Android Auto Malfunctions and Automatic Restarts: Potential Solutions?
In recent months, numerous Android Auto users have reported wireless connectivity problems following updates to versions 13.4 and 13.5. These issues, which primarily manifest as repeated disconnections during wireless Android Auto sessions, require users to manually reset connections.
The complaints suggest that after these updates, Android Auto struggles to maintain a stable wireless connection over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi between the smartphone and the vehicle's infotainment system. Users report that even using different USB cables does not resolve the issue, indicating that the fault is not hardware-related but software-induced connectivity instability.
The affected vehicles are those with wireless Android Auto support, but specific models have not been detailed. The instability appears to be related to how the Android Auto app and the phone's network manager prioritize and maintain wireless connections, possibly implicating interaction between Android's network management and the auto projection protocol.
As for solutions, users and support resources emphasize the following approaches:
- Restarting devices and infotainment systems to reset connections.
- Ensuring both phone and car infotainment firmware are updated to the latest versions to include any patches.
- Checking for any pending updates to Android Auto from the Google Play Store and applying them.
- Using a wired USB connection as a reliable fallback since wireless connections have been unstable.
Some Reddit users have found that reverting to Android Auto version 13.3, specifically 13.3.644684-release, resolves the connectivity problems. Interacting with Android Auto once it connects has also helped some users resolve the connectivity issues.
For instance, a Reddit user reported that a 2021 Audi Q5 with an OnePlus 12 phone running Android Auto 13.5.650284-release experiences connectivity issues that can be resolved by interacting with the phone while connected to Android Auto.
Although a definitive official fix has not been reported as of July 2025, the issues are apparently under investigation as network connection prioritization bugs have been addressed in related network firmware around the same time. Users should monitor for updates from Google and their vehicle manufacturers that may improve wireless Android Auto stability.
In the meantime, Android Auto forum moderators are asking for exact make and models to help determine a solution. Complaints about the connectivity problems have been posted on Google's Android Auto forums and Reddit. Some Android Auto devices are rebooting unexpectedly when trying to connect to vehicles, while wireless functionality is failing entirely for some users, leaving wired connections as the only option.
Google has acknowledged the issue and is investigating a fix, but has not provided a timeline for a resolution. If possible, users are advised to avoid updating Android Auto until the glitch is fixed.
- The unstable wireless connections between Android Auto and vehicle infotainment systems, as observed in Android Auto versions 13.4 and 13.5, have been causing repeated disconnections, prompting users to resort to wired connections as a reliable alternative.
- Despite various updates to Android Auto and other related software, the wireless connectivity problems persist, leading some users to revert to earlier versions, such as Android Auto 13.3.644684-release, in search of a stable connection.
