Android Connects and Disconnects

[DarkCherryBolt]

Has anyone else experienced this: my Android phone will connect when the car is started. And then disconnect. And reconnect. And sometimes disconnect and give up. If I restart the phone, the system usually works as it should - connect upon car start and stay connected. But not all the time. Usually, it connects twice at least, each time I start the car. While this is going on, I can't use Android Auto, as it gets important information from the Bluetooth connection.

 

[SeanNelson]

Nope, I haven't seen the problem with my Samsung Galaxy S7. Sometimes I don't get the USB plug in quite correctly, but it starts working as soon as I seat it properly. I've never had it drop out once it was connected. The worst I've seen is having the Google Assistant hang up on a voice command when I'm out of range of an Internet connection - and even then it seems to recover if I'm really, r-e-a-l-l-y v---e---r---y patient.

 

[DanCar]

I had a similar issue with a Kia Soul EV. Changing the cable seemed to alleviate the issue. Suggest buying a few cables on Amazon and seeing which works the best. A tight fitting cable will work best, but may not be possible on a worn phone.

 

[desiv]

If you mean Bluetooth disconnects and reconnects, yep.
Mine does that.

Wasn't sure if it is my my phone or the car..
Didn't notice it in the Leaf, but it might just be the notification wasn't as obvious...

desiv

 

[DarkCherryBolt]

Here's a recent example (note fellow Boltistas, this happens both when the USB cable is connected and when it isn't, so it's not a USB issue):
My wife had driven the Bolt the previous day, so it was paired to her phone. It connected to hers when I started it, as she was in the house. It lost this connection as I drove away, of course, but it didn't connect to my phone. I expect that behavior and so I went to the Devices screen and told it to connect to my phone. It connected, disconnected, connected, disconnected, and then gave up.
I told it again to connect to my phone. Same routine. I then restarted the Bolt's infotainment center and this time it paired to the phone as it should and didn't disconnect repeatedly. Since then, it sometimes disconnects once when starting out but has stayed connected afterward. I'll add that unless you're looking for this phenomena, you might miss that it's having this problem.
Where this failing is the biggest hassle is when using Android Auto for navigation, as it apparently gets some portion of the required information through the Bluetooth connection. Until the phone is solidly paired with the car the navigation is wacky, even though the USB cable is connected.
I had a Leaf before and didn't see this problem with it. I recommend that Chevy look into this one, as it's a nuisance.

 

[grestep5621]

Each time this happens to me, I first reboot the Bolt screen and then reboot the phone. Seems to clear it up each time. However, it is a pain.

 

[SeanNelson]

Nope, I haven't seen the problem with my Samsung Galaxy S7. Sometimes I don't get the USB plug in quite correctly, but it starts working as soon as I seat it properly.

OK, now I'm suddenly starting to see this happening, too. I wonder if my cable has an issue...?

 

[Pigwich]

I'm quick to point fingers at bad USB cables. Most are just used for charging nowadays, and I'm convinced that factories consider any cable that has continuity end to end to be "good". Which is BS, but most people will never notice, so the practice continues. Other fun tricks are to have fantastically small conductors with comically thick insulation, but I digress. The world is awash in ****** USB cables. Good luck finding a good one. Trial and error is your best method, as is using the shortest possible wire that works for you.

 

[DesertSprings]

S7 here, never had this problem. I do sometimes have issues with Bluetooth audio, but I've noticed the phone is switching between LTE and 3G when this happens, and the bluetooth audio resumes working again after the main radio stabilizes. Have also had some issues with Waze crashing.

 

[DarkCherryBolt]

Hey everyone, just to reiterate - this happens when the USB cable is NOT connected (as well as when it is), so it's not a USB cable problem. This morning, the phone's bluetooth connected and disconnected three times and then settled down and stayed connected. I have tried restarting the Bolt infotainment center and that's worked, but as was said above, it's a pain. Restarting the phone has worked too - but that's far from a recommended procedure in heavy traffic.