2016 VW Golf Android Auto won't work with LG G4

[justgo99]

Hi, I just recently got a new Golf with the app connect system that has Android Auto functionality built in. However, I just can't get it to work with my G4. I've downloaded the Android Auto app, I've tried using different cables but every time I plug it in the AA app seems to just crash. It also won't connect manually when I try to connect it in the car. I live in Australia. Is there anything else I can do/download to make this work? Thanks.

 

[markeike]

I also have a problem with my 2016 Sportwagen and my LG G4 (T-Mobile), however it's not crashing the app... it just won't connect thru either Android Auto or Mirrorlink at all. Mirrorlink option reports that the phone doesn't support Mirrorlink (it does), and Android Auto option reports that the phone is locked (it's not). No luck solving it at the dealership. One of the other techs had a G4 and couldn't connect to my car either, nor would either of our G4s connect to another 2016 on the lot. Both an iPhone and a Samsung connected to my car with no trouble, so it is a real problem with the G4 and not a bad cable or something. They escalated it to tech support at Volkswagen North America.

 

[Windfrenzy]

Do your phones work "normally" when you plug into a computer, or do they bring up some carrier interface like the LG G3 on Verizon. Go to this full post and maybe it will give you some ideas:

Since no one seems to have tried this, I just tried it myself on a Pioneer AVH-4100NEX display at Best Buy. Completely stock Verizon LG G3 running 5.0.1 but with the Verizon installer crap turned off as described above, and it worked flawlessly.

 

[DLCPhototography]

You might try turning on "USB Debugging" in the Developer Settings (these are not enabled by default, but require the user to do this - I forget precisely how, but tapping 7 times on a particular menu item will do it - google will help you find it).

I've had other situations where connecting a phone to another device required this for it to work properly.

HTH.

Don

 

[markeike]

No special interface when I plug the phone in to the computer, just an explorer window ready to copy files. I have T-Mobile, so I don't know if there are any special interfaces or "installer crap" similar to the Verizon example above. A cursory Google search found nothing special that T-Mobile installs that might affect the issue. Good input though. I might check with the T-Mobile people if I strike out with VW.

 

[markeike]

Tried Developer Options/ USB debugging pretty early on as that has come up as an issue with other phones and applications. Didn't affect this issue though, but thanks for the input.

 

[Windfrenzy]

This is from the G4 forum and a thread about problems connecting via USB. Just more ideas.

I had same problem with LG G4 (lollipop) and Mac OSX (10.10.5). When I connected the phone to the Mac, with USB debugging enabled, I could not detect the phone with "adb devices".

The answer is in the USB connection setting. In Charge-only or MTP mode, I could not access the phone. But in PTP mode, it works. The first indication is that when USB debugging is working, you get the permission dialogue, to allow access from this computer.

Note that in all cases - Charge-only, MTP and PTP - the USB debugging option of Developer settings is Greyed out while the phone is connected. The grey state doesn't indicate whether debugging is working.

Also note that the Mac doesn't need any USB drivers.

 

[frankos39]

justgo99 - where in australia do you live? have you tried another phone or aftermarket AA compatible headhunt to see if it works

 

[justgo99]

Hi there, sorry for the late reply. I'm in Melbourne. I tried with a friend's HTC One M7 and it works fine. That's what makes my believe it's the phone's connection with the computer that is the problem. I'm using the international unlocked H815 version. Also tried debugging and changing transfer modes without any success. Thanks.

 

[sakar12]

I just bought a 2016 GTI as well as the LG v10 and can't connect to AA either. My Galaxy was working fine, and the iPhone does as well. I'll be interested to hear what happens with your phone, and whether LG, Google, or VW fix this problem.

 

[frankos39]

you may need to try your phone in another car with AA...

also, if that still isn't connecting - possible download a stock android firmware and install.

 

[justgo99]

Update: A (minor) software update for the international G4 has just popped up, promising a raft of Google 'usability improvements' that will hopefully fix the issue. Downloading ATM. However, I've run into another problem; the infotainment system on my Golf has gone into a hissy-fit and restarts randomly so I won't be able to actually try it until the car is fixed. So annoying...
I'll keep you all updated...

 

[K-Jay]

I have similar issues with my 2016 Skoda Fabia Combi. I'm guessing the infotainment system in the Skoda is pretty much the same as in the Volkswagen. Many parts are because Skoda is owned by VW. After tons of trial and error, I've had some success connecting my LG G3 but first let me tell you how I ended up in the current situation.

I have tried to connect thee different android devices (LG G3, HTC One M7 and Nexus 7 tablet all running Lollipop) with bunch of different USB cables. The result is always the same. On the phone I see black screen flashing before it returns to home screen and nothing else happens. From the recent apps view I can see that the black screen was AA trying to launch. CarPlay with iPhone works fine.

I live in Finland so I have sideloaded the AA app and at first I thought that the issue is caused by AA not being officially available here yet. After searching this forum and other android forums I found out that other people are having the same issues in countries where AA is supported so maybe this is not the case. Obviously it's not also a device problem because I get exactly same results with different devices from different manufacturers. Only common nominator seems to be the VW/Skoda infotainment system? Correct me if I'm wrong here..

In the Skoda smartlink menu you can choose your preferred connection protocol from Android Auto and Mirrorlink. This affects the order the car attempts to establish the connection. I read from a Skoda forum that someone had a successful connection after he had changed these options around so I tried it. I checked Mirrorlink as a preferred method and tried the connection: no luck. I changed back to AA as preferred method and to my amazement after this the AA launched on the phone and I had a successful connection! If the VW has similar option I suggest you VW guys also try this.

My current situation is that most of the time the phone does not connect at first try but after changing the preferred method around it does. I have also other issues with AA. After connecting I cannot adjust the volume first from steering wheel/stereo volume knob. Spotify audio goes to a wrong channel at first (I can hear it only when i activate voice command) After changing music app to Google Play Music and then back to Spotify it starts working normally and I can also adjust volume. And of course the restriction on browsing your Spotify library. It is the most stupid thing I've ever seen at that level of software development.

 

[frostywinter]

I updated my LG G4 to Marshmallow (V6.0) and I can now connect to my VW Golf MY16 in Android Auto mode

All working great.

 

[NL_GaB]

Thanks Frostywinter!
I was already wondering if the android update would fix the problem.
Now I only have to wait for the G4's update......and try again.

 

[Windfrenzy]

I'm seeing similar behavior on a 2016 Golf and a G3-very inconsistent whether it connects or not. It seems to work for a while then stop working. Then I tell it to forget cars, uninstall AA, reinstall AA and try again. When not working, I see stuff like USB error and then I also see the screen blink when the car seems to be trying to connect. I had the same idea about switching to have Mirrorlink be preferred to no avail the other day. I'll play with that some more. When it works, it's great.

I wish Waze was available for nav.

Oh, well, I got it so that I have a chance for future updates. Hopefully on my next phone it will work better.

Only 100,000 dloads of AA. Yes, we're early adopters.

 

[cldlhd]

Ya I wish verizon would hurry up and get the update out.

 

[dgiaffe]

I just got a 2016 GTI AND a LG G4 and same problem here. I am not even able to reach the setup. I can see the setup popup a brief half second and then its gone, and brings me back to my home launcher. If I clear the home launcher default, it really prompts me for which home launcher I want to use (in my case I was using Google Launcher, now it would prompt for LG home or Google Launcher), which makes me think Android Auto forces to go back to the home launcher.

I tried disabling the Verizon autorun with an adb command (no root), tried enabling developper mode, tried two different cables, no luck. I REALLY hope that the Marshmallow update fixes it like frostywinter.

I'll report back in a second, but ill try switching to mirrorlink and back to Android Auto. I also read in another thread to have: car on, seatbelt on, parking brake on, foot on brake... so ill try that and report back!

 

[dgiaffe]

Back, but no luck Trying to have seatbelt + Parking brake + foot on brake + car on didn't change anything. Switching between MirrorLink and AndroidAuto didn't either unfortunately. I tried to completely uninstall Google Launcher, just in case, but no luck there either. I'm assuming we're out of luck until 6.0, but hopefully not.. Verizon aren't the fastest in supplying updates :| I'll keep searching and report back.

 

[dgiaffe]

Android on Twitter replied to my tweet.. I redirected them here.. Hopefully they'll find out something!