Audio stuttering issues over Bluetooth - in car only

[Android Central Question]

Hi guys. Really hope someone can help with this, as its now doing my head in.

I have a Galaxy S9+. Playing audio over bluetooth to my wireless headphones, or to a bluetooth speaker at home work flawlessly. In the car, however, its a mess. Regular stutters, crackles and split second audio drop outs. This happens with any app i use - Google Play Music, Pocketcasts, Soundcloud etc.

My car has Android Auto. I first thought it was the cable, so have tried 4 different cables, with no resolution to the issue. I then realised that whatever i used, the audio is still transmitted over Bluetooth. Connecting just with bluetooth and not plugging in also gives me the same stuttering issues.

I have therefore tried the following:

- 4no. different cables (current is an Anker Powerline USB 3.0)
- Uninstalling Android Auto & Reinstalling
- Clearing Bluetooth Cache
- Disconnecting phone from car and reconnecting
- Turning off battery optimisation for Bluetooth, Android Auto and all audio apps i use
- Clearing the recovery cache
- Turning off WiFi when in the car
- Closing all background applications
- Turning off nearby device scanning
- Having the phone in pretty much every location in the car
- Rebooting the phone

None of which have solved my problems.

Sometimes, if i unplug then replug in, the problem disappears for 15-20 minutes. But then it degenerates into a stuttery mess again. A couple of weeks ago, the problem disappeared, and for about 10 days there was not a single issue. But at the start of this week, it started again for no discernible reason.

Have i tried everything?! Thanks.

 

[Rukbat]

Since you're connecting to the car audio with Bluetooth, the only thing plugging in could have done is charge the phone's battery (unless the car switched to Aux input, in which case it's not using Bluetooth, so that's not helping diagnose the problem).

First, where do you keep the phone while this is happening. If you sit on the left side of the car, and the phone is in your left pants pocket, the signal getting to the car audio may be weak - just on the edge of dropping out.

Second, have you tried another phone?

Third, have you tried your car dealer, to see if they have an update for the audio system?

 

[Corb T]

Hi guys. Really hope someone can help with this, as its now doing my head in.

I have a Galaxy S9+. Playing audio over bluetooth to my wireless headphones, or to a bluetooth speaker at home work flawlessly. In the car, however, its a mess. Regular stutters, crackles and split second audio drop outs. This happens with any app i use - Google Play Music, Pocketcasts, Soundcloud etc.

My car has Android Auto. I first thought it was the cable, so have tried 4 different cables, with no resolution to the issue. I then realised that whatever i used, the audio is still transmitted over Bluetooth. Connecting just with bluetooth and not plugging in also gives me the same stuttering issues.

I have therefore tried the following:

- 4no. different cables (current is an Anker Powerline USB 3.0)
- Uninstalling Android Auto & Reinstalling
- Clearing Bluetooth Cache
- Disconnecting phone from car and reconnecting
- Turning off battery optimisation for Bluetooth, Android Auto and all audio apps i use
- Clearing the recovery cache
- Turning off WiFi when in the car
- Closing all background applications
- Turning off nearby device scanning
- Having the phone in pretty much every location in the car
- Rebooting the phone

None of which have solved my problems.

Sometimes, if i unplug then replug in, the problem disappears for 15-20 minutes. But then it degenerates into a stuttery mess again. A couple of weeks ago, the problem disappeared, and for about 10 days there was not a single issue. But at the start of this week, it started again for no discernible reason.

Have i tried everything?! Thanks.

I have the same problem more or less. I dont have Android Auto, but as soon as I use any Navigation app, the stuttering starts with all forms av streaming apps I use. Doesent matter if its Spotify, Amazon music or internal MP3 player. Audio skipps and drops out every now and then if Im navigating at the same time. However, if I only stream audio and no navigation, the audio is much more consistant and without skips.
Using a Galaxy S8 with Volvo 2017 car.

 

[simoncbradley]

Same issue here guys. (Huawei P20 connected to Vauxhall Mokka) Thought it was car related, so took it back to dealer who updated all the car radio software but still exactly the same. Tested it with an iPhone which worked fine, so definitely narrowed down to an Android issue (my Wife's original Pixel does the same).

Tried all the things mentioned below...all the same.

Might try Huawei directly later if no-one here has any further ideas.

Thanks,
Si

 

[methodman89]

Since it works with other things but not the car, have you tried using a different phone in the car?

 

[simoncbradley]

Sorry if not clear - yes, tried it with an iPhone at the Vauxhall dealership, and then with my wife's Pixel XL - both worked completely fine. So, in this case, I'm fairly certain the problem is narrowed down to this phone itself.

Also, my phone works fine for voice calls over the car bluetooth, so it is purely down to music streaming (whether from a saved file, or via online stremaing - there's no difference)

 

[MarkDindas]

Re: Audio stuttering issues Bluetooth - in car only

I've had the same issue playing music on Samsung Galaxy s7 thru Bose wireless headset. I have found that my wifi connection is the culprit. A lot of times my phone connects to Xfinity wifi. When I switch to the stronger signal at home (or at Starbucks for example) the problem goes away.