CarPlay Google Maps - blank map since yesterday

[Boyd01]

Have been using Google Maps on my iPhone 12 ProMax with wireless CarPlay in my VW Taos for the past nine months with few problems. Starting yesterday, the map is blank - the rest of the user interface is there, but changing settings makes no difference. Apple Maps and three other GPS apps all still work fine. Restarted the phone and reset the infotainment system, no change.

This morning I discovered that it works normally IF using Google Maps on the phone AND the phone is unlocked. Anybody else see a problem like this?

 

[mmkerc]

Although I do not use Google maps in the way you do, over this weekend (9/22-25) I did notice it was very slow to update whereas my other apps worked fine. Also, I believe Apple pushed a new update which could be driving the change.

 

[hwojtek]

Happened to me a couple of times. Had to kill app and restart it on the phone and then enter the app on carplay.

 

[Boyd01]

I've also gotten a blank map a few times before. But switching to a different carplay screen (like Music), then back to Google Maps always cleared it. This is something different though.

Have seen some posts about CarPlay issues on the iPhone 15. Maybe an update broke something in an attempt to fix that?

 

[Boyd01]

A quick search found that this isn't a new problem, with posts about the blank screen problem on other sites going back a couple years. But this one from two days ago on Google's own forum is very similar.

Google Maps shows blank screen on Apple CarPlay - Google Maps Community

 

[hwojtek]

May be a long shot, but I think this may have something to do with Apple defaulting to the last used nav app in CarPlay standby screen (is it actually called like that?) for the map part. I believe once the phone is connected to Carplay, iOS may not launch Google Maps correctly. If I used Apple Maps previously, it would always show up as intended. I do not use other nav apps so can not say if they launch as intended and display the map on the standby screen but maybe someone would give it a go.

 

[Boyd01]

That could be an issue, but not in my case because I only use Google (except for some quick tests the other day).

 

[hwojtek]

Try using Apple Maps once and you'll see, it always shows up on Carplay as intended.

 

[Boyd01]

Not sure that I understand. I tried Apple Maps, HERE maps and a couple others. They all worked fine. Google still has a blank screen, regardless of what I used before. Google works if I open it on the phone first AND leave it active with the phone awake the whole time. If the phone goes to sleep (auto-locks) then the map screen freezes.

This bug is something new, have used Google Maps with CarPlay since December 2022 and this never happened until a few days ago. I never had to manually open the app on the phone before. That post on Googles forum has a list of things to try, haven't had a chance to do all of them yet.

 

[hwojtek]

I meant: if I used Apple Maps as the last nav app then got out of the car and get back in, Apple Maps will display on the screen. If I did the same with Google Maps, it may or may not happen. It will happen more often, though, if I used Google Maps, disconnected from the car, didn't kill the app on the phone and connected again.

 

[evanmac]

I also have an empty map since the update and I have to start google Maps on the iPhone for it to start functioning. But I don't need to keep it unlocked to continue on CarPlay.

 

[Boyd01]

I was able to get it working like this today as well. Initially - blank screen. Started Google Maps on the phone and it worked. Locked the phone and the map froze again. But I then opened the phone and force-quit the the app. Started it again and was then able to lock the phone and continue using CarPlay.

Later today I'll try deleting the app and re-installing. Somewhere I read this would clear cached data that might be causing a problem.

 

[evanmac]

There was just now an update on google maps (v 6.85.5) and went outside to check on CarPlay. Mark this one as fixed. No reinstallation needed.

 

[hwojtek]

An app update removes its caches

 

[Boyd01]

There was just now an update on google maps (v 6.85.5)

Thanks, my version is currently 6.85.0 although set for auto-updates. Will do a manual update and see if that fixes it.

 

[Boyd01]

Mark this one as fixed. No reinstallation needed.

Yep, 6.85.5 fixed it for me too! 🥳 For some reason, had to manually update however.