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Already tried this on the Apple forums and no response, so I figured I'd see if any gerbils could help me out...

I have an iPod Touch 128GB - recently when I updated to the most recent OS it stopped working correctly in both of my cars.

I have a Dodge Challenger (2019) - it'll still play music but can only be controlled via the iPod itself; you can browse using the cars screen but it has no effect - it just keeps playing whatever is already playing. The annoying thing is that it worked *perfectly* before the OS upgrade.

I also have a Mazda CX-5 (2016) and in that it's pretty close to the same deal, you can only control it via the iPod itself now, and about half the time you get an error that pops up on the iPod itself saying "only one device at a time" at which point you have to reboot the iPod to use it. Prior to the OS update it worked - you could control via the cars screen (although there was sometimes a few minutes delay when you started the car because it had to sync the index)

Both vehicles are completely up to date as far as firmware and software on their entertainment centers.

I am considering reverting the iPod back to an earlier OS or even rooting it... the only reason I really have it is for car music, so if it's not working in the cars... not at all concerned about security or whatever because it's just a music player (it's not logged into anything including the Apple store, iTunes, etc.) But before I do that was just wondering if folks here had similar issues and found a workaround.

I can use my phone (iPhone X) for music but I have a huge collection on my iPod and frankly just prefer the controls on the iPod (when they worked!) and occasionally find myself driving where there isn't reliable streaming coverage.

Was the device as and iPod before or as a USB storage? If it was detected as an iPod then I can think of:

• Factory reset + re-syncing the same songs
• Reapply firmware update + Factory reset + re-syncing the same songs
• Revert to old firmware

I've encountered some issues in iPod firmware updates that forced me to do factory resets to get everything working back. (Having a "Sync to device" playlist helps a lot)

Now, if it was detected as a USB device before, perhaps the firmware changed the underlying format? (i.e. Windows formatted iPods are in FAT32 afaik) If you can connect the iPod as a disk to a Windows PC, I see no reason why it wouldn't pick up the songs. I would revert to the previous firmware if this was the case.

Weird. Which version of iOS is it running now? Is the headunit using Carplay, or just standard iPod controls? I'd try a full reset before rooting it.

It's detected as an iPod... and the controls function as though the car is expecting it to work as an iPod... by that I mean, there are buttons to browse by artist, album, genre, and so forth that appear when an iPod is detected, and those buttons "work" insofar as you can browse through the artists and albums and playlists and whatever... it's just that when you finally select something it has absolutely no effect. Whatever song is already playing just continues to play. Basically all you can do via the car is start, pause, or skip to the next or previous song.

I'll try a factory reset this evening. If that doesn't work I found instructions on how to install an earlier OS via the iTunes app.

I tried a reset on my car sound system - that had no effect. But as I mentioned in the OP it broke on both my vehicles - so it's definitely related to the OS. It's actually worse on the Mazda in that every other time I attach the thing it gives me a "one device" error and I have to reboot the iPod to get it working again. Sometimes more than once.

I actually started using my old iPod Classic in the Dodge... the main drawback with that is that I have to unplug and plug it back in again if the car has been off for a while, in order for it to be detected; and it takes about five minutes to sync the music index, but once that's done it works really well. Unfortunately that iPod is old and already has some hdd issues, so it's not a long term solution.

The car uses iPod controls... for some reason Apple blocks the CarPlay app from running on the iPod - I assume because they think people might want to do just that, and it pains Apple to allow their customers to do things.

I'm also having weird issues in iOS 12.1 with both of my vehicles. I have an iPhone XR that will sometimes skip several songs when you advance using the in-dash controls (but if you back up using the same in-dash control panel, it'll play the songs it skipped, so the media files are fine) and occasionally just pause itself on skipping. It'll even do the multi-song skip just advancing normally from one song on the playlist to another. You know it's doing it because you'll see a couple of song titles fly by on the display. I've done the factory reset and re-sync and it didn't do a bit of good. I don't have anything productive to add to this other than "you're not alone", though.

12.1.3 came out which

Resolves an issue that could cause certain CarPlay systems to disconnect from iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max

Didn't fix my issue (still happening) and probably didn't fix the OP's since he's using an iPod Touch.

Factory reset didn't work, I think because it reset to 12.1.1 - they must have updated the reset point.

Gonna try installing OS 11 and see if that works... otherwise, will look into some root kits...

Usacomp2k3 wrote:

12.1.3 came out which

Appreciate the thought, but unfortunately the iPod is actively prevented from running CarPlay.

I knew that it didn't specifically say it had your problem, both because of carplay and wrong device), but maybe the solution to the listed problem may have also indirectly fixed yours. Software is complicated *shrug*

Usacomp2k3 wrote:

I knew that it didn't specifically say it had your problem, both because of carplay and wrong device), but maybe the solution to the listed problem may have also indirectly fixed yours. Software is complicated *shrug*

You're not wrong

I might try upgrading to the latest just to see what happens, but I'm not hopeful. Based on my personal history with Apple products, this is probably something they did deliberately for security or whatever reasons, and the fact that it breaks third party functionality is, in their mind, completely outside of the realm of things that are their problem. I have no reason to believe that they will address the issue or even consider it an issue.

Also, they don't really care about the iPod, especially the iPod being used in cars... because an iPod being used in a car is by definition a device that isn't using their streaming service - because the iPod doesn't have cellular. That's why they don't allow CarPlay in the first place; they want you using your iPhone in the car because at least then there's a chance you're paying them a monthly fee to stream music.