Sponsored

Has wireless CarPlay reliability improved?

starrtech2000

Well-known member
First Name
Jesse
Joined
Oct 2, 2023
Threads
16
Messages
96
Reaction score
46
Location
Colorado
Vehicles
23 Lightning Lariat ER 511a
I’ve heard a lot of reports of wireless CarPlay not working well in either of Ford’s EVs and I’m wondering if this has improved at all with either software updates or running hardware improvements.

Also, is the CarPlay experience as slow as the rest of the UI? For example, the way that graphics load in like dial up internet on the Ford settings pages…
Sponsored

 

ChrisCon

Well-known member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jan 7, 2022
Threads
30
Messages
488
Reaction score
869
Location
The Hamptons, NY
Vehicles
'22 Carbonized Grey Lightning Lariat ER
I had to get a new APIM unit installed in my truck because wireless CarPlay just stopped working , but before that incident and with the new one , it works perfectly . The UI is fast since all the heavy lifting is done on your phone . I think CarPlay looks great on the lightning center stack
 

luebri

Well-known member
First Name
Brian
Joined
Jun 15, 2022
Threads
36
Messages
982
Reaction score
1,547
Location
Neenah, WI
Vehicles
22' F150 Lightning (Lariat ER), 22' Pathfinder SL
11 months of ownership. I am in CarPlay 99% of the time and mostly wireless. The only minor complaint is if I leave the truck on and run into a store or something the "re-handshaking" is a bit clunky / slow. Again, only and minor complaint.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GDN

MichaelCA

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 14, 2022
Threads
9
Messages
313
Reaction score
275
Location
California
Vehicles
'22 Lighting ER, '22 Tesla Model 3, '16 Mustang GT
carplay works just as well as in any other vehicle. only hiccups is during certain areas that always cause a disconnect some sorta interference.
 

mattskr

Well-known member
First Name
Matt
Joined
Sep 11, 2022
Threads
3
Messages
272
Reaction score
386
Location
Austin, Texas
Vehicles
23 Platinum Iconic Silver
Can't comment on how it worked before Jan 2023 as that's when I got mine but it works well. One of the best things is I can use wireless Carplay AND the truck's hotspot at the same time. In my wife's car we have to disable wireless CarPlay to use the hotspot as the vehicle only has one wifi radio. I guess Ford's has two!

There are some weird interference areas where Carplay will skip and/or completely cut out but not sure if that's really Ford's fault or if anything can be done about it.
 

Sponsored

FordBookends

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 26, 2022
Threads
0
Messages
62
Reaction score
78
Location
West Coast
Vehicles
'23 Lightning Lariat, ‘68 Mustang Conv, 65 Mustang
Occupation
Engineer
Can't comment on how it worked before Jan 2023 as that's when I got mine but it works well. One of the best things is I can use wireless Carplay AND the truck's hotspot at the same time. In my wife's car we have to disable wireless CarPlay to use the hotspot as the vehicle only has one wifi radio. I guess Ford's has two!

There are some weird interference areas where Carplay will skip and/or completely cut out but not sure if that's really Ford's fault or if anything can be done about it.
Wireless Carplay works well for me, either with the phone on the wireless charger or in my pocket. It links up pretty quickly most of the time. Apple maps occasionally glitches, but that is an Apple issue, as I can still run Waze, Google maps, or other phone apps when I see that happening.
 

carys98

Well-known member
First Name
Cary
Joined
Jan 15, 2022
Threads
22
Messages
606
Reaction score
881
Location
Raleigh, NC
Vehicles
2023 Lightning Lariat SR
11 months of ownership. I am in CarPlay 99% of the time and mostly wireless. The only minor complaint is if I leave the truck on and run into a store or something the "re-handshaking" is a bit clunky / slow. Again, only and minor complaint.
This. I recently had to pull over, turn off the truck, open the door, and restart the truck to get it to reconnect after running into a store. Otherwise it’s flawless.
 

eopiela

Active member
First Name
Eric
Joined
Sep 1, 2022
Threads
2
Messages
42
Reaction score
15
Location
Austin, TX
Vehicles
F150
Occupation
Attorney
CarPlay is still sketch on my 2022 Lightning. Usually the two finger reboot fixes it, but it takes forever to recognize the phone after doing that. Hit the CarPlay icon on the devices screen 3-4 times and it usually will connect.
 

OtterJohn

Well-known member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 31, 2023
Threads
6
Messages
152
Reaction score
187
Location
Philomath, OR
Vehicles
2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Lariat ER
For wired CarPlay, does anyone else seem to have to disconnect the USB cable from the truck as well as the phone to get it to pay attention? Or am I just being impatient?
 
OP
OP

starrtech2000

Well-known member
First Name
Jesse
Joined
Oct 2, 2023
Threads
16
Messages
96
Reaction score
46
Location
Colorado
Vehicles
23 Lightning Lariat ER 511a
Follow up: I Got a 23 er lariat. Carplay is fairly unreliable. I often have calls that get totally garbled while I'm talking and have to hang up. Calls that I'm on get disconnected when I get in the truck.
 

Sponsored

Grease Lightning

Well-known member
First Name
Johnathan
Joined
Sep 6, 2023
Threads
3
Messages
525
Reaction score
752
Location
Albany, Oregon USA
Vehicles
2023 F-150 Lightning XLT
My experience is not positive with wireless CarPlay. I have lag and reboots, issues with Siri sounding like garbage and tiny, and it not always connecting.

Then my biggest grip is in the actual protocol as you cannot use the truck’s LTE and wireless CarPlay. Where I visit often I need to use the AT&T network the truck is on for my phone as Verizon has no or limited coverage.
 

Yellow Buddy

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2022
Threads
23
Messages
2,311
Reaction score
3,024
Location
Mid-Atlantic
Vehicles
F-150L Pro, Rivian R1T, Model S, Model X
Occupation
Smart Ass
For wired CarPlay, does anyone else seem to have to disconnect the USB cable from the truck as well as the phone to get it to pay attention? Or am I just being impatient?
I don't think my cable has been unplugged since I got the truck...

My phone typically connects right away via wifi. I'll plug her in to charge the phone at some point during the drive and it switches to wired CarPlay at that point. Initially, early last year it had issues with switching back and forth between the two but I haven't had any such issues in recent memory.

For me, I absolutely love using CarPlay. I probably wouldn't plug the phone in if the stupid Apple camera bump wasn't there, but using it this way has been flawless.
 

Webbo85

Well-known member
First Name
Marc
Joined
Dec 23, 2022
Threads
3
Messages
118
Reaction score
170
Location
Glenmoore, PA
Vehicles
2023 F150 Lightning Lariat ER, 2002 Jeep Wrangler
Occupation
Mech Engineer
I’ve had pretty good luck with wireless Car Play. If it doesn’t connect right away, I go to the Wi-Fi screen on the phone and connect to the truck which is ‘Pro…..’ something or another. As soon as I do that, it connects within 30 seconds every time.
 

GDN

Well-known member
First Name
Greg
Joined
Feb 15, 2022
Threads
84
Messages
3,194
Reaction score
3,875
Location
Dallas, TX
Vehicles
Lightning Lariat ER, Performance Y
Occupation
IT
I actually feel like CarPlay has improved over the last 30 to 60 days. Wireless almost always connects and the music continues to play once started. It had been pausing 5 to 10 seconds after the connection was made and music started.

I used to plug in a lot to get a better connection, but rarely anymore.
 

VictorM

Well-known member
First Name
Victor
Joined
Feb 7, 2022
Threads
9
Messages
174
Reaction score
166
Location
Western PA
Vehicles
F150 Lightning XLT ER
Occupation
Experiential Knowledge Griot
I’ve had pretty good luck with wireless Car Play. If it doesn’t connect right away, I go to the Wi-Fi screen on the phone and connect to the truck which is ‘Pro…..’ something or another. As soon as I do that, it connects within 30 seconds every time.
This is the same procedure I follow each time I enter the truck and wireless CarPlay works fine. I would like it if the phone connected to the truck wifi automatically.
Sponsored

 
 





Top