From the Cab: 100 Real Car Play Screen Reviews – Problems Explained and Solved

Intro

Where did I get these real car play screen reviews? They are all real one-star or two-star reviews of Apple CarPlay screens on Amazon.com (US Area). I checked them out one by one and noted the explanations and how to solve the problems in this post.

These are mostly one star reviews, so they might contain some overreactions. These reviews are from products with more than 200 ratings; in other words, they come from relatively popular products.

We focus on CarPlay Display Screens for Large Vehicles

We focus on large commercial, construction, or agriculture vehicle backup camera system products. However, these reviews are mostly for small vehicles, which typically have only one small aftermarket backup camera and a small, long strip screen. They are designed for cars, SUVs, or minivans used for daily driving.

We cannot find many reviews on CarPlay screens for commercial vehicles, so we gathered these reviews to show you some problems you might face. Hope this helps.

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Let’s dive into the problems that many users are facing with CarPlay screen products.

Overview of the Main Issues of Portable CarPlay Screen or Android Auto Screen Products

After reading so many reviews, I summarized some of the main problems of portable CarPlay or Android Auto screen products. They are:

• CarPlay screen / Android Auto screen goes black
• Can’t connect CarPlay / Android Auto to the screen
• Bluetooth disconnects repeatedly
• Device overheats
• Mount / suction drops
• Automatic restart after X minutes
• Laggy screen / laggy application
• Horrible aux / mic / FM / static sound
• AirPlay / video not available
• Car battery dies

There are some popular but not core issues, such as:

• Polarized sunglasses issue
• Ugly wire hanging issue
• Camera Selection: 1080P or 2K or 4K camera?
• Camera Selection: 2 Cameras or 3 Cameras?

We will discuss the problems and our opinions and suggested solutions to each issue. Let’s dive in.

CarPlay Screen / Android Screen Troubleshooting

Why is my CarPlay screen black? Why is my Android Auto screen black?

Real Reviews:

1.

“Backup camera stopped working 2 weeks after I bought it. I fixed this issue then by simply unplugging the power source. Now it’s completely stopped working again, and this time unplugging the power source doesn’t fix it. Just a black screen, no backup camera image. I just ordered a new replacement camera and cord. If that doesn’t fix it, then it’s a faulty 2.5 mm port on the main unit.”

2.

“Had this for not even 3 months and I bought for my trip. Second day of my trip the tho g started shutting on and off then just shut completely off and will not turn back on. Wasted money since u know 30 days are up. Do not recommend!!!!!“

First of all, it would be good to check if the screen is completely dead or not. The difference between a dead screen and one that just looks dead is:

Dead screens are totally black, meaning they don’t emit any light, even at night. In contrast, screens that look dead still emit a gray light at night.

Case 1: CarPlay Screen / Android Screen with No Backlight at All

Real Reviews:

3.

“This device worked great in my 2016 Dodge Dart. The screen was sharp and responsive, the sound was great, and it worked just like I needed it to, until… I drove to work today jamming, left 8 hours later and nothing; the thing won’t turn on. Tried power cycling, plugged and unplugged. Tried a different charger cord—nothing. It’s 10 days old and flat broke. Don’t waste your money.”

Possible Reasons for a Totally Black Screen:

1. No Power Supply
2. The Screen is Damaged
3. The System is Damaged

Troubleshooting Steps:

• Power Cord Damaged: First step, check if it is a power line problem. Find a power cord and lighter replacement and see if the screen can be started. If it does, the problem is solved.
• Device Damaged: If not, you can do nothing more if the screen is damaged or the system is damaged.

Case 2: CarPlay Screen / Android Screen with Grey Backlight

Possible Reasons for Black Screen – Illusion:

1. OS Software Stuck
2. BAD TF Card
3. Hardware Issue

Troubleshooting Steps:

If the screen has a grey backlight emitting at night, the device still has a chance to be saved. First, unplug the cord and take the TF / SD card out if there is one. After 30 seconds, plug the cord back in and see if the device can be booted. If so, the problem might have been solved.

If not, find the reset button or hole to reset the device. It would probably require a 5-10 second long press of the button.

After you long press the reset button and the device reboots, the problem is solved. If not, the device could be bricked.

Why does my CarPlay screen restart randomly or constantly?

Real Reviews:

5.

“I’ve only had this device for 4 days and the first 2 days it worked great, but now it keeps restarting out of nowhere, which is super annoying because it interrupts my music and my need for navigation. Will be returning.”

6.

“I don’t know if this device needs a firmware update or something but it constantly restarts. Assistance would be appreciated.”

There are two cases.

Case 1: The CarPlay Screen Randomly Restarts for No Reason

Real Reviews:

7.

“Worked fine for a month. Now it restarts randomly. Imagine you are following directions in middle of a traffic on highway with two exits and the system restarts.”

8.

“Tried it out, the connection is not stable, sometimes the screen turns off. I need to restart the car in order to get it working again. Bad quality, not recommend it!”

9.

“It worked great the first week, then I noticed glitching. I’ll be driving down the freeway and then it changes my directions based on it marking my location in a nearby road. Then it’ll realize I am still on the freeway and reroute correctly. It happens every single morning without fail. Also if I don’t use my phone it will freeze its location until I pick up my phone and use it, then it’ll proceed with the icon moving in real time. I’ve missed exits because it says to stay on the freeway for 4 miles but it froze two miles ago and then when I pick up my phone it says I missed the exit. I work in different states and not familiar with the areas so I have been late to many engagements simply because I didn’t get accurate directions.
During a 12 hour drive it shut down and restarted after about 4 mins, I was hoping I wouldn’t get into an accident within that time since I had no dashcam until it rebooted. Lastly its attachment is terrible and already falling from the screen after only having it for 3 months. I also have to tighten it every morning. Don’t buy, it’s a waste of money and now I have to invest in another dash cam.”

Possible Reasons for Random Restarts:

1. Poor Equipment / CPU Performance
2. Bad TF Cards
3. Screen System Memory Exhausted
4. Device Overheating – Temperature and Sunshine

Troubleshooting:

Generally speaking, issues such as screen lag, screen freeze, GPS freeze, distorted Bluetooth audio, weird aux sounds, and restarts are all caused by memory exhaustion or high device temperatures, which slow down the CPU and lead to freezes.

For all these reasons, you could try to help the screen by:

• Removing the TF card to check if the system works better afterward.

If so, you can:

1. Downgrade the camera recording resolution (e.g., set 1080P to 720P).
2. Set two-camera recording to one camera recording (e.g., record the front camera only).
3. Buy a real C10 or higher speed TF / SD card and test all these steps again.

If the system continues to restart randomly, reset the system.

If resetting the system doesn’t work and the screen keeps restarting, check with the seller to see if there’s firmware available to upgrade the system.

If the system keeps restarting randomly while you’re driving and using the screen, it’s likely a poor hardware product. No advice for that.

In summer, the temperature and sunshine can be extreme. If your system works well in pleasant conditions but constantly reboots in sunny weather, overheating is likely causing the issue. Downgrading the recording resolution or setting two-camera recording to one can help significantly. Try to cool this device down.

Case 2: The CarPlay Screen Keeps Restarting Constantly

Real Reviews:

10.

“I had the item for less than 2 months, and now it gets stuck on the loading screen at 55%. I tried to restart it, but the same thing happens; it gets stuck at 55% and just keeps rebooting.
When you encounter constant rebooting, the system can’t fully boot up and just keeps rebooting itself.”

11.

“I placed the device in my truck using the suction cup mount adhered to my windshield. I then took the 12V outlet adapter and connected it to my truck. The unit powered on immediately and stayed on for about 30 seconds before powering off again. It then powered on once more, only to turn off after about 20 seconds. It fell into this continuous loop. I couldn’t get it to stay on for the life of me.
As someone who works with computers, the cycle of turning off and on reminded me of a device not receiving enough power to keep it running. I decided to try a few things before packing it up and sending it back. I plugged it into the back of the included adapter with a USB-C to USB-A cord, but no luck; it still cycled continuously. Since that was the only adapter I had at the moment, I brought the screen inside and plugged it into a stable desktop USB charger. The device powered on and stayed on. I hooked my phone to it, and it worked as it was supposed to. Okay, so it’s not getting enough power in my truck.”

Possible Reasons for Constantly Rebooting:

1. System buggy
2. Bad TF / SD cards
3. Not getting enough power

Troubleshooting:

Unplug the cord and then remove the TF card. Try to restart the screen again. If the system boots up, consider buying a real C10 level TF card.

If the device continues to reboot, try resetting the system. If it works, great!

If the system keeps rebooting or the screen goes black, it’s likely a software issue. The only way to revive the screen is to check with the seller to see if they have a firmware update available.

Generally, there shouldn’t be a problem using the lighter that comes with the product. However, if you’ve tested and confirmed it’s a power supply issue, you can replace it with a higher-powered cigarette lighter.

The CarPlay / Android Auto Connection is Not Stable

Real Reviews:

12.

“After five months of use, it began to cause problems… it disconnects from the iPhone… It reconnects, but after a few minutes, it fails again. My return window has closed… I can’t return it anymore… The worst part is that months after the first purchase, we bought a second screen…”

13.

“It worked great for about 2 weeks, and then it stopped connecting to CarPlay. Bluetooth worked fine, and screen sharing was great. But it won’t let me connect to CarPlay. I tried resetting it a few times, but it still didn’t work. I don’t recommend it.”

14.

“First, the wireless connection wasn’t very good; it consistently disconnected. The quality of the screen wasn’t great either, and the sound quality was even worse. I don’t recommend it.”

15.

“The item looks nice, but when I connect my iPhone, the screen goes black and plays random audio. I only managed to connect it with a cable; I couldn’t get it to connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Save your money and buy a new car stereo.”

This problem can be straightforward if you accept that these are actually third-party devices. Most CarPlay or Android Auto devices available are not authorized by Apple or Android. They are unauthorized and classified as third-party devices.

However, there are still reasons and steps we can take to try to solve the problem. Let’s dive in.

Case 1: Randomly Disconnect

Possible Reasons:

1. Screen system memory exhausted – (R6)
2. OS/Bluetooth incompatibility – (R9)
3. Hardware issues – (R10)

Troubleshooting:

Before troubleshooting the problem, ensure that your CarPlay / Android Auto screen is connected via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

1. Ensure your CarPlay / Android Auto screen is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled.
2. Turn off your mobile device’s Bluetooth entirely.
3. Start the connection from your mobile device. For example, on an iPhone, go to Settings, General, CarPlay, and then turn on Bluetooth to let the devices connect.

Follow these steps for a more stable connectivity experience.

Now let’s proceed with troubleshooting:

Check if the screen system is running out of memory by removing the TF card to stop the recording function, then try to connect again. If the connection remains stable, it indicates a memory issue. One effective step is to downgrade the recording resolution (e.g., set 1080P to 720P) or switch from recording two cameras to just one (front or rear), or use a real C10 or higher-speed TF card.

Try using another phone to connect to the screen device and check the connectivity. If the connection stabilizes, it may indicate OS/Bluetooth incompatibility. Regardless of whether it is an OS/Bluetooth issue, the only option is to ask the seller if they have a firmware update available for the screen system.

When it comes to hardware issues, there are no steps you can take unless you are skilled enough to disassemble the screen yourself. Hardware issues can include a detached antenna, EMI issues, electronic damage, and more.

Case 2: Cannot Connect Again After Disconnect

Real Reviews:

16.

“After 2 months, it will no longer launch Android Auto at all. I have reset it countless times. Garbage.”

17.

“I took a risk thinking this would be a nice, cheap way to get Android Auto in my car. It worked well for about 2 weeks, then small problems started. The week the return window closed, Android Auto no longer works, Bluetooth audio sounds distorted, and the unit just freezes for no reason. Spend an extra $50 and get a name brand—save yourself the headache. Also, I have a two-door car, and the reverse camera wire couldn’t even reach the hatch.”

Possible Reasons:

1. Bluetooth connection got stuck.
2. The screen device is unresponsive.
3. The OS of your mobile phone has been upgraded.

Troubleshooting:

Follow these suggested steps:

1. Forget the Car/Bluetooth on your mobile device and turn off the Bluetooth function entirely.
2. Restart your screen and ensure your CarPlay/Android Auto screen is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled.
3. Start the connection from your mobile device. For example, on an iPhone, go to Settings, General, CarPlay, and then turn on Bluetooth to let the devices connect.

If you have upgraded your mobile phone’s OS, you can’t revert it, but you can ask the seller if they have firmware available to upgrade the device.

Case 3: Works Well for a Period of Time, Then Connectivity Becomes Unstable

Real Review:

18.

“I’ve had this product for a few months, and it worked great until it stopped functioning. Bluetooth music technically still works, but the CarPlay feature is completely bugged and does not work, even after multiple resets.”

Possible Reasons for Unstable Connectivity:

1. OS update.
2. Damaged TF card.
3. System bug.

Troubleshooting:

If you just upgraded your mobile phone’s OS version, it can lead to connectivity issues. Apple or Android may have implemented new rules for the CarPlay or Auto application. The only option is to not downgrade your OS but to ask the seller if they have new firmware for compatibility.

Remove the TF card and check the connection again.

Reset your screen device and see if the CarPlay/Android screen works properly now.

If the problem persists after trying all these steps, it could be a hardware issue related to the low quality of the device itself. While a firmware update may help, it’s not always a guaranteed fix.

Why is the CarPlay Screen / Android Auto Screen So Laggy?

Real Reviews:

19.

“The experience was not ideal. First, the system often had connection problems and needed to be restarted repeatedly to work properly. Second, the navigation function was slow to respond and sometimes failed to accurately locate my position, which caused inconvenience while driving. Additionally, the interface operation was not intuitive enough, and there was a noticeable delay when switching between apps. Overall, these problems significantly affected my driving experience.”

Possible Reasons for Unstable Connectivity:

1. Poor equipment / CPU performance
2. Bad TF cards
3. Screen system memory exhausted
4. Device overheating – temperature and sunshine

Troubleshooting:

Generally speaking, issues such as screen lag, screen freeze, GPS freeze, distorted Bluetooth audio, weird aux sounds, and restarts are all caused by memory exhaustion leading to system freezes, or by high device temperatures causing the CPU to slow down.

Of course, it’s also a low-end device.

It’s a fact that these are all third-party CarPlay and Android devices.

However, there are still steps you can take to try to resolve the issues:

For all these reasons, you could try the following to help the screen:

• Remove the TF card and check if the system performs better without it.

If so, you can:

1. Downgrade the recording resolution of the camera (e.g., set 1080P to 720P).
2. Set two-camera recording to just one camera recording (e.g., record only the front camera).
3. Buy a real C10 or higher-speed TF card and test all these steps again.

If the lag persists, reset the system.

If the system resets and the screen keeps restarting, ask the seller if there’s firmware available to upgrade the system.

If the system remains laggy after trying all these steps, it’s likely a hardware issue. There’s not much you can do about that.

In summer, temperatures and sunshine can be extreme. If your system works well in pleasant conditions but constantly reboots in sunny weather, overheating is likely causing the slowdown. Downgrading the recording resolution or switching from two-camera recording to one can help significantly. Try to cool this device down.

What Can I Do if My CarPlay Screen / Android Auto Screen is Dead After the Return Window Closed?

Real Reviews:

20.

“I had it installed, and it appeared to work fine for about 6 months, then it just went dead.”

Possible Reasons for Dead Devices:

1. It happens.

Troubleshooting:

Heavy workload, excessive temperatures, inferior hardware, TF card damage, severe vibrations, unexpected power fluctuations, etc., may cause the device to suddenly break down.

So, it happens.

Why Does CarPlay Keep Freezing When I Try to Use It for Android Auto?

Real Reviews:

21.

“I’ve been trying to use it for Android Auto, but I can’t get the assistant to work. Whenever I try, CarPlay keeps freezing. As of today, I can’t recommend it.”

Possible Reasons for CarPlay and Android Auto Mix-Up:

1. The faster links are prioritized first.

Troubleshooting:

The CarPlay screen’s Bluetooth can only connect to one device at a time. When your iPhone connects to the screen, the Android device can’t.

First, turn off your iPhone’s Bluetooth, forget the screen’s Bluetooth on your Android phone, and then restart your Android Auto screen. After that, start the connection using your Android phone.

Bluetooth Issues

Why Won’t the Bluetooth Setting Pair with My iPhone?

Real Reviews:

22.

“First of all, the Bluetooth setting wouldn’t pair with my iPhone. However, it would work when I was using the radio setting. The aux didn’t work either, so only the radio setting was functional. Then, after a few weeks, the plug-in part broke off in the lighter unit, damaging the lighter unit itself. Now I can’t even use it to charge anything.”

Possible Reasons for Bluetooth Pairing Failure:

1. Bluetooth is occupied.
2. Bluetooth is not compatible with your phone’s Bluetooth.
3. Fake Bluetooth ON status.
4. OS bug.
5. Hardware issues.

Troubleshooting:

Check if your mobile device’s Bluetooth is connected to another device. If it is, forget that device. If not, try these steps:

1. Forget the screen device’s Bluetooth on your phone. You can also restart your phone if you’d like.
2. Restart the screen device and ensure that its Bluetooth is ON.
3. Connect the device from your phone.

If you still cannot connect via Bluetooth, try resetting the device instead of just restarting it.

If the connection still doesn’t work between your phone and the screen device, it could be an OS software bug. Contact the seller to see if they have an upgrade firmware available for your device.

If the connection still fails, you may have to consider giving up on it.

Why Can the Device Connect via Bluetooth but Not Apple CarPlay?

Real Reviews:

23.

“This device can connect via Bluetooth but not Apple CarPlay. You can use their version of maps and Bluetooth, but the specific apps that Apple CarPlay offers are not available with this device.”

24.

“This is all just screen mirroring, which feels like a phony and is a waste of time and money. I will be returning it.”

25.

“Update: I installed it and am not a fan at all. I’m going to return it. The first problem is that it auto-connects. You cannot stop it from auto-connecting. If you turn off your Bluetooth, it will automatically turn back on, even if you’ve set your phone permissions to prevent that. It overrides your settings. After pressing the screen five times in a row, it times out with a frustrating safety message. The screen itself is plastic and overall very poorly designed, with subpar software. You are forced to download a specific app to cast your screen, which doesn’t make sense as nothing these days requires a separate app for casting. My guess is they collect data to sell. So, like I said, I’m returning it—don’t buy this.”

26.

“The description states this has Apple CarPlay. If it does, I can’t get it to work. In the directions, which were poor at best, it says you CANNOT control iOS. I was able to connect via Bluetooth, but it only mirrors my iPhone screen image and does not respond to touch.”

27.

“I literally opened it today, and it just turns off every time I turn it on. It connects to my Bluetooth but won’t connect to CarPlay. Poor product.”

Possible Reasons for Connecting but Not CarPlay or Android Auto:

1. Choosing the wrong app.
2. Software is stuck.
3. Software/firmware is not compatible.

Troubleshooting:

Check again on the CarPlay or Android screen to ensure you are using the correct app. “Mirror Link,” “Mirror Cast,” or any similar apps are not considered CarPlay or Android Auto in most cases. Verify the app icon.

It could also be a software issue. Try these steps:

1. Forget the device on your mobile phone.
2. Restart the screen device.
3. Start the CarPlay/Android Auto connection from your mobile device ONLY.

Let’s see if that does the trick.

If, after trying all these possibilities, it’s still not working, it could be a compatibility issue with the firmware. This often happens after your mobile device receives an OS upgrade. Ask the seller if they have new firmware available to upgrade your device and give that a try.

This Article is not yet finish. I have sorted out all the remaining 28 to 100 real reviews and reasons, I will continue the job when I get a clear “this article will be useful to you” hint.

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