If you are an avid fan of Apple products, chances are you have CarPlay in your Ford car. CarPlay allows you to use various apps on your iPhone through your car while you drive.
If your Ford CarPlay suddenly stops working, you may be looking for ways to fix it. I did some digging, and here is what I discovered!
Ford CarPlay Not Working
1. Update The OS
A common reason why your Ford CarPlay may not be working is that you need to update your iPhone’s OS.
Generally, Apple routinely creates software upgrades for the operating software to make the phones function better and to repair any glitches.
If your iPhone is not up to date with the software, your Apple CarPlay may not work on your Ford.
Usually, you just have to go to your iPhone’s settings and click update in the software section to update your iPhone’s OS.
2. Bad iPhone Connection
Occasionally, your Ford CarPlay may not work because there is a bad connection between your Ford CarPlay and iPhone.
If you are using a cable to connect your iPhone to your Ford CarPlay, that could be the reason why your CarPlay does not function, especially if the cable has damage.
Generally, this is an easy fix since you just need to replace your cable with a new one, especially if your cable has obvious signs of damage.
If you are connecting to the CarPlay wirelessly, you need to make sure you turn off airplane mode on your iPhone to allow the iPhone to connect to the CarPlay.
3. Allow Use While Locked
Occasionally, your Ford CarPlay may stop working because your screen times out, which will disable the CarPlay.
Luckily, this is a quick fix since you just need to allow CarPlay to work while your iPhone is locked.
To do so, go to your iPhone’s settings, click general, and choose CarPlay from the list of options.
Next, select “available connections” and look for your car’s name then click on your car. Now, activate “Allow CarPlay While Locked” to fix your problem.
4. Enable The iPhone’s Siri
If you want to use CarPlay, you will need to activate Siri on your iPhone because Siri will allow your phone to respond to voice commands.
To activate Siri, go to the settings app on your iPhone and click Siri and Search. Once you are in “Ask Siri”, be sure the following features are turned on:
- Allow Siri When Locked
- Press Side Button for Siri
- Press Home for Siri
- Listen for “Hey Siri”
Generally, you will have to set up your Siri to make the voice assistant learn your voice to fully activate Siri on your iPhone.
5. Do Not Restrict CarPlay
Occasionally, Ford CarPlay will not work because the service may be restricted on your iPhone.
As such, you need to unrestrict CarPlay by going to the settings app on your iPhone and select “screen time.”
Next, choose Access the Content & Privacy Restrictions then look for Allowed Apps to check if your CarPlay toggle is turned on.
6. Re-Enable Your CarPlay
Sometimes, your iPhone may have various connections and settings that could interfere with how your Ford CarPlay connects to your iPhone.
Normally, you can just re-enable the CarPlay service on your iPhone to fix this problem.
To do so, check if your iPhone is linked to your car, which can be done through bluetooth or through a cable.
Next, go to your iPhone’s dashboard and click settings. From there, go to the general menu and look for “CarPlay”.
Tap on your car’s name on the list of connections to re-enable it, but the exact steps can depend on what kind of car you have.
7. USB Restricted Mode
Similar to restricted mode on your iPhone, your iPhone may have USB restricted mode on, which will affect Ford CarPlay if you use a lighting cable to connect your iPhone.
Generally, your iPhone has USB restricted mode on to protect your phone because hackers can get passcodes through lightning cables.
To turn off USB restricted mode, go to your iPhone’s settings, choose Touch ID & Passcode or Face ID & Passcode, and then give your passcode if needed.
Next, select Allow Access When Locked and then click the USB Accessories to make the slider bar turn green, which will deactivate USB restricted mode.
8. Restart Your iPhone And Car
Usually, restarting your car and iPhone is a good method to try if the logo of Apple CarPlay does not appear on your car display.
Typically, you will just need to reboot your iPhone and your car to fix any possible glitch that is making your CarPlay not work.
9. Reset The iPhone Settings
Occasionally, the iPhone’s system settings can change, which can keep your Ford CarPlay from functioning normally, so you would need to reset your iPhone’s settings.
To reset the settings, go to Settings, General, and then press Reset, which will be found on the lower section of the screen.
Next, click Reset All Settings and give your passcode if required then click confirm, and your phone will restart.
Generally, you will have to turn on your Siri, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi again to connect to your Ford’s CarPlay again.
To know more, you can also read our posts on Ford 150 Horn not working, Ford Explorer AC not working, and why the Ford Fusion was discontinued.
Conclusion
Ford CarPlay can randomly stop working properly, which can often be solved by resetting various things, such as your iPhone, your car, and your system settings.
However, there are other things that can keep your CarPlay from working, such as a faulty cable, USB restricted mode, and outdated OS.