Why does Android Auto disconnect my Bluetooth? Grrr...

[Brewerpaul2]

Just got a new 2021 Mazda 3 hatch (love it!) with Android Auto, cable connected.
I have my phone (Samsung A52) connected by Bluetooth for phone calls and audio from my phone. 95% of the time, that's what I use but sometimes I connect by cable to Android Auto so I can use Google Maps.
Whenever I do that, and then disconnect later, I've lost my Bluetooth pairing. The car doesn't see my phone anymore. It asks if I want to pair a device, and it says that is is going to disconnect Paul's A52.
What's this about and how can I fix it? It's a real pain to have to keep pairing my phone!

 

[VidJunky]

When you're connected via a cable you're not able to get calls and audio? I'm pretty sure that connecting via the cable does away with the need to also be connected via BT so I wouldn't be surprised that it disconnects from BT.

When you say that you're loosing pairing to the head unit do you mean that you have to go through the whole pairing process again, looking for the device requesting pairing and naming the device, or that it just disconnects until you turn on BT again? If you mean the former, which device still lists the other? Is the phone still listed in the radio but not the radio listed on the phone or radio listed on the phone but not the phone listed on the radio?

Have you had Android Auto before? Did it work differently then?

 

[spARTacus]

From what I understand, when Android Auto is connected the Head Unit won't facilitate calls/audio via Bluetooth because calls/audio are expected to be facilitated through Android Auto. It's either one or the other from what I understand, not both. I found this odd also (not being able to use Bluetooth for audio/media, etc...) especially when I was having constant Android Auto connection issues. Whenever the Android Auto connection would disconnect, the Bluetooth connection would come back. From what I can tell, that's just the way it is. Makes some sense I guess, since Android Auto I think also makes use of Bluetooth for the connection, and if there is a good Android Auto connection everything and anything accomplished by Bluetooth only (for calls, audio, media, etc...) is already also accomplished via Android Auto connected apps, with theoretically richer experiences.