Apple CarPlay being difficult

[bluemarlin25]

Scenario: two people in the truck both with IPhone 14 with IOS 26.2 and both set up on truck in phone list and defined in Apple CarPlay and Ford Pass app

truck is a 2025 Ranger Raptor

Issue: truck typically will disconnect automatically from my phone and connect to my wife’s

even if I go to the phone list screen and select my phone…..I get a message the CarPlay can’t connect to my phone

this occurs when I’m connected to CarPlay wirelessly or connected via the USB cable

she has even completely turned her phone off and it won’t connect to my phone

any advice before I shoot my infotainment screen

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[stuartmunto]

Seems like it’s your phone. It’s dropping out so then the car will automatically connect to your wife’s phone

I’m assuming it works perfectly fine for your wife when it’s connected to her phone?

is ios 26.2 a beta or pre-public release version? Could be that? My iPhone 15 is staying its fully up to date and it’s only on 26.1 (I’m not signed up to get pre-release updates)

 

[purdyd]

I was going to say get a new wife, but that was too easy,

it seems 26.2 is a beta version scheduled for final release in December.

Supposed to add some new CarPlay features so it could be the issue,

it would be nice to see some more widgets at once on the screen as some are reporting with the next update

 

[dbhagen]

I really wish they’d give us different profiles in Sync 4A…

 

[KDub]

First to connect wins. Then it’s best signal wins. Once disconnected you usually have to manually acquire the phone of choice. Try getting her to put her phone in airplane mode before leaving house and until the truck starts but before phone separation anxiety sets in.

Also you may be getting disconnected by wireless interference in your area. Many don’t notice this because of buffering/caching but it happens frequently to Wireless CarPlay and Android.

Ultimately someone is going to have to go into Settings > General > CarPlay and toggle off. Good luck and may the best contestant win.

 

[gittens [SCAMMER]]

I’ve seen this on newer Ford systems. It usually happens when one phone gets locked in as the “primary” and the truck keeps trying to connect to it, even when it’s off. Try deleting both phones from the truck and re-pairing yours first so it becomes primary. Also disable auto connect/CarPlay for the truck on your wife’s phone and reboot the infotainment by holding power + seek right for about 10 seconds. Wireless CarPlay can get stubborn when multiple phones are saved. Hopefully this saves the screen

 

[bluemarlin25]

It happens too when we’re in my wife’s 25 Genesis GV70……but the other way around….it’ll disconnect from her phone and connect to mine….like Gittens wrote….it seems one becomes the primary phone

the Ford mobile service van is coming out in a week to change my oil….I’ll show it to him….maybe he has an idea

 

[AugPal]

Over the last four years I've had a Ford, Chevy and a Jeep. So I read Ford, Chevy and Jeep forums. There is no doubt in my mind that we are all guinea pigs with expanded software from automakers trying to get all these new software glitches under control.

Back in March I got a powertrain and service warning. Someone else here in the forum with an identical Ranger got the same exact warning. A week later it erased itself from the Ford Pass App. It hasn't happened again.


When I first got my Ranger I had similar problems with our Android phone. It's better now after a software update. Not perfect but better. Before the wife had to wait 50ft from the truck until my phone got plugged in. It never worked right with a wireless connection, it would always change to my wife's phone. I have a Pixel 8. Wife had a Pixel 7.

Here's the powertrain and service warning I got which has since disappeared from the Ford Pass App.

 

[purdyd]

Over the last four years I've had a Ford, Chevy and a Jeep. So I read Ford, Chevy and Jeep forums. There is no doubt in my mind that we are all guinea pigs with expanded software from automakers trying to get all these new software glitches under control.

Back in March I got a powertrain and service warning. Someone else here in the forum with an identical Ranger got the same exact warning. A week later it erased itself from the Ford Pass App. It hasn't happened again.


When I first got my Ranger I had similar problems with our Android phone. It's better now after a software update. Not perfect but better. Before the wife had to wait 50ft from the truck until my phone got plugged in. It never worked right with a wireless connection, it would always change to my wife's phone. I have a Pixel 8. Wife had a Pixel 7.

Here's the powertrain and service warning I got which has since disappeared from the Ford Pass App.

and it is not just the CarPlay on the car side

it is also apples side.

and I’ve seen this at various times where Apple has changed something and the devices don’t work

like AirPlay and Bluetooth MIDI (musical instruments)

 

[sweeks888]

LOL... End your woes and come over to the dark side, get an Android based phone!

 

[AugPal]

and it is not just the CarPlay on the car side

it is also apples side.

and I’ve seen this at various times where Apple has changed something and the devices don’t work

like AirPlay and Bluetooth MIDI (musical instruments)

Glad you mentioned that. Software changes can be a pain.

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