Using USB in car - Can't choose songs

[Alice Kaye]

Kept looking all over the internet & here for an answer but have yet to find anything concrete or helpful.

I bought an iPhone 4s the other day and have been having a blast with it. It's really a great product and I'm really happy with my purchase.

However, one thing eludes me and I'm totally at a loss of how to fix this or operate it in the way I want.

I have a car dock that hangs from my window so that I can charge the phone & play music. However, I can't seem to get it to play music that I want, it will only let me have it on shuffle. When I open "Music" to change the song, it tells me "Accessory Connected" and offers me no way to pick a song/artist.

I can fast forward through songs and rewind back to the previously played song, via the head unit in my car but I hate having it on shuffle.

What if I'm feeling Alela Diane right that minute and not Marilyn Manson? Why the heck can't I choose what I'm listening to via the screen? This confuses me so greatly. I never had this problem with my horrible Android.

Is there a way to play specific music from the phone via usb in the car? If not, that is something that is incredibly disappointing.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Addendum: I should also mention that I'm running it stock. It's not jailbroken.

 

[blueroom]

If your car has Bluetooth use that.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

What stereo is it!?!?

 

[Alice Kaye]

Had to go outside and take a look. I didn't buy it, it came with my pre-owned Jeep Liberty.

Kenwood KDC 342u

Oh, and my vehicle lacks Bluetooth.

 

[dukebound85]

Had to go outside and take a look. I didn't buy it, it came with my pre-owned Jeep Liberty.

Kenwood KDC 342u

Look up the manual. you may be able to change it. I know I had a Sony HU that did that but I could also select passenger mode that enabled song selection on the phone itself and not the interface on the deck

Now my stock stereo....argh can't get past this problem so I resort to using bluetooth audio

 

[Alice Kaye]

Kind of forgot about the whole manual thing, haha. Thanks.

In case anyone ever has a need of it, here's the manual if you're doing a search on this: http://www.kenwoodusa.com/UserFiles/File/UnitedStates/Consumer/Manuals/kdcmp342u.pdf

The answer to my question is that I can press "1" on my head unit, and it will allow you to use the iPhone as the controller. I've just gone out to my car to make sure it is working with the iPhone 4s/iOS 5.0.1 and it worked perfectly.

Without pressing "1" you can operate it via the unit itself, but my god that was a nightmare of directions and I'd probably get into an accident trying to do it.

So... yay! Thank you for the help!