CPlay2Air device connectivity issue
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
CPlay2Air device connectivity issue
So I just finally received my CPLAY2air device for my 2016 z51 and I have carplay and using my phone plugged in with a cable works flawlessly but when I try to plug the dongle in nothing happens at all. Red light comes and and then nothing. Tried searching my bluetooth connections on my phone and the device never shows up and the device never prompts me on the car for the main screen to search for a device like my iphone. Do I have a defective dongle or am I doing something wrong when connecting? Do I need to update the carplay software in the car? Do I need to update the firmware on the dongle before I even hook it up to the car? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I have a road trip this weekend and I would love to be able to use the device but I am starting to lose hope.... Did I just waste $100 ordering this for my car?
Racer
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 307
Likes: 72
Ensure you are completely off any wifi on your phone. This is stated in the instructions. It does use BT initially for the setup but then operates on a wifi connection between the phone and the radio via the dongle. I just installed one in the 2019 Vette and one in an FJ cruiser with a car play capable KENWOOD radio. Both work. I’d say the reconnection rate each time you start the car is about 95%. Sometimes have to unplug and replug the dongle.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
Ensure you are completely off any wifi on your phone. This is stated in the instructions. It does use BT initially for the setup but then operates on a wifi connection between the phone and the radio via the dongle. I just installed one in the 2019 Vette and one in an FJ cruiser with a car play capable KENWOOD radio. Both work. I’d say the reconnection rate each time you start the car is about 95%. Sometimes have to unplug and replug the dongle.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,352
Likes: 716
From: Terrell North Carolina
I have a 2016 Z & I have a never had any problems getting dongle to connect, possible you have a bad dongle, I have one for over a year & it has worked great. As side a note, my dongle updated itself the first time I plugged it in, as I remember, there was a way to check for updates.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
I have a 2016 Z & I have a never had any problems getting dongle to connect, possible you have a bad dongle, I have one for over a year & it has worked great. As side a note, my dongle updated itself the first time I plugged it in, as I remember, there was a way to check for updates.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
So I just tried it in one of my coworkers Honda's and I plugged it in and it worked perfectly. Connected and started working within 2 minutes and it was displaying and playing music. Plugged it back into my Vette behind the audio unit screen and waited before closing the screen and happened to notice that the dongle would light up red for about 10-15 seconds and the the red light would go off for about 10 seconds and then turn back on and would continue to cycle that way. The dongle would never stay red like it was getting constant power....Not sure what is going on now. Is it possible that the USB port behind the audio unit is dying?
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 300
Likes: 146
From: Texarkana, TX - Glenwood, AR
So I just tried it in one of my coworkers Honda's and I plugged it in and it worked perfectly. Connected and started working within 2 minutes and it was displaying and playing music. Plugged it back into my Vette behind the audio unit screen and waited before closing the screen and happened to notice that the dongle would light up red for about 10-15 seconds and the the red light would go off for about 10 seconds and then turn back on and would continue to cycle that way. The dongle would never stay red like it was getting constant power....Not sure what is going on now. Is it possible that the USB port behind the audio unit is dying?
Last edited by lotecredneck; Oct 15, 2021 at 09:51 AM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
If you had your phone connected previously via Bluetooth to your car, you need to go to your settings and forget the connection. Then try connecting again. The car will always try to connect to it. My ‘18 works fine from the usb behind the screen, but you can try the one in the console if you suspect the other is bad.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 300
Likes: 146
From: Texarkana, TX - Glenwood, AR
Yes, the ports in the console work as well.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
I will try that then when I get out of work today and see what happens. Cause when I plugged into my buddy's Honda HRV it worked right away. So I hope there is nothing wrong with my Vette, would hate to deal with using extended warranty right now.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 300
Likes: 146
From: Texarkana, TX - Glenwood, AR
Last edited by lotecredneck; Oct 15, 2021 at 10:37 AM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
Yeah the one behind my screen is the one that I normally ran my carplay off of with the cable. I just took a quick break at work and tried to plug the dongle into all 3 different USB ports with the same result and every time the red power light on the dongle illuminates and then shuts off after about 10 seconds and then stays off for 10 seconds and continues to cycle that way the entire time it is plugged in. However the carplay works with every port when I plug it in using the cable itself. I am at a loss right now.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 300
Likes: 146
From: Texarkana, TX - Glenwood, AR
Yeah the one behind my screen is the one that I normally ran my carplay off of with the cable. I just took a quick break at work and tried to plug the dongle into all 3 different USB ports with the same result and every time the red power light on the dongle illuminates and then shuts off after about 10 seconds and then stays off for 10 seconds and continues to cycle that way the entire time it is plugged in. However the carplay works with every port when I plug it in using the cable itself. I am at a loss right now.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 280
Likes: 147
From: Toronto
Yes, I have a 19 Grandsport and use the consoul USB and it works fine!
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
I have literally tried every port on my car. I have tried deleting all devices from my phone and the car. When I plug the device in with no devices added to the car it stays red but never connects. I go to settings and under carplay I add a new device and then as soon as it adds the dongle to the car it stays red for about 10 seconds and then goes into what I am assuming is a power cycle mode where the red light blinks every 10 seconds
Racer
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 280
Likes: 147
From: Toronto
I have literally tried every port on my car. I have tried deleting all devices from my phone and the car. When I plug the device in with no devices added to the car it stays red but never connects. I go to settings and under carplay I add a new device and then as soon as it adds the dongle to the car it stays red for about 10 seconds and then goes into what I am assuming is a power cycle mode where the red light blinks every 10 seconds
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
Yeah the carplay works perfectly and charges my phone when using the lightning cable. The thing that weirds me out is that the device has worked perfectly in other cars that are not mine.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 371
Likes: 349
From: Barrie, Ontario, Canada
I have similar issues with my device...19 Stingray, it wouldn't stay connected, so I did the software update and it worked fine for a few weeks, and just recently started disconnecting, but will automatically reconnect. I usually have to unplug the dongle after I start the car or I get a 'hardware' error message. After I unplug it, it seems to work ok, other than losing connection periodically, but will reconnect within 30 sec's. I started using the USB behind the screen, but have since changed to the center console as I was afraid of jamming up my screen.....
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 77
Likes: 4
I have similar issues with my device...19 Stingray, it wouldn't stay connected, so I did the software update and it worked fine for a few weeks, and just recently started disconnecting, but will automatically reconnect. I usually have to unplug the dongle after I start the car or I get a 'hardware' error message. After I unplug it, it seems to work ok, other than losing connection periodically, but will reconnect within 30 sec's. I started using the USB behind the screen, but have since changed to the center console as I was afraid of jamming up my screen.....