iPhone 12 pro disconnects from lightning cable plugged into car usb port when playing audio

I’m on iOS 16.6 and also receiving the same issue around the same time as you, and still to this day.

I have tested my USB port, bought a new MFI cable, and further tested in an another iPhone under version iOS 16.4.

My old iPhone works flawlessly, but my current iPhone (16.6) continuously disconnects and reconnects, in a looping fashion. This leads me to believe it is either my iPhone device or a bug as some has noted.

To be clear, USB Port is fine. New and old cable is fine. It all works perfectly on my old iPhone.

Hey there chrstnaa,

As you mentioned that testing another iPhone with your car stereo resulted in the same issue occurring, we want to narrow it down further, along with continuing to rule out some other possible causes:

1. Have you been able to test your own iPhone with the USB cable with a different car stereo, and if yes, what occurred when you tried this?
2. Since you mentioned already updating your iPhone, we wanted to ask if iOS 16.4.1 is version showing under Settings > General > About? In case you needed it, this link shows how to first back up, then Update your iPhone or iPad.
3. When did this start?
4. As it was also part of the earlier steps, did you find any firmware updates to install when you checked with the manufacturer of your car stereo to rule out being outdated?

Cheers!

I'm dealing with exactly the same situation with an iPhone 14, my car uses a R Link 2 software (Renault Koleos 2018), tried with 3 different phones and a lot of cables, nothing happens, it just says "Connecting device..." and disconnects, every single time in a loop

chrstnaa,

You mentioned multiple tests confirmed the USB port in your vehicle is fine, and we want to clarify. Were you able to test these ports with other iPhone devices using the same USB cable? We're asking because different types of devices require different levels of power and connection. To accurately rule out the USB port on your vehicle as the issue, we would need to test with a similar device.

Also, is it a USB or USB-C port?

Thank you for being part of the Apple Support Communities.

Kindest Regards.

I have a very similar issue with car play in a jaguar e-pace. Frustratingly it doesn't happen all the time. Fine for a while and then some days will connect/disconnect continuously. I've tried multiple cables, resets etc.

Now it also appears to happen when I try to connect to my mac. I've used multiple cables including one that connects fine to my other laptop and nothing seems to work. Happens with both USB ports. The problem doesn't seem to be mechanical...

Hello chrstnaa,

You'll want to try the steps here for trouble with USB playback in your car:

Connect using USB playback

1. Restart your device and your car.

2. Make sure that your device is unlocked and on the Home screen.

3. If possible, try to connect using another cable or USB port. Check the manual that came with your car to learn how to connect an Apple device.

4. Check your charging port for any debris or damage. Make sure that your charging cable is properly inserted into the port.

5. Update your device.

6. Make sure that your stereo is using the latest firmware from the car manufacturer. Check your car's manual for more information.

7. Try playing audio from a different app. If you can't play audio from a third-party app, contact the app developer for help. If you can't play audio from an Apple app, contact Apple Support.

How to connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your car - Apple Support

We hope that helps.

Take care.

Hey chrstnaa,

After all of the troubleshooting you’ve tried, and the steps we’ve recommended without success, we believe that contacting Apple Support is your next step: Get Support

All the best.

I had the same symptoms and it was fixed after cleaning out the lightning port. Just a little something was in there to cause the connector to sit at a very slight angle.