Car Thing Repair

Announced in May of 2019, Spotify's Car Thing was a specialized device created for Spotify Premium users to provide easy access to their favorite music and podcasts while driving. It connected to the user’s phone via Bluetooth and integrated with the car’s sound system, offering a hands-free experience with voice commands initiated by saying "Hey Spotify." The device was designed to be mounted in the car using various mounts, ensuring it is accessible yet unobtrusive.

The device was discontinued in July of 2022, and in May of 2024, Spotify announced that the hardware would effectively stop working on December 9th of 2024. However, several projects exist to allow for custom firmware to be installed onto the Car Thing, and would allow for the hardware to be used after the end of official support.

• Car Thing: YX5H6679
• Power Adapter: IBD322-3.1A

• Width: 5” (124 mm) w/ dial and logo tag
• Height: 3” (64 mm)
• Depth: 1” (20 mm)

• Size: 3.97" TLCM Display
• Resolution: 480x800 pixels

• Car Thing: 3.17 oz (90 g)
• Power Adapter: 0.71 oz (20 g)
• CD Mount: 0.32 oz (9 g)
• Vent Mount: 0.85 oz (24 g)
• Dash Mount: 0.28 oz (8 g)
• Magnet: 0.85 oz (24 g)

• Bluetooth: 4.2
• Supported Profiles: SPP
• Dual Role: BR/EDR/BLE

• Power: USB Type-C

• Car Thing: 5.0V Max ⎓ 1.2A Max
• Power Adapter Electrical Rating: 5.0V ⎓ 3.1 A

• Average power consumption, operational: 5W
• Peak power consumption: 10W
• Idle power consumption: 0.06W

• Operational temperature: -4 °F to 113 °F (-20 °C to 45 °C)
• Storage temperature: -40 °F to 176 °F (-40 °C to 80 °C)

• Voice Control: Initiate commands with “Hey Spotify” for hands-free control.
• Touch Screen & Dial: Browse, select, and control music and podcasts using the touch screen or dial.
• Presets: Save favorite playlists and podcasts to 4 preset buttons for quick access.
• Offline Listening: Automatically downloads the next few songs during short patches of poor internet connection.
• Settings Management: Adjust microphone, restart, and perform factory resets via the settings menu.

• Official Car Thing Web Page
• Car Thing U-boot and Linux Kernel