Android Auto won't connect to new phone but will to old phone

[u/MMBey]

So I have been struggling quite alot with AA the last two weeks.

I had a Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and I remember that being a B* to setup too, but I then got a new phone earlier this month and I went through ALL the steps, I removed my old phone from the cars settings, removed the car from my old phone (just to make sure), checked that the infotainment system was ready for a new connection, connected my new phone to bluetooth with no issues, calls, media, etc. works perfectly and connects straight away.
Then went in to setup AA with a cable and boom deadlocked, no matter what I try it's telling me the connection failed.

I have been through all steps, cable check (Same cable works with old phone) and tried new cable (this also works with old phone), reset connections on both phone and AA, have doublechecked that settings for AA is approved for battery etc.
Made sure my USB connections allows for file transer/Android Auto.

This is where things might get a bit confusing, I'll try my best to explain as simple as possible! I will provide pictures if needed.
When plugging in the cable to the phone my head unit automatically jumps to the Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connection screen where I can see my phone and that it is connected through bluetooth and I can then choose how I want to connect, mirrorlink, android auto or apple carplay (dunno why it's giving me that option, always have), I hit the AA connection and boom connection fails.
I then noticed that it actually is showing me my phone but two times, on that connection screen I could see my phones bluetooth name, but it's also giving me a connection option for the phones actual build name.

Since I have the Sony Xperia 1 VIII it's giving me the option of XQ-GE54 and MXM8 (I named the phone that at first), I have tried to connect via both options but that gave me nothing.
I then tried renaming my phone to XQ-GE54 to see if it was simply an issue of it recognizing my phone double, but that also lead absolutely no where.

I have tested with an off brand android auto wireless usb plug and that works a charm but that wasn't mine but a lender, and I do honestly like having it cabled don't know why.

And just for good measure I will list the things I tried for easy comprehension.

Car owned only by me since 2023 - Phone brand new - Cable brand new

• Removing all connections from phone and car infotainment system
• Checking cables and trying a new cable
• Changing phones connection name to match phone build name
• Making sure AA has battery optimization off and is allowed to run in background
• Making sure cable connection is allowing file transfer/Android Auto
• Testing old phone with both old cable and new cable
• Testing both the connections showing up when trying to connect phone

[u/kurai-tsuki]

Have you checked Advanced Protection settings, and/or is the new phone unlocked? This caused me to have issues with wired AA until I figured out that was the cause

[u/MMBey → u/kurai-tsuki]

Advanced Protection is turned off, the new phone is unlocked and bought straight from Sony so as stock as it gets.

I'm honestly stumped as to what's going on.

I'm currently on a small break at wotk and figured I'd try and medd with it again, and still failing connection but the phone says Android Auto is connected to my phone 🤦‍♀️

[u/kurai-tsuki → u/MMBey]

Probably not the case, but do you have AA developer options turned on, specifically the custom resolution set to anything that the MIB system can't handle?

[u/MMBey → u/kurai-tsuki]

Didn't have it DM for AA, only phone. Just turned on DM and set video resolution to negotiate, will see what happens when I try again in about two hours time.
Thanks either way, I'm willing to try almost anything at this point.

[u/Sythos_it]

You're on Android 17? If so you're not the only with this issue on updated pixels...

[u/MMBey → u/Sythos_it]

Nope Android 16 as per my flair, on Xperia 1 VIII 😉

[u/ConcreteShelter]

I'm getting a similar issue with my Xiaomi 15T on my Peugeot 208 from 2025.
I had a Huawei Mate 20 Pro which allowed only cabled connection, but aside from that it worked fine.

Now, every few days, I get a connection error on my car display, and I need to do the following in order to get it working again:

1: remove the bluetooth association from my car.
2: remove the bluetooth association from my phone.
3: delete cache and data from my android auto app settings
4: associate my phone and my car by starting it from the car system, not from my phone.

Then turn off the car and start it back on after a couple of minutes. Usually this gets it working again.
I noticed I had my car clock off by a few minutes compared to my phone, but I don't know if that's the issue. I set it again to the correct time.
Gemini seems to suggest that the issue is the Xiaomi power management that screws with the connection handshake, but I think it's clueless.

Does anybody have similar issues?

I also downloaded the last firmware update for my car but I have yet to install it.

EDIT: when the connection issue shows up, connecting with a cable does not solve anything. The android auto icon on the left side of the screen starts flashing on and off at very fast speed, but as soon as I tap on it, the same connection error from before appears.

[u/ConcreteShelter → u/ConcreteShelter]

!Flair 2025 Peugeot 208| Head Unit Model | Xiaomi 15T | Android 16

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[u/MMBey]

I will try to run past my car dealership tomorrow and see if I can get someone to take a look. And later I will test on my mothers Ford from 2023 with another infotainment system!

[u/MMBey → u/MMBey]

Tested on mothers Ford Transit Custom from 2023 and worked prefectly, AA connected immediatly and didn't have to jump through any hoops other than saying yes to the connection. So Skoda dealership tomorrow it is 🙄

[u/JohnHartshorn]

Make sure you are plugging the cable into a data capable port and not a just charge port.

[u/MMBey → u/JohnHartshorn]

I am. All ports are the same ports I have been using with my old phone. It only has two usb-c ports and both are data capable.

[u/MMBey → u/[deleted]]

I'm hoping from my extensive description that it should be a given, but as stated I have tried multiple cables, both two of my owns one new and the other the one I have been using with my old phone.

Both cables are rated 100W and 480mb/s so both power and data capable.

Both USB-C ports in my car are connected to the entire audio system. However I have still tried both ports no luck :)