto. At that point, AA doesn't work.

When this happens, I check the wireless connection on my phone, and it shows that it is indeed still connected wirelessly to the truck.

Usually, after that disconnect message, I can go to my phone list, click on the AA icon next to the phone, and it will reconnect, at least for a while. But what is causing the disconnect (although the phone is still connected wirelessly)?

Thanks.

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[HammaMan]

It's your phone for the most part but also sync. There's a future update that will eventually roll out to increase compatibility. I have 2 phones, 1 performs flawlessly always, the other acts up in one of my vehicles. Use wireless for very short trips, use wired for 10m + journeys.

 

[Jean Deaux]

It's your phone for the most part but also sync. There's a future update that will eventually roll out to increase compatibility. I have 2 phones, 1 performs flawlessly always, the other acts up in one of my vehicles. Use wireless for very short trips, use wired for 10m + journeys.

Both of my Android phones (older Samsung and newer Pixel) disconnect no matter what. With different Android versions installed and the latest AA update. The Sync is updated as well.

 

[HammaMan]

My S10 is flawless, the S21 randomly disconnects in the MME. No issues in the 150. There is no pattern

 

[SRQ_Ken]

FWIW, phone is Galaxy S24

 

[SRQ_Ken]

My main concern is if I'm using Waze or Google Maps on a route I'm not familiar with. If AA disconnects, I lose my nav.

 

[powerboatr]

FWIW, phone is Galaxy S24

my s22 and wifes s21 both after samsungs last update connect ODD at times
one time it thinks her phone is primary in the truck and sometimes it thinks my phone is primary in her car
her explorer is sync3 and truck is sync4 so i narrowed to be a samsung issue ?
and in my truck the sync4 fails to connect to the trucks internet about every 4th or 5 th times i get in
i have to tell the phone to connect to HAL, where as before the last update, it would do it correctly
not sure if it helps

 

[MonkeySpank]

It also could be the location, I get disconnected at the same locations without fail. AA uses both WiFi (only 2.4ghz) and Bluetooth, I found there are external transmissions interrupting connection, briefly disconnecting AA. This doesn't happen in my other car which uses 5ghz. I even tried putting up electrical shielding with no luck.

 

[SRQ_Ken]

Interesting. But why would my phone show that I am still connected to the truck's wireless network? It seems a glitch in AA, not the wireless connection, no?

It also could be the location, I get disconnected at the same locations without fail. AA uses both WiFi (only 2.4ghz) and Bluetooth, I found there are external transmissions interrupting connection, briefly disconnecting AA. This doesn't happen in my other car which uses 5ghz. I even tried putting up electrical shielding with no luck.

 

[MonkeySpank]

Interesting. But why would my phone show that I am still connected to the truck's wireless network? It seems a glitch in AA, not the wireless connection, no?

For me, the interrupts were very quick, most of the time I looked at my phone AA had reconnected to the WiFi, later I used a spectrum analyzer to monitor connection over time using a graph. The Bluetooth connection can be interrupted on occasion as well.

 

[Jean Deaux]

My S10 is flawless, the S21 randomly disconnects in the MME. No issues in the 150. There is no pattern

My Samsung is S10 as well. And I agree, ain't no pattern here.

 

[KirkBay]

My S23 will still disconnect, and almost immediately reconnect, when wired. This problem has been around for a year or two.

 

[Tall Tail]

My S23 Bluetooth connection drop out

 

[KYT]

I've got a 2023 Lariat also, and I'm using Zenfone9. Mine does a similar thing. Some times it doesn't like the USB either. I use one of those magnetic USB cords, its from Amazon(China), so I don't pay it much attention when it complains about the USB. And yeah I'll leave the house and drive somewhere with wifi only, no issues. Then leave that place to go home, and it craps its pants. IDK why it's like that.

However, one thing I have noticed for sure, and it doesn't do this every time, is when I park my truck within wifi range at home. Which means my phone is on wifi too. When I start driving away, the truck loses the house wifi and tries to find something else to connect to. My phone loses wifi and connects to cellular. This is all standard tech stuff, BUT it seems some times the adhoc network that AA is using between the truck and phone gets goobered. Then they both throw their "hands" in the air and pout like children. Most of the time, I can go to the Phone menu and manually tell the truck to use the Zenfone for AA, and it does, everything is cool. Sometimes one side throws a tantrum, and they won't play nice.

Just do the restart keys on the Sync, probably fixes it; if not, restart the phone too.
Yes, I'm an IT/code guy, rebooting fixes things more times than you'd imagine. Sync and your phone are just computers after all. Yeah, this sounds like an obvious bandaid, and you're right. Finding the real problem involves access to the debug logs, and likely code changes. If you know how to get the debug logs, I would very much appreciate that information

If that doesn't get you going again, I guess you're listening to the radio and holding the phone to your ear just as we did for all years before now C'est la vie..

 

[PowerBoostSoCal]

Happens with Apple carplay too ... sometimes I can go weeks without any issues. Then one day it will act up 2 or 3 times a day. In my research, it is the phone that is about 99% responsible for the disconnects.

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