iPhone 17 CarPlay Disconnects and won’t work

Updated to 26.1 and still keeps disconnecting.

Problem is my Pioneer head unit not the iOS.

I got an £20 dongle of Amazon and it’s worked great since, not one single disconnection.

Even though my Pionner is wireless CarPlay. The dongle is sold as turning wired only car play units into wireless units. This bypasses the issue with the Pioneers Bluetooth and uses the better bluetooth in the dongle. Issue solved!

Great news folks - I just downloaded i.OS 26.1 ( the very newest upgrade, released 3 November 2025) and CarPlay now works fine! No connection/ disconnection issues.

So kust make sure your CarPlay unit has its latest software, update your iOS to 26.1 ( NOT iOS 26.0.1) and the CarPlay will connect & stay connected.

Yippee!

“iOS 26.0.1 just released and they fixed the problem of the random wlan and bluetooth disconnects.[…]”

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All the more reason to report bugs to Apple.

I updated to 26.0.1 and one of our two cars started working ok. Our 2022 Ram 2500 works However the aftermarket "CPlay2Air" wireless CarPlay adapter that is connected to my 2017 VW Golf still has the same disconnecting issue. This adapter has been working flawlessly for years with numerous different iPhones.

iOS 26.0.1 just released and they fixed the problem of the random wlan and bluetooth disconnects. It should be fixed now :)

I still need to test it out but im beeing optimistic

I agree. My aftermarket CarPlay device has worked flawlessly with pre-iOS26 and iPhone 14. But now with iOS 26 and an iPhone 17 CarPlay disconnects after about 10 to 15 seconds. Then after five or so seconds reconnects and then plays for some number of random seconds and disconnect again. This never never never occurred previously. If I connect Bluetooth directly to the CarPlay device, it will stay connected without a problem. But then you have to use your phone as the controller to change songs and of course you cannot use your apps on the card device screen. But if I connect as CarPlay, turning on CarPlay in the iPhone 17, then it will not stay connected (and I know that uses Wi-Fi) so this appears to have something to do with the Wi-Fi connection to CarPlay.

I just updated my phone to 26.1 and wireless CarPlay is fixed and now works as expected with my CPlay2Air adapter.

I also confirmed it still works via wireless on a 2022 Ram 2500. (It never broke on the Ram)

I have an iphone17 Pro Max, and my carplay worked fine until I upgraded to ios 26.1. After upgrading to ios 26.1, I get a blank screen in my car after connecting to CarPlay. I get the same symptom in my 2018 VW Jetta, my 2021 RAM 1500, and also wirelessly in a 2025 Toyota Camry. Different cables. When I connect using my iphone15, running 26.1, that phone works fine. So, it appears to be something with iPhone17 and ios 26.1. I've tried rebooting several times, resetting network settings, and nothing fixes the issue, nor changes my blank screen. All head units say I'm connected and Carplay is working, but I just have a blank screen on all vehicles.

I managed to fix the problem of pairing the iphone 17 with my both cars, without disconnecting. Solution was, to buy 2 proper cable USBC and install it, but it works only if the plug (not the side of USB port) is in a correct position which is with the side of the letters (writing on the plug) are up.

"[...]syncing correctly and it’s purely the 17 device with ios26 which has problems. And the above seems to be becoming widely reported quickly looking at X and Reddit."

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Report this DIRECTLY to Apple:

X and Reddit are not Apple. Nor is Reddit affiliated with Apple So, to get the word out to Apple, report it to Apple, directly. These are just user-to-user forums. Apple takes no time in reading these forums on their own will and time.

So, do your Part: Provide Apple with feedback on this, letting them know about this issue.  Apple may not get back to you directly, but the more feedback they receive on this, the more they will know what is occurring, and what bug fixes to include in updates to come. Apple will know nothing of this, if you don't report it to them.

1. Go Here: Feedback - iPhone - Apple
2. Select: "Bug Report" for the "Feedback Type"
3. Comment: that this all began after installing an update. Include the URL of this thread.
4. Proceed from there as necessary

I just traded my iPhone 15 Pro Max in for a 17 Pro Max 3 days ago, iOS 26.1 and my AppleCar play is doing the same thing, non-stop freezing and disconnecting. I have tried numerous things recommended from youtube and nothing works. Reset network settings, reset infotainment unit in my vehicle, change the USB-USBC cord, set up wireless carplay, going into General-Screen Time-Content & Privacy making sure it's on. Nothing works. I am a bit annoyed because I would have just kept my iPhone 15 Pro Max longer knowing this. I don't have a built-in GPS in my 2023 Bronco I rely on Waze or Google Maps which also freezes and crashes. I hope Apple comes out with an update to fix this soon.

ok I think I found a solution, anyway - it works for now, until the next time it'll disconnect again.

I changed the connection cable to a cheap "ali-express" cable. not an original cable. it slows things down.

my thoughts are that the iphone 17 pro is super fast, and it's too fast and strong for the car's apple-car module. so the cheap cable helps by slowing things down.