To check whether your drive is formatted correctly, connect it to a computer and see if Windows recognizes it as an external drive. If it does, then try formatting the drive using FAT32 or NTFS. If that doesn’t work, then you might need to format the drive using Mac OS Extended and reformat it using FAT32 or NTFS again.
If none of this works and your car still won’t read your USB device, then there may be a problem with its computer. In this case, it’s best to take it in for servicing by an auto technician who will be able to diagnose any potential problems with your car’s electrical system.
Is it because I’m using the wrong kind of USB?
There are two kinds of USBs A and B. The difference between these two is that A-type USBs have a flat end, while B-type USBs have a slightly rounded end. Most newer cars have an A-type port in them, but might be able to accept either type of USB with no problems.
If you’re unsure which type of port is on your car, consult the owner’s manual or search online for instructions on how to tell which type of USB will work in your car.
Your car is too old
Your car probably has a USB port, but it might not be able to read your USB drive. This is because the car’s computer needs to be able to run Windows XP or newer in order to read USB drives. If your car doesn’t have a computer that can run Windows XP or newer, then it won’t be able to read your USB drive.
My car still won’t read the USB, so now what do I do?
If your car still won’t read the USB, there are a couple of things you can try. First, make sure you’ve got all your files in one folder on your USB drive. If they’re not, it might be difficult for your car to find them.
Try to connect the USB drive directly into a different port on the stereo system in your vehicle this may help if you’ve been having trouble with a specific port before. If none of those things work, then you may have an issue with the hardware itself.
You’ll need to take it into a tech shop and see if they can troubleshoot and fix it for you.
Why is my car not reading my USB?
You can’t blame a car for not reading your USB. It’s not like it’s their fault they’re a machine, and they don’t have feelings. But if you’ve tried everything you can think of and your car still won’t read your USB.
Check to make sure that the USB is formatted properly it should be FAT32 and less than 4GB in size. Make sure the files inside the USB are named correctly and in the correct order. Try another device if you have one handy.
What can YOU do about it?
Check the port and make sure it’s clean. If you have a dirty port, use a can of compressed air to blow out any dirt or dust that may have accumulated there.
If that doesn’t work, try plugging the USB into another device—like your phone or computer to see if it works on those devices. Then the problem is with your car’s USB port and not necessarily with the USB itself.
You may want to contact your car manufacturer for advice on how to clean out this port so it will accept a new USB cable.
Conclusion
Your car’s USB port is not meant for reading external storage devices. Although it can be done, it is not recommended and may cause damage to the USB port or your data. If you’re determined to make it work, there are a few ways you can go about doing so.
You can try converting your storage device into a compatible format, or you can use an adapter that allows you to read external storage devices in your car’s USB port.
