Apple CarPlay GPS makes navigation easier and safer by allowing people to follow directions through their car’s screen.
You can easily pair it with the top three CarPlay navigation apps: Waze, Google Maps, and (of course) Apple Maps. However, the app is known to go berserk at times.
Apple CarPlay GPS has some common problems — placing users at the wrong location, producing random noises while driving, and GPS lagging. To fix this, launch the navigation app on your phone simultaneously, reset your head unit, troubleshoot CarPlay, or switch between navigation apps.
Common Apple CarPlay GPS Problems
Keep reading to know more about common Apple Carplay GPS problems and how to fix them.
1. Apple CarPlay Loses Users’ Location Randomly
Many Apple CarPlay users find themselves being placed at the wrong location in real time by the app.
Basically, the app cannot track you, so the directions it gives are incorrect and useless.
Users experience this problem with all kinds of navigation apps, such as Waze and Google Maps, so it’s not specific to these two and is likely an operating system glitch.
Some users have reported this problem after the iOS 15 CarPlay update.
People have also reported changing the CarPlay cable and switching between the different USB jacks, only for nothing to work out.
Some users have also turned off the engine, waited a while, restarted the car, and then repaired the phone to fix the problem.
Although this can work, it seems like a rather lengthy solution for something you should never have to worry about in the first place.
Lastly, it’s important to understand that for the CarPlay navigation app to know where you are, it needs a solid mobile connection. If it’s patchy or obstructed (buildings, tunnels, etc..), it won’t be able to give a precise location.
Hence “Loses Users’ Location Randomly”.
How To Fix
There’s one neat trick that has reportedly worked out for some users: Launch whatever navigation app you’re using on CarPlay on your phone.
Doing this will refresh your location on Apple CarPlay, so it places you at the right spot and goes back to giving you the correct directions.
Additionally, you can try resetting your vehicle’s head unit by holding down the “power” and “seek forward” buttons together.
After the reset is complete, resync your phone, and the problem will resolve. This way, you won’t have to turn off your engine and wait.
If it’s to do with your CarPlay and iPhone data connection, there will be nothing you can really do about it other than use another mobile operator. However, this may be an extreme solution!
2. Apple CarPlay Makes Random Sounds
Some users have noticed navigation apps getting glitchy when they’re being used on CarPlay.
They also reported that the app would make a random “bong” noise.
This incident is quite troublesome, especially when you’re driving and need to focus your attention on the road.
How To Fix
Unfortunately, Apple hasn’t provided any specific solutions to this problem.
You can try unsyncing your phone with CarPlay, rebooting it, and then resyncing it.
3. Apple CarPlay GPS Lagging
In theory, Apple CarPlay should be the best thing for people who already use Apple Maps for navigation. Unfortunately, that’s not what happens in practice.
Many users experience Apple CarPlay maps lagging issues.
They would take turns or drive ahead, and the navigation app would delay the movement. Consequently, it will reroute and give you absurd directions to follow.
Also, the problem isn’t specific to Apple Maps.
Users reported the same problem for Google Maps and sometimes even Waze.
In other words, if the GPS is lagging for all three of the navigation apps I just mentioned, CarPlay is not likely the root cause of the problem but instead the mobile data connection.
It’s worth pointing out that some of these issues also started after the iOS 15 CarPlay update.
How To Fix
Like the loss of user location, there’s no “concrete” fix to this problem.
I recommend that, for now, if the navigation app you use is lagging on the CarPlay app, start using another one.
Ideally, you should use one of the top three navigation apps — Waze, Apple Maps, and Google Maps.
You also want to make sure you are with a good mobile network so you can have a great data connection.
Summary
Apple CarPlay navigation apps are some of the most convenient apps until they’re not.
It’s common for the app’s GPS to be extremely glitchy at times, which is incredibly inconvenient (and dangerous) when you’re driving.
Hopefully, these issues will become less prevalent with time.
For the time being, the key points are:
- If you find CarPlay’s GPS randomly putting you at the wrong location, launch your navigation app on your phone simultaneously. You can also try resetting your head unit.
- If CarPlay makes your navigation app too glitchy and produces random noises, you should try troubleshooting methods for when CarPlay malfunctions.
- If CarPlay’s GPS is lagging, switch between different navigation apps.
- Use the best mobile network possible, so you have a strong data connection.
