Some iPhone 17 Users Report Wired CarPlay Issues - Here Are A Few Fixes

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Apple released the iPhone 17 series more than three months ago, and the 2025 models saw massive success with buyers. Some iPhone 17 models have been sold out for months, including the base variant. The iPhone Air was the only exception, as the ultra-thin phone is not as appealing as the other models. Apple also released two iOS 26 updates since September, including iOS 26.1 and iOS 26.2, which are supposed to fix bugs in addition to introducing new features. Despite that, some iPhone 17 users have experienced connectivity issues with CarPlay. 

Specifically, the wired connection seems to be an ongoing problem, according to recent reports on social media that AutoEvolution picked up. The issues aren't necessarily surprising, considering some iPhone 17 owners have encountered both wired and wireless CarPlay issues soon after launching the new phones. Other users discovered wireless CarPlay issues with older iPhones after upgrading to iOS 26 as well. What's surprising is that iPhone 17 users are still reporting issues in late December. Redditor helloworld747 shared their CarPlay experience a few days before Christmas, saying the iPhone 17 Pro fails to connect via a USB-A-to-USB-C cable to two different cars.

"Previous iPhones do not have this issue — I also own an iPhone 15 Pro (work phone) and my spouse has an iPhone 16 Pro (my old phone), both of which are running iOS 26.2, and they worked before the iOS 26 release, and every build (26.0, 26.1, and now 26.2) of iOS 26 thus far," the user wrote. "Unfortunately, this has not been the case with the iPhone 17 Pro." User helloworld747 updated the Reddit post twice to mention that one of the cars started working, thanks to a cable change.

According to that same Reddit user, "Somehow, my iPhone 17 Pro now works perfectly with my 2018 Grand Cherokee Limited with the 7-inch screen and 2x USB-A ports. Same phone, same type of Anker cable — it just works," helloworld747 said on December 24. A few days later, they solved the issue for good by purchasing a Beats USB-A to USB-C cable, which retails on Amazon for about $10, as of this writing.

Other people responding to the same thread recommended using wireless CarPlay adapters available on Amazon and Best Buy, starting at $40 and going up to $70. "This is the only issue I've had with the 17 Pro Max. I have a 2017 Chevy Trax. I tried everything to fix it. I was so annoyed I can't even explain," Reddit user mbs2007 said, offering a link to a wireless adapter as "the only solution" that fixed their CarPlay problem.

It's unclear what's causing prolonged CarPlay connectivity issues for iPhone 17 owners, as Apple doesn't have a universal fix available for all car models that support CarPlay. Changing the cable type or using a wireless adapter may or may not work, depending on the vehicle. One Redditor suggested updating the firmware on the iPhone 17 as well. A different Reddit thread posted a few days before helloworld747's story explains that iPhone 17 users should contact the CarPlay unit vendor to check whether a firmware update is available for their CarPlay unit. Not all vendors have the updates ready, but iPhone 17 users should install the software update manually once the vendor makes it available. This process apparently fixes wired and wireless CarPlay issues for the new iPhone.