Android Auto overheating phone

I use android auto for sat nav. Last summer’s trip through France led to the phone overheating and turning off, meaning losing sat nav.

Big van with no sat nav, so the cab does get pretty toasty so even hiding the phone out of direct sunlight doesn’t help.

Is this a known problem? Any tips for avoiding it?

It massively eats battery too.

Mine didn’t overheat to the point of shutting down, but i took it out of it’s case to allow it to cool

That’s weird.  It might be fixed in an update at some point.  What phone?

Can you sit it on or mount it in front of an aircon vent?

I think heating up is pretty standard….. the phone is working hard and charging at the same time (if a wired connection).  Mine (wireless connection) gets fairly warm but never to the point of shutting down.

I had issues charging in my Berlingo as the exhaust runs in the tunnel under the cupholder/well with the 12v socket etc, i.e. the logical place to leave your phone charging.

I’ve not had any specific android-auto issues though in other cars though.

How old is the phone? I found my old Samsung S9 would get hotter and hotter as it got older, I guess because the battery got less an less efficient. Airflow and keeping it out of sunlight helped. I used to mount it directly in front of one of the air vents to keep it cool if it needed fast-charging from flat and had to do sat-nav duty on a sunny day.

Wired connection so no battery concerns. I don’t think I have the opton for wireless (unless that is a user error I’ve missed?)

Pixel 7 with Pioneer head unit

As per @savoyad – During winter I’ve found that I have to be careful as my central heater vent is blasting right at the phone – conversely, during Summer, it really helps to have it blastic A/C right at it.

Thick silicone or rubber cases do not help at all and are outside of wat the phone was designed to operate at.

Take the case off, and use vent mount to keep it cool, I bet that will make a huge difference.

sorry “Big van with no sat nav” should read “big van with no air con”

It’s a sweaty green house!

Yep try taking the case off, it prevents the phone from cooling effectively

Mine has done it a few times but only when Ive had the phone sat on the tray on top of the dash. Moving it out of the sun gets it working again…

Wired connection so no battery concerns.

It will be charging while on the wired connection.

 I don’t think I have the opton for wireless (unless that is a user error I’ve missed?)

Pixel 7 with Pioneer head unit

I would assume that both ends would need to support it.  My Pixel 7a does so your 7 should I’d have thought.  No idea about the head unit though.

And,

Mine gets hot also, but not ‘thermal shutdown’ hot.

pixel 7 here, no issues at all with overheating on android auto (although does occasionally if suckered to the windscreen with gmaps running non-auto)

if you’ve already got the case off the best thing is to improve airflow, I’d be resting it on a big cheap heatsink

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Awxlumv-100x60x10mm-Conductive-Smartphones-amplifiers/dp/B0CMSVL782/ref=sr_1_6

Yup mine did the same using Google maps – in a black car with broken Aircon 🥵

My OnePlus 8T displays “phone getting too hot” on AA during the summer. Solved by running the USB cable to the armrest box (which is air conditioned).

Is this with the phone on a cradle/stand on the dashboard?
Do you have a cigarette lighter/12v socket? You could get a plug-in fan for that, to direct at the phone while using it with Android Auto. Bit of a faff, but should help.

Is the phone sat in the sun?

Continously on charge is also not good especially if you are on long journeys. So we have gone wireless using the Motorola MA1 unit in both cars.

Really pleased, the phone just stays in your pocket, handbag. We then use the cigi lighter if we need to charge.

Definitely reccomend the MA1

MadBillMcMadFull Member
Is the phone sat in the sun?

Continously on charge is also not good especially if you are on long journeys. So we have gone wireless using the Motorola MA1 unit in both cars.

Really pleased, the phone just stays in your pocket, handbag. We then use the cigi lighter if we need to charge.

Definitely reccomend the MA1

Second that approach, although I use the AA Wireless. It’s flawless in operation, really really good.  It’s a bit more nerdy than the MA1 (for example you can override the font size, and various other things)

That MA1 sounds really good. From a positioning point of view how long is the cable. It looks pretty short.

From a positioning point of view how long is the cable. It looks pretty short.

I believe it’s about 4″ and is hardwired in so you can’t swap it for a longer cable which is a bit of a pain.

Options here

I’m after an wireless adapter for MrsSB car but will probs have to go with the CarlinKit as she wants Carplay and I want AA!

In my van I’ve a wired connection with absolutely no problems. In the car I have to use a battery bank and both phone and bank get quite hot, but not to the point of failure….

MA1, correct, it’s about 4″ long.

I’d have thought you could use a USB b to USB b extension if you wanted to. In both my cars, no need. One is in the central shoulder rest, the other in a slot under the central radio area

Poco F5 pro no over heating issues with AA in my Berlingo van. Although charging is pretty slow.

I do think a lot of problems come from cheap/poor cables.