CarPlay CarPlay - Mercedes-Benz - Advance to Next Track

[sportsedan89]

Hello,

I recently purchased a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG C43 without the touchpad, and I'm having a problem with CarPlay.

Background
Yesterday, I had my phone connected to the vehicle via USB, and CarPlay was active. Apple Maps was running in the foreground and providing me navigation instructions, and Apple Music was running in the background with music playing. I was able to nudge the controller (the wheel on the center console) to the right to advance to the next track in my playlist and to the left to jump to my previous track — all the while with Apple Maps in the foreground and Apple Music in the background. Overall, things were working well and it was easy to control my music and follow the route guidance.

The Problem
Not sure what I did, but I seem to have lost the functionality I described above. Today, when I'm in the same situation that I described above, nudging the controller to the right no longer advances to the next track; rather, it pans the map to the right. See the video labeled Apple Maps here.

My Question for You
Any idea how I can regain the functionality I described in the background section above? In essence, I'm looking for an easy way to advance to the next track in my playlist when the Apple Music app is not in the foreground.

Thanks!

sportsedan89

 

[waw74]

"hey siri, next song"
or
"hey siri, Skip this song."


not sure if the touch pad you're referring to is the thing on the flat part of the console between the front edges of the front seats, but if you do have that, there's a skip track button there too (2 right facing triangles, and a line)
if you don't have that, the same button might be somewhere else.

 

[sportsedan89]

@waw74 Thanks for your reply.

Regarding Siri: Yep, I love using Siri for all sorts of things related to phone/media/nav/reminders/calendar/etc! I find using Siri to skip tracks can be tedious, though, especially if I want to skip 10 tracks in a row.

Regarding the touchpad: When I say touchpad, I'm referring to the "overhang" above the controller (the wheel on the center console). Yep, my understanding is the touchpad has a button for "next track," but my vehicle doesn't have the touchpad, and I can't seem to find a "next track" button anywhere else.

After speaking with a Mercedes-Benz representative this morning, I think I may have found a solution. I can press the Home button on the left side of the steering wheel to bring up a carousel of panels, including Trip, Navigation, Media, and a couple others. Once I select Media, I can swipe up on the pad on the left side of the steering wheel to jump to the previous track and down to jump to the next track. If I unplug my phone and exit the vehicle, the next time I return and start up the car, the Media panel will still be present in my instrument cluster.

 

[waw74]

@waw74 Thanks for your reply.
: When I say touchpad, I'm referring to the "overhang" above the controller (the wheel on the center console). Yep, my understanding is the touchpad has a button for "next track.

Yes, the images I saw had one on that piece.
here's a screen protector for it, it's just the clearest picture I could find.

You might be able to add that piece yourself.
It's probably cheaper for them to make the place to plug it in all the cars, and then offer it as an upgrade. Most of the time the money they lose from installing wiring in a few cars where people opted out is offset by the vast majority who pay the extra for that piece.
It might be as easy as popping out a piece of trim, and snapping the new piece in, or it could involve replacing the entire center console after removing the entire dash, or you might not be able to do it at all. I'm sure it's answered somewhere on the internet.

Similar thing happened to a friend of mine a while back, they didn't get the remote unlock on a new car, changed their mind a few months later, and the dealership wanted several hundred dollars to "install" one. My friend was able to purchase a fob for that make and model from a third party for around $30, and they just had to program the car to recognize that fob. (instructions came with it.) The receiver was already in the car even though they had not purchased remote unlock.

glad support was able to give you a way to make it work.