Has anyone figured out how to use Android Auto AND listen to audio from their phone?

UPDATE:

Sadly, connecting the iPhone only temporarily solved the issue.

Once the Android phone is reconnected, there is audio until you turn it down - it won't then turn back up! So I reconnected the iPhone and all was fine again. Back to Android and, sure enough, there was music, but the volume wouldn't increase, only decrease until there was silence.

So glad I ordered my speaker upgrade this afternoon...
 
Oh bugger, sounds like a problem between the interface between AA and the head unit then. Might be worth reporting it on the app store to the makers of AA?
 
Just a thought, you are using proper cables aren't you? I've had issues before using cheap cables and android phones?
 
RedUn said:
Just a thought, you are using proper cables aren't you? I've had issues before using cheap cables and android phones?
Click to expand...

Good point - yes, genuine cable. And I've tried several.

I'm amazed only myself and @Lukavell have come across this issue. Out of interest Lukavell, what phone do you have?
 
I had a play yesterday and I can get amazon music to work but not all of my music is on amazon so its limited, that leads me to think it's a compatability issue between the music player and AA. I use Pi Music Player so might have to look for another app to play music through.
 
I have a Google Pixel 3a and a Samsung S8, and they both do exactly the same thing.

Can't find any info online. Google won't be any help. VW won't be any help.

Seems my only option is to get an iPhone which I really, really don't want to do.
 
Deaston said:
I have a Google Pixel 3a and a Samsung S8, and they both do exactly the same thing.

Can't find any info online. Google won't be any help. VW won't be any help.

Seems my only option is to get an iPhone which I really, really don't want to do.
Click to expand...

No, that's a step too far...
 
Have you tried Spotify? The app does need to be AA compatible as far as I can tell :thumbsup:
 
I have tried Spotify, but no luck.

Even more odd is that "ok Google" works. You can hear the phone talk to you but can't hear any music.

It's some sort of software issue with (I'm guessing) the van. The audio is getting to the van as I can make it work if I plug in an iPhone first. But once on Android, the van refuses to let me increase the volume. I can turn it down to the preferred volume and listen to it all day, but if I mute it or turn it all the way down, I can't then turn it back up.

Also, when adjusting the volume, the volume slider doesn't appear in the screen in the instrument cluster. It does when listening to the radio or using an iPhone, but not with an Android phone which again is why I assume the problem is the van rather than the phone.

My van has already been back to the dealer because Android Auto wouldn't work at all. It was hell of a battle to convince them that it wasn't my phone that was the problem. I'm not looking forward to doing it again. Car dealers don't understand computer tech!
 
Last edited:
For anyone who's interested, after extensive research, I'm convinced the problem is the van.

Audio comes from the phone via the USB, but the van isn't auto switching to the USB input (I can see this in the LCD in the instrument cluster when it displays "Audio").

With the iPhone plugged in, you can press "Radio" to get the radio playing then press "App" to go back to Car Play. If you then press play on Apple Music, the van automatically switches the input from DAB to USB.

Unplug iPhone and plug in an Android phone and you can hear the music, because the van's audio input is still set to USB. Change it to DAB and there's no way (that I can find) to select USB again, and the van won't do it automatically.

So it's a bug in VW's Android Auto software installed on the van. The £45,000 van. Not my £300 phone.

I imagine the my dealer won't be interested in this.

Does anyone know how do get in touch with VW themselves?
 
Deaston said:
For anyone who's interested, after extensive research, I'm convinced the problem is the van.

Audio comes from the phone via the USB, but the van isn't auto switching to the USB input (I can see this in the LCD in the instrument cluster when it displays "Audio").

With the iPhone plugged in, you can press "Radio" to get the radio playing then press "App" to go back to Car Play. If you then press play on Apple Music, the van automatically switches the input from DAB to USB.

Unplug iPhone and plug in an Android phone and you can hear the music, because the van's audio input is still set to USB. Change it to DAB and there's no way (that I can find) to select USB again, and the van won't do it automatically.

So it's a bug in VW's Android Auto software installed on the van. The £45,000 van. Not my £300 phone.

I imagine the my dealer won't be interested in this.

Does anyone know how do get in touch with VW themselves?
Click to expand...
Have you checked what your phone is set to in developer options? Is it set to charge or file transfer?
 
Alied said:
Have you checked what your phone is set to in developer options? Is it set to charge or file transfer?
Click to expand...

That isn't an issue for this. Every other aspect of Android Auto works fine.

The phone is sending the audio, but the van won't select it as an input.
 
The more people that encounter this problem and report it to VW the sooner they will implement a fix (by sooner i mean maybe only 2 years instead of 3 !)
 
Pauly said:
The more people that encounter this problem and report it to VW the sooner they will implement a fix (by sooner i mean maybe only 2 years instead of 3 !)
Click to expand...

I will sue. And I'm not joking!

Their sales bumph clearly says "complete smartphone integration" via Android Auto and Car Play.
 
I have the same issue too. Had my 6.1 two months now and had no success getting the audio to work with Android Auto.

I've tried everything like you folks........different phones/ cables/ settings/trawling various forums. There's definitely compatibility issues. The phones I've tried fwiw are a Pixel2XL (Android 10) and an LGV20 (Android 8).

I now only occasionally connect the phone via USB for Google Maps. Most of the time I just use Bluetooth for the audio and calls as its really not worth connecting the USB...grrr Definitely not "complete smartphone integration."
 
Springer said:
I have the same issue too. Had my 6.1 two months now and had no success getting the audio to work with Android Auto.

I've tried everything like you folks........different phones/ cables/ settings/trawling various forums. There's definitely compatibility issues. The phones I've tried fwiw are a Pixel2XL (Android 10) and an LGV20 (Android 8).

I now only occasionally connect the phone via USB for Google Maps. Most of the time I just use Bluetooth for the audio and calls as its really not worth connecting the USB...grrr Definitely not "complete smartphone integration."
Click to expand...

I'm convinced it's a software problem with the head unit of the T6.1. Looking online there's a lot of people with T6.1s with no sound when using Android Auto, regardless of phone model or Android version.

I contacted VW UK and asked if my software version was the most up-to-date (S1.3_A0740) and if they knew of this problem, but I just got a "go and see your dealer" reply. I doubt the dealer is going to do anything.

I'm wondering about asking for the upgraded Composition Media stereo system to be installed (hoping it can be retro-fitted) because I'm not going to put up with a large feature of the vehicle simply not working and VW fobbing me off.
 
Last edited:
My Touareg was the other way around, full integration only worked on Android, not Apple. Even though it was a well known issue it never got resolved, annoyingly the Audi head unit which was similar got the update.

VW are pretty crap at smart phone integration, I can’t believe I wasted over £1000 on the Disco nav unit, without doubt the biggest waste of money ever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

d8smt
Android Auto - weird sound problem
Replies
0
Views
223
d8smt
d8smt
T
Android Auto - Spotify No Audio
Replies
0
Views
305
temma2k2
T
E
Bluetooth Audio and Android Go
Replies
1
Views
917
UKparafire
U
R
Android auto not working on Discovery Media? Try AA factory reset
Replies
11
Views
2K
rodrigoluk
R
J
Low charge current from MIB STD2 Discover Media
Replies
3
Views
284
roadtripper
roadtripper
Back
Top