I just got a new Lariat two days ago and I’m really enjoying it so far. However, I’m having some problems with Apple CarPlay. It connects, but after a few minutes, it switches back and forth between CarPlay and the Ford system. It just keeps switching like that. I’m using the same cable I used in my previous car, and CarPlay worked fine there, so I don’t think it’s the cable. Maybe there’s an update for the infotainment system that I need to install? I have an iPhone 16 with iOS 18.1.1. Any advice would be great!
Yeah, this is a known issue with Mavericks. There’s a recall out, but it only addresses the reverse camera problem. Hopefully, Ford’s engineers will fix the source problem too, which might help with the CarPlay glitches.
@Dana
I’ve heard Sync 3 can be glitchy, but it’s still way better than the system in my 2019 Nissan lol
@Dana
Ford mentioned they’re working on improving the infotainment system, so hopefully that helps with the issues.
I had the same issue once or twice, but not too often. It might help to disconnect the car battery to reset things? Not a mechanic, but worth a try. I also bought a wireless CarPlay dongle from Amazon, and it’s been working fine without this issue.
@Ripley
Was your old phone cable a type C, and does the dongle use a USB A cable? I’m thinking the type C port might be causing the glitch.
Roan said:
@Ripley
Was your old phone cable a type C, and does the dongle use a USB A cable? I’m thinking the type C port might be causing the glitch.
Yes, my old cable was Type C to C. The dongle uses the USB A port.
Roan said:
@Ripley
Was your old phone cable a type C, and does the dongle use a USB A cable? I’m thinking the type C port might be causing the glitch.
I had similar issues and thought my cable was fine, but upgrading to a high-quality USB-C (both ends) cable solved the problem for me.
Could be the cable. I had the same issue, and using a wireless dongle fixed it for me. The cable was too loose, and any small bump would cause a disconnect.
I deal with something similar. I just plug in my phone, wait, and if it disconnects, I just wait for it to reconnect. It usually works after 30-90 seconds if I start the truck, plug in, and then buckle up.
@Weston
It connects fine, but after a few minutes, it starts glitching.
Have you checked the charging port on your phone? Sometimes pocket lint can get in there and mess with the connection.
Jai said:
Have you checked the charging port on your phone? Sometimes pocket lint can get in there and mess with the connection.
It’s a brand new phone, not even a month old. It charges perfectly fine.
@Roan
Still worth checking. My phone would charge fine but wouldn’t connect to CarPlay because of lint in the charging port. I’m guessing you’ve already ruled out the cable issue though.
Jai said:
@Roan
Still worth checking. My phone would charge fine but wouldn’t connect to CarPlay because of lint in the charging port. I’m guessing you’ve already ruled out the cable issue though.
I had the same issue. It would charge but CarPlay would disconnect. Once I cleaned out the phone port, the problem stopped. I also use CarPlay mostly for directions since Bluetooth plays music better. You could also try a CarPlay wireless adapter to avoid plugging in every time.
This happened to me when my truck was new. It was the cable. I switched to an original Apple cable, and it works almost flawlessly now. Sometimes it still doesn’t recognize my phone, but restarting the truck fixes it.
Do you use a VPN service? I have to turn mine off for CarPlay to work.
Cruz said:
Do you use a VPN service? I have to turn mine off for CarPlay to work.
I use a VPN sometimes, but it’s not always on. I also have Apple’s private relay enabled.
Could be the cable, but you could also try a soft reset of the infotainment system. Turn on the ignition, then press and hold the Radio Power/Volume button and the Seek button at the same time for 5-10 seconds until the Ford logo flashes on the screen. That should reset it. I’ve never had an issue with my USB-C cable, but I don’t have a Lariat, which might have a different version of Sync.
When are we going to get the update for Sync 4 on these units?