USB Media Player Not Working

[jwskrintney]

Just bought my 2024 Ram 3500 Limited last month. I have carried a USB media player loaded with all of my favorite music for years. When I plug it in on the new 2024, the stereo recognizes that a USB device is plugged in but comes up with the message "Media Files Not Found". Thinking that maybe my media player was using an outdated format, I bought a new 256GB USB flash drive and loaded music on it. The result is the same. Swapped the source port in the stereo settings and tested both devices on the # 2 port. Same result. Plugged both devices into my wife's 2023 Hyundai and they both work with no issues. I asked the service writer at the dealer where I purchased the truck about it....and in true "you bought the truck and now we don't care" form, he replied..."I don't know what to tell you" and promptly went back to working on his computer as if I was not even standing there. Sure hope I can find a simple fix here...because it really pains me to think about having to deal with any of the local Ram "service" people....

 

[Diesel85]

Find a new dealer.

I had to find a new dealer that actually cares. Rolls out the red carpet, goes through the work that was done, and actually has more than one diesel tech. They are out there.

This isn't anything new.

As far as your media stick, what are the file extension(s) of the music? Generally speaking .mp3 encoded at 128k is your best bet.

 

[brucejohnson]

What is the media format/extension? The ones I use are MP3 or WMA-Lossless (<preferred as it is not compressed like the MP3 and has better fidelity to my ears) works well. Some other formats do not work on the RAM system. I believe the drive format was FAT32.

 

[wyosteve]

I have the same problem on my 2023. iPod worked fine on my 2018, but get the same message as you on the new one. I haven't tried to figure it out yet because I don't use it that much. My bigger problem now is that I just got an iPhone 16 and can't get CarPlay to work.

 

[Diesel85]

I'm following this thread closely (will likely be getting a 2024 truck next year if my boss buys a few of them), because I use a USB stick (one of them small, thumbnail sized ones so it can't get sheared off by wandering knees/feet) in my 2020 work truck when I don't want to use my phone or no cell service (no XM). I think they are all .mp3 and FAT32 on that stick. Maybe the OP has exFAT or NTFS (or some Linux file system) on the stick and the truck don't like it.

When I go to work tomorrow, I'll pull the stick and slap it into the laptop and see what is says if I remember.

I find it a handy feature still. It's kind of like the modern CD/Tape/8-Track deck in vehicles.

 

[John Jensen]

As Diesel85 said, .mp3 and FAT32. In my 2020 HO the only USB port that will play my music is on the back of the center console, facing the rear seat.

 

[brucejohnson]

I find it a handy feature still. It's kind of like the modern CD/Tape/8-Track deck in vehicles.

But with the nice feature option of "random" playing of songs.

 

[Topzide]

@wyosteve, I think for the Apple Car Play to work, you'll have to have it plugged in. A lot of radios only do Car Play or Android Auto work only when plugged in.
As far as using a thumb drive for music, the file system must be FAT32 and MP3 audio files. And when you get it to work, you can select random play or in file order. It's best to have just your audio files on the thumb drive. And as @John Jensen has stated, works in the center console media hub USB. All USB are for charging devices.

 

[jwskrintney]

Both of my devices are FAT32 format. All of my music files are WMA. As for the iPhone....I am an Android user myself...but my wife has the iPhone 15 and hers works fine car play plugged in or wireless.

 

[Topzide]

I think the "key" to the thumb drive is, using the media hub USB port. This port is usually in the center console, along with the 3.5mm audio jack. I haven't tried any .WMA files in mine, just .MP3, as this format allows more songs. The .WMA definitely has better sound quality. They both have there places, .MP3 is great when using earbuds, .WMA would be better for playback through an audio system (vehicle or home).
Glad to hear that the wireless connection is working. Have heard of issues, guess the software bugs have been worked out!

 

[brucejohnson]

Both of my devices are FAT32 format. All of my music files are WMA. As for the iPhone....I am an Android user myself...but my wife has the iPhone 15 and hers works fine car play plugged in or wireless.

How are your thumb drives set up for songs and/or folders?
I seem to remember a settings selection option to choose the folders and/or individual songs that caused issues due to not being properly selected when first setting up my 2020 RAM.

 

[wyosteve]

Appreciate the thought Topside. My iPhone 13 Pro connected CarPlay wirelessly for the 3 years I had it. Always booted up when starting the truck. It's only since I got this iPhone 16 that the problems started. The truck doesn't show CarPlay as an app. on the radio. Not sure if it did before or not, but there's none there now. Found lots of threads on other forums with a process to do a reset of the radio. Going to try that and if no luck, it's off to the dealer! Of course I don't have high hopes the dealer can solve it either!

 

[SSchang]

wyosteve, have you paired your new iPhone 16 to the truck?

 

[wyosteve]

Yes I paired the new phone to the truck. It seemed to work for a few weeks but now the phone is even an erratic connection. For example, the phone connected last Friday but didn’t this morning! Frustrating!

 

[wyosteve]

Well, this is the damnedest thing--yesterday neither my phone or CarPlay would connect to the truck radio. Got in today and both the phone and CarPlay are working! The only thing I did since yesterday is to finish the Apple Intelligence update on my phone. Whether that was the culprit before who knows. Anyway, I'm a happy camper again as long as it keeps working!

 

[jwskrintney]

Thanks for all of the replies and suggestions....guess I need to dig in the settings a little more and I have not tried the USB in the center console (never had to use that one in the '21...but who knows).

 

[User113]

Another free suggestion:

I recently got a new music streamer for the house. When I put my USB drive into it, even though the streamer is relatively new (released in 2023?) it did not recognize any of the playlist files that iTunes had generated using the *.m3u8 format. I had to go and change all the extensions from *.m3u8 to just plain *.m3u and by just changing the file extension the streamer magically knew what to do and "found" all the music. Supposedly the only difference is that *.m3u files are written with ANSI character encoding whereas *.m3u8 files are encoded as UTF-8; I did not change the file encoding, I only changed the file extension.

Your issue might be as simple as that.

 

[sag2]

I have the same problem on my 2023. iPod worked fine on my 2018, but get the same message as you on the new one. I haven't tried to figure it out yet because I don't use it that much. My bigger problem now is that I just got an iPhone 16 and can't get CarPlay to work.

Apple is the worst when it comes to playing nice with the auto radios. They do not share their information, and the manufacturers have to reverse engineer new phones or updates when something goes wrong. It seems the customers are always pissed off at the truck, and never Apple. Apple makes great products, but I have never, and will never own one.