When you encounter the Android Auto not working issue in your car, it can be a real roadblock in your connected driving experience. Here’s a complete guide on everything you need to know about the issues surrounding Android Auto and how you can resolve them easily.

We’ve certainly come a long way from the days of cassette stereo in the automobiles that were riddled with buttons and different controls. In a world where all your requirements for in-car music is controlled by Spotify and Google Play Music, car manufacturers are stepping it up with a new range of connected interface systems. Most modern auto brands are now featuring a display infotainment unit with smart connectivity right out of the box. However, there isn’t a better way to enjoy a completely connected-car environment without Android Auto in place.

The ordeal of navigating through the good old car stereo info display and trying to answer a phone call while driving can be a hazardous activity. More than being an annoyance, a distracting interface can lead to road traffic accidents, which is why Android Auto by Google has stepped in. As new emerging partnerships of Android Auto with VW, Chevrolet, Kia and many more emerge, Android Auto is a reality of the modern connected car environment. However, there can be times when the car-oriented operating system by Google does not operate the way you would expect it to.

Features of Android Auto

The proprietary hardware and software that car manufacturers build for the infotainment system are never uniform. In lieu of limiting the distracting aspects of a display screen on your dashboard, the features are strictly reduced. It doesn’t help when you’re trying to juggle between your smartphone to check for messages and phone calls when driving.  

This is the very reason Android Auto has been developed, bringing you the best of Android without the distracting elements. From offering the best in on-road navigation to giving you access to the best audio entertainment apps, Android Auto can do it all

Navigation via Google Maps

First and foremost, Android Auto comes with Google Maps integration, which is miles ahead of most navigation software for cars. Offering you a user-interface that is built for your car’s dashboard, Google Maps offers step-by-step directions with voice support.

You’ll never have to type in the destination address for your home, workplace, or even places that you regularly visit. From automatically detecting low-traffic routes to giving you seamless connectivity with the Google Maps on your Android device, Android Auto brings you the best navigation software in the business. 

Communication is safer and easier

Since Android Auto is essentially a souped-up version of your mobile OS, you get all the communication features with it. As soon as you receive a text message on your phone, you can read it on your dashboard display, or even have it read out loud to you. 

Making and receiving calls is made easier, where you can simply place a call by saying “OK Google, call Amanda”. Apart from being intuitive, these features are designed to make the driving experience a lot less distracting. 

Apps for entertainment

Millions of apps are what make Android OS enjoyable, and Google has brought the same idea to its connected-car platform. While your Android Auto VW car won’t be the center for YouTube entertainment, Google has approved a set of apps that make for an entertaining and safe driving experience. 

There are over 50 different apps available for the Android Auto platform right now, and the number keeps growing. Google has a strict policy for the apps you can use with your Android car stereo, with road-safety in mind. However, you still get a ton of entertaining apps like Spotify and Audible, along with smart navigation apps like Waze. 

How to Fix Android Auto Not Working Issue

Due to the fact that there are millions of Android Auto users all across the world, and billions of Android devices to connect it with, the issue with the interoperability, connectivity, and regular usage are natural to surface. Testing out Android Auto, and surfing through online forums where users have reported the Android Auto issues, we’re here to help all of you dealing with Android Auto issue to fix it all for good. Here’s a complete breakdown on how to troubleshoot Android Auto not working issue, and the different ways to do it.

Issue No.1 – Compatibility

Despite Android OS is one of the most widely used mobile operating systems in the world, Android Auto has yet to make its way to the global population in its entirety. If you are not able to find the Android Auto app on the Google Play Store of your region, chances are that either your mobile device or the region where you reside is not yet supported by Android Auto. To confirm this, you can take a look at the list of the countries where Android Auto is officially supported at the moment.

  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Germany
  • Guatemala
  • France
  • India
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Mexico
  • New Zealand
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Puerto Rico
  • Russia
  • Singapore
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Uruguay
  • Venezuela

Issue No. 2 – Connectivity Problems

Android Auto, in its essence, needs to connect with the mobile device in order to showcase, music, navigation, calls, notifications, and more on the car display. This connection can either happen by directly hooking up the Android device to the display screen of the car using a USB cable connection, or wirelessly over Bluetooth, depending on whether the system of your car stereo supports it. When this connection is not established successfully,

Check the charging cable for damage

For all the obvious reasons, charging cable is the first accessory you need to expect if your Android isn’t picking up enough charge. Whether it is the connecting port or the wall adapter, a damaged charging source directly accounts for poor charging capacity. 

If you have thoroughly used your charging cable for months (or years), chances are that it has been bent in more ways you can think of. This could cause internal damage to the cables, so try using a spare cable to test it out. However, make sure you use a proprietary charging cable, and not a cheap knockoff if you want optimal charging power. 

 Remove and re-pair Bluetooth device

An issue experienced by several users who have reported Android Auto not working problem is the fact that the Bluetooth connectivity is either shoddy or entirely flawed. Everything from stuttering connectivity, to a completely unresponsive Bluetooth network connection, requires disconnecting the devices and then reconnecting them.

  1. From the home screen of your Android device, head over to the Settings app. 
  2. Open the Connections – Bluetooth options and scroll down to find the Bluetooth profile you’re trying to pair with. 
  3. Press and hold on the name of the Bluetooth device until you see a pop-window, and select Forget.
  4. Put the Bluetooth device back into pairing mode and head back to Connections – Bluetooth to freshly pair with the device again. 

Issue No. 3 – App Permissions

For the Android Auto app to work the right way and allow you to create a connected experience for safe communication, you need to grant the required permissions to the app. While setting up the app the first time, you will be asked to grant all of the necessary device system permissions to the app, but there is a good chance that you might’ve skipped them. If so, you can always go back to the Settings of the app and enable the required permissions such as Location, Contacts, Phone, SMS, and Microphone, along with advanced permissions such as Notification Access as well.

  1. From the home screen of your Android phone, head to the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down to find the Apps section and then open it to find the Android Auto app icon.
  3. Under the Permissions tab, make sure that all of the app permissions are enabled.
  4. Then head back to the Settings menu to find the Special Access tab menu.
  5. Grant access to Android Auto by enabling the toggle switch right next to it.

Once you have granted the required permissions to the Android Auto app, it should give you the ability to use it seamlessly across the car stereo system.

Issue No. 4 – Android Auto App not Working

If you’ve sorted out the network and wired connectivity issues, tested to see that all of the permissions have been granted to the Android Auto app, and still are unable to get it to work, it might be time to perform a factory reset on the app itself. By performing the action to clear the cache of the Android Auto app, you can flush out any broken elements, or temporary files that might be causing issues in its functionality.

  1. From the home screen of your Android device, head over to the Settings app from the app drawer or use the gear icon on the notification shade. 
  2. Press the Clear Cache button and confirm your action to clear the stored cache of the Android Auto app.

 Final Words

Traditionally as car entertainment has progressed over the years, the concern circling distracted driving and its direct correlation with increased motor vehicle accidents has plagued the road safety authorities. With Android Auto, Google has figured out a way to not only create a connected car experience, but to also make driving while attending calls, or navigating with Google Maps, a lot safer than it used to be. But when you get used to the platform for all your commutes, it becomes an actual hurdle when you encounter the Android Auto not working problem during connectivity or general usage. With the solutions listed in the guide above, you should be able to troubleshoot any and all issues pertaining to the Android Auto car suite.

Are you an avid user of the Android Auto smart car connected suite platform, and did this guide assist you in fixing issues with its performance? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments section right down below.

View Comments

What's my model number?

There are several ways to locate your model number:

Option 1
On your device, go to Settings, then "About device" and scroll down to "Model number"
Option 2
Often times you can view the model number inside the device, by removing the battery
Option 3
Using Samsung's model/serial number location tool

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