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Crew Chief Says “Not Connected” in Iracing

Fix Crew Chief says “not connected” in iRacing fast. Clear steps for iRacing drivers: why it happens, how to connect, and quick tips to prevent it next time.

If you’re seeing crew chief says “not connected” in iracing, the fix is usually simple: get into the car first, then start Crew Chief with the game set to iRacing. You’re in the right place—here’s exactly what it means and how to solve it in a minute.

Quick Answer: crew chief says “not connected” in iracing

This message means the Crew Chief app isn’t linked to your current iRacing session. Load into the car (not just the menus), select “iRacing” in Crew Chief, and hit Start. If it still won’t connect, run both apps with the same admin level and try again.

What’s Really Going On

Crew Chief reads live data from the iRacing sim once you’re actually “in car.” If you’re sitting in menus, in a replay, or Crew Chief is set to the wrong game, it can’t hook in and will say “Not connected.” Mismatched admin permissions (one app as admin, the other not) can also block the link.

Step-by-Step Fix

  1. Get in the car first: Join a session or click Test Drive and fully load into the cockpit (not just the UI or replay).
  2. Open Crew Chief: In the Game dropdown, select iRacing. Choose your audio devices if needed.
  3. Click Start: Wait a moment. You should see “Connected to iRacing” in the Crew Chief console and hear status messages.
  4. Match permissions: If you still hear “Not connected,” close Crew Chief. Right-click CrewChief.exe and choose Run as administrator. Or, if iRacing is running as admin, run both as admin; if it’s not, run both normally.
  5. Stop/Start once more: Click Stop in Crew Chief, then Start again after confirming you’re still in the car (not garage-only or replay).
  6. Update and restart: Update Crew Chief to the latest version, close iRacing, reopen both, and repeat steps 1–5.

Extra Tips / Checklist

  • Start order matters: Being in the car before pressing Start in Crew Chief is the most reliable way to connect.
  • Don’t press radio before connect: If you PTT too early, you’ll trigger “Not connected.” Wait for Crew Chief’s initial messages.
  • Avoid replays: Crew Chief won’t attach properly to replays or when you’re not in the cockpit.
  • One instance only: Make sure only one Crew Chief is running (check Task Manager).
  • No firewall fuss: Crew Chief doesn’t need network access for iRacing; a firewall usually isn’t the issue.

FAQs

  • Do I need to disable the iRacing spotter? No. You can use both, but many drivers disable the in-game spotter to avoid duplicate calls.

  • Can I start Crew Chief before launching iRacing? You can, but best practice is: load into the car first, then click Start in Crew Chief.

  • Why does it connect, then drop? Leaving the car, entering a replay, or the sim resetting a session can interrupt it. Re-enter the car and click Start again if needed.

  • Will this work in Test Drive? Yes. Test Drive loads you into the car, which is enough for Crew Chief to connect.

Short Wrap-Up

“Not connected” just means Crew Chief can’t see your live iRacing session. Get into the car, select iRacing in Crew Chief, click Start, and match admin permissions if needed. Once connected, you’re good—focus on laps, not tech snags.