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Troubleshooting
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Topic starter 24/03/2022 2:43 pm
I recently obtained Carplay2Droid-4G and it doesn't seem to work in my car (Subaru BRZ 2020 Final Edition). I checked device itself and it does technically work, in a sense it's not damaged unit, since it properly operates in my friend's car (Skoda Superb 2019). However when I'm trying to connect to Subaru BRZ it enters flapping loop and power cycles every few seconds.
I thought at first that it may be related to too high power draw and maybe head unit couldn't provide 3A but after using cable with external 5v power injection from powerbank, distonnected from head unit usb port, I still experienced exactly the same outcome (except that device wasn't power cycling, but still pendrive was flapping so head unit itself was in fact still cutting off power) so it can't be related to power draw itself.
After connecting Carplay2Droid-4G to car it starts bootup procedure but after few seconds all usb ports in head unit die (also pendrive with music is no longer detected by car) and after few more seconds there's power cycle and both pendrive as well as Carplay2Droid shut down for few seconds. After a while usb ports reset and Carplay2Droid starts booting again but whole process repeats - flapping loop with power cycle every few seconds and usb in head unit crashing loosing all usb devices connection.
Here's video showing how Carplay2Droid-4G behaves when connected to car alone:
And here when connected alongside with usb drive (please note how Subaru looses thumb drive connection (probably crash) after few seconds since Carplay2Droid connection, just to experience power cycle moments later).
I'm on this firmware in car:
Also it's worth to note that in general Android Auto and Apple Car Play do work in this car. I don't have any issues with my phone connection:
However I did have exactly the same problem with my phone (Asus ROG Phone 5) with day 0 android version. It was also causing usb in head unit to crash and enter connection loop. It got sorted out after few Android updates though.
Any suggestions?
This topic was modified 1 year ago 3 times by lapsio
24/03/2022 3:38 pm
Thank you for providing comprehensive information. Unfortunately not having a BRZ the folllowing ideas are not proven, but at least we may nail down the problem. What I can see is that the head unit doesn't recognize Carbotics at all (there is no visible movement on screen):
- Make sure no other phone is connected to the head unit (including Bluetooth connections). Please remove any connection.
- Remove all USB connections (including memory sticks etc.)
- Enter head unit setup and select Apple CarPlay as preferred connection.
Now connect Carbotics to USB and try again. If we are lucky it works and you can reconnect the other components.
Bye for now Fred
Topic starter 24/03/2022 4:45 pm
What I can see is that the head unit doesn't recognize Carbotics at all (there is no visible movement on screen):
That's actually quite unfortunate because that's how BRZ head unit works. It doesn't show any indication that something has been connected. When I'm connecting phone nothing happens for like 8 seconds and then out of nowhere Android Auto pops up on screen (it also shows up icon on main screen). But there's no "connecting" dialog like one displayed for example in friend's Superb. So it seems like Carbotics tries to initialize connection and then usb resets (both connection and power).
I performed firmware upgrade to latest available build for my BRZ but it didn't solve the problem.
- Make sure no other phone is connected to the head unit (including Bluetooth connections). Please remove any connection.
- Remove all USB connections (including memory sticks etc.)
- Enter head unit setup and select Apple CarPlay as preferred connection.
I tried that but no use. This head unit only has those 2 usb slots (one I have pendrive connected to and another one with cable I'm connecting either phone or carbotics). I tried removing pendrive but it didn't help. There's no SD cards or any other "addons" that can be plugged in or inserted into this head unit. BRZ doesn't have preferred connection settings, it just adds icon of Android Auto or Car Play depending on which one is connected at the time.
Also I tried using both usb ports but there's no difference in behavior.
This post was modified 1 year ago by lapsio
24/03/2022 4:55 pm
Additional test: Please remove pendrive, connect Carbotics and now restart your head unit (very long press on volume I suppose until the start screen shows again).
Bye for now Fred
25/03/2022 5:05 am
Please try connecting to your PC first (Fred wrote tutorial), then try reconnecting to stereo. This fix has worked for several users before.
Thanks!
Topic starter 25/03/2022 1:16 pm
@ap756 I removed pendrive and rebooted head unit with volume knob but it didn't change anything - same results.
Today I've been to Subaru dealership where I purchased this BRZ and tried your device with some other Subarus and result is the same everywhere - flapping and power cycling. So I believe it's not problem limited to BRZ but in general to Subarus with those older (smaller) Starlink head units. I didn't test any Subaru with those new giant head units but they probably have completely different software so I doubt it'd add anything meaningful to this topic. It's important info because it's probably much easier to gain access to "any" Subaru head unit than to precisely get BRZ head unit. I tried for example 2019 Forester which seems to be fairly common car and it behaves 1:1 the same as my BRZ.
I turned in my car today for servicing so for around a week I won't have access to it and won't be able to continue troubleshooting but I'll try to connect to PC meantime.
25/03/2022 2:13 pm
Lapsio, maybe your problem is identical to the connecting problem Francesco reported (Toyota Yaris Cross 2022 in section Troubleshooting). Plerase read my response over there and look for similarities. Hopefully I get a chance over the weekend to try my CarDongle in a BRZ (which belongs to the friend of a friend), will report my findings.
Bye for now Fred
Topic starter 10/04/2022 1:01 pm
Hopefully I get a chance over the weekend to try my CarDongle in a BRZ (which belongs to the friend of a friend), will report my findings.
Any luck?
10/04/2022 1:13 pm
Lapsio, had no luck. The BRZ I thought would be perfect was equipped with an aftermarket unit... Hope developers can sort it, they are working on a solution (as far as I know). We have to be patient. Sorry to have no better answer...
Bye for now Fred
