Center console storage USB junk

[Philly_]

Have you tried turning off fast charging? That frees up a lot of the energy capacity of the cables.

To my knowledge, and what a quick google search could provide, there is no way to disable fast charging on an iPhone.

Maybe turning off “Optimized Charging” should help?

This should not make a difference, though, as it will only activate when you are in a place your phone is charged frequently. Because out Jeeps are on the move, the iPhone GPS will not think it’s going to be plugged in for an extended period of time and should not activate optimized charging.

I will give it a try though!

Sponsored

 

[ChuckQue]

I think the only way you're going to appreciably improve things is to reduce the number of connections in the path. If you could just remove all the factory harness cables up to the UConnect unit, then plug in a good cable, a quality active (powered) port multiplier (cause those inject power into the line) and then good cables out to both the dash port and console port(s), that would probably work. However, I don't know how it would affect the two modules that would now be no longer in the USB path. I don't know if they need the 5v or data connection from the UConnect unit to operate properly.

I wonder if anyone has done this…time to start down the rabbit hole. This is something I would want to correct.

 

[TheRaven]

To my knowledge, and what a quick google search could provide, there is no way to disable fast charging on an iPhone.

Maybe turning off “Optimized Charging” should help?

This should not make a difference, though, as it will only activate when you are in a place your phone is charged frequently. Because out Jeeps are on the move, the iPhone GPS will not think it’s going to be plugged in for an extended period of time and should not activate optimized charging.

I will give it a try though!

Yeah I don't know how you do it for the iPhone, but I would assume that the second best phone on the market has got to have both the ability to fast charge just like the Galaxy and also the option to disable that ability. It SHOULD make a significant difference because when you disable fast charge, you reduce energy consumption by about 66%. That's freeing up a lot of headroom in the cable run.

 

[Philly_]

Yeah I don't know how you do it for the iPhone, but I would assume that the second best phone on the market has got to have both the ability to fast charge just like the Galaxy and also the option to disable that ability. It SHOULD make a significant difference because when you disable fast charge, you reduce energy consumption by about 66%. That's freeing up a lot of headroom in the cable run.

I believe it won’t try to fast charge unless it’s able to draw enough power. Maybe what’s causing the connection to fail is the phone periodically testing how much power it can draw? This could be why everyone’s connections seem to fail on the same time intervals.

 

[TheRaven]

I believe it won’t try to fast charge unless it’s able to draw enough power. Maybe what’s causing the connection to fail is the phone periodically testing how much power it can draw? This could be why everyone’s connections seem to fail on the same time intervals.

Quite possible, because that's exactly what the Galaxy does when fast charge options are enabled. It doesn't fast charge unless it can pull enough amperage, and the only way I can think of to determine that is to try. That's why the Galaxy has a disable function, so it doesn't waste energy trying.

 

[Philly_]

Quite possible, because that's exactly what the Galaxy does when fast charge options are enabled. It doesn't fast charge unless it can pull enough amperage, and the only way I can think of to determine that is to try. That's why the Galaxy has a disable function, so it doesn't waste energy trying.

Wow. I feel fairly confident we just figured out the issue! Really interested in figuring out if this can be disabled. Going to have to do some reading this evening!

 

[TheRaven]

Wow. I feel fairly confident we just figured out the issue! Really interested in figuring out if this can be disabled. Going to have to do some reading this evening!

Ok don't get too excited though. I CAN disable fast charge completely on my Galaxy S21, and I have done that, and while it has greatly helped the issue, it hasn't completely fixed it. It used to be that I had to carefully plug my phone in, and very carefully set it on this makeshift cradle that I cobbled together in my Challenger's console to try to keep it from moving around, in order to get a connection at all...and even then once it was working, hitting a pothole or something in the road would mean instant disconnect. So I was fighting with it probably 5-6 times on my morning commute. After disabling fast charge, I can sometimes get through an entire commute with zero issues, and sometimes I will have to fight with it once...generally though after that one battle, it's fine.

So it's not a solution really, only a somewhat successful workaround. Granted I have not yet tried this in the Wrangler because my wife daily drives it and generally doesn't use Android Auto. So you will likely have different results...maybe better maybe worse.

The next thing I want to try is one of the Anker Powerline cables. Many have reported great success with them. But they are pricey (like $30-$50 per cable).

 

[Philly_]

Ok don't get too excited though. I CAN disable fast charge completely on my Galaxy S21, and I have done that, and while it has greatly helped the issue, it hasn't completely fixed it. It used to be that I had to carefully plug my phone in, and very carefully set it on this makeshift cradle that I cobbled together in my Challenger's console to try to keep it from moving around, in order to get a connection at all...and even then once it was working, hitting a pothole or something in the road would mean instant disconnect. So I was fighting with it probably 5-6 times on my morning commute. After disabling fast charge, I can sometimes get through an entire commute with zero issues, and sometimes I will have to fight with it once...generally though after that one battle, it's fine.

So it's not a solution really, only a somewhat successful workaround. Granted I have not yet tried this in the Wrangler because my wife daily drives it and generally doesn't use Android Auto. So you will likely have different results...maybe better maybe worse.

The next thing I want to try is one of the Anker Powerline cables. Many have reported great success with them. But they are pricey (like $30-$50 per cable).

Yeah I know nothing is guaranteed, but if I can make it work 90% of the time, I will be much happier. I currently use a 1 month old Apple cable that I bought specifically to test with and has never been plugged in anywhere other than the Jeep.

If Anker makes a better cable, then I’m up for trying that as well.

 

[Pinky Tuscadero]

Mine works great but on my '15 JK it was wishy-washy at best until I opened the hood and popped open the fuse box and took each fuse out and reseated them one by one (you can switch same size ones for troubleshooting purposes of course)and the like magic everything was perfect with that stupid usb again.
This fix works on a lot of Wrangler problems, I suppose a bit of dielectric grease on each one would be the way o go if I have to do this again but didn't think of that till writing this now. Also, just pull any wires off involved and reseat as well.
Possible solution maybe, but yeah, the usb ports suck somedays

 

[FiveBoro]

Both my wife and my wrangler same issues. Authentic Apple cables as well. Resorted to using the front. Since I have RAM mounts, may just talk to my local shop about adding USB to the dash.

I hear you man, I’m in the same boat. Every time I try to use the "USB 2” port, my wife insists that I use the Front one.

 

[hiimmike]

Sorta. First of all, the dash port doesn't "work fine". It just works better. I have the same issues with the dash port that I do with the console port...it's just far less frequent on the dash port. Second - the problem is that the USB controller is not robust enough to generate the necessary power to maintain the 5v spec (which is something like 5.45-5.75v I believe) beyond its own port (the one on the back of the UConnect unit). If the power there is already barely sufficient, adding ANY CABLE AT ALL is only going to make it worse. Pile on cheapo cables and multiple connectors (there are four connectors in the path before you even plug anything into the console port) and you have a recipe for problems. Better designs output more robust power in anticipation of these variables so that after all the voltage drop is piled on, you still end up with voltage that's within spec.

I never have a single problem with my front one, USB1. 4000 miles and not a single disconnect issue. I see what you're saying though. My front one works flawlessly.

 

[hiimmike]

I wonder if anyone has done this…time to start down the rabbit hole. This is something I would want to correct.

Why should I have to do this on my brand new vehicle? Jeep can do that for me, they can fix their mistakes, not my problem to fix.

 

[ChuckQue]

Why should I have to do this on my brand new vehicle? Jeep can do that for me, they can fix their mistakes, not my problem to fix.

I agree! That being said, based on what others have said during their dealings with this issue, I highly doubt this will be rectified anytime soon. Shit, it seems it’s hard enough getting Jeep to fix TSB’s.

 

[OffroadCalling77]

I hear you man, I’m in the same boat. Every time I try to use the "USB 2” port, my wife insists that I use the Front one.

Hey you never know what an anniversary or birthday will bring along!

 

[TheRaven]

Why should I have to do this on my brand new vehicle? Jeep can do that for me, they can fix their mistakes, not my problem to fix.

If you can get Jeep to fix this for you, please let us know what leverage you had on them...cause that would be one incredible feat.

Sponsored