2021 CX-5 CarPlay Not Working

I have a 2021 CX-5 Grand Touring with Premium Package. On our way home from vacation yesterday, when I plugged in the iPhone to the USB cable, the “Apple CarPlay” option on the infotainment screen would no longer appear, but the iPhone would still charge. Here’s some info:

  • iPhone 13
  • iOS 15.4.1
  • Restarted the iPhone
  • Tried two Apple-genuine USB-A to Lighting cables
  • Connected the USB cables to both ports on the center console
  • iPhone > Settings > General > CarPlay > Mazda > Forget This Car > Forget
  • CX-5 > Settings > System Settings > System Information > Version Information > System Software 11022

The “Apple CarPlay” option will still not appear in the infotainment screen when I plug in my iPhone into either center console USB port using either Apple-genuine USB cable.

Any ideas?

Thanks.
 
Found the solution and posting here in case anyone else has this problem.

The issue was a bug in the Mazda Connect infotainment software that will randomly block your iPhone by setting it to “Never Enabled”. Here’s how I fixed it:

1. CX-5 Infotainment Home Screen
2. Settings
3. Connectivity Settings
4. Smartphone Connectivity Settings
5. Apple CarPlay Settings
6. Under Apple CarPlay Devices, if your iPhone got set to “Never Enabled”, select your iPhone
7. iPhone Device Connection Status
8. Always Enabled
9. Press the Home button on the center console
10. Select Apple CarPlay
 
After a battery change, I seem to be having the same problem with a 2020 CX5 Grand Touring Reserve. The 2020 infotainment version does not have the "connectivity settings" option in the General Settings menu. Any ideas?

Same symptoms - I plug into the phone USB slot (as I've been doing successfully for 2 years) and there's no recognition of the iPhone, and all ACP options throughout the menus remain greyed-out.

I've tried resetting the system using the back+Nav+mute maneuver, and in that event it does seem to see the phone, but I get an error window that says "Device error - Apple Carplay not responding". Tried multiple cables with the same outcome.

Grateful for any ideas...
 
This happened to me, for no obvious reason. I did not have to return to the dealer however. Here is what I did:

- In your iPhone Settings, open ‘General’, then ‘CarPlay’.
- Choose your Mazda and click ‘forget this car’. This deletes your Mazda from your iPhone.
- Start you Mazda.
- In the Mazda Settings menu select ‘Connectivity Settings’.
- Select ‘Smartphone Connectivity Settings’.
- Select ‘Apple CarPlay Settings’.
- Select your phone.
- Select ‘Delete Device’ and delete it from you Mazda.
- Turn off the Mazda.
- Start the Mazda.
- Connect your phone to the USB port. I found that one of my ports did not work for CarPlay.
- Follow the prompts in the Mazda display to connect your phone.

Don’t worry about deleting the car and phone, they will automatically reconnect after you plug the phone into the Mazda and follow the prompts. This worked for me the second time, the first time the problem seemed to be the USB port I chose. I hope this works for you and you can avoid going to the dealer.
 
Found the solution and posting here in case anyone else has this problem.

The issue was a bug in the Mazda Connect infotainment software that will randomly block your iPhone by setting it to “Never Enabled”. Here’s how I fixed it:

1. CX-5 Infotainment Home Screen
2. Settings
3. Connectivity Settings
4. Smartphone Connectivity Settings
5. Apple CarPlay Settings
6. Under Apple CarPlay Devices, if your iPhone got set to “Never Enabled”, select your iPhone
7. iPhone Device Connection Status
8. Always Enabled
9. Press the Home button on the center console
10. Select Apple CarPlay
I’ve had this bug and have set it to always enabled but it won’t work now. Any suggestions?
 
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