Latest Android Auto update is causing wireless connection problems for many third-party display users.
Random disconnects have always been a familiar headache for Android Auto users. But this latest update appears to be causing something much worse, making the system nearly unusable for drivers using Android Auto on external aftermarket displays.
Before going further, it’s important to point out that vehicles with factory-installed Android Auto head units don’t seem to be affected. The problem is mainly hitting users who added Android Auto support later through third-party external screens.
Only wireless Android Auto appears to be impacted. Wired connections are still working normally. Drivers dealing with the bug say Android Auto started disconnecting constantly after installing a recent app update. Reports first started showing up in late March, and the issue is still causing problems today while Google continues looking into it.
“I’m using wireless Android Auto with an external add-on display, not a factory head unit.
Everything was working perfectly before, but around two weeks ago Android Auto forced an update, and since then I’ve been dealing with constant disconnectons. The connection drops every few minutes while driving, then reconnects by itself a few seconds later,” one user explained in late March.
Several other users with third-party wireless Android Auto screens have reported the same issue. So far, no real fix has been found. People have tried everything from basic troubleshooting steps to manually updating the app to the newest available builds.
One user said they even forced an update using APK installers. The newest public version right now is Android Auto 16.7, but that release still doesn’t seem to solve anything.
The only thing that appears to help is switching to a wired connection. In most cases, that restores normal Android Auto performance. But for many drivers, that simply isn’t possible. Some external displays don’t have USB ports for wired Android Auto, leaving wireless as the only supported option.
Rolling back to an older Android Auto version also doesn’t fully solve the issue. A few users say disconnects happen a little less often, but the app still isn’t reliable enough for daily driving. At this point, most people are just waiting for Google to release a proper fix.
Google is still investigating the reports, and a Community Specialist recently posted on the support forums asking affected users for more details and system logs.
Right now, there’s no clear timeline for when a fix might arrive. For affected users, leaving automatic updates enabled may simply mean waiting for Google to push a silent patch in a future release.
At the same time, Google continues working on new Android Auto versions. Version 16.7 rolled out to stable users earlier this week, and Android Auto 16.8 is expected to enter beta testing as early as next week.
Still, since Google is only now gathering logs and diagnostic data, chances of a fast fix look pretty smll.