Android Auto connection or lack of

Technical Area Electrics & ICE
1
  1. My model of MX-5 is: 2020 R Sport
  2. I’m based near: Coventry
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Android Auto

Hi folks new MX-5 owner, I’m having difficulties in getting Android Auto to connect.
The car can see my phone via Bluetooth and i can play music via Bluetooth and make and take calls. I have tried different cables and also tried with Bluetooth turned off. My phone is an S24 bought in December and I have also tried my wifes phone (S22fe).

Any ideas ?

Regards Hoops

2

My first guess would be your cable - there are charge only cables and cables which also transfer data. You should ideally use the cable which came with your phone.

Start the car first, connect cable to car, then connect cable to phone - you should then get prompts on the phone to follow to complete pairing. Also check whether you need to use a specific usb port in that car, and as recently noted by another poster, make sure there is nothing connected to any other usb ports at the same time.

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3

Thanks Minty, I thought i was using the original phone lead and I have also tried the one I use in my other car.
I have ordered a specific data transfer lead so ill try that with you sequence.

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4

I could be wrong but, can you reset the android auto on the car and reboot your phone?
Only today I did mine as I had the same problem overnight although, my car is an NC2 with an Atoto A6PF it did the job all working well now

5

I’ll give it a try. The odd thing is even with a new data cable the Android Auto box shows a tick in it however it is still greyed out on the first screen.

6

Sometimes the order of connection can make a difference. Also make sure there isn’t another USB device plugged into the other port.

  1. Start car
  2. Plug in cable the correctly labelled USB port
    3, Then connect cable to phone

Give it a try, fingers crossed :crossed_fingers:t3:

Cheers,
Steve

7

Bizarrely mine connected, played and I could forward tracks but no display until I reset the head unit :man_shrugging:t3:

8

Did AA come with a 2020 model? Or was it retrofitted?

Try use an IPhone to see if CarPlay works. Make sure you have the latest software on your phone, try resetting the headunit as mentioned above, and update headunit software if problem still exists (plenty of guides in the forum)

Also did Android Auto work on both of your phones before? Just trying to eliminate variables one by one.

9

Hi

I use a dongle device called ‘AA Wireless’ in both my Suzuki Vitara S with factory head unit and my MX-5 NC with a Pioneer aftermarket Head unit.

My phone is a Smasung S23 ultra.

Android Auto has worked in both cars faultlessly, since fitting. it connects every time and although there is extra cost involved the lack of hassle is worth it for me. Don’t even need to take my phone out of my pocket, bag etc.
The AA performance in my Vitara was often very troublesome and seemed to be very cable dependant, which is why I found the AA wireless device via a Suzuki forum.

Once set up ( very easy via their app) there is no setting up to do, I often swap between cars and don’t even think about AA it’s just ‘there’ once the car starts and the head unit has booted up.

HTH