The Android Auto Communication Error 12 may happen while you are using the Android Auto App. 

It is usually a result of a faulty USB cable. This communication error could also happen when you don’t connect your USB cable properly.

It can ruin your experience while using the Android Auto app.

However, no matter the cause of this error, you can fix it. In this guide, we will discuss what this error is, what causes it, and list different solutions to fix it.

What is Android Auto Communication Error 12?

Android auto communication error 12 occurs when you connect your mobile to the car’s head-up unit. 

The error message reads; “Communication error 12 – Something’s wrong. When it’s safe, unplug, and plug in your phone.” Once this error message pops up on your screen, you need to look for a solution immediately.

What causes this Android Auto Communication Error 12

The Android Auto Communication Error 8 is usually caused by the following:

Broken connecting cable Outdated Android Auto app Outdated Google play store. Nonetheless, once you see this error on your screen, you need to fix it with the steps I detailed within the next section.

How to Fix the Android Auto Communication Error 12

You should be able to fix this communication error by following the detailed steps below.

Solution 1: Change the Connecting Cable

If the cable connecting your car unit and your device is damaged, it can cause this communication error. When this happens, you can use a different cable to solve the problem by following the steps below.

Step 1: Get a new cable and use it to connect the devices.

To choose the correct USB cable for Android Auto, follow the guide below.
— Ensure that your cable has the USB icon. 
— Ensure that the cable is no longer than 6ft. You should avoid using cable extensions.
— If you are using Pixel phones, use Pixel accessory USB-C to USB-A cable.

Step 2: Launch Android Auto and check if you have solved the problem. If the problem persists, move down to the next potential solution below.

Solution 2: Changing the Date and Time Settings

If the date and time settings of the car’s head-up unit or mobile device are not correct, you will encounter a communication error. In this scenario, you should change the date and time settings to solve the problem by following the steps below.

Step 1: Open the Settings option on your phone.
Step 2: Tap on Date and Time settings and check if the date and time are correct. 
Step 3: On the car’s unit, adjust the date and time to match that of your device.
Step 4: If your car’s unit is using Sync time, disable it. If it is disabled already, try enabling it.
Step 5: Disconnect your car’s battery for 30 minutes. Ensure the car’s unit is using the same time zone as your mobile phone.
Step 6: Launch Android Auto and check if you have solved the problem.

Solution 3: Updating the Android Auto App

When your Android Auto app is outdated, you are likely to encounter this communication error. When this happens, simply uninstall the older version and then reinstall the latest version to solve it. Just follow these few steps:

Step 1: Open the Settings menu of your phone. Tap on Applications, find and tap on Android Auto.
Step 2: Tap on Storage and select Clear Cache and Clear data from the preceding window.
Step 3: Tap on the back button and in the Android Auto setting window, tap on Force Stop. Tap on Uninstall and confirm to uninstall the app.
Step 4: Power off your phone and wait for 60 seconds before restarting it.
Step 5: Launch Google Play and type “Android Auto” in the search bar. Tap on Android Auto, and Install.
Step 6: Launch the Android Auto app and pair it with your car’s head unit to check if you have solved the problem.

Solution 4: Updating Google Play Services App

When your Google play services app is outdated, you are likely to encounter this communication error. When this happens, updating these services may solve the problem.

But you cannot update these services as a regular Android app. The instructions may vary depending on the model of your device. Follow the steps below to update Google play services.

Step 1: Open the Settings menu of your phone and tap Applications. Now, find and click Google Play Services.
Step 2: Tap on Storage and click Clear cache.
Step 3: Now, select Manage Space and then click Clear All Data. Launch the Chrome browser on your phone. Access the search bar type “Google Play Services”.
Step 4: Now, tap on the Checkbox of the Desktop Site option.
Step 5: Now tap on the search result shown from the Google Play. If there is an available update, tap on Update.
Step 6: If no update, then tap on Deactivate and later on, tap on Activate again. This will refresh the entire module. Then launch Android Auto and check if it is working fine.

Solution 4: Performing Factory Hard Reset

A factory reset of your phone and car’s head unit is also a way to go if the Android auto communication error 12. You should consider backing up your data before doing this on your Android Phone.

To reset your Android phone:

Step 1: Open the settings option and locate Backup & reset
Step 2: Tap Factory reset
Step 3: Enter your password and erase all data on your device.
Step 4: Reboot your device and restore all the data.

To reset the head unit:

Step 1: Take note of your current uptime, to know if the reset worked by going to Settings > System > About > Status > Uptime.
Step 2: Put the transmission in reverse. Ensure that the car is off before doing this.
Step 3: Start the car. Leave the on-screen for 2 seconds.
Step 4: Now, put it on neutral and wait for the head unit to boot.
Step 5: Check the uptime.

Conclusion

Android Auto Communication Error 12 is a common error encountered by many users of Android Auto App. This error is not difficult to fix. Sometimes you would have to change your USB cable to fix it.

In this article, I have provided you with the solutions to help you fix it. Now it’s your turn to perform these solutions and tackle this error.