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This Android Auto Issue Is Driving Kia Owners Mad, No Official Fix Just Yet

A bug in Android Auto makes it impossible for Kia owners to connect Android phones to their cars regardless of the device manufacturer and Android version.
2018 Kia Sorento 9 photos
Photo: Kia
2018 Kia Sorento2018 Kia Sorento2018 Kia Sorento2018 Kia Sorento2018 Kia Sorento2018 Kia Sorento2018 Kia Sorento2018 Kia Sorento
The problem has already been confirmed on the 2019 Kia Sportage, 2019 Kia Sorento, and the 2019 Kia Sedona, but other model years could be affected as well.

In most of the cases, connecting the Android phone to a new Kia model that supports Android Auto fails either with no error or with a generic connection problem message on the screen.

For some users, the bug first showed up last year, but judging from posts in this thread on Google’s Android Auto forums, it’s still experienced these days as there’s no official fix just yet.

I just recently started having this same problem in my Kia Sorento (also a 2019). I thought there was something wrong with my cable, but even with a new one the screen will say it's connecting but then it won't. I uninstalled/reinstalled the app in my phone, tried different cables. But the app is grayed out on the car's screen. Not sure why it isn't working all of a sudden,” one Kia owner explains.

Some claim they’ve been able to connect their phones to Android Auto in a Kia car after downgrading to an older version of the app – indeed, installing an older version of Android Auto could sometime fix such issues, albeit not running the most recent update could mean you’re missing on the latest new features.

Google is yet to acknowledge the problem, and for the time being, it’s still not clear why Kia car models are the ones most often affected by this connection error – as a matter of fact, I’m seeing similar reports from owners of other car brands, but it appears the issue is more widespread on Kia.

A new Android Auto version is expected later this month, but it’s not yet known if a fix for this problem is included or not.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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