My iPhone 12 Pro Max and the Qi Charging Plate hate each other

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by robAlatte, Aug 25, 2021.

  1. MIkeDr

    MIkeDr Active Member

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    We recently upgraded to iPhone 13 Pros. I have two cases from Peel, both are the ultra thin, one is MagSafe (has a magnet ring in the case), one is not (no magnet ring).

    The Qi charger in our Prius (2020 XLE AWD-e) works fine (albeit slowly of course) when I use the non-MagSafe case. The case is sufficiently thin that it’ll still “lock” to a MagSafe charger, albeit not super securely.

    The Qi charger in the vehicle does not work when I use the MagSafe case. It starts charging, but then stops, with the Qi light blinking.
     
  2. PaulDM

    PaulDM Active Member

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    Normal behaviour. See my previous posts re magnets in the 12/13 cases and phones.
     
  3. MIkeDr

    MIkeDr Active Member

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    understood. I was basically posting this to suggest people can get a non-MagSafe case in order to still use the Qi charging.
     
  4. MIkeDr

    MIkeDr Active Member

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    understood. I was basically posting this to suggest people can get a non-MagSafe case in order to still use the Qi charging.
     
  5. PaulDM

    PaulDM Active Member

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    Tried that. It doesn’t work.
     
  6. dacoobob

    dacoobob Member

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    the charger plate in my Gen4 doesn't work at all with my phone in its case (Samsung S22 in Otterbox Defender Pro case). with the phone out of its case it sort of works, but charges very slowly, and only if the screen is off. if the screen is turned on (e.g. for map directions), the charger plate can just barely maintain the current charge level. again, this is with no case. with a case, the charger can't even connect.

    my solution was to buy a cheap 15W usb charger plate off Amazon and place it on top of the car's charger plate. it's got a rubber base so it doesn't slide around, and it's thin enough that the raised sides around the car's plate still hold the phone in place. the 3rd party charger works great if plugged into the round 12V outlet in the center console. (however, if plugged into the usb port next to the 12V outlet, it charges very slowly like the car's built-in plate.)

    Photos:

     
    #26 dacoobob, Jun 7, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2022
    PaulDM likes this.
  7. PaulDM

    PaulDM Active Member

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    Nice. I’ve done a similar thing with a MagSafe
     
  8. ticedoff8

    ticedoff8 Junior Member

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    The "fix" may be as simple as removing the phone case you have on your phone and charge it naked (the phone, not you).
    We have iPhone 8, 8 plus, 12 and two 13. None of our iPhones would charge on the Prius' Qi pad.
    When I got my iPhone 13, I went to Best Buy to specifically get a case that was "MagSafe" and would work with all/any of the Apple MagSafe chargers. The new iPhone 13 case works fine on the fancy little stand that my daughter got me (that doesn't work reliably with my old 8 Plus) and a portable booster pack that has the MagSafe ring on it. But, it didn't work on my Prius 4's Qi pad.
    I went to the dealer's parts department and they quoted $850 for the part, but couldn't quote the labor nor guarantee it would "fix" the problem.
    On the way home, I brainstormed and it hit me; all the phone we have have cases. So, I stripped the case off my 13 and dropped it into the Qi pad and charged worked fine. The phone went from 40% to 70% by the time I got home.
    I stripped the cases off of all the other phones and they all charged fine too.
    I'm not talking about weird cases either. Some are as simple as a thin neoprene condom that fits over the phone and some are dual layer deals that are drop-proof from the 10th floor (literally).
    Once we took their cases off, they all charged fine in the Prius.
    Try it on yours to see if it "cures" the problem.
     
    #28 ticedoff8, Jun 16, 2022
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2022
  9. 2020XLEAWD

    2020XLEAWD Member

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    Looking to do the same. Did you buy the rubber tray online?


     
  10. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Yes. I thought I got it from Amazon, but I tried every search term I could think of and it doesn't come up in my order history. Same negative results on EBay. So I don't know where I got it.
     
  11. dmh1026

    dmh1026 Junior Member

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    12 pro max is too big. The charger sucks!
     
  12. ColoradoCrow

    ColoradoCrow Active Member

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    The key is too have your phone be naked...no case. I'm Iphone SE now has a simple thin magsafe case and I use it only as a case to protect the phone and mount a thin steel plate so I can stick it in my car. When I charge wirelessly in my hotel room I strip down the case and it like my air pods case work fine. In the morning I put it back in the case all ready to go. AT $18 fo the case I can afford to replace it every year. Most of the Gen 4 Prii I get as rental cars don't have the Qi chargeingplate so I have to hard wire to the usb port with a cable. Wireless apple car play does work however. Just no charger. Cables are smaller to transport so I only have a Qi charger for my hotel room.