[Tom2154]

I almost hate to start this discussion again, but here it is. Car Play was working fine in my 2021 Ascent for 8 months. But a couple of days ago it stopped announcing directions when using maps. I can instruct it to use Apple Maps or Google Maps and until a couple of weeks ago it would announce every turn. Now, when I say directions to so and so it will announce "Getting directions to so and so." Then it will say "I found this one, is that what you want?" and I respond Yes. Then it will say "Take a right on the next street" and from there on it never says anything again.

I will say that when it is supposed to announce the next turn, the radio volume lowers and I get a haptic on my Apple Watch, but no verbal instructions are given, then the radio volume increases again. So it seems like the iPhone is trying to make the announcement but the radio is not transmitting same?

It will show the map with the turns and all the information on the display, but never speaks again. I am at a loss how to correct the situation. I went to the Apple web site and did everything they told me with my phone, but no luck. I have a dozen usb lightening cables and I've tried several with no luck. I've rebooted the phone. I checked the very limited information you can get from the car radio and everything is in order.

Today I got the iOS 1.5 update to the phone that is supposed to have several upgrades to Car Play and thought maybe that'll fix the problem, but no. Still doing the same thing. I am at a loss on how to get it to work. My wife tried it with her iPhone and it will not giver directions with hers either no matter which map we use, Apple or Google. I guess I'll end up having to take the car to the dealer and see if they can tell me what's wrong.

As I understand it, CarPlay is determined by the iPhone and the radio doesn't have any kind of software that needs to be updated as it only has the ability to read the data on the iPhone. Maybe that's incorrect but there is no way to update the radio software that I am aware of. (I didn't buy the Magellan map package and I'm glad I did not because it is now discontinued and will stop being supported in 2024.)

So for now I have this new Ascent and I'm driving around with my 5-year-old Garmin GPS sitting on the dashboard! Not a very strong recommendation for Subaru's technology.

 

[xydadx3]

The electronics struggle is real lately!

The radio can be updated. Here’s a thread about it. Those updates are few and far between and not likely your culprit from what I’ve been hearing about and experiencing myself on CarPlay on iOS 15.

Since CarPlay is controlled by your phone your bug is probably in there somewhere and the only permanent fix is waiting for the next update unfortunately.

I use Waze to navigate almost exclusively. Since the iOS 15 and 15.1 update I’ve had to manually close and reopen it Waze a lot more. The audio has been another major headache since the update. Waze likes to take control and basically mute everything. The workaround for that I’ve found is pressing the voice button on the steering wheel then canceling the voice prompt. Everything seems to go back to normal after that. However, I always have voice navigation prompts muted so I just use the map itself. If you can go without the voice navigation prompts that’s another option for you.

Here’s to hoping for a good update soon!

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Did you check the volume setting in the head unit? There are multiple volume settings based on source. I have had what you describe happen on multiple vehicles and (fortunately) it was always because the volume control for the media from the phone accidentally got set to zero.

I have not had any issues with CarPlay in both my MY19 Ascent and our MY20 Forester. Phones are always on the latest release and quality short cables used with a phone mount.

 

[Tom2154]

Did you check the volume setting in the head unit? There are multiple volume settings based on source. I have had what you describe happen on multiple vehicles and (fortunately) it was always because the volume control for the media from the phone accidentally got set to zero.

I have not had any issues with CarPlay in both my MY19 Ascent and our MY20 Forester. Phones are always on the latest release and quality short cables used with a phone mount.

I spent hours in that car checking everything on both the phone and the head unit. I just received an email from Subaru saying their tech support is looking into it. I'm no novice with electronics and have had iPhones for years. It's not anything in the setting on the phone (which Subaru says controls Car Play - not the head unit), and there is no separate setting for map volume on the car (only phone volume). And this happened about two weeks before the iOS 15 update or I would blame it on the update. I was waiting and hoping the update would fix it. I use a 5 inch cable to connect the phone to the Ascent & keep the phone in on the shelf below the input. In the past, for the few times this has happened, I was able to solve it by simply rebooting the iPhone, but I've done that a dozen times through many steps and it doesn't help. Car Play has always been sketchy since it came out. Apple keeps taking stabs at making it more reliable, but if this is any indication then they've failed.

 

[xydadx3]

...And this happened about two weeks before the iOS 15 update or I would blame it on the update.

Weird that it happened before the iOS15 update. Post-update the controls for music and voice volume have been getting lumped together so you can't change either from the head unit until after activating Siri. I still think its a software bug on the phone side but you've hit about all the troubleshooting bullets I'd suggest already. As unlikely as it seems have you tried a different cable just to rule that out completely?
I've found CarPlay to be fairly reliable since I've had the Ascent and even in my previous vehicle. Its not without bugs but I like it better than any built-in nav I've ever used. Hopefully all the bugs they've introduced lately will turn enough heads for them to focus on reliability again.

 

[GaryInMI]

Google maps has a Volume setting under Settings>Navigation>Sound & Voice>Guidance Volume: Softer/Normal/Louder

If it is not set to Louder I've had the same thing happen that you described.

I normally use the in built nav but noticed this and was frustrated that it wasn't speaking the directions when I used Google maps.

I don't see a similar setting in Apple Maps, so maybe this isn't your problem.

 

[Tom2154]

Google maps has a Volume setting under Settings>Navigation>Sound & Voice>Guidance Volume: Softer/Normal/Louder

If it is not set to Louder I've had the same thing happen that you described.

I normally use the in built nav but noticed this and was frustrated that it wasn't speaking the directions when I used Google maps.

I don't see a similar setting in Apple Maps, so maybe this isn't your problem.

 

[Tom2154]

The electronics struggle is real lately!

The radio can be updated. Here’s a thread about it. Those updates are few and far between and not likely your culprit from what I’ve been hearing about and experiencing myself on CarPlay on iOS 15.

Since CarPlay is controlled by your phone your bug is probably in there somewhere and the only permanent fix is waiting for the next update unfortunately.

I use Waze to navigate almost exclusively. Since the iOS 15 and 15.1 update I’ve had to manually close and reopen it Waze a lot more. The audio has been another major headache since the update. Waze likes to take control and basically mute everything. The workaround for that I’ve found is pressing the voice button on the steering wheel then canceling the voice prompt. Everything seems to go back to normal after that. However, I always have voice navigation prompts muted so I just use the map itself. If you can go without the voice navigation prompts that’s another option for you.

Here’s to hoping for a good update soon!

Well, I tried what you said with the voice button just on the chance it would do something. (I didn't know what you meant by cancelling the prompt). So I asked for directions using Waze this time and when it wouldn't talk, I pressed the talk button and then I pressed the source button and for a split second I heard the phone speaking the directions. So I pressed them a couple of more times and now WOW it works again!?!?!

So if anyone asks me how to fix it, I really don't have any intelligent answer, but thanks to your suggestion, something with those two buttons on the steering wheel put it back on track......for now at least. I agree with you that it using the phone is better than any built-in navigation system I've had as well. That clunky old Garmin that sits on the dash just keeps on gong and it has lifetime free updates so I tote it along in case. And the iPhone always calls out the vocal directions when it's not connected to Car Play. It's just sometimes they don't want to play TOGETHER.... lol

 

[Tom2154]

Google maps has a Volume setting under Settings>Navigation>Sound & Voice>Guidance Volume: Softer/Normal/Louder

If it is not set to Louder I've had the same thing happen that you described.

I normally use the in built nav but noticed this and was frustrated that it wasn't speaking the directions when I used Google maps.

I don't see a similar setting in Apple Maps, so maybe this isn't your problem.

I'm not even going to tell you what happened when I tried that. OK, I'll tell you. Those options have changed since the iOS 15.1 update, and now it seems it is either on or off and no volume adjustment. BUT I got into the google maps app and now there's a section that tells you how to use sittings under the new FOCUS function. One of the options took me to general settings and I didn't realize it, and one of the choices there was "Enable Voice Over" so I though, well that's why it isn't working - I need to enable Voice Over. [WARNING HERE: unless you are BLIND, NEVER ENABLE "VOICE OVER". It is for people who can't see, so the phone reads back to you everything you touch on the phone screen. So you close your eyes and run you fingers over the screen and listen for the prompts. It may say "phone button", but it doesn't activate the phone. To use the phone after you touch the phone button, you must do 2 quick taps again to select that button. There is NOTHING that explains this. (I know this is long, but it gets better.)

So I don't know what's going on and just want to get out of this problem with the phone reading to me everything my fingers touch but doing nothing, SO I figure REBOOT - right? WRONG! Rebooting does not turn off "voice over", so after the reboot you can't use Face ID and you have to key in your code. But I didn't know the secret of one tap to hear the number then two quick taps to select it. So I couldn't unlock my phone. I messaged Apple & they did a chat. Guy told me to press the vol. up button quickly and release, then press the vol down quickly and release then press side button and hold it till the apple logo appears. Well, I did that but the apple logo never appeared so I kept holding the volume and side buttons. Do you know what that does? Well, I do now. If you hold them long enough, it calls 911 for you! LOL. So the phone starts calling 911 but I can't stop it because I don't know the secret tapping thing. I was in a sheer panic. I could see the EMS and the Fire Engine headed down my street and wanting ME to pay for a false alarm. They tried to call me to verify, but I still didn't know the tapping thing (The phone is now in a Disability Mode). But for some reason I managed to stop it before the call went through to 911 (it texted my two emergency contacts first)

Then I got on Facebook, because the guy at Apple said he would have to refer me to a programmer and they would need to call me back, even though I can't unlock this phone now? But I went to YouTube and found a GREAT video explaining how to unlock the phone with the three taps and once it's unlocked is as easy as saying "Hey seri, turn off Voice Over" and it's fixed. So that's my crazy story of what happened when I innocently tried to get Google Maps to talk to me via Car Play.

 

[xydadx3]

Now THAT is a story!

I’m glad to hear whatever button combo on the steering wheel worked for you! By canceling the prompt I just meant press the voice button again to cancel Siri.
Hopefully it’ll keep working and not revert!

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I had the 911 thing happen to me a couple of years ago myself...it not only contacts 911, but also your "special people", so family members were also wondering if I was killing myself with a chainsaw. (I was actually using one at the time)

I, um...turned that feature off. It's too similar to screenshotting.

 

[GaryInMI]

Oh man, sorry for all the craziness!

 

[xydadx3]

So if anyone asks me how to fix it, I really don't have any intelligent answer, but thanks to your suggestion, something with those two buttons on the steering wheel put it back on track......for now at least.

the source button on the steering wheel or radio button on the head unit have been fixing it for me. When the volume isn’t working there’s a speaker icon along with the volume control, when the volume is working it’s a music note icon.
I still haven’t figured out any rhyme or reason why it happens or exactly what fixes it. 🤷‍♂️