Odd head unit behaviour on my MG ZS Trophy

[Oakers]

Hey All, I've been having some odd head unit behaviour (some since I bought the car from new, and others are new "features") and wondered if anyone else is having the same, or better still, have had the issues and have resolved them.

I have a Google Pixel Android Phone.

1. Plugging my phone in before the car has booted up (or switching the car on with the phone plugged in) prevents music from playing. I press 'play', the car plays music for about half a second, and then pauses the music again.

This has been the case since I bought the car in Sep 2022 - it's a simple fix, just unplugging the cable and plugging it back in resolves the issue, but it's a minor annoyance

2. Day mode even at night - More often than not, Google maps appears in day mode, even if the headlights are on (the screen is very bright). To make night mode appear on Android Auto again, I have to switch my car headlights on and off, again a simple fix, but not ideal, especially as it appears to other road users that I'm 'Flashing' them. I try to avoid doing this with other cars about where possible. Again, this is an issue that's been the case since I bought the car.

3. Volume Down on my steering wheel controls changes the track - this is a new-ish issue (say the last six months) and is just odd. If I'm listening to music, by pressing Vol-Down on the steering wheel, it will either go back to the start of the song, or skip back several tracks. Only a minor inconvenience, but peculiar none the less. I think it did the same on the radio too (skipping between favourite stations), but I so rarely listen to the radio, I can't remember for sure if this is the case).

4. Bluetooth calls 'crashing' - this is the most recent and most annoying/disruptive issue to arise. Since I upgraded my phone to the Pixel 9 (I had a Pixel 7 before), after a certain length of time (anything from 3 to 15 minutes) - a Bluetooth call will crash out, with the car still thinking it's connected, when it's not.

I'm not able to disconnect the call from the car (pressing the hang up button doesn't do anything), and even if the phone call is disconnected (either by myself or the other person on the phone) the car still thinks the call is happening.

The only "fix" I've got for this one so far is to turn bluetooth off and on again on my phone - which is quite disruptive as you can imagine. I did read a post about holding down the home button to fully reset the head unit - I'll try this next time, but that's not really a great fix either.

My wife also has the same issues with her phone - she also upgraded from a Pixel 7 to 9. So I don't think it's the phone, but it's possible it's a bluetooth bug within the new Pixel range.

Any thoughts, fixes or feelings would be very welcome.

Other than the above, the car is fantastic, and has been 46,000 of happy motoring so far.

Gary

 

[Palah]

1. Plugging my phone... Have same issue with my 2023 LR also find if start in our underground parking spot (no service) it takes Google maps kms to get service, even unplug then back it doesn't always sync 1st go.. Not sure if S23 Ultra issue, Google issue or MG issue. just reminded to not connect Android Auto until out of building to see if that fixes but no such issue with last MG HS excite..

Haven't had any of your other things but only done 4000km

But other than a couple of MG specific things (all brands have their own) very happy with choice

 

[hmadsen]

Android auto is essentially just a "video feed" from your phone to the screen in the car, so if the GPS takes a long time to lock on, it should be a "phone" problem as the GPS and processing is all done on the phone.

 

[fred12345]

Since most issues started with new phones for both of you, I would say that almost everything you mentioned is down to phone settings

1. Plugging my phone in before the car has booted up (or switching the car on with the phone plugged in) prevents music from playing. I press 'play', the car plays music for about half a second, and then pauses the music again.

I use wireless Bluetooth AA dongle and first time I plugged t in, same thing happened, there is likely to be a conflict between Bluetooth and cable connection to the car. All I had to do was click on disconnect SAIC on that occassion and have no problems since. My phone after that still connects to the car and to AA dongle just fine

See what happens if you turn your phone Bluetooth off, but in any event, I guess it's not too much of a problem since you surely take your phone with you when you turn the car off... I also have ti unplug my wireless Bluetooth AA dongle.

2. Day mode even at night - More often than not, Google maps appears in day mode, even if the headlights are on

That's your phone/Google setting, the car is simply a screen for AA

3. Volume Down on my steering wheel controls changes the track - this is a new-ish issue (say the last six months) and is just odd.

Music on Android Auto via cable? again, my guess is it's likely to do with the phone. If it works fine when your phone is not connected to the car, than you know for certain.

4. Bluetooth calls 'crashing'

Bluetooth or Android Auto via cable?