Do you need help getting Apple CarPlay to work in your Ford Explorer? You’re not alone. Many people have experienced an issue with CarPlay connections, which can be frustrating. The good news is the fix is usually pretty simple.
This article covers the most common reasons Apple CarPlay isn’t working in the Ford Explorer and tips on troubleshooting the most common connection issues. They are presented from likely and easy to check to the more obscure causes of CarPlay problems.
Before diving through this guide, try restarting your iPhone. There’s a decent chance restarting your phone will take care of whatever issue is causing it not to connect to your vehicle.
1. Connection
When troubleshooting CarPlay, start by checking the connection to your Ford Explorer’s infotainment system.
There are two ways that your iPhone can connect to your Ford Explorer’s infotainment system: either via USB (wired) or Bluetooth (wireless connection). Which connection type your vehicle uses will depend on the model year and what entertainment options are equipped.
It is vital to ensure your phone is connected correctly before looking at any software-related issues.
If you use a lightning cable to plug your phone into CarPlay, keep reading. If you don’t jump down a section to “Bluetooth.”
USB (Lightning Cable)
Check the USB port, Inspect the lightning cable.
Check the USB connection. Ensure it’s plugged into the port Ford has designated for CarPlay. Usually, there’s only one port, and the rest are for charging a device.
Ensure the lightning cable is correctly inserted into your iPhone and Explorer’s infotainment system.
If nothing happens when you plug the phone into the proper USB port, check the lightning cable.
Bluetooth
Verify that your phone’s Bluetooth is on and that airplane mode is not on. H
- Iphone with home button– If your iPhone has a home button, slide your thumb onto the screen from the home button. It’ll bring up a quick menu. You’re looking for the Bluetooth symbol. It’ll be the color blue. If it’s gray, turn it on by touching it and give your phone a second to connect to your Explorer.
- No home button– If your phone has no home button, slide your tray down from the top. On the top right, swipe your thumb past the battery symbol, and the quick menu tray will drop. Verify the Bluetooth symbol is blue. If it’s not, turn it on.
- Settings (works for all iPhones)– Open settings and look for the Bluetooth options. It’ll say if it’s on right there in the main menu. If it’s not, click “Bluetooth” and toggle it on. If you’ve set up CarPlay on your Explorer before, it should automatically reconnect.
Once you’ve verified that Bluetooth is working on the iPhone, check if your Ford Explorer is on the list of possible devices that it can connect to:
Settings → Bluetooth
If you don’t see your Ford Explorer as a possible connection option, open your vehicle’s Bluetooth settings. You should see your phone. Tap it to connect. If it doesn’t connect or you don’t see your phone as an option, turn your infotainment system’s Bluetooth off and on again.
After checking the connection, try connecting to a different iPhone. If that iPhone works, you know there’s an issue with your iPhone. “Forget” your vehicle and reconnect your iPhone. Jump to section 5 for exactly how to do that.
2. Does Your Phone Support CarPlay? (It Almost Certainly Does)
CarPlay is just an extension of your iPhone on your Ford Explorer’s large infotainment screen. It simplifies the interface in order to reduce the amount of time you need to look at down from the road. Outside of the connection, most of the other issues will be solved on the phone itself.
Any iPhone from the iPhone 5 (released in 2012) and later with the latest version of iOS will work with Apple CarPlay.
While iPhone has been supporting CarPlay for years, it’s always a good idea to upgrade to the latest version of iOS if you’re having connection issues.
3. Does Your Ford Explorer Support CarPlay?
If you’ve never used CarPlay in your Explorer, you must confirm it’s an option. A quick check in the owner’s manual will tell you.
Otherwise, you can use this guide from Apple to verify compatibility.
4. Is Carplay Enabled in Settings?
To verify that CarPlay is enabled on your iPhone, go to your settings and select “General,” then scroll down to “CarPlay”. Check to make sure that Carplay is enabled, and if not, hit the toggle switch.
Settings → General → Carplay → Enable
Allow Carplay While Locked
A frequent cause of CarPlay not working is the “Allow CarPlay While Locked” toggle is turned off. If it’s off, your iPhone will only connect to CarPlay if you unlock it.
To get around this issue, follow this path:
Settings → General → Carplay → My Cars → Tap Ford Explorer → Allow CarPlay While Locked
5. Have You Updated Your Ford Explorer’s Infotainment Software?
One of the most frequent CarPlay issues is when it stops working after updating the infotainment software. When this happens, the fix is to set up airplay again. Here’s how:
Settings → General → Carplay → My Cars → Ford Explorer → Tap Forget This Car
Once you’ve tapped forget this car, you need set CarPlay back up. Reconnect to your Explorer’s infotainment system.
Conclusion
Most of the time, the connection is why your CarPlay is not working in your Ford Explorer. Start with troubleshooting it. If that doesn’t work, restart your iPhone. Next, have your iPhone “forget” your vehicle. After that, you’ll have to set up a new one.