Some iPhone 15 Owners With GM Cars Experiencing Wireless Charging Issues

[MacRumors]

Apple's latest flagship iPhones are not charging as expected in some GM vehicles, according to a number of consumer complaints highlighted by The Verge. On Reddit, Apple's site, and other forums, there are reports from iPhone 15 users who own Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Buick vehicles with wireless chargers that are not able to charge their new iPhones. Some people see the iPhone charge for a few seconds, but then it seems to stop, while others can't get their devices to charge at all.

On Reddit, there are several complaints from Chevy owners who can't get their wireless chargers to work properly. Placing the device in the wireless charging cubby does not result in a charge, regardless of whether the device is in a case.

Happy to know that it isn't just me. My iPhone 12 Pro Max worked perfectly (every time) in my '23 Chevy Traverse. I went to the iPhone 15 Pro Max about 6 weeks ago and the feature broke just as described in other comments: Charge for a few seconds and then stops - case on or off yields same results. I am currently on iOS 17.1.1 and have taken every update since the phone was purchased on 10/8/23.

Many of the complaints are from iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users, and the problem may be linked to the iOS 17.1 update.

Some in-car wireless chargers are notoriously unreliable because of they are designed for a range of smartphone sizes and sometimes cannot accommodate larger devices. Alignment issues are common, resulting in a lot of frustration when it comes to wireless car charging.

General Motors told The Verge that it is "aware of the concern" and "is investigating," with nothing to confirm on the issue at this time.

This is the second charging-related issue that is plaguing the iPhone 15 models. Following the release of the new devices, some BMW owners quickly found that wireless chargers in their vehicles were temporarily disabling the NFC chip in their iPhones. Apple confirmed the issue in October and introduced a fix in the iOS 17.1.1 update that came out in early November.

The launch of the Qi2 wireless charging standard may cut down on future problems with in-car charging because Qi2 chargers include magnetic alignment, but it often takes car manufacturers many months or even years to introduce new technology, and it won't be helpful to vehicle owners with existing Qi chargers.

Given that the charging issues that GM owners are experiencing seem to have popped up with iOS 17.1, Apple may be able to address the problem with a subsequent update, and there is also a chance that GM can issue a firmware update to restore charging capabilities. As of now, the iOS 17.2 update does not fix the problem.

Article Link: Some iPhone 15 Owners With GM Cars Experiencing Wireless Charging Issues

 

[alexandr]

I see, so I guess it's not just about BMWs, aha.

 

[scrapesleon]

So wireless chargers in car are unreliable now call it what it is Apple can’t fix the 15 pro without breaking something else

 

[Mr_Ed]

I see, so I guess it's not just about BMWs, aha.

Wrong! The charging problems with GM cars are also BMW’s fault. Not an Apple issue at all. 😆

 

[falkon-engine]

You're placing it wrong!

/s

 

[sw1tcher]

And Apple might go portless on iPhone 16?

Like with BMW, Apple's (temporary) solution will be to don't use in-car wireless charging.

In the meantime, Apple advises affected customers to stop using in-car wireless charging.

 

[alexandr]

Wrong! The charging problems with GM cars are also BMW’s fault. Not an Apple issue at all. 😆

You're probably right — BMW forced Apple to push through those updates — and now wireless charging is broken for all of the good people!

 

[SactoGuy18]

This is why I don't charge using a wireless charging pad. Charging using the Lightning or (now) USB Type C port is a lot more reliable.

 

[dms_91]

Driving or owning a GM car is the main issue lol

 

[Kkspire]

People use wireless car chargers? Notoriously no good. Just a marketing scheme tin charge you more. Until MagSafe is available, I wouldn’t expect it to work.

 

[drew0020]

Driving or owning a GM car is the main issue lol

I couldn’t agree more. Outside of trucks (and maybe budget for a used car), do people actually choose to buy GM vehicles?

 

[tonyisit]

Driving or owning a GM car is the main issue lol

Exactly , buying the lasest iphone but driving a Chevy Traverse , those products do not line up. Fyi not a fan of american cars. Everyone knows if want a relidable car you buy a Toyota or a Honda.

 

[newdeal]

I wonder if there is a system that causes the truck to shut that feature off if it detects it is drawing too much power. I know my F150 will do this to all sorts of things if it feels the battery is too low in the truck

 

[SactoGuy18]

People use wireless car chargers? Notoriously no good. Just a marketing scheme tin charge you more. Until MagSafe is available, I wouldn’t expect it to work.

Good charging cables are not that expensive. I charge my iPhone 12 in my car using a 12 V socket charger and charging cable.

 

[Woochoo]

And Apple might go portless on iPhone 16?

That doesn't make any sense, they just changed to USB C just to go portless 1 year later? Also wireless charging is slow, hot and inefficient compared to port charging, and is way more uncomfortable to use the phone while charging (chunkier, slapped on the back and still having to use a cable). The only real benefit is... not losing 0.3 seconds connecting a cable when using a surface wireless charger?

 

[jclardy]

2022 Chevy Colorado can't fit any modern iPhone in the charging dock (I was able to use it with an iPhone 13 Mini.) Probably fixed in the 2023 redesign.

 

[sparkinstx]

The same parts suppliers, maybe?

 

[kingtj1971]

Driving or owning a GM car is the main issue lol

It does seem that way. (Driving a 2020 Chevy Bolt Premiere EV at the moment.) I mean, here's the thing. I swore off any GM products a LONG time ago, after seeing my parents buy nothing but them and have one in the shop needing something other other repaired on any given day. We had 3 vehicles and we literally had only 2 of the 3 at home, most of the time. I owned a Pontiac Sunbird for a while, as one of the first cars I owned, and it blew a head gasket, leaving me stranded on a road trip. So that kind of sealed the deal.

I finally decided to give GM another chance with the Bolt, because after all? It's a totally different technology than gasoline engines and half the car is really using LG parts. The batteries catching fire debacle seemed to be pretty well resolved but the stigma kept the prices on them low. So I grabbed one while some low mileage "GM certified" ones were still around at dealerships. (Even qualifies for a Federal tax credit.)

But yeah.... it's still typical GM nonsense. I've got this rattling noise at highway speeds. Figured out it's just a plastic trim piece along the passenger side front fender, just in front of the door. It was either installed incorrectly or has a broken fastener on the back of it. Chevy refused to fix it under warranty though. Said it's just a "cosmetic issue" so not part of the certified warranty. Noticed leather is starting to come loose where they wrapped it around the back of the rear headrest on one seat. Same response from Chevy. Wireless charging pocket is a joke too. Too small for my iPhone 15 Pro Max to even fit in it, but when I had a 13 Pro? It fit fine but would get too hot charging in the enclosed pocket and shut down. Just a bad design.

 

[sparkinstx]

That doesn't make any sense, they just changed to USB C just to go portless 1 year later? Also wireless charging is slow, hot and inefficient compared to port charging, and is way more uncomfortable to use the phone while charging (chunkier, slapped on the back and still having to use a cable). The only real benefit is... not losing 0.3 seconds connecting a cable when using a surface wireless charger?

Yeah, I don't think it would be wise to go wireless charging-only anytime soon.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Your first problem was buying a GM to begin with.

 

[Ilde]

Iphone 13PM, 14Plus and 15PM Do heat up much more then expected on my Audi Q5 2023 wireless charger, therefore, disabled on screen menu. Something's fishy here. Isn't it?

 

[highdefjunkie]

Having the same issues with our Lexus with iPhone 13 PM and iPhone 15 PM. I always just assumed it was Lexus's fault.

 

[TheKDub]

My new car has both wireless carplay (which I love) and wireless charger (which I tried one but will not use again). The biggest issue is the phone shifts around when I'm driving and then stops charging, which happens often enough as the pad is built for all sized phones. I don't want to have to worry about whether my phone is charging or not, and the fact that wireless charging is slower in the first place vs. wired. So I still end up plugging and forgetting, or just leaving the phone in my pocket if the charge is good enough for shorter drives.

 

[Mr_Ed]

Exactly , buying the lasest iphone but driving a Chevy Traverse , those products do not line up. Fyi not a fan of american cars. Everyone knows if want a relidable car you buy a Toyota or a Honda.

I’m genuinely curious. How exactly does this “not line up”? Is not giving a crap about cars beyond their basic ability to get you from A to B while simultaneously caring about tech gadgets some kind of overwhelming impossibility?

 

[mistabrad]

I find the wireless charging to be almost useless in my 2022 VW Taos, so it's not just a GM or BMW issue. Wireless CarPlay is pretty solid, but the charger has had issues with my previous phone (13 Pro) and even worse with my new one (15 Pro Max). IF it starts charging, it's panifully slow, but it's difficult to find the sweet spot to begin with and will stop and start again at will. I ended up getting a knockoff magsafe charger and plugging that in when I need to charge.