What is the reason why CarPlay cannot connect and only charges?
2 Answers
The reasons why CarPlay cannot connect are as follows: Data cable plug issue: If CarPlay cannot connect, first confirm whether the phone data cable is damaged or broken. Foreign objects on the phone data cable plug or USB plug, or surface oxidation can also cause CarPlay to fail to connect. External USB interface issue: You can check the external USB interface of the car stereo to see if the contact metal piece can maintain good contact with the USB. If there is damage, CarPlay will also fail to connect. Loose car USB interface: Long-term use of the car stereo's USB interface can cause it to become loose. Over time, oxidation may occur, leading to poor contact inside the plug. In this case, you can repeatedly unplug and replug the two plugs of the cable. If it still doesn't work, the USB interface needs to be replaced.
Last time I rented a car, I ran into the same annoying issue—CarPlay just wouldn't connect and only showed charging. After struggling for a while, I realized the car's infotainment system was too outdated and clashed with the new iPhone OS. It was only resolved after the rental company staff upgraded the system. Another sneaky culprit could be a tiny piece of debris, like a fingernail clipping, stuck in the USB port causing poor contact. I'd suggest trying an original cable and maybe using a toothpick to clean out dust from the USB port. If the cable transfers photos to a computer but turns into a 'power bank' mode in the car, it's likely the infotainment system acting up. Sometimes, turning off the engine, locking the car, and waiting ten minutes for a full system reboot works better than restarting your phone.
