Car Mode No Longer Turns On

[Gdaniel521]

Plan

Premium

Country

Chicago, IL United States

Device

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Operating System

iOS 16.4.1 

My Question or Issue

I have a 2004 SAAB 9-3 Arc that has had a hands free call and audio kit from iSimple installed a couple months back. Since having this installed, car mode no longer turns on automatically and I do not see an option to manually turn it on yourself. Previously I had an FM transmitter that automatically used car mode every time it was connected. I have already clean uninstalled the Spotify app numerous times but no luck to being able to use car mode while I’m actually connected in the car. Any other way to go about being able to use it again? I even contemplated getting the car thing only to find out they no longer make it. 

[Prague]

Tail wagging hello to you Gdaniel521!

I'm sorry to hear about the issues you're experiencing with car mode on your SAAB 9-3 Arc after installing the iSimple hands-free call and audio kit. Here are a few suggestions you can try to troubleshoot the problem:

• Check car mode settings: Ensure that the car mode settings on your phone are properly configured. Depending on the device and operating system version you're using, the location and availability of car mode settings may vary. Look for options like "Driving mode," "Car mode," or "Auto-launch" in your phone's settings and make sure it's enabled and set to activate when connected to your car's Bluetooth or audio system.

• Verify Bluetooth connection: Confirm that your phone is properly connected to the car's Bluetooth system. In some cases, car mode may not activate if the Bluetooth connection is not established or if there are issues with the pairing. Remove the existing Bluetooth pairing between your phone and the car, then re-pair them following the proper pairing process specific to your car's system.

• Update phone software: Ensure that your phone's operating system and software are up to date. Software updates often include bug fixes and improvements that can resolve compatibility issues. Check for any available updates in the settings of your phone and install them if necessary.

• Consult the iSimple documentation: Review the documentation or user manual provided with the iSimple hands-free call and audio kit. It may contain specific instructions or troubleshooting steps for activating car mode with their system. If you can't find the documentation, consider contacting iSimple's customer support for assistance.

Ill be barking up the wrong tree without any update on your situation,

-Prague the Dog

[Satansprincessxiii]

A few updates ago car mode stopped activating when I connect to my cars Bluetooth. I’ve tried changing the name of my car in settings to include the word car but it didn’t help. I really don’t want to uninstall and reinstall the app because I have over 7,000 songs downloaded and it takes forever to redownload all those songs.

I have an iPhone 13pro, US premium account running version 8.9.12.541

[lazybluefrog]

Same here. iPhone 13 Pro, Spotify 8.9.12.541

wired CarPlay has worked fine until about 3 weeks ago. Reinstalling Spotify didn’t fix it, updating IOS didn’t fix it. All setting are correct.

kind of a pain in the neck because it won’t even keep the phone from locking anymore.

[Satansprincessxiii]

Spotify recognizes my car but the car mode view doesn’t fully activate. Like the phone will stay on and the notification won’t show up saying I saved a song but it looks like the standard Spotify view. I’ve checked my car settings, deleted and repaired my phone, my phone is up to date and Spotify is up to date but car mode still doesn’t activate. 

[OscarDC]

Hey @Satansprincessxiii,

Thank you for joining the conversation.

Just to be on the same page, would you mind confirming if you have tried the steps mentioned by @Prague in the previous post? If so and the issue persists, it could be related to some damaged cache stored on your mobile device that may be affecting the car view. So in this case, and if you haven't tried before, we'd recommend performing a clean reinstall of the app by following the steps in this article. This process will clear and replace all damaged files and ensures you're running the latest version of the app.

If the issue still persists, include in your next response the OS version of your mobile device, along with the Spotify version you're currently running to continue investigating the case.

We'll be on the lookout.

[Satansprincessxiii]

I tried everything, in the original recommendation except the part about the isimple mod because I don’t have it. I also tried uninstalling and reinstalling the app but still the same problem. Car mode won’t fully activate, my phone stays on while it’s connected and the message when you save a song doesn’t pop up but the car view isn’t showing. 

App version 8.9.16.556

iOS 17.3.1

iphone 13pro

[c_lawlz]

I have the same problem, I tried updated the app, reinstalling, etc. 

This happened in early January, around the time a change was made so the iPhone apps now playing screen shows merch, concerts, etc below the controls.

This bug isn't related to the app version. At first I thought was - when the bug started I checked my old iPhone, which was running an older version of the app and was still fine. (At that time the apps home screen was still showing Spotify wrapped when my new phone was not).

Since then the old iPhones Spotify home screen has changed (without me updating the app) and now it has the same problem with car mode as the new phone.

It seems like maybe when backend updates are made (maybe to the now playing screen?) some of us have the car mode feature broken. Is there a way to file a bug report with the developers on this? Thank you. 

[Maria]

Hey there folks,

Thanks for posting in this thread!

We've noticed a few reports about this, and it sounds like you’re seeing a recent change to the app. We’re always testing possible improvements, so you or someone else may see something new or get a limited feature temporarily on the app. We appreciate you taking your time to raise this on the Community, as it helps inform our future decisions.

Should anything else appear, we're just a post away.

[Satansprincessxiii]

I’ve updated the app a few times since I last posted and the issue still hasn’t been resolved. 

[c_lawlz]

The issue is tied to your account, not the local app version. For whatever reason it’s disabled/borked on our accounts. 

[melissath]

I have the same issue, car mode won't appear and I've tried everything it was suggested in this post.

I have an iPhone 14 pro with iOS 17.4.1 using Spotify version 8.9.19

[melissath]

I updated the app yesterday and now the car mode option in settings disappeared.

[kasiek]

I also updated my Spotify few days ago and since then car mode just disappeared and won’t turn on 

[Ivelina]

Hey folks,

Thanks to everyone that's posted in this thread!

At Spotify, we’re always looking for ways to make listening more seamless, wherever you are. There are multiple ways to enjoy listening to Spotify in the car and of those options, we found that Car Mode doesn’t offer a better in-car user experience. As a result we’ll be retiring it. To find out more about the different ways you can continue to listen to Spotify in the car, check out For the Record.

The Community's here if you need help with something else 🙂

[Tofer76]

Bring it back! Hate that my screen blacks out now and i cant like songs as they co.e up.  It helped me make new playlists

[Salvyah]

Excuse me?? Car mode ABSOLUTELY DOES bring a better end user experience. It prevented my screen from locking and it was easier to touch the buttons on screen. BRING. IT. BACK. 

[Satansprincessxiii]

I really liked car mode when it worked and it definitely made listening in the car better. Since I don’t have a newer car with apples car play it made it easier to skip songs and select playlists without fidgeting with my phone. If you could bring it back and have a way to manually activate car mode that would be great. I don’t think getting rid of car play is the best option.

[rowanssi]

So if we have older cars or use it on bikes, we're just **bleep**? I really don't enjoy having basic and accessible features nuked.

[Carmodeenthusiest]

Hello I have android auto and still prefer car play as a default. Why remove something that can be toggled on or off? I find the full screen more clunky and dangerous to navigate. This is far from a seamless experience and a step backwards. Please allow us to roll this back or suggest we can bring this back. Forward all this feedback to your team.