Android 13 fixes Android Auto call issues on Pixel phones; Google still investigating Pixel 7 issues

Ben Schoon | Nov 21 2022 - 7:21 am PT

If you’ve been having issues between Android Auto and Pixel phones, Google might have some good news for you. In an update to its known issues thread, Google says that the Android 13 update on Pixel phones should fix some calling issues when using Android Auto.

For months now, a thread on Google’s support forums has capture reports of users seeing phone calls on Android Auto coming through the phone’s speaker rather than the car as expected. That’s while other apps, including media apps, are coming through the car’s speakers. While that’s a bug that can occasionally happen for anyone, it was happening regularly for affected users with no clear fixes.

Top comment by TurboFool

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Android 13 also fixed a long-running issue with SYNC 3 that if SYNC wasn't set to use your phone's ringtone (and it would regularly set itself away from doing so), you couldn't hear incoming calls at all. Every indication given was that this issue was specific to Ford and had to be fixed by them, and Ford even issued a fix for newer vehicles than mine. But with Android 13 my calls now work even if the ringtone shifts back to car default.

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In an announcement earlier this month, a member of the Android Auto team finally offered a good update for this issue, and that it had been fixed at least for Pixel phones.

Apparently, the Android 13 update patches up the problem of phone calls on Android Auto playing through the phone’s speaker on Google Pixel devices eligible for the update (Pixel 4a and forward). “Other phones” will apparently need a separate fix for the problem, but specifics aren’t offered.

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Meanwhile, Google is investigating another issue on Pixel phones with Android Auto.

Specifically, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro seem to be having problems with connecting as well as randomly disconnecting from Android Auto with no clear cause. Google says that it still needs more bug reports to investigate further. These issues are separate from other Android Auto problems that occurred on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro last month.