Android: Unable to connect Pandora in various vehicles after 2208.1

[TannerPandora]

Pandora Update: 10/6/22

I'd like to again thank everyone for posting their trouble with connecting Android devices to Pandora in the car. We understand how frustrating this experience can be and wanted you to know that we're working hard to resolve this issue.

If you're new to this thread and experience an issue connecting to Pandora with your Android, feel free to post. Your information will be passed along to our engineering ticket.

Updates will continue to be posted in this thread as they are given to the Community Team.

In the meantime, these steps may help to connect to your vehicle:

• First, make sure your phone is not connected to your vehicle via Bluetooth.
• Then, launch Pandora on your phone before starting you car.
• Once Pandora is playing, then connect to your vehicle via Bluetooth.

Thank you all for your continued patience.

Use your mobile device only when conditions allow and as permitted by applicable law.

---

Pandora Update: 9/20/22

Hi everyone! Thanks for posting your experience to community.

Since many of you are having trouble on various Android phones and in different vehicles I've gone ahead and merged all related posts into one thread to help stay organized with updates and information.

If you're new to this thread, please note that this is for Android users who are unable to connect to Pandora in their vehicle or in-vehicle device with version 2208.1 or later.

An internal ticket has been created and our engineering teams are investigating. Updates will be made in this thread as they are made available to us.

We appreciate your continued patience while we look into this.

Use your mobile device only when conditions allow and as permitted by applicable law.

[Packergirl52]

Unfortunately this is not working.  I even repaired with a new phone, turned on pandora and the response was that pandora app not found.  Incredibly frustrated.  Have tried all kinds of fixes and nothing works.  Not since August.  Had to listen to Amazon Music on a 2 day drive as Pandora did not pair to the car.  Not the phone and not the car. That leaves one thing - the bug is still with Pandora. Samsung Android and a Mazda.

[DCSLAW]

Same for me thank you Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

[billyga]

Just an FYI, Spotify scrapped support for Pioneer and JVC-Kenwood in February
https://community.spotify.com/t5/Ongoing-Issues/Connection-issues-with-car-stereo-receivers/idc-p/53...

[MeloCate]

Same problem Subaru Forester 2016. Always used to be able to start the Pandora app but now can only play through phone Bluetooth. Keeps telling me to install Pandora on my phone despite the fact that Pandora is playing on my phone.

[Mrprovy]

To answer the age of unit...

My Pioneer was installed in 2018

My phone is a LG G8thinQ (2.5 y/o)

Android version 12, Pandora version 2203.1 works

For those where 2203.1 did not work, did you make sure auto updates are off and re-install from the link above (from page 12, where I got my version from)?

[billyga]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I've followed those crucial steps to no avail. No previous Pandora versions will work with my 4-year-old Pioneer unit. 

[Stevens761]

Everything worked fine until I upgraded to a new Motorola Edge 5g uw. Now no sound when using the app on the truck. If I use the app on my phone via media selection I have sound. Appears this is a widespread issue. What is the fix so I can just push the app on the mylink screen to get sound. App version 2210.1.

Moderator Edit: Merged posts

Connects just fine to my other Bluetooth device speakers

[dabruns]

My solution, if only temporary, is to load up a 128GB microSD with my favorite artists and their songs and install it in my Android Moto Smartphone (try doing that with your iPhone Apple lovers). I have found that the app Pulsar works great for playing music through my Mazda's Bluetooth sound system.

Tomorrow, I plan on cancelling my Pandora paid subscription (going back to free?). If hell freezes over and they actually fix this issue with Android users, I might consider a paid subscription once again. Until then, it's goodbye.

[Tjmorette]

I came to Pandora because Spotify dropped support for Pioneer and Kenwood apps in an effort to push their "car thing". Where Pandora seems to have abandoned support for the head unit app, I am heading back to Spotify as I feel the platform is better.

I will continue to check on Pandora with the hope they may someday rectify the issue.

[tks1]

- 2017 Pioneer 4200NEX car stereo
- Asus Zenpad Z8s (P00J) Android tablet (Verizon), running Android v7.0

2205.1.1 is the latest Pandora app version where the PandoraLink functionality still works for me.

As a software developer, I see no excusable reason for this feature to still be broken!

[MattyZ]

Still no update from Pandora?  It's been a few months now, come on!

2015 GMC Acadia
Samsung Galaxy S8+

[billyga]

SiriusXM purchased Pandora in 2018. Last year, SiriusXM was begging for subscribers with greatly reduced rates as users such as myself were jumping ship in favor of the Pandora app for music in their cars. It makes perfect sense to me that the update needed to restore functionality to the Pandora app has been abandoned as a move to push new subscribers to Sirius and to entice old subscribers to return to Sirius. I maintained my subscription to Sirius for 2 years after buying my Pioneer unit with Pandora compatibility and Bluetooth even though I no longer used Sirius. I decided last year it just made no sense to continue paying for a subscription to something I wasn't using. I'll use the Bluetooth option to play my Pandora before I go back to SiriusXM.

Long story short, in my opinion, Pandora has abandoned support for car radios.

[arreaux]

After upgrading Pandora on my Samsung s20 FE, Pandora will not connect to any of my car stereos.  If not will have to cancel, since it no longer functions. I've uninstalled the App and reinstalled it, no luck. reconnected to Bluetooth on stereos and no luck.

Is it possible to install the older version back to when was working?

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @arreaux. 👋

I moved your post over to this existing thread as we're aware of this issue: Android: Unable to connect Pandora in various vehicles after 2208.1

In the meantime, please check out @TannerPandora's post about it here. All reports of this issue have been shared and any new updates we receive will be posted on this thread. 

While we understand how frustrating this can be, we appreciate your patience while our engineering team is working on this diligently behind the scenes.

I've gone ahead and created an email case for you so that you can gather further assistance with your subscription, if needed. 🎧

[Dave12]

I'm having the exact same issue. I have uninstalled and reinstalled Pandora, reset the radio, paired and unpaired the phone etc. Nothing resolved it. I keep hoping Pandora undoes what ever they did in the update to screw it up but so far three more updates and no fix. It will display the song and title in generic blue tooth mode but no way to thumb up or down.

Anyone come up with why and how on this? I'm ready to end my subscription.

[SAS18]

Look further back in this thread.  There is a link to a site from which you can download an older version.  First uninstall the current version, then load the old one.  Make sure to disable updates from Pandora.

[dabruns]

I am an A+ certified tech and I must say that sites like APKCombo are potentially very dangerous. The whole process opens up your Android device to any number of security risks.
This is somewhat comparable to a trojan horse. Sure, you will receive this older version of Pandora, but there is no telling what other code is attached to that software.
I would not do it!

[SAS18]

Your decision not to use code from APKCombo is either wise or overly cautious; I can't really say which.

In previous posts where I have provided that link, I have included a disclaimer stating that I cannot vouch for the safety of that site.  I have used it, but I did so understanding the risk (I am a retired Chief Information Officer for both public and private organizations).  Several of us have now used earlier versions of Pandora from that site with no perceived ill effects, but that does not guarantee that it is safe.  If you decide to go forward with it, you do so at your own risk.

As difficult as it is to understand why Pandora has not even attempted to fix this problem, it is even more bafling that they have not provided a guaranteed safe library of earlier versions to this community.

[Stinger22]

FWIW I scanned with both Bitdefender and Malwarebytes and it was clean.  I've not seen any bad effects from it after about two weeks.  Don't know if anyone has done a check sum or anything on it.  Heck you would think maybe Pandora would check it and advise people since they seem to be refusing to correct the problem with the current version.

[barnesmjsa]

Yo, SAS18..

You hooked me up with that link a few weeks back.

Down revving worked like a charm.

I have no ill effects from it. 

"As difficult as it is to understand why Pandora has not even attempted to fix this problem, it is even more bafling that they have not provided a guaranteed safe library of earlier versions to this community."

Its extremely baffling, as in they don't care.

I'm a premium member and I can assure Pandora that it will not be renewed. Oh, I'm gonna used what I paid for, but unfortunately for Pandora I will be spreading the word as to what happened to us on this thread. 

And to think, I ditched a Spotify membership not one month previous to Pandora breaking everything.

Is Pandora still owned by Sirius? 

At any rate, thanks for the link bud. Got me back in business.