CarPlay Sirius XM and CarPlay

[curdy]

Anyone out there using Sirius XM in their vehicle while having the CarPlay dash screen up? What would be the best way to do this?

For example, I want to have the CarPlay screen on for maps and to hear and answer messages that come in but subscribe to Sirius XM through my vehicle as well and want this as my audio. When I put wireless CarPlay on the screen of my vehicle it seems to turn off Sirius XM and default to Apple Music from my iPhone.

Vehicle is a 2024 Kia Sorento if that helps.

Anyone have any ideas on the easiest way for me to have Sirius XM music running through my vehicle but also having the CarPlay screen on?

 

[flynz4]

Anyone out there using Sirius XM in their vehicle while having the CarPlay dash screen up? What would be the best way to do this?

For example, I want to have the CarPlay screen on for maps and to hear and answer messages that come in but subscribe to Sirius XM through my vehicle as well and want this as my audio. When I put wireless CarPlay on the screen of my vehicle it seems to turn off Sirius XM and default to Apple Music from my iPhone.

Vehicle is a 2024 Kia Sorento if that helps.

Anyone have any ideas on the easiest way for me to have Sirius XM music running through my vehicle but also having the CarPlay screen on?

I also have siriusXM but I generally use the XM app and stream the content. XM over satellite seems much more bandwidth constrained so the music fidelity is much better over the wireless network.

Perhaps the difference is my latitude. We are north of the 45th parallel and i believe the satellites might have better fidelity in more southern locations.

 

[curdy]

I also have siriusXM but I generally use the XM app and stream the content. XM over satellite seems much more bandwidth constrained so the music fidelity is much better over the wireless network.

Perhaps the difference is my latitude. We are north of the 45th parallel and i believe the satellites might have better fidelity in more southern locations.

Thanks for the reply. So you stream through the Sirius XM app with CarPlay enabled? Assuming off your iPhone then instead of through the vehicle’s head unit?

I’ve never had the best luck with Sirius XM in certain areas here in BC, Canada on Vancouver Island just south of the 49th parallel and have let them know and they have acknowledged that they don’t have the best reception here. But for the most part in the city and areas not covered by mountains or trees it works well.

 

[AZhappyjack]

We have a subscription for my wife's car, and I use the app in my truck.

My wife does exactly what the OP suggests without issue. She has the CarPlay interface with Map and phone/text options through CarPlay, but uses the audio feed from her Edge (SYNC4). I am not aware that she doesn't anything special, as she's not a techie, and refused to use CarPlay initially because it was "confusing". Of course, the audio section of CarPlay does not reflect what is being played via the radio.

In my truck, I use the SiriusXM app, and it works just like it would with any streaming service.

 

[flynz4]

Thanks for the reply. So you stream through the Sirius XM app with CarPlay enabled? Assuming off your iPhone then instead of through the vehicle’s head unit?

I’ve never had the best luck with Sirius XM in certain areas here in BC, Canada on Vancouver Island just south of the 49th parallel and have let them know and they have acknowledged that they don’t have the best reception here. But for the most part in the city and areas not covered by mountains or trees it works well.

There is a Sirius app for CarPlay. Yes, the data cones from the attached phone, but the user interface is on the CarPlay screen.

You are further north from me. I believe (but not certain) the satellites are equatorial, which puts us northerners at a reception disadvantage.

 

[AZhappyjack]

There is a Sirius app for CarPlay. Yes, the data cones from the attached phone, but the user interface is on the CarPlay screen.

You are further north from me. I believe (but not certain) the satellites are equatorial, which puts us northerners at a reception disadvantage.

At one point, SiriusXM used terrestrial repeaters as well as satellites to transmit their programming. I suspect that they still do, which should alleviate any issues related to latitudinal location.

Additionally, the iPhone app does, in fact, use cellular streaming, eliminating any satellite issues altogether.

 

[Boyd01]

When I put wireless CarPlay on the screen of my vehicle it seems to turn off Sirius XM and default to Apple Music from my iPhone.

I have wireless CarPlay (and wireless charging) in my 2023 Volkswagen Taos. Also have a Sirius/XM subscription for the built-in radio. Have never seen a problem like you describe, pretty much every day I listen to Sirius/XM satellite broadcasts while viewing maps on the car screen. This works with Apple Maps and Google Maps, but also tried HERE maps and a few other apps when I first got the car. I also frequently use maps that I make myself with Guru Maps Pro via CarPlay. No problems with any of these apps.

I also am able to listen to music stored on my phone as well as streaming my whole iTunes music library. Switching between this and the built-in Sirius/XM (or AM/FM broadcast station) is as simple as pressing a button. So, unless I'm not understanding your post, it sounds like this is a problem with the way CarPlay is implemented on your vehicle.

 

[curdy]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try playing around with it some more or try streaming through the app instead.

@Boyd01 That is exactly how I want it to work, however it seems to always turn on my Apple Music from my phone when I switch to the CarPlay view. I'll keep playing around and see if I can get it to work like you describe. It is a newer vehicle to me so I'm still getting used to all the different functions.

 

[Boyd01]

Unfortunately Apple has created some confusing names, like AppleTV and Apple Music. Just to be clear, I don't subscribe to the Apple Music service. I'm just listening to songs stored on my phone and streaming my iTunes purchases with the "Music" app. There could be issues with using an Apple Music subscription that I haven't seen, since I don't subscribe.

 

[curdy]

Unfortunately Apple has created some confusing names, like AppleTV and Apple Music. Just to be clear, I don't subscribe to the Apple Music service. I'm just listening to songs stored on my phone and streaming my iTunes purchases with the "Music" app. There could be issues with using an Apple Music subscription that I haven't seen, since I don't subscribe.

In my case it is the Apple Music service. A mix between downloaded and streaming.

 

[flynz4]

At one point, SiriusXM used terrestrial repeaters as well as satellites to transmit their programming. I suspect that they still do, which should alleviate any issues related to latitudinal location.

Additionally, the iPhone app does, in fact, use cellular streaming, eliminating any satellite issues altogether.

I completely forgot that SiriusXM also has some terrestrial broadcast locations. I believe they still come in via the satellite antenna.

On numerous occasions I’ve done A/B tests using my car receiver vs iPhone as the source. Using the iphone app has been vastly superior.

 

[zico21]

My wife’s 2023 Kia Sorento SX does switch to the last active music app when CarPlay is started but I can manually select SiriusXM by going to the cars “Radio” shortcut button which brings up the car’s SirisXM interface and then switch back to either Apple or Google maps within CarPlay for navigation. I think you can also use the stering wheel audio source button as well. I’ll try to remember to experiment sometime and get back to you. I also use the Sirius App within CarPlay rather than the satellite service at times as it I feel like the audio quality is better and there are more ”stations” available.

 

[zico21]

I spent some time in my wife’s car (2023 Kia Sorento SX) today and can clarify my remarks about using CarPlay in this car specifically (it’s rather impressive to me). With my phone connected to CarPlay, if I press the “Mode” button on the left side of the steering wheel, the audio toggles between the Kia’s radio’s source (SiriusXM satellite in this case) and whatever audio app I’m using on my phone. If no navigation is being used (neither Kia’s navigation or CarPlay navigation app), pressing the ”Mode” button will toggle both the audio and the actual display of the source being used. If there is an active navigation route (either Kia’s or CarPlay navigation app) displayed on the car’s screen, pressing the ”Mode” button will switch the audio but the screen will continue to show the map and route on the display but will indicate the audio switch of audio with a brief side panel display if using Kia’s navigation or a banner if using CarPlay app navigation.

Update to my update. I tried things out on my 2022 Mazda CX-30 and when I press the equivalent of the ”Mode” button on my steering wheel (Source) it cycles though the available audio inputs, one input step per push, which makes sense to me. That got me thinking, and I think I may have made a setting change in the car’s settings to only allow SiriusXM and CarPlay as choices for the “Mode“ button on my wife’s Kia. I’ll try to check sometime.

 

[flynz4]

I spent some time in my wife’s car (2023 Kia Sorento SX) today and can clarify my remarks about using CarPlay in this car specifically (it’s rather impressive to me). With my phone connected to CarPlay, if I press the “Mode” button on the left side of the steering wheel, the audio toggles between the Kia’s radio’s source (SiriusXM satellite in this case) and whatever audio app I’m using on my phone. If no navigation is being used (neither Kia’s navigation or CarPlay navigation app), pressing the ”Mode” button will toggle both the audio and the actual display of the source being used. If there is an active navigation route (either Kia’s or CarPlay navigation app) displayed on the car’s screen, pressing the ”Mode” button will switch the audio but the screen will continue to show the map and route on the display but will indicate the audio switch of audio with a brief side panel display if using Kia’s navigation or a banner if using CarPlay app navigation.

Update to my update. I tried things out on my 2022 Mazda CX-30 and when I press the equivalent of the ”Mode” button on my steering wheel (Source) it cycles though the available audio inputs, one input step per push, which makes sense to me. That got me thinking, and I think I may have made a setting change in the car’s settings to only allow SiriusXM and CarPlay as choices for the “Mode“ button on my wife’s Kia. I’ll try to check sometime.

I never use the mode switch at all. When I am driving, I use CarPlay nearly 100% of the time.

I consider the “Mode” switch to be a control exclusively for the built-in audio system like you reported for your Mazda. It’s switching between your car audio inputs.

By contrast, per my reasoning, once I enter CarPlay mode, my entire entertainment system sources are bypassed and all input switching is within the CarPlay app.

In the CarPlay app, I let it drive navigation (99.44% Waze) and audio (Apple Music, internet streamed SiriusXM, iHeart Radio, podcasts, various audiobook apps, etc)

In my reasoning, hitting the Mode button is an action to choose between CarPlay, and the obsolete crap that comes with all cars, even new cars.

/Jim

 

[zico21]

like you, I use CarPlay the vast majority of the time in my car. I believe the original poster was asking how to have the car’s (satellite) SiriusXM play while having a CarPlay navigation app showing on the car’s display.

 

[curdy]

like you, I use CarPlay the vast majority of the time in my car. I believe the original poster was asking how to have the car’s (satellite) SiriusXM play while having a CarPlay navigation app showing on the car’s display.

This is what I was getting at. I appreciate everyone's help and advice and Zico trying with a similar vehicle.

The '24 Sorento has an updated display from the '23 model (had previously so I know the "radio" button you're talking about) but I don't think the new display has that anymore. I'll see if I can change what the "mode" button does perhaps as I remember seeing that in settings.