Spotify Won't Pause - keeps going back to play (CarPlay)

[mmlabbd]

Using Spotify on iPhone 5s with Panasonic AppRadio 4 in CarPlay mode. 

Getting the regular (already reported bugs) but one I can't find anywhere - when I hit PAUSE, on the unit or the app on the phone directly after a few seconds the music starts playing again. It's SO frustrating not being able to pause a song!

Also if a call comes in, you answer the call the music pauses and then at some point during the call the music starts playing again in the background! Very off-putting, pretty sure the caller can't hear the music but you then have to force the app closed on the iPhone which is not entirely safe whilst driving!

Also the length it pauses for varies each time, sometimes only 1 second, sometimes 5 seconds but each and every time I hit pause on either the app or the AppRadio 4 the song will start playing again. Any thoughts/ideas anyone?

[gcastrog]

I have the exact same problem. It started with the last update (may 20th). Hope it get fixed in the next update

[mmlabbd]

So glad it's not just me. Couldn't remember if it happened before the last update. Thanks for the info gcastrog.

[BenjaminP]

I just installed an alpine ilx-007. I was trying to use Siri and kept getting cut off. I thought something was wrong with the mic. Then I realized it was spotify. Sure enough it won't stay paused and that's what was cutting off Siri. So I tried just tapping pause. Yup. Started playing on its own a few seconds later. Amongst all the other issues with this app extension, this is an almost unusable experience. Which is why I'll be looking hard at apple music on June 30.

[Swanny]

Thanks for the reports of this, I have escalated the CarPlay issues to the Spotify team, I will let you know when there is an update.

[mmlabbd]

Thanks Swanny. I have to agree with BenjaminP above. If Spotify can't fix this, the new Apple Music will be getting my $10 a month as Spotify is pretty much unusable with CarPlay as is. Also, I emailed Support and their reply was so copy/paste it's unbelievable. They didn't actually read my email at all.

[Swanny]

I believe the response from Spotify is fairly automated, if you reply back to it they should assist further. It's more or less just to ward off the "turn it off and on again" fixes 🙂

[Rorey]

Hey everyone. Staff here. Thanks for reporting.

Could you please give a clean reinstall of Spotify a try and let us know if this improved things? Also, could use to know the following. 

• Your Spotify version
• Firmware version 
• Steps to reproduce

Once we have this, we'll get it looked into. 

[mmlabbd]

Hi Rorey,

OK here you go. 

Deleted and Re-Installed Spotify today.  

- Spotify Version 3.2.0

- Firmware Version of the CarPlay unit (Pioneer AppRadio 4 Firmware V 1.0.7)

- Steps to reproduce:

1. Connected my iPhone 5s running iOS 8.3 (12F70) to my Pioneer AppRadio 4 via Lightning Cable in USB port 1. 

2. When CarPlay was showing on the car radio display, scrolled to the SPOTIFY app and selected it

3. Went to My Music / Playlists and selected one of my playlists.

4. Selected SHUFFLE PLAY.

5a. Due to another bug with your Carplay app, the song started playing (well I guess it was playing as I went to the app on my iPhone and the progress bar was moving, but there was no audio coming from the AppRadio 4)

5b. Went to Pioneers own UI, pressed Pause on the Spotify App on the phone and pressed Play on the Spotify App on the phone. This then kicked the audio in on the AppRadio 4.

6. Went back to the CarPlay Spotify App and selected Now Playing - artist/title information and Play/Pause and Skip buttons displayed.

7. When song was playing (and now audible) pressed the PAUSE button on the AppRadio 4 unit. Song pauses for approx. 3 seconds (on the phone app the duration times from the progress bar dissappear). Song then starts playing again (duration times appear back on the progress bar on the phone app). 

8. Just to check, I select PAUSE on the app on the phone, song pauses for approx. 1 second this time, song starts playing again. 

9. And just to be ultra sure, I go to the Pioneer UI on the AppRadio 4 and press PAUSE on here, the song pauses and re-starts again in a few seconds. 

10. Make a phone call, using SIRI. During the SIRI process music is paused. Once the call is placed and the ringing tone is heard, song starts playing again. Music cannot be heard by the caller but is very distracting when trying to talk to someone. 

This is so so annoying and I'm not entirely sure if this is a recent bug or something that's always been there as I've only had the AppRadio for a short time but others above saying it's only occuring in a recent release. I hope you can fix this because Spotify is barely usable anyway - this bug makes it very frustrating and Apple Music sounds like a good deal to me as a paying customer.

Chris. 

[bluecougee]

Any updates on this? I have pretty much stopped using CarPlay because of this issue! It's driving me crazy!!!!

[mmlabbd]

Hi bluecougee,

No, still the same. There seem to have been a few updates to Spotify on iOS recently but none have resolved this issue. In fact I was driving only yesterday when a call came through from work. I had to tell them I would call them back later as I couldn't hear them over the music. So much for hands free calling.
Roll on June 30th.

[Gcdm]

It at least mildly comforting to see I'm not alone is this problem. Just not its gotten bad to the point where music was interrupting a 911 call. That's a safety hazard. I hope this bug gets squashed without mercy...

[Casmc]

I am having the same problem. I wish it would go back to how it was. It used to work correctly in relation to the pausing of Spotify, but now I have about 8 seconds to spewak on the phone before the music reumes and I can't hear. Also Siri doesn't work any more.

Please fix this; it's very depressing as i have two cars with Carplay and I am getting alot of grief from my wife as i had installed the new system for her and now it just annoys her!

[artemmadel]

Pioneer SPH-DA120, Iphone 6 Plus IOS 8.3, latest spotify, same problem, cant mute, cant pause, cant normally call...BT, Cable, same problem...

hey Spotify? this one problem is very old, please do anything, i pay you for a premium account, please fix this bugs!

thx from Slovakia

[mmlabbd]

Well it's dissapointing but it's the 30th tomorrow, and the problem still exists. 

I've exported all my playlists as text files and am ready to press cancel on my Spotify subscription on PayPal and move over to Apple Music. It's a shame because I like Spotify but I can't justify 9.99 a month for a service that just doesn't work in the car. Maybe I'll be back if they fix the issue - maybe not, we'll just have to see. 

[Rorey · Accepted solution]

Hey @mmlabbd Can you try starting Spotify before connecting to the car and see if that improves things? Also, what version are you running? We believe this is fixed in 3.4.0

[mmlabbd]

Hi Rorey,

I thought it would be fair to follow this post up to say that, yes in 3.4.0 the problem has been fixed so others may know that it has been resolved. I am now trialling Apple Music for 3 months but may be back to Spotify in October. Thanks for the resolution.