Wireless Android Auto

[TopGeek]

My Yaris Cross has Smart Connect and my phone has 5GHz wifi so it should be easy to set up but I'm darned if I can get it to work wirelessly. The first stage goes fine, connecting the phone to the USB socket and following the onscreen prompts. Android Auto is working but obviously with limited functionality. The instructions then say to disconnect the phone and Android Auto will continue wirelessly but it doesn't. The instant I disconnect the phone, Android Auto shuts down. Successfull installation means that it will connect automatically every time you get into the car with your phone switched on. I have spent hours on this and I'm rapidly sliding into depression.

Has anyone here managed to get it to work wirelessly and, if so, do you have any tips?

[Paul john]

Use a carlinkit 5 to convert wired to wireless

[Bper]

Hi Brian, My understanding Yaris Cross Adventure AWD does not currently support wireless Android Auto even though the manual might have instructions for it.

[TopGeek]

13 hours ago, Paul john said:

Use a carlinkit 5 to convert wired to wireless

Thanks for the tip. I see there are other Carlink devices that covert wired to wireless but I still don't understand why I can't get my system to work without the use of extra hardware.

[Paul john]

4 minutes ago, TopGeek said:

Thanks for the tip. I see there are other Carlink devices that covert wired to wireless but I still don't understand why I can't get my system to work without the use of extra hardware.

What version of Android are you using? 
the latest version has a bug that affects connection to car head units and the current school of thought is to downgrade back to the previous version. 

[TopGeek]

12 hours ago, Bper said:

Hi Brian, My understanding Yaris Cross Adventure AWD does not currently support wireless Android Auto even though the manual might have instructions for it.

Hi Bob. That's rather devastating news. The manual does indeed state that the Smart Connect system supports wireless functionality so I feel cheated if that is not true. I shall be complaining to Toyota.

[TopGeek]

Just now, Paul john said:

What version of Android are you using? 
the latest version has a bug that affects connection to car head units and the current school of thought is to downgrade back to the previous version. 

I'm on Android 11. My phone is Moto G9Play but Android 12 has not (yet) been released for that model.

[Paul john]

7 minutes ago, TopGeek said:

I'm on Android 11. My phone is Moto G9Play but Android 12 has not (yet) been released for that model.

It was 14 that had the issue. 11 is the bare minimum for AA… you need to check that version is compatible wirelessly with your Yaris.

i use the carlinkit 2air v5 box as my prius does not support AA or Carplay wirelesly. 
incidentaly because it is independant of the Cars head unit requirements (ios or android versions) i have managed to take it into 3 hire cars (toyota chr, mg zs, volvo xc90) and connected both iPhone and an android pixel 5 successfully without any configuration changes. 

[RonYarisX]

13 hours ago, Bper said:

Hi Brian, My understanding Yaris Cross Adventure AWD does not currently support wireless Android Auto even though the manual might have instructions for it.

Where does that info come from?

TopGeek - you're listed as non-UK so at a bit of a loss to advice. Which headunit do you have in the car? If it's the full touchscreen with volume buttons then if it was here in the UK, wireless should work. If you have the screen with physical volume knobs, wireless isn't supported.

I've had a look on Google for the Adventure model and I'm seeing pictures of it with both headunits. 

You say you physically connected to the USB and AA worked with limited functionality.  In what way was it limited?

[TopGeek]

42 minutes ago, RonYarisX said:

If it's the full touchscreen with volume buttons then if it was here in the UK, wireless should work.

It is.

[TopGeek]

43 minutes ago, RonYarisX said:

You say you physically connected to the USB and AA worked with limited functionality.  In what way was it limited?

I'm not sure but that's what I read elsewhere.

[TopGeek]

16 hours ago, Bper said:

Hi Brian, My understanding Yaris Cross Adventure AWD does not currently support wireless Android Auto even though the manual might have instructions for it.

It seems that you are indeed correct. The Toyota dealer has now replied confirming that later models can handle wireless connection but not mine.

[RonYarisX]

I just re-tried this to make sure I wasn't going off my head. 

I never looked at the owners manual ( I'm a bloke, we're gifted with the natural ability to dismiss instructions. We don't need maps either ! 🤣 ). I've just reset the system and started from scratch to confirm just how easy it was to connect.

I just did what I do with any wireless connection. The Phone tab on the headunit is asking to connect a phone. I make bluetooth visable on my phone, the headunit sees it and the both units pair after confirmation. As soon as they've paired the system auto detects Android Auto is installed on the phone and asks if I'd like to start AA. A simple confirmation and that's it, AA appears on the screen.  

I was confused about when you say you first hooked the system via USB. I'm asking myself why? I never come across any wireless system that necessitates an initial wired connection.

To the best of my knowledge every 9" touchscreen system in the UK is capable of wireless connection. Don't know about other markets tho.

If the dealer is saying is isn't wireless then who am I to argue - I don't know that model, I don't know your market.   But if you say your car is 2023 then check out this video of a 2022 Belgian Adventure. From 2min50 in to the video it shows the screen displaying Android Auto - there is no wired connection to a phone.

If yours is a 2023 headunit, that's whats making me think your delear may possibly be mistaken.

2022 Yaris Cross Adventure

 

[Roy124]

My MY22 YC can be induced to connect wirelessly contrary to perceived wisdom however the connect is not automatically restored later.

[Dexter290]

11 hours ago, Paul john said:

It was 14 that had the issue. 11 is the bare minimum for AA… you need to check that version is compatible wirelessly with your Yaris.

i use the carlinkit 2air v5 box as my prius does not support AA or Carplay wirelesly. 
incidentaly because it is independant of the Cars head unit requirements (ios or android versions) i have managed to take it into 3 hire cars (toyota chr, mg zs, volvo xc90) and connected both iphone and an android pixel 5 successfully without any configuration changes. 

My Samsung Galaxy S22 was working fine wirelessly until the most recent update of Android. I'm now on 14, so that may explain why it will not work properly anymore. It see the phone and I can make calls, but none of the other AA stuff is available.

I'll stop banging my head against the wall and wait for the fix.

[TopGeek]

7 hours ago, Roy124 said:

My MY22 YC can be induced to connect wirelessly contrary to perceived wisdom however the connect is not automatically restored later.

I can get a wireless connection on the Media button, where the sub-text says Android Auto. However, it does not reconnect automatically and only plays whatever you pre-select on the phone. I suppose that's OK if you want to select something before setting off on a journey but not very practical to make changes while driving.

[Paul john]

8 minutes ago, Dexter290 said:

My Samsung Galaxy S22 was working fine wirelessly until the most recent update of Android. I'm now on 14, so that may explain why it will not work properly anymore. It see the phone and I can make calls, but none of the other AA stuff is available.

I'll stop banging my head against the wall and wait for the fix.

Wired should work for AA

also my Carlinkit was not affected by the Android 14 update and didnt drop the 14 connections. Bizarre. 

[RedToyota]

@Dexter290 I have a Samsung A54 5G running Android 14 with no issue with AA wirelessly connecting to a Smart Connect unit, from Nov21. It is  running latest firmware.

Biggest issue I had, and described previously, was a bluetooth bandwidth issue with earlier phone. It seems if Smart Connect cannot initiate a bluetooth connection then AA link attempts fail. You could reset BT setup and try to re-pair the phone.

 

 

[TopGeek]

8 hours ago, RonYarisX said:

 

 

8 hours ago, RonYarisX said:

 I was confused about when you say you first hooked the system via USB. I'm asking myself why? I never come across any wireless system that necessitates an initial wired connection.

To the best of my knowledge every 9" touchscreen system in the UK is capable of wireless connection. Don't know about other markets tho.

Hi Ron. Thanks for the explanations I'll try your procedure tomorrow but every set of instructions I've seen say that the first installation requires a wired connection and that once that is working, you can remore the USB connection  and AA should then start automatically every time you start the car. I wonder ifthe fact that your setup was already espablished, it was possible to re-initiate the setup wirelessly.

I am actually in Belgium so the video is very appropriate.

[RonYarisX]

Good liuck - hope it works for you. 👍   I remember it being an incredibly simple setup but rechecked it today just to make sure I wasn't misleading you. 

I may also be able to shed some light re: Android Auto.  ( I think I'm right...  but even I wouldn't trust myself ! )

AA actually worked on Android 9, but only with certain Samsung phones and most Google phones.

AA worked with all Samsung + Google phones on Android 10.  From memory there were a few other odd phones that did but they were few and far between.

It wasn't until Android 11 ( where AA was built in to the Android system by default ) that all phones were supposed to be able to connect. The emphasis being on the words 'supposed to' 🤣

Weirdly, some of Samsungs S models had issues connecting to those later Android versions. Sorry I don't know exactly which models.

I was connecting to AA under Android 10 with my Samsung A51 without issue. I still have my old Motorola G6 Play but the latest system version for that was Android 9 which meant it would only ever connect via USB.

I know VW have a list of phones that have supplosedly been tried and tested connecting to their headunits, not sure about Toyota tho.  Does anyone know of such a list? May prove useful to new owners. 

[Tonycu]

8 hours ago, RonYarisX said:

Good liuck - hope it works for you. 👍   I remember it being an incredibly simple setup but rechecked it today just to make sure I wasn't misleading you. 

I may also be able to shed some light re: Android Auto.  ( I think I'm right...  but even I wouldn't trust myself ! )

AA actually worked on Android 9, but only with certain Samsung phones and most Google phones.

AA worked with all Samsung + Google phones on Android 10.  From memory there were a few other odd phones that did but they were few and far between.

It wasn't until Android 11 ( where AA was built in to the Android system by default ) that all phones were supposed to be able to connect. The emphasis being on the words 'supposed to' 🤣

Weirdly, some of Samsungs S models had issues connecting to those later Android versions. Sorry I don't know exactly which models.

I was connecting to AA under Android 10 with my Samsung A51 without issue. I still have my old Motorola G6 Play but the latest system version for that was Android 9 which meant it would only ever connect via USB.

I know VW have a list of phones that have supplosedly been tried and tested connecting to their headunits, not sure about Toyota tho.  Does anyone know of such a list? May prove useful to new owners. 

I use this bluetooth adapter from Ali express after advice from this forum works well in our 72 plate Yaris icon

[TopGeek]

On 3/12/2024 at 4:07 PM, RonYarisX said:

The Phone tab on the headunit is asking to connect a phone. I make bluetooth visable on my phone, the headunit sees it and the both units pair after confirmation. As soon as they've paired the system auto detects Android Auto is installed on the phone and asks if I'd like to start AA. A simple confirmation and that's it, AA appears on the screen.  

I now realise that I had already done that but it doesn't give me the full AA. All it provides for me is the phone connection and Android Auto as a sub-text on the Media button. That allows me to play any media from the phone wirelessly. It's only when I connect the USB cable that the Projection button changes to Android Auto and I get full wired AA. At the same time, the phone name is removed from the Phone button, presumably because AA takes over phone activity. At a certain point, I get a menu that says press OK to set up a wireless connection. That searchs for a Bluetooth  device but fails to find one bcause it's already connected. So, I go round in circles. It's very frustrating.

Clearly my head unit is capable of wireless as it has a menu for it but it doesn't work.

[TopGeek]

I can hardly believe it but after another hour of trying various recommendations this morning, suddenly AA connected. However, don't ask me what it was that worked!

It does also reconnect the next time I start the car, although it takes about 90 seconds after pressing the Start button.

So, my dealership were wrong when they told me my car would not support AA.

The key to success is evidently to start by setting up a wired connection followed by pairing the phone with the Smart Connect system, which is easier said than done. The often repeated suggestion that, after getting the wired connection to work, you can just disconnect the cable, is simply not true (at least in my case).  For me, the most confusing issue was that my phone repeatedly said "Smart Connect Active" but the car screen said "No bluetooth device connected". What I did to finally get it to connect, I don't know but it now works. Whoopee!

[TopGeek]

Many thanks to all of you guys for your helpful suggestions.

[RonYarisX]

Technology is great when it works, the only problem is getting it to work.

From personal experience, the staff are only going on the information they've been given by the importer for their particular market. Some of the info they gave my local dealer about the GR Sport when orders opened was clearly wrong. It was only us smart ar5e geeks with too much time on their hands that were able to spot the contradictions. 🤣