Car is a 3010 Mini convertible. I purchased the lightening to 30 pin adapter for use with the Mini Y cable, and music works but it does not charge. What's interesting is that it makes the charging sound, the icon changes to charging, but then turns off with the 'charging not supported' message.

If I plug the Apple cable into the USB port, it charges just fine. has anyone experienced this problem and come up with a solution?

 

This is a known problem. Search the forums and you will see how many people have issues with this. And you are one of the lucky ones if you can get the phone to charge with the apple USA cable.

The problem is that the current draw needed by the phone to charge is alot higher than the car can output. The voltage is the same but the currrent is not and the MINI only outputs up to 500ma and the phone needs 1500ma to charge properly.

 

This seems like a partial explanation. If it works with the Apple cable there is sufficient output for charging. Sounds more like an issue with the Y cable. Or am I thinking incorrectly?

 

I believe it's a Y cable problem. When I first got my iPhone 5, my MINI would not charge it (2009 Clubman). A few days later, I plugged it in again, and it worked fine. It has mostly worked since then, but once in a while does not. The problem seems to be the Y cable -- if I wiggle it a little, the phone adapter disconnects. I have this same problem with a real iPod Nano and the iPhone 4S. The difference is they drop out entirely, while the iPhone 5 keeps the music and data connection going and only drops power.

 

I have had some luck with mine. Using the cable that came with my 09 JCW (the basic Y cable and the lightning to 30 pin cable) my iPhone 5 would charge but would not play. When I used the cable that came with my wife's car, a '11 Countryman with Connect and nav, I get the message "charging not supported" but the iPod function works. I noticed that the phone will actually charge, but at a slower rate.