iOS/Subaru: Pandora won't connect

[miniyoda3]

Were you ever able to figure this out? I have an iphone 13 doing the same thing....

[miniyoda3]

Have you figured this out yet? It's frustrating!

[miniyoda3]

My iPhone  12 will not connect to 2018 subaru forester. Pandora will play in the "Bluetooth" section but not in the pandora icon. Has anyone had luck getting rhat to function correctly?

Moderator Edit: Changing title for clarity

[TannerPandora · Accepted solution]

Hi @miniyoda3! Thanks for posting your experience.

I'm happy to pass this along to our engineering team. Can you let me know a few details about your mobile devices

• Make and Model
• OS version
• Pandora version

Thanks!

[miniyoda3]

Thank you very much for the reply. I am still having trouble! 😞

2018 Subaru Forester

iphone 13

pandora version 2208.1 - I noticed you saying to try an older version but I am struggling to find a way to do that. 

[miniyoda3]

still no luck. if you have other ideas it would be much appreciated!

[dlwr300]

My wife and I own a couple of 2016s: Impreza and Forester.  The correct method to play Pandora through the 2016 stereo's Pandora app is to connect the iPhone and car via Bluetooth and plug a lightning cord into your iPhone and the USB port in the armrest or the one in the hole under the stereo (where you stash your phone or shades or Butterfinger). 

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Plug lightning cord in your iPhone and car's USB
2. Turn on the stereo, select a Pandora station on your iPhone, wait until the iPhone and stereo connect via Bluetooth,
3. select Pandora on the car stereo,
4. control the app with the stereo's buttons:
   1. skip song,
   2. thumb a song,
   3. read song title and artist,
   4. see list of your Pandora stations,
   5. select a new station,
   6. delete a station
   7. add a station. 

[This method is strictly for iPhones and 2016s.  There's a possibility that the Starlink app is needed on the iPhone for 2017 and newer Subarus.  I expected this awkwardness (using a cord and Bluetooth) from Android but not from iPhones.  There's only one iPhone operating system instead of 100 flavors of Android!)   Androids play Pandora through a 2016's stereo Pandora app without a USB.]

Downloading the Starlink app isn't required for playing the Pandora app through the 2016 Subaru Impreza stereo Pandora app.

I hope that somebody chimes in with instructions for 2017 and newer Subarus.  

[dlwr300]

My wife and I own a couple of 2016s: Impreza and Forester.  The correct method to play Pandora through the 2016 stereo's Pandora app is to connect the iPhone and car via Bluetooth and plug a lightning cord into your iPhone and the USB port in the Subaru’s armrest or the one in the hole under the stereo (where you stash your phone or shades or Butterfinger). 

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Have the stereo tuned to the Pandora app. (either tune to the stereo Pandora before shutting off the ignition or turn the key to accessory, wait until the stereo finishes booting up, tune to the stereo Pandora app and then shut off the ignition)
2. Plug lightning cord to your iPhone and car's USB (in the armrest or in the hole under the stereo where you put your shades, iPhone or Butterfinger. Plugging iPhone into a 12-volt charger/cigarette lighter charger won’t allow Pandora to fully function. You’re stuck with playing your iPhone’s Pandora through the stereo’s general Bluetooth connection)
3. open the Pandora app on your iPhone and start playing a Pandora station
4.  start the car
5.  control the app with the stereo’s buttons
6.  downloading the Starlink app to your iPhone might not be necessary for playing Pandora through the stereo, it wasn’t necessary for 2016 Subarus. 
7. The next time you want to use Pandora, you’ve got to start with step 1 above. I haven’t any good luck with having Pandora work when the iPhone app is open but not inactive/not the app filling up your screen if I don’t start at step 1 each time I get in the car. If you get to your destination, make a call/take a pic/look up something on Safari/use a non-Pandora app at your destination, you’ve got to make sure the iPhone Pandora app is open, active and filling your iPhone screen before starting your car when you return to the car.

[Wiseb10]

This app. Was working fine and it just stopped working so it only works on
Bluetooth but no longer on app. So what you suggested it did not work so I
wish pandora could find a patch to get it back to app on starlink on my
Subaru.

[dlwr300]

Sometimes the phone, between Bluetooth, Pandora and phone, need to be reset. Give these a shot:

Bluetooth: forget your car on your iPhone and delete your iPhone on your stereo. Reconnect/reinstall/reintroduce your iPhone to your Subaru

App measures:

1) Sign out of the Pandora app on your iPhone. Close app/swipe up. Sign back in. Attempt to use Pandora on stereo. 

2) if signing out and then back in doesn’t  work, delete and then reinstall the app 

Sometimes, I have to unplug and the plug back in to the USB port and then the iPhone and stereo resume working together when I first start the car. That solution inconsistently works and I don’t know the conditions when it works. 

At least Pandora has people acknowledging and replying to our trouble tickets unlike Aha.  :[

[miniyoda3]

Thank you for this. I was finally able to get mine going. I do have to unplug my usb each time before using. It's not the easiest connection but it finally works. Thank you for sharing. I have a 2018 Forester.

[sky_2_kno]

I used Pandora on my 2017 Subaru Forester for a 5 years until just a month ago, or so, when it stopped working and dash screen just shows spinning ball, trying to connect. Same problem as above, apparently (I use iPhone 13 Pro Max and USB cord). And coincidentally this was about the same time as the iPhone app shows it was updated... I'll try doing as you say and see if it works. Otherwise I'm dropping Pandora.

[sky_2_kno]

One problem with your method is that "Pandora" does not even show as being accessible, on Subaru's dash screen, *until* the car is USB connected to iPhone. I did try the first step in your suggestion but it's not helping. The car stereo cannot tune to the Pandora app without being USB plugged in. It never connects, just that spinning wheel, searching... So no way to even have it "on" when turning key off. 

[dlwr300]

Have you tried factory resetting the stereo?

[sky_2_kno]

Hadn't considered that, since (a) nothing else is not working in the stereo, and (b) taking the car to the dealer costs an arm and a leg. Regarding point "a", I look for convergence and the recent update to Pandora app seems to have happened about the same time as its not working in the car for me. I realize I did not consider resetting Bluetooth... I should try that next.

[cybirr]

With an upgrade to a new iPhone 14, the Subaru/STARLINK/Pandora connection appears to be irretrievably broken.  STARLINK is dead abandonedware and Apple couldn’t give a flip about the situation.  This is on Subaru.

2017 Subaru Outback