When I replaced my iPhone with the new iPhone 3G, I was disappointed to discover that it would no longer charge in my car. To make matters worse, the battery life of the iPhone 3G is significantly shorter than the previous iPhone.
I’m not the only one who’s had a problem with this, so I thought it might be helpful to post the solutions that I’ve found.
In my case, I was using the factory-installed iPod connection to the stereo in my 2006 Scion xB. Most people with built-in iPod interfaces are going to experience the same problem. The best summary of the issue I’ve seen is here:
Most chargers on the market today are designed to charge via USB or via 12v through the firewire portion of apple dock pins (pins 19,20 12V DC and pins 29,30 Ground). This was an easy choice for the manufacturers because your car is already a 12V based system that kept the charging solutions inexpensive to make. If they already had 12V available, why step it down to 5V to charge via the USB pins? Makes sense right? As you know, Apple has eliminated 12V charging from their newer units but has left a sensing circuit on the firewire pins just to tell you that your old device doesnt work anymore. Your existing chargers will not harm the Iphone, but they are certainly useless.
The new way to charge is through the USB pins on the Apple dock connector ( pin 16 USB GND, pin 23 USB Power 5 VDC, pin 25 USB Data negative, pin 27 USB Data positive ). BUT, you cannot just apply 5V to pin 23 and ground to pin 16. The Iphone is also sensing voltage on USB Data positive (approx 1.8v) and USB Data negative (approx 2.5V).
It’s so obvious, I don’t know why I didn’t figure it out myself. </sarcasm>
I contacted Scion to if they were going to offer new cables. This was their response:
Carl,
We do apologize that the newest Apple 3G iPhone does not charge as the previous model did. This is due to a design change on Apple’s part that was not communicated to Scion and it’s audio suppliers until after the launch of the latest generation of Scion radios.
We sincerely apologize, as Scion currently has no plans of introducing a new cable or adapter that will allow these devices to charge. We recommend contacting Apple directly to inquire if Apple has any intention of offering an adapter or new cable for this issue. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
If you have any further questions or comments, call us toll free at 1-866-70-SCION or you can contact us by email at Scion.com .
Jennifer Alvarado
Scion Customer Experience
I contacted Apple as well, but didn’t get a response.
Anyway, no more rambling—here’s what I found. (One caveat: Most of these aren’t specifically certified as “iPhone 3G-compatible,” so they will pop up a warning asking if you want to enter Airplane Mode. Just press “No,” and they’ll work fine.)
If you want to control your iPhone using your stereo’s native iPod interface:
The Kensington 4-in-1 Auto Charger is your friend. Plug your current iPod cable into the pass-through connector on the back of this unit. Plug the charger into your cigarette lighter, and you’re good to go, just like before, except that your iPhone won’t be going dead every few hours.
If you want to control your iPhone directly, and you already have an auxiliary input jack, cassette adapter, or FM transmitter:
You have a few options:
All of these will let you charge the iPhone and listen to music with just one cable running to your iPhone. I actually prefer this to the built-in iPod interface in my Scion, which blocks me from controlling my iPod or iPhone directly (that’s a whole other post).
I chose the Griffin AutoPilot because I thought a gooseneck mount might get in the way, and the iPhone goes to sleep after a while, so constantly-accessible hard buttons are nice.
If you want to control your iPhone directly, and you don’t have any existing way to get sound into your system:
There are a ton of chargers with integrated FM transmitters out there. I can’t vouch for any of these, because I gave up on FM transmitters a long time ago. They generally suck. But if you’re not picky about sound quality, or you don’t have any choice, these are confirmed (by random strangers on the internet) to charge the iPhone (provided you make sure to get the latest model):
I’m sure there are others out there, too. If you want to save some money, and don’t mind dealing with multiple cables, you could get a charger with no audio out, like the Griffin PowerJolt, and run something into the headphone jack. I wouldn’t really recommend it, though, because you’ll probably get more interference that way.
[7/30/08 update: I got the AutoPilot yesterday. See my verdict here.]
[7/31/08 update: The much-rumored iPhone 3G adapter is coming. You might not like the price, though.]
Thanks for the car dock tips. Is it just me, or are the product hyperlinks not working? At any rate, I appreciate the post!
Thank you for the how to post. Its a nice solution to our problem (I’m a 2008 Scion XD owner) However i just have to say its ridicoulous that we have to spend more money just to make a our ipod function and charge at the same time again. Im really dissapointed with Scion who claims to place its consumers needs above all else and not fight on our behalf to resolve our issues as it also affects thier reputation with the changes that Apple decided on. As for Apple, i find it absurd that there are X number of people who have been affected by these changes and Apple could have had a work around already put into place knowing that people like us would be affected by these changes.
Thanks, Caleb. The links should be working now.
Has anyone confirmed whether the Kensington 4-in-1 Auto Charger definitely charges the iPhone 3G while the pass-through dock controls still work? One would assume/hope so, but I saw another post somewhere that said they “called Kensington and they said no, it won’t work.” This may be wrong for all I know, or it may not be “officially supported” but still work.
I’m stuck in this same boat as everyone else. I have an aftermarket USA-SPEC iPod dock on my Honda factory stereo which won’t charge the iPhone 3g nor will the iTunes control work in “hybrid” mode (the iPhone play controls are locked out while the factory radio controls do work.)
The idea solution would be a small, simple pass-through dock adapter that converted the 12v pins to the 5v pins, with no external power connection like with this Kensignton adapter. Apparently this is “rumored” to be coming “in a few months” from either Apple and/or other companies. Apple, PLEASE help us out!!
There are two people here who confirm that the Kensington charger works, despite Kensington’s assertions to the contrary.
Thanks!! I have a Harmon/Kardon controller, which emulates the iPod control features, but puts them where the driver can easily reach them. Assuming it works for me, the Kensington 4-in-1 passthrough charger is just what I needed!!
If I use the Kensington 4-in-1 solution, which would let me charge and also control the iPhone iPod through my Scion’s audio unit, what happens if I get an incoming call? Can I switch to phone mode without disconnecting, or will the phone be unavailable?
When I used to listen to my old iPhone through my Scion’s iPod interface, the music would fade out when I got a call, and it would automatically switch to phone mode. I assume the same thing would happen if you had the 4-in-1 charger attached.
My scion xD (red of course) will allow my iPhone 3g to play… touch the iPod button first, plug in, and you’ll get the “unsupported accessory” warning (and no charging) (click ok), and a request if you want airplane mode (I say no). Works fine with steering wheel and radio controls just like my old school iPod. but again… no power. i’ll look into a cigarette lighter adapter one of these days.
as of this morning, all the kensingtons listed above for Amazon specifically say NO iPhone 3g charging).
nevermind that last bit about all not working, as you say later, the k - delux does work
As mentioned above, the Kensington chargers are not officially certified to work with the iPhone 3G. However, in the user reviews on Apple Discussions and Amazon, all of the linked models have been confirmed to charge the iPhone 3G.
iPhone 3G will not charge with my car charger « Perivision’s Weblog // Aug 2, 2008 at 11:19 pm
[...] Here is a link to a blog with more information. [...]
Pleh » Blog Archive » I (Will) Have Power! // Aug 5, 2008 at 12:26 pm
[...] one for the “careful, planned purchasing” approach. Anyway, in my research, I found this blog post. My main problem was not getting enough juice to the device, it was stopping the buzzing. [...]
Quote: “The new way to charge is through the USB pins on the Apple dock connector ( pin 16 USB GND, pin 23 USB Power 5 VDC, pin 25 USB Data negative, pin 27 USB Data positive ). BUT, you cannot just apply 5V to pin 23 and ground to pin 16. The Iphone is also sensing voltage on USB Data positive (approx 1.8v) and USB Data negative (approx 2.5V). ”
So… if I buy a new head unit that allows iPod control via a unit-mounted USB port, and also works with USB keys and USB portable hard drives… then in theory my iPhone 3G should charge while playing? As far as the iPhone is concerned, it won’t see any difference between the USB port on the head unit and the USB port on my PC. Anyone plugged their iPhone 3G into a USB-enabled head unit to try it?
Lucky I found this site. I was trying to find an adapter that works with my new 3G iPhone (obviously). Just thought I’d confirm that the Belkin TuneBase FM works. It does give a warning about the accessory not being designed for iPhone - but just answer NO to putting it in airplane mode. Charges fine. Definitely not cheap, but what can one do when there are limited options?
It also has the advantage of supporting FM or direct cable connection to car stereo (cable not included). It’s a tight fit though - I nearly pulled out the entire ashtray/cigarette lighter unit from my car trying to disconnect it! :-}
How to charge your iPhone 3G in the car: Update // Aug 12, 2008 at 6:27 pm
[...] Update to How to charge your iPhone 3G in the car.) [...]
A Whole Lotta Nothing – New iPhone car adapter worth having // Aug 12, 2008 at 8:06 pm
[...] bit of research the other day uncovered this list of compatible car chargers (with and without sound output) and I decided to bite the bullet and buy the Kensington LiquidAUX [...]
blog.mattgoyer.com » links for 2008-08-15 // Aug 15, 2008 at 6:00 pm
[...] How to charge your iPhone 3G in the car (tags: iphone) [...]
I am interested in the comment made by #14… I am looking a getting a Sony CDX- GT420U that has a USB port and aux port on the front.. In theory, the usb port should charge the Iphone 3g AND allow music to the stereo head unit, correct?? Anyone know for sure or have info pointing me in the right direction? Thank you…
I bought the Kensington Car Charger Deluxe, it charges fine if the phone is off or is used just for calls but when the GPS is on for a long trip (4 -5 hrs) I found the battery to be discharging as if the charger could not keep up.
I just bought a Charge Converter from CableJive and it worked great. It also has a mini-USB port on the side if you have a Blackberry or something of that nature. It only took a few days to get to me, and the guys there answered all the questions I had quickly. I’d recommend checking them out for a solution to this problem. Heres the link:
http://www.cablejive.com
Cig lighter to USB for iPhone 3G? | hilpers // Jan 18, 2009 at 2:26 pm
[...] happening in iPhone land? I think that is what is happening. In further searches I found this: http://carljonard.com/2008/07/how-to…3g-in-the-car/ which says "The Iphone is also sensing voltage on USB Data positive (approx 1.8v) and USB [...]
absolutely excellent explanation. I’ve been looking for this for a month!
ended up buying the griffin autopilot from amazon, maybe you should have put your affiliate links in.
Oh, don’t worry, those are affiliate links. : )
iPhone 3G will not charge with my car charger | As Seen Through PeriVisioN // Mar 8, 2009 at 10:41 pm
[...] Here is a link to a blog with more information. [...]