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

[OliverK]

I just be bought a late 2015 GTD; I purchased the app connect update and now have AA in the car.

However like others here it is a bit of a fiddle to work. I have to remove the pairing if I have unplugged it from the USB or it won't connect. If I haven't then it's fine.

The other thing which annoys me is the auto-lights put it into night mode if they turn on (even if it's just a overcast day) which makes the display harder to see. The display itself is an unimpressive resistive touchscreen. I have been using a Pioneer F77DAB in my old car and its miles better in every way but it's not worth the hassle of retrofitting when I have AA on the native system.

Still I am being very picky here; It works and I have all the functionality and it makes my experience of my new car even better... Now if only Waze would hurry up with their app so I can have speed cameras. I may have to run a Tom Tom just to get camera alerts!

 

[doug4253]

I need to add one more thing about my Nexus 5X experience, in case it helps anybody.

After I updated my phone to Android Marshmallow 6.0.1, it mostly fixed the the connection problem. But it still has one more connection problem that I can easily replicate (and I must now avoid). I don't know if it applies to LG G4 too, but here it is.

I have a habit of using "Google Play Music" in my home. I play the music through Sonos speakers (some popular wireless speakers based on wi-fi). To play them through the speakers, I am selecting the "Casting Icon" on Google Play Music. This allows me to play the music anywhere in my house. When an album is done, the music just stops, and I quit listening.

Well ... this causes an Android Auto connection problem, unless I do one more thing. When done listening to music in my home on the Sonos speakers, then I must go to "Google Play Music" again, select the "casting icon" again, and select "Stop Casting" (even if the music is no longer playing).

If I do that, then there is no connection problem.

Just want to let you know that some problems like this can occur, if you use both Sonos speakers in your home, and Android Auto in your car.

When this stuff works, I love both the Android Auto and the Sonos speakers, so I guess I'll just have to deal with the "not user friendly" parts of this.

 

[dgiaffe]

WELL this is Christmas today folks! Verizon finally started pushing Android 6.0 on the LG G4 and I am happy to report I can finally get through the setup wizard of Android Auto. I didn't test further but I am very confident the connection will work good now. Also, I advised VW to cancel my customer care support ticket due to that update. I didn't do a factory reset or anything and it worked right off the bat. Just get Android 6.0 on your phone if you have issues with the LG G4. I cannot tell for other phones though, but most likely it'll help as well.

Edit: I just turned on the radio without starting the car and I browsed to app-connect (I was on the car driving data screen) to start Android Auto. Didn't have to turn off Bluetooth or anything either.

 

[warrenmr]

WELL this is Christmas today folks! Verizon finally started pushing Android 6.0 on the LG G4 and I am happy to report I can finally get through the setup wizard of Android Auto. I didn't test further but I am very confident the connection will work good now. Also, I advised VW to cancel my customer care support ticket due to that update. I didn't do a factory reset or anything and it worked right off the bat. Just get Android 6.0 on your phone if you have issues with the LG G4. I cannot tell for other phones though, but most likely it'll help as well.

Edit: I just turned on the radio without starting the car and I browsed to app-connect (I was on the car driving data screen) to start Android Auto. Didn't have to turn off Bluetooth or anything either.

That is great news. Fingers crossed for an update soon for my BlackBerry Priv!

 

[Windfrenzy]

WELL this is Christmas today folks! Verizon finally started pushing Android 6.0 on the LG G4 and I am happy to report I can finally get through the setup wizard of Android Auto. I didn't test further but I am very confident the connection will work good now. Also, I advised VW to cancel my customer care support ticket due to that update. I didn't do a factory reset or anything and it worked right off the bat. Just get Android 6.0 on your phone if you have issues with the LG G4. I cannot tell for other phones though, but most likely it'll help as well.

Edit: I just turned on the radio without starting the car and I browsed to app-connect (I was on the car driving data screen) to start Android Auto. Didn't have to turn off Bluetooth or anything either.

Wow, Merry Christmas. So glad to hear that it is finally working for you. What are you going to do with all your extra time? People are reporting VZW G3 getting Marshmallow too, I will be whole soon too! Ha ha.

 

[dgiaffe]

One thing I noticed. It will NEVER connect if my phone connects Bluetooth before the AA connection is done. I have to turn off Bluetooth before getting in the car. Also, if I forgot, I can simply turn off the Bluetooth and kill the "ghost" AA from the Recents apps, and then after the second or third connection try, it works fine. At least I have a workaround and it'll be very worth it for a roadtrip I'm doing next week for work!

 

[doug4253]

If you turn off bluetooth on the phone, then I think you will not get the full set of Android Auto features. My understanding is that the phone features will still rely on bluetooth. So, if you have haven't already tried it, you might want to leave Bluetooth on, but launch Android Auto on your phone and connect the phone with the cable, before you start the car. I'm just mentioning this in case you have been missing the phone features.

It is really too bad that this product is not more consistent for us.

 

[dgiaffe]

Actually, AA turns on Bluetooth during its startup, so that workaround worked perfectly for me. It really shouldn't matter though, should work whenever needed without any fiddling.

 

[doug4253]

That's good to know. I'm going to start trying the same thing that you are doing ... turning off bluetooth every time, before starting the car.

If that works consistently for me too, it would be better than what I am doing now.

I'm using a Nexus 5X (not an LG G4), but my Android Auto connection problems seem similar to yours.)

 

[doug4253]

I guess that there are differences between the problems with the LG G4 and Nexus 5X.

After a lot of trial and error, I have found that the success rate is much higher on the Nexus 5X, if I leave Bluetooth on all of the time.

Still, this forum has really helped me in finding ways around the connection bugs with Android Auto.

Of course, it would be better if Google and VW could fix the fundamental problem.

Thanks for your help.

 

[torbach1]

2016 GTI, and while I've been able to use AA with every phone I've tried (Samsung S6 Edge+ ATT, Nexus 6P (ATT and T-Mo), and now S7 Edge (T-Mo), it's very finicky, keeps trying to switch back to MirrorLink even though I have the default set to AA. I really believe this is mostly a VW MIB II issue.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[OliverK]

2016 GTI, and while I've been able to use AA with every phone I've tried (Samsung S6 Edge+ ATT, Nexus 6P (ATT and T-Mo), and now S7 Edge (T-Mo), it's very finicky, keeps trying to switch back to MirrorLink even though I have the default set to AA. I really believe this is mostly a VW MIB II issue.

Posted via the Android Central App

I absolutely agree; problem is I don't think that we will get a fix for this EVER!

Someone should try contacting VW customer services but I think it won't be fixed until MIB3 or whatever it is called is released.

 

[torbach1]

I absolutely agree; problem is I don't think that we will get a fix for this EVER!

Someone should try contacting VW customer services but I think it won't be fixed until MIB3 or whatever it is called is released.

I called VW service today and determined that there is a newer software version for my head unit, and it's supposed to address these issues. I'm taking my car in Wednesday, so I'll update after that.

 

[dgiaffe]

Please let us know the software version once updated on the car unit. As much as the Android 6.0 helped getting the initial connection up and running, it still needs to loop 5-6 times before being able to connect, which makes it pretty useless for short commute. Also, every time I finally connect, the next time I just use Bluetooth, I have to repair my phone fully (it prompts with the pairing code and asks again to access my contacts list). Quite annoying.. but at least it works somewhat now.

Peace!

 

[EspadaV8]

Have you had chance to install the update? Do you know what the new version number is or if there I way ai can check to see if there should be an update?

 

[torbach1]

Have you had chance to install the update? Do you know what the new version number is or if there I way ai can check to see if there should be an update?

Yes, I had it installed today. So far so good.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[EspadaV8]

Awesome, I'll have to give them a call and see about getting a booking to. Hopefully the update has made it's way to Australia (not sure where you're from).

Edit: Booked in. They said there 'might' be an update available, but they need to check it first. *crosses fingers*

 

[torbach1]

Awesome, I'll have to give them a call and see about getting a booking to. Hopefully the update has made it's way to Australia (not sure where you're from).

Edit: Booked in. They said there 'might' be an update available, but they need to check it first. *crosses fingers*

I'm in the US. I suspect the update will be around. The dealer I called didn't know and told me I'd have to bring the car in and then they could check. But I told him to look it up. In the system menu we obviously have the hardware version and the software version (which was 024 before and is now 025).

So he got his manager to look it up and it was available.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[dgiaffe]

Hmm my software version was something like 0613 last I checked. I'll have to check. Your picture shows release date Feb 4 so I'm assuming I'm not up-to-date then. Great job, I'll have them update mine when I can! Keep us posted as to how Android Auto runs! Peace!

 

[xsmokr]

Workaround that works 100% of the time for those having trouble connecting.

Unlock phone and turn on car or head unit. Note you should have android auto installed already before this will work. Plug in the cable to your phone and you will hear the link sound and the screen on your phone will flash off for just a second. As quickly as possible once the screen goes black on your phone uncable the phone and reconnect it. I know this sounds janky, but it really works. You can tell it is working by the screen on your head unit going black in the background and you will see the android auto icon sI have tried all suggested fixes and this is the only one that works 100% of the time. It also does not take over the telephone's display so you can navigate to other apps and still have android auto running. It is quick and gives you the best of both worlds. I almost returned my 2016 gti due to the frustration from this issue, but now it is no big deal.

Hope this helps guys and gals.