Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

After 2021.36.5.5 update, app cannot run Google Maps on my Android phone

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I have a Pixel 2XL phone that has worked perfectly until recently. After latest update, it no longer will run Google Maps from the location screen. I errors out saying "Failed to open maps app for directions". I googled this phrase, and didn't find any hits.

I tried deleting cache, reinstalling app, deleting memory for Google Maps, restarting the phone, but only caused myself a lot of trouble setting everything up again.

It's not a problem with all Android phones, and not a problem with my wife's iphone, but I'm going crazy trying to fix it on mine as I actually use it a lot to estimate arrival time when my wife is coming home.

I'm pretty technically inclined, so I'm not very optimistic that anyone else has had this problem and fixed it, but perhaps I'll be surprised. I don't even know which app has caused the problem, although Tesla was the last change, I think.
 
This might not be the cause of your problem, but the Pixel 2XL no longer gets software updates.

I helped a friend debug why Android Auto on his Pixel 2 no longer connects to his Bolt. His Pixel 2 hasn't received a security update in a year, and that lack of security updates is the only hypothesis we managed to up with for his problem. My Pixel 3 worked fine (although its guaranteed updates end this month) so we ruled out problems with the car or USB cable.

If that's the cause of either problem, the lack of error messages is inexcusable, Google! OTOH, web searches didn't find posts to confirm this, which seems unlikely if all Pixel 2 phones are having these problems.

In your case, it's possible to connect the debugging tools (Android Studio or adb command line tools) to the phone and look for relevant error messages. In my friend's case, the USB port can't be connected to the car and a laptop at the same time.

On your phone, is Maps not launching at all or just from the Tesla app? In the latter case, will it launch from a suitable web URL, like this? Tesla HQ · 3500 Deer Creek Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94304
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marty3SR+
This might not be the cause of your problem, but the Pixel 2XL no longer gets software updates.

I helped a friend debug why Android Auto on his Pixel 2 no longer connects to his Bolt. His Pixel 2 hasn't received a security update in a year, and that lack of security updates is the only hypothesis we managed to up with for his problem. My Pixel 3 worked fine (although its guaranteed updates end this month) so we ruled out problems with the car or USB cable.

If that's the cause of either problem, the lack of error messages is inexcusable, Google! OTOH, web searches didn't find posts to confirm this, which seems unlikely if all Pixel 2 phones are having these problems.

In your case, it's possible to connect the debugging tools (Android Studio or adb command line tools) to the phone and look for relevant error messages. In my friend's case, the USB port can't be connected to the car and a laptop at the same time.

On your phone, is Maps not launching at all or just from the Tesla app? In the latter case, will it launch from a suitable web URL, like this? Tesla HQ · 3500 Deer Creek Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Thanks for all your help and suggestions. The link you provided worked fine, btw. The phone has worked well all year, until the update, but that's not necessarily what I think caused it. Also, I know the phone is outdated now, although it works well except the battery is losing it. I'm getting a Pixel 6 Monday, so I suppose this won't be nearly as important then, unless I want to use the Pixel 2 as a spare for some reason. Still, this function does work on my ancient Nexus 5X, so I don't think security updates matter in this case.

I haven't used Android Studio since the days of my Nexus phone when I played around with alternate ROMs, but I might give that a try. My only experience with adb was simple commands, though.

I suppose an easier test might be to find an apk for a previous version of the Tesla app and see if it works, but I kind of doubt if that would matter - after all, assuming it's not a security update problem, my Android version is still as recent as most phones, although it hasn't had updates in a year, so there could be an unfixed bug perhaps.

Probably I should just bite the bullet and wait for my new phone. Then I can reset this one and then try it again. It does seem like the Tesla app is using too much battery, which may indicate a problem.
 
Well, it probably wouldn't, but it was the last change I knew about, and I've learned that anything is possible. I thought perhaps there was a new version of the app also, since a new function appeared (for setting charge schedule), but I didn't really remember when it was last updated.

I assumed it was an app update, not a car update, suspected of causing this problem.

There have been app updates lately, although they can roll out over weeks.

To find out when your phone got the latest app update, it's well hidden. In the Play app, tap your user photo, then Manage Apps, then see details of Updates Pending or look in Manage Apps.

Heh. It says my Tesla app updated yesterday and has an update pending now.

Re: adb, the only command needed to watch for errors is 'adb logcat', maybe with filtering options.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marty3SR+
That worked too. 1hr 5min. That will probably change significantly after their move to Austin.

Since the browser can open those links into Google Maps, and it's only the Tesla app that fails at it, this really seems unlikely to be a phone problem such as the lack of security updates.

That pretty much narrowes the problem to a bug in the Tesla app or Tesla's servers.

Wait. I'll try it --> "Failed to open the maps app for directions / ERROR_UNABLE_TO_LAUNCH".

Ha. How about that waiting app update? --> Same error.

It's failing to display a waking route from the house to the garage. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marty3SR+
I assumed it was an app update, not a car update, suspected of causing this problem.

There have been app updates lately, although they can roll out over weeks.

To find out when your phone got the latest app update, it's well hidden. In the Play app, tap your user photo, then Manage Apps, then see details of Updates Pending or look in Manage Apps.

Heh. It says my Tesla app updated yesterday and has an update pending now.

Re: adb, the only command needed to watch for errors is 'adb logcat', maybe with filtering options.
Mine says it updated 2 hours ago. I think there was a recent one, perhaps yesterday. But I tried clearing cache, restarting the phone, and still no go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Transformer
Since the browser can open those links into Google Maps, and it's only the Tesla app that fails at it, this really seems unlikely to be a phone problem such as the lack of security updates.

That pretty much narrowes the problem to a bug in the Tesla app or Tesla's servers.

Wait. I'll try it --> "Failed to open the maps app for directions / ERROR_UNABLE_TO_LAUNCH".

Ha. How about that waiting app update? --> Same error.

It's failing to display a waking route from the house to the garage. :)
So, are you saying you got the same error? If so, I'm not sure whether to be happy or feel bad for you. But thanks for checking - I'm not sure if anyone else has done that.
 
Yes, I got the same error! Fortunately I don't use that feature much, if ever. But sorry that this removes one reason to buy a Pixel 6. :)
Oh, I'm going to get the Pixel 6 no matter what. If it has the same problem, I'll contact them about it.

I've used it a couple of times where it really was nice. But it's mainly my wife's car for her commute. If it were just mine, I'd never use it unless I forgot where I parked or something.

Once, when pretty new, I got an alarm notification, and freaked out and went to check it out. There was no problem, of course. Another time, my wife needed help, and it took me right to her in no time.

I'll check back in a week and let you know about the Pixel 6.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Transformer
So, I got my new Pixel 6 today, and tried installing the Tesla app first thing, without any other apps or configurations. I got the same error, so it's likely a Tesla bug, but they don't seem to care. The new feature to access the sentry mode from the app also doesn't work on Android, so I guess they assume everyone that matters uses iPhone.