[BakPakVA]

For anyone that may be interested, I was able to successfully connect my Samsung SmartThings (V2) hub with EVEconnect tonight and see a few devices through the Starlink App. The devices I have checked so far are motion sensor, electrical outlet, and multi-sensor (doors, vibration, temp). I have not tried any of the GPS features yet (arriving, leaving). I am still working on a fix for Android Auto, but it appears that I am not the only having this issue so far.

 

[BakPakVA]

Android Auto

For anyone who is experiencing problems with the latest Android Auto and Pie, I have found a temporary solution. I have tried all the tricks mentioned, developer mode, new cable, turning on and off BT/Wifi, etc. Nothing worked except when I plugged a non-powered USB hub into the vehicle and plugged my phone into the hub. It then recognized the hub, and let me finally select the AA app (was always grayed out before). Google Maps seems to work, but when I tried Waze the map would not load. Since I just got this working this morning, I haven't had time to look into it further or test over a long period of time to see if it drops out. I am just happy to finally see it at least recognize my phone. The hub I tried was a Monoprice Aquamini Usb hub (https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=6631) although this is probably only a temporary fix until I find a smaller one that works or Subaru fixes their USB communications. (My Essentials PH-1 works without this in KIA and Hyundai SUVs that I have rented in the past)

UPDATE: I switched to a $10 Targus USB 2.0 Hub Model ACH214 and Waze is now working. I have a feeling that most USB 2.0 hubs will resolve the issue. I just picked the smallest one that I could find that would fit in the cubby hole.

 

[DeepForest]

Happy owners, how the Android Auto works?

 

[eps105]

On my Samsung Galaxy S8, flawlessly.

Android Auto itself works identically across all cars, so I won't go into any details on its features. But the one implementation detail that I like on the new Forester is that, when you plug in your Android phone that has previously been paired and set up, the infotainment will go directly into the Android Auto home screen without having to touch anything. (On my wife's Honda Pilot, you have to go into the infotainment home screen and manually select the Android Auto app icon after the phone has been plugged in.)

I think Subaru has probably fixed a lot of bugs since this infotainment unit was introduced on the 2017 Impreza and 2018 Crosstrek, because my relative's Crosstrek had a lot of trouble connecting to his Galaxy S5 and had hiccups connecting to my S8 (had to plug it in, unplug, then plug in again to get it so work). No such issues on my Forester. Happy camper. :grin2:

 

[BakPakVA]

Happy owners, how the Android Auto works?

It depends on which phone you are using, and what version of Android Auto and OS you are running. The issues aren't so much a Subaru problem, as an Android issue I think. My Essentials PH-1 running OS 9 (Pie) and the latest Google Play beta now works without the audio issue (won't release focus), but it still will not connect without using a non-powered hub. You can read more about the specific phones, vehicles, and software versions here https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/android-auto/e7N4Eym8OX0/G08BLCsTCAAJ . I would suggest you take your phone and cable with you when you test drive, or be patient until all the bugs are worked out.

 

[DeepForest]

Tested my HTC today on 19 Sport. Android Auto did not work.
Will try another phone tomorrow. Also will try unpowered USB hub trick.

 

[pseuno]

For anyone who is experiencing problems with the latest Android Auto and Pie, I have found a temporary solution. I have tried all the tricks mentioned, developer mode, new cable, turning on and off BT/Wifi, etc. Nothing worked except when I plugged a non-powered USB hub into the vehicle and plugged my phone into the hub. It then recognized the hub, and let me finally select the AA app (was always grayed out before). Google Maps seems to work, but when I tried Waze the map would not load. Since I just got this working this morning, I haven't had time to look into it further or test over a long period of time to see if it drops out. I am just happy to finally see it at least recognize my phone. The hub I tried was a Monoprice Aquamini Usb hub (https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=6631) although this is probably only a temporary fix until I find a smaller one that works or Subaru fixes their USB communications. (My Essentials PH-1 works without this in KIA and Hyundai SUVs that I have rented in the past)

UPDATE: I switched to a $10 Targus USB 2.0 Hub Model ACH214 and Waze is now working. I have a feeling that most USB 2.0 hubs will resolve the issue. I just picked the smallest one that I could find that would fit in the cubby hole.

My android auto works but i have audio problems. similar to this https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidAuto/comments/9n4zh5/subaru_android_auto_volume_issue/

and it doesn't seem to be just subarus. I will try a usb hub anyway to see if it might work.

 

[kevinjc85]

I picked up a 2019 Touring the first month it came out, and the Android Auto worked on my way home from the dealership, but then only connected 25% of the time for the next month or two. I couldn't isolate the reason for the apparent fix (perhaps Android OS update on my LGV30 phone?), but it mostly works now. It now connects 75% of the time. It really doesn't like to be un-plugged and re-connected mid-drive, but perhaps this is on purpose for a "safety" feature to discourage plugging in phones while driving?

The infotainment safety lockouts while driving really irritate me.

My biggest gripe so far though is Waze for 2 reasons:

1) I can't figure out how to end a Waze ride from the Subaru Android Auto screen...this feature appears to be missing from the AA, and so I have to fiddle with my phone to open Waze from there in order to end a ride and stop getting direction re-calculations if I decide to go somewhere else.

2) While driving with Waze on AA, you can't search for a Gas/Food/etc. destination and get the "X Minutes / Miles Off-Route" list that you can do from the phone app. This feature on the phone version lets you search for a restaurant or other business and gives you a list of all of them along your route and sorts it by the one that will take you the shortest detour off your route rather than just going to the nearest one which could be a few more streets of extra driving off your route than another one more toward your final destination. Losing this on the Subaru AA app is insanely inconvenient compared to using it on the phone app.

 

[My1stForester51]

I love everything about my new Limited including AA integration, but there is a bug that is driving me nuts. Apparently this is a known issue with several phone-vendor/OS version combinations. My phone is a OnePlus 5T running Pie. It connects quickly to AA every time by just inserting the USB cable. However, the phone ringer and text notifications get muted as long as AA remains active. As a result, incoming calls and messages are missed. I have been unable to locate a workaround and the issue has been reported on several other forums and Google is aware as well.

 

[DJ's Forester]

Newbie here. Android Auto worked for exactly 3 days on my new 2019 Sport. Today it is grayed out (same phone, same cable, no changes). I'll see if this continues, and if so, start trying some of the tricks noted so far. The unpowered USB hub sounds like an easy fix, but then the phone won't be charging while connected, or will it?

So far, the grayed out Android Auto issue has not repeated. I'll keep watching for it, but so far so good. That was a one-day anomaly (same phone, same cable, etc).

I am looking to try a different cable though so I can hopefully fit my Pixel 3XL in the small cubby where the USB cable attaches. It is a little too big to sit in there very well now, but a right angle USB-C connector may fix that. I will try this weekend.

 

[eps105]

I have found that on occasion (maybe 1 or 2 times a month), Android Auto won't connect (stays grayed-out in the Apps screen) or loses connection mid-journey. Checking the cable or trying a different one doesn't resolve. What resolves it is a full re-boot of the Starlink Infotainment system. This can be done even while driving and takes under 30 seconds to resolve.

To reboot -- press and hold the Power/Volume button in for 10 full seconds. Note that after 4 seconds, the screen will turn off -- keep holding for another 6+ seconds until you see the screen flicker and turn off again. Then wait a few seconds for the Starlink logo and press the Apps button to turn the screen on. Plug in your USB cable and Android Auto will start working again. If that doesn't work, also try rebooting your phone. I have 100% success rate with this.

Given all of the variables of the phone's operating system, data cable integrity, and complexity of Starlink O/S, I'm actually impressed it works so well and am somewhat forgiving when minor glitches like this happen. Works great 99% of the time.

 

[Bruce Snyder]

Buggy on my S6.

My problem with my S6 when connected is intermittent/nonexistent GPS signal. The fault doesn't lie with my phone (the app works flawlessly on it) or my cables (I've used three different cables. The only thing I haven't tried is a passive USB port.

 

[doduff]

I had android auto working quite well and then about a week ago it just crapped out.

I've tried:
- factory reset of starlink system
- rebooting phone, toggling wifi, bluetooth, etc. multiple times.
- turning car off and on, and getting out, shutting the door, and getting back in.
- deleting Android Auto app from my phone and installing older versions (2 older versions tried so far)

It was a buggy system before, and would stop working every now and then, but usually a phone reboot and vehicle on/off cycle would get it back working. I really like it, so I hope I can get it working again!

I will try next, some combination of:
- a few more older versions of the app
- the usb 2.0 hub trick
- a new usb cable
- holding radio power knob down to just reboot the starlink system

Also, my bluetooth has never worked well. The audio jsut cuts out intermittently, especially if I also have it plugged in via usb while on bluetooth (and not android auto). Usually toggling airplane mode and disconnecting the usb will keep the audio from cutting out, at least for a while, but it usually starts doing so again. I like to listen to stuff on youtube (premium, with the screen off), but turnign the screen off also seems to make the bluetooth audio go haywire. Don't really want to waste battery by playing audio from videos without the phone charging!

 

[doduff]

I was able to use a usb 2.0 cable today to connect Android auto and it worked great. Or was just an old 1ft cable from Google that came with a replacement phone.

Btw, my phone is nexus 5x not yet updated to Oreo.

I ordered a new longer usb 2.0 cable from Amazon. We'll see if that works.

 

[thinredline]

Third week with my 19' Sports. My phone is Moto G5 Plus with Oreo. The AA connection is fine after opening developer mode and trying a few USB cables. What bugs me is that AA Google map randomly blacks out and after a while, it returns back to navigation. I could not isolate the issue. Maybe my phone's RAM is too small (2GB). But it runs well on its own. Maybe I should try a phone with bigger ram.
I don't like Waze because like someone mentioned it cannot be stopped in the middle of navigation.

 

[Tyler Core]

I see some people are having issue with Waze not being able to stop whenever you want too...I am using a Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy S8 on our 2018 Crosstrek Limited and 2019 Forester Sport, and I am able to stop Waze by pressing the "next up directions" towards the bottom of the image and it will give you a few options to choose and one is to stop route. I use it everyday. If anyone needs me to do a video or put up pictures just let me know.

 

[OriginalTwoTone]

You stopped the route but Waze is still running. Known AA issue and has nothing to do with the vehicle.

Same thing happens on my Ford Flex.

 

[Bruce Snyder]

My only problem with AA and my S6 Galaxy has been with acquiring and maintaining a GPS signal. This only happened when connected; otherwise, AA has always worked perfectly on the phone itself. The fix was to turn off any power saving that I had set on the phone.

 

[80 SUBIE]

Mine is erratic. Sometimes fine, sometimes won't work or show up on the screen. I don't want to spend several minutes waiting around every time I go some place wondering what systems going to work or not because I don't want to be fiddling with things while driving.Get various messages or none on the phone. Don't really use it much. Mixed feelings on the Google Maps. Screen brightness settings are unsatisfactory. Need to go all the way back to the main vehicle screen to change, auto is too bright at night, manual is problematic because a good day setting has to be changed for night or can't be seen, etc. Unplugged the usb cord and got music from something. I'll probably get a real stand alone gps anyways as there are areas out here in the west where cell service is poor or non-existent

 

[doduff]

4 days on it has worked perfectly after swapping out the cable. It's weird that the cable that doesn't work now, is fine technically and really worked fairly well for months. Note that the new cable I'm using is from Google, it was shipped with a replacement phone. And it is short, like 1ft, and it also is thick, like the cable itself has a large diameter (will maybe heavier duty... dunno).