For the past decade or so, connectivity has become an increasingly important aspect of modern automobiles. Dashboards have rapidly evolved from basic audio and clock displays to complex touchscreen infotainment systems packed full of incredible features and technologies. Two of the most common and popular connectivity technologies to come out during that span of time are integrated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. These features let you connect your smartphone to your vehicle and access a curated list of apps that make the driving experience more convenient and, obviously, connected. If you own a Jeep vehicle with these capabilities but aren’t sure how to pair your phone, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide for you.
What Are Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?
We touched on it a bit already, but let’s expand a bit on our explanation of what exactly Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are. These features are smartphone integration systems that will mirror your phone’s display onto the Jeep Uconnect display found in your dashboard. You will then be able to access a particular selection of apps more conveniently through touching the screen, or perhaps even through voice commands if your specific vehicle and device allow that. Here are some examples of what these technologies allow:
- Hands-free calling, texting
- Real-time navigation; Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze
- Music streaming; Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, etc.
- Voice control; via Siri, Google Assistant
- RideShare, delivery service integration; DoorDash, Uber, etc.
How to Pair Apple CarPlay
If you have an iPhone, then the tech you’ll be using is Apple CarPlay. There are two different versions of Apple CarPlay, the traditional wired version and then a newer wireless version. How you pair your device will vary depending on which version your Jeep supports.
- Apple CarPlay
- Start your Jeep
- Ensure infotainment system is operational
- Plug iPhone into USB port; requires a Lightning cable
- Wait for prompt on Uconnect screen; asks if you want to enable Apple CarPlay
- Confirm by tapping the appropriate option; should be something like “Yes” or “Enable”
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- Enable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi on your iPhone
- Start your Jeep
- Ensure infotainment system is operational
- On Uconnect display, go to Settings > Phone/Bluetooth > Add Device
- On iPhone, go to Bluetooth settings, select your Jeep from the available list
- Accept pairing requests on both screens
How to Pair Android Auto
If you have an Android device, then naturally you’ll instead be using Android Auto. Much like Carplay, there is both a wired and wireless version of Android Auto, and pairing will differ based on which version your Jeep offers.
- Android Auto
- Start your Jeep
- Ensure infotainment system is operational
- Plug smartphone into USB port; requires a USB cable
- Unlock your phone, follow on-screen prompts
- Accept permissions on both your phone and Uconnect screen
- Wireless Android Auto
- Enable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi on your Android device
- Start your Jeep
- Ensure infotainment system is operational
- On Uconnect display, go to Settings > Phone/Bluetooth > Add Device
- On Android device, go to Bluetooth settings, select your Jeep from the available list
- Accept pairing requests on both screens
Troubleshooting Tips
If you still can’t figure out how to make it work, you can always give us a call here at Jim Glover CDJRF. We’d be happy to help you through the steps or troubleshoot over the phone. Or you could even bring it in if you think something might not be working properly. Alternatively, here are a few troubleshooting tips you could follow to make sure you can connect:
- Restart your phone and/or the Jeep infotainment system
- Try a different charging cable
- Check for software updates on both systems