718 GT4 - Car Play will not connect

[Evo9lution]

Hi all,

So, first things first, I have to say that I loathe Apple products and every one I have every owned (only two iPod Touch variants before the latest purchase) has been shocking terrible. I was using my old Android phone in a cradle in the GT4, as my other car allows Android Auto, but it recently broke. So, as I thought that it would be nice to free up the cup holder and given that Porsche dictate that you can only utilise Waze and Google Maps in the PCM display through Car Play, I decided to buy myself a small iPhone (12 mini) - especially, as my current Android does not fit inside of the phone area in the console of a Mk7.5 Golf R ...

Now, it took me a while to connect the iPhone to the Golf, but that was because I had Siri turned off (my fault). Once on, it connected but I just cannot get the phone to connect to the GT4. No matter what I try - Siri off and on. Car and phone off. Samsung phone turned off. iPhone connected via BT and contacts added, etc.

When it is connected - tried multiple cables, and both USB ports - the iPhone charges and it seems to want to d something, but it never connects; even after a couple of hours of it being connected to the car. In fact, when the iPhone is connected, the PCM says "iPod connected" not "iPhone connected" ... Is it usual for the Porsche PCM to call an iPhone an iPod?

Has anyone else had this problem? If so, how did you resolve it? [Thinking that I may need to ask Porsche to do a factory reset on the PCM ...]

Cheers!

[detee]

I am sure you have tried it, but I had the same issue. The only cable that it liked was the official Apple one out of the box.

Even expensive aftermarket ones didn’t work.

Sorry if you have tried it, but that was my issue.

[gtsralph]

The socket to use is the armrest USB. I have used many cables from Apple, Porsche and eBay and never had a problem. I often just connect my iPhone via the cable and Nothing - then I remember I should have turned the phone on for it to connect.

Hope that helps

[Evo9lution]

detee said:

I am sure you have tried it, but I had the same issue. The only cable that it liked was the official Apple one out of the box.

Even expensive aftermarket ones didn’t work.

Sorry if you have tried it, but that was my issue.

gtsralph said:

The socket to use is the armrest USB. I have used many cables from Apple, Porsche and eBay and never had a problem. I often just connect my iPhone via the cable and Nothing - then I remember I should have turned the phone on for it to connect.

Hope that helps

Thanks, guys.

I have tried almost everything so far - I have tried multiple (expensive, Anker) cables in both USB connection areas, I have tried BT on & BT off, I have "forgotten" my Golf and tried again - all to no effect. The only thing I have not been able to do so far is try an official Apple cable as the one that came with the phone was USB-C to Lightning, not USB-A. I have already ordered an official Apple USB-A to Lightning cable, so this is all that I have left to try - I have contacted Porsche about resetting (Handover function) my PCM to see if that works.

The only other things I can try is somebody else's iPhone and there is someone in my apartment block who has a 991.2 GT3, with the same PCM version as mine. If he uses Car Play, I can test my phone on his car ...

[Evo9lution]

Is anyone able to comment on the "iPod Connected" comment I made earlier? When you connect your iPhone, does the PCM say "iPod Connect" or "iPhone Connected" and then open Car Play or does it just open Car Play without saying anything?

If you click on the Source button with your iPhone connected, do you see one that says "iPod"?

Cheers again!

[Evo9lution]

Evo9lution said:

The only thing I have not been able to do so far is try an official Apple cable as the one that came with the phone was USB-C to Lightning, not USB-A. I have already ordered an official Apple USB-A to Lightning cable, so this is all that I have left to try - I have contacted Porsche about resetting (Handover function) my PCM to see if that works.

OK, so I bought myself an official Apple USB-A to Lightning cable and also a USB-c to USB-A adaptor and tried the phone in both slots, with both official cables ... still no Car Play connection. However, I did notice that when it was sitting in the cradle, when there was a voice navigation announcement, it came through the car stereo rather than then phone speaker, as used to happen with the Android phone. So something strange is definitely going on ...

[scrounger73]

Try doing a herd reboot of the PCM.

Push the volume button in for 30 seconds then let go. You should have the Porsche logo appear then your model (GT$) in a graphic. While it reboots, power down your iphone as well.

Now try plugging your phone back in once you've turned it on using your USB cable plugged into the arm rest socket.

[Zio Di Roma]

Evo9lution said:

Hi all,

So, first things first, I have to say that I loathe Apple products and every one I have every owned (only two iPod Touch variants before the latest purchase) has been shocking terrible. I was using my old Android phone in a cradle in the GT4, as my other car allows Android Auto, but it recently broke. So, as I thought that it would be nice to free up the cup holder and given that Porsche dictate that you can only utilise Waze and Google Maps in the PCM display through Car Play, I decided to buy myself a small iPhone (12 mini) - especially, as my current Android does not fit inside of the phone area in the console of a Mk7.5 Golf R ...

Now, it took me a while to connect the iPhone to the Golf, but that was because I had Siri turned off (my fault). Once on, it connected but I just cannot get the phone to connect to the GT4. No matter what I try - Siri off and on. Car and phone off. Samsung phone turned off. iPhone connected via BT and contacts added, etc.

When it is connected - tried multiple cables, and both USB ports - the iPhone charges and it seems to want to d something, but it never connects; even after a couple of hours of it being connected to the car. In fact, when the iPhone is connected, the PCM says "iPod connected" not "iPhone connected" ... Is it usual for the Porsche PCM to call an iPhone an iPod?

Has anyone else had this problem? If so, how did you resolve it? [Thinking that I may need to ask Porsche to do a factory reset on the PCM ...]

Cheers!

Our Bentley has cable Carplay. We have to turn off bluetooth on the phone before it will work. Yes, it is a pain in the arse.

So try what others have suggested and then try that.

[Evo9lution]

scrounger73 said:

Try doing a herd reboot of the PCM.

Push the volume button in for 30 seconds then let go. You should have the Porsche logo appear then your model (GT$) in a graphic. While it reboots, power down your iphone as well.

Now try plugging your phone back in once you've turned it on using your USB cable plugged into the arm rest socket.

Zio Di Roma said:

Our Bentley has cable Carplay. We have to turn off bluetooth on the phone before it will work. Yes, it is a pain in the arse.

So try what others have suggested and then try that.

Tried both of those (thanks) but no joy!

Once I've tried my phone in the GT3 (or another GT4 at the Porsche centre) and / or tried someone else's phone in my car, I'll post back on here. Could be useful if anyone else has a similar problem - I did find a post on a different forum about the "iPod Connected" and it was to do with the WiFi, so I installed a SIM card but it made no different.

TBH, given how badly Apple products and I get on, I suspect that it will only happen to me!

[Evo9lution]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Oh, if I could have AA instead, I would (as I mentioned in my initial post, I hate Apple products) - but the people who could install the kit are most likely not in Switzerland and it may also invalidate the warranty (which is stupid, unless I have an issue with the PCM itself, but ...).

However, I will take a look to see if it will enable me to use the phone for Car Play rather than as an iPod - though I have been into the Devices setting and I didn't see it before - and it definitely never gave me the option of how to use it. Thanks though!

[Evo9lution]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Thanks, mate. That looks really cool!

BTW, I tried the information that you provided in your earlier post and it still didn't work with Car Play. I will try to get hold of that Ottocast dongle ...

ETA: I ordered it from Amazon.co.uk. I will post up if it works here

Edited by Evo9lution on Tuesday 19th April 10:42

[Evo9lution]

So, turns out that I hadn't spec'd Car Play (nor the Phone Connect, or whatever it is called) in my GT4 I had misremembered that it was an inclusive item and had forgotten that it was a cost option - which is why I did not spec it, as an Android user. In my defence, it was over two and a half years ago ...

As such, the Ottocast wireless thingy doesn't work in the Porsche ... but it does work in my Golf, so I can still recommend that for anyone who wants wireless AA (or Car Play) in their 718