Apple CarPlay not working: Quick fixes and common problems
It comes fitted to almost every modern car, but what happens if Apple CarPlay stops working, and what are the most common issues?
The Cazoo editorial team
Published on 07 March 2025 | 1 min read
Apple CarPlay was first introduced in 2014 and since then, it has found its way into almost every car on sale today.
CarPlay turns your car’s infotainment screen into an iPhone, via connection to the vehicle’s Bluetooth system. In certain vehicles, you’ll have to plug your phone into the USB socket, or in newer cars, it will be wireless, making it easier to live with on a day-to-day basis.
It enables you to stream music, use maps and certain apps such as WhatsApp handsfree with Siri.
However, even though this is a great piece of technology, it does have its issues, with certain cars suffering from glitches, loading issues and sound problems.
In this article, we’ve put together how to fix these problems and what some of the most common issues that Apple CarPlay suffers from are.
What are the most common issues?
Apple CarPlay is a great piece of on-board connectivity for your vehicle, however, there are a few issues that can occur, which can lead to frustration and the system malfunctioning.
These include the system not loading, Bluetooth connectivity issues, USB cable issues, Siri not working, CarPlay disconnects for no apparent reason and the system can sometimes find it difficult to locate your iPhone.
How to fix them
Restart your iPhone
It may sound almost too good to be true, but like with a lot of software, it can be a simple case of turning your phone off and on again, to allow the system to reboot itself, as there may be a slight glitch at the time of connection.
Another piece of advice would be to turn your phone off and leave it for at least 30 seconds, as it just gives it more time to switch off and restart everything. So, when you go to reconnect CarPlay, it will more than likely be able to connect.
Can’t find your iPhone? Simply click ‘forget this device’
To enable your car and iPhone to connect with CarPlay, your phone needs to be connected via Bluetooth hands-free.
Sometimes, connecting your phone won’t always work the first time around. This can depend on the signal reception, the car’s Bluetooth strength or there might just be a glitch in the system.
One way around this is to click onto the settings sections of your iPhone, look for the ‘CarPlay’ section under ‘General’ and click on ‘forget this device’. By doing this, you can then completely reconnect your car’s Bluetooth with Apple CarPlay, which will allow the system to completely start all over again.
Check the condition or the compatibility of your USB cables
If you drive an older car with Apple CarPlay, the chances are that it won’t come with a wireless connection, and instead relies on USB-A and USB-C cables for the system to work.
If you plug your phone via USB cable to the car, and CarPlay still isn’t connecting, take a look at the condition of the cable and check for damage.
Another way to check if the cables are working is to try them out in another vehicle that features Apple CarPlay, as you’ll know if it works in another car but not your’s, you know there is an issue with the connectivity in your vehicle.
Siri isn’t working?
Apple CarPlay uses Siri for many of the voice commands for apps such as WhatsApp and iMessage.
This is to make it safer to make calls and answer text messages on the move, with Siri reading out text messages from both platforms in the car, as well as being able to listen to what you want to say back, and then will send your message back using voice commands.
However, sometimes Siri will not work at all, making it difficult to answer a hands-free text message while driving.
The first thing you need to make sure of is that Siri is ‘enabled’. Go to settings on your iPhone and then click ‘Siri & Search’. Click on ‘Listen for ‘Hey Siri’, ‘Press side button for Siri’ and ‘Allow Siri when locked’.
In some cases, when a vehicle relies on USB cables to connect to Apple CarPlay, it won’t connect until Siri is enabled.
Apple CarPlay keeps disconnecting?
One of the most common and frustrating issues is when Apple CarPlay randomly disconnects without warning.
This is especially irritating if you’re relying on a sat-nav app such as Google Maps or Waze. Depending on the vehicle, it can be more or less frequent, but one of the most important checks and solutions is whether or not your iPhone is up to date?
By clicking on the ‘General’ section of your phone and clicking on ‘Software Updates’, this can sometimes indicate whether there are any issues and glitches occurring with Apple CarPlay. Always keep your iPhone up to date, as this will prevent any more glitches from CarPlay happening.
Other reasons why CarPlay might disconnect are due to your phone overheating while using a vehicle’s wireless charging pad, Bluetooth interference or even a lack of signal.