Your Android Auto Phone Calls Not Working? (Quick Fix!)

Android Auto phone calls not working, and you don’t know why? Well, we know exactly why!

If you’re unable to make or receive calls through your Android Auto, the issue is often related to cellular issues or misconfigured infotainment settings.

Other issues include picking up the call but being able to hear or speak with the recipient, so if you have any of these, we can help.

We’ve uncovered that these are the most effective solutions:

So, proceed with the expert guide to thoroughly review the solutions from above!

How to Fix Android Auto Phone Calls Not Working?

Note: Have you tried powering off the infotainment system and waiting for 1–2 minutes?

1. Configure the Bluetooth Device Settings

If your smartphone is connected over Bluetooth to Android Auto, you must enable the “Calls” and “Audio” features in the device’s Bluetooth settings.

In order to access these settings, your smartphone must already be connected to the Android Auto and your vehicle must be running.

Here’s how to adjust the Android Auto’s Bluetooth settings on most Androids:

1. Navigate to the “Settings” of your smartphone device.
2. Go to “Bluetooth” and locate the Android Auto profile.
3. Tap the “Configure” or “Options” button next to the tile.
4. Go down and verify the following settings are enabled:

• “Calls” is set to “ON”
• “Audio” is set to “ON”
• “Contact Access” is set to “ON”
• “Message Access” is set to “ON”

Note: Verify that Android Auto is not muted or silenced in any way if your smartphone provides access to other in-depth configurations of the Bluetooth connection.

2. Connect Over a Wired USB Connection

An unstable Bluetooth connection is the source of a large number of audio or calling-related issues with Android Auto.

So, the next step is to connect your smartphone over a USB 2.0/3.0 connection with the display’s console and test the calling’s functionality.

Here’s how to connect your smartphone over USB:

1. Disconnect the smartphone’s charging cord from the adapter.
2. Plug the micro-USB or type-C end into your smartphone’s port.
3. Connect the other end of the cable to the Android Auto’s jack.
4. Acknowledge your smartphone has been connected over USB.
5. Next, follow the on-screen instructions shown by Android Auto.

None of the Bluetooth settings we’ve configured previously will have an impact after connecting your smartphone over USB.

Note: Your phone might prompt you to update the firmware version of the Android Auto before proceeding.

3. Check the Panel’s Sound Volume Options

Sometimes, phone calls not working on Android Auto could be related to improper adjustments of the “Sound Volume” options on your Android Auto. 

All infotainment systems have an audio mixer section, through which you can configure the sound for features such as “Phone Calls,” “System Sounds,” “Voice Recognition” and others.

Follow these steps to adjust the audio settings of your Android Auto:

1. Ensure your car is turned on and go to “Settings” on your panel.
2. Next, navigate to “General Settings” and go to “Sound Volume.”
3. Tap “Reset to Default” at the top if there’s a button on the page.
4. Locate the “Phone Calls” slider and slide it towards the maximum.
5. Repeat for all sliders in the “Sound Volume” section and then exit.

After turning up the volume for phone calls, ensure your smartphone is connected and check if the infotainment system now responds.

4. Inspect your Phone’s Cellular Settings

There could be a fault with the cellular coverage of your smartphone, rather than the Android Auto.

There are several possible things to check and configure in your smartphone’s settings that could restore the functionality of cellular calls when connected to the infotainment system.

4.1 Enable/Disable Airplane Mode

A quick resolution to any coverage or network-related issues is to temporarily toggle on and off the “Airplane” mode on the Android device.

This will continuously suspend the device coverage,  and you won’t be able to make or receive any calls while the mode is active.

Note: Keep the Airplane mode activated for at least 15 seconds and disable it to reconnect your phone to the network.

4.2 Reinsert the Phone SIM Card

The most standard resolution for issues with your phone’s cellular is to remove and reinsert the SIM card.

An accumulation of debris on the SIM tray of your smartphone could be preventing the card from properly contacting the internal SIM reader, disconnecting you from the network.

4.3 Optimize Network Coverage

The next thing to check is if your smartphone is properly covered by a network and whether the signal strength is strong.

If you’re out of network coverage or attempting to call while your phone is at one or two signal bars, this is the reason why the incoming/outgoing calls won’t go through. 

4.4 Update your Phone’s Software

Perhaps, outdated firmware is causing compatibility issues with the infotainment systems and prevents it from reading calls. 

• To update your Android, go to “Settings” → “About Phone or Firmware Update” → “Check for Updates” → “Update.”

Your smartphone will take anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes to update, and it must also be connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network.

4.5 Configure the APN Settings

One more thing to check is whether your smartphone’s APN settings toward your carrier are configured correctly.

• You can access the APN settings on your Android device by going to “Settings” → “Mobile Networks” → “Access Point Names (APN)” → “Menu” → “New APN.”

Then you can configure the APN settings appropriately!

Note: All carriers use a different APN configuration, so check online for your exact values!

5. Re-Add Android Auto & Reinstall the App

If the Android Auto not working for phone calls, re-adding the infotainment system’s Bluetooth connection profile is another solid resolution.

All Bluetooth settings we’ve configured so far will be restored back to default values after the Android Auto is re-added successfully, so beware!

Follow these steps to re-add the profile of the Android Auto:

1. Access the “Bluetooth” settings on your Android smartphone.
2. Locate the connection profile of the system and tap on it once.
3. Scroll to the page’s bottom and click “Remove/Forget Device.”
4. Head to the “Home” screen and locate the Android Auto app.
5. Next, uninstall the application and open the Google Play Store.
6. Reinstall the Android Auto app and reconnect with the system.

Note: By reinstalling the app, you will be certain that it doesn’t have any cache, misconfigured settings, or corrupted data, conflicting with the infotainment system.

6. Restore the Android Auto’s Default Settings

In case none of the solutions had any effect, the final method to try is restoring the Android Auto infotainment system to factory default settings.

It takes less than 2 minutes for your system to reset and re-apply the default value of all system settings.

Here are the instructions to factory reset an Android Auto system:

1. Open the “Menu” or “Settings” page on your Android Auto.
2. Go to “Car Settings” or “Factory Settings” from the page.
3. Access the “Android Settings” page and scroll to the bottom.
4. Access the “Reset options” menu and tap on “RESET CAR.”

Note: If your panel doesn’t use a full Android integration, check if there’s a Reset pinhole or another reset menu you can use or access.