iPhone 3G OEM Car Bluetooth Problem [Archive]

phatcat

Jul 12, 2008, 04:43 PM

tacos

Jul 12, 2008, 08:03 PM

i hear the echo as well.

I have an 07 BMW that worked PERFECTLY with the first iPhone.

with the 3g iPhone i get these problems:
-phone gets hot when connected
-phone iteslf freezes, i can rarely unlock or use phone functions
-contacts, missed/recent calls etc no longer appear in my cars readout

Hopefully this gets addressed in a software update and the phones arent defective?!

AC Rempt

Jul 12, 2008, 09:20 PM

Double post. Sorry.

AC Rempt

Jul 12, 2008, 09:27 PM

I have a 2008 Nissan Rogue, and I'm having all sorts of Bluetooth trouble.

The echo, yes, and I have to constantly repair the phone each time I get back in the car. What a pain in the butt.

Yes, let's hope there's a software fix, and let's make sure we let Apple know there's a problem.

Apparently, this is a wide-spread problem: Apple Discussion Forums (http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1143)

tacos

Jul 14, 2008, 01:07 AM

in addition to the above problems. does anyone else have the problem where, when connected to bluetooth the phone gets hot, and freezes up? (cant unlock etc).... worked perfectly in old 1.1.4, all this is new in 2.0 so i can only assume a software update will clear it up

pg18

Jul 15, 2008, 05:14 PM

I have an 08 BMW and the echo is terrible on the 3g iphone. I had an old iphone that worked perfectly. Sometimes messing with the volume of the iphone helps. I have minimized the echo by cranking the volume up to the max on the phone. It's almost bearable. Let's hope a fix is available soon...

MarketMan

Jul 16, 2008, 12:24 AM

Exact same issue in a 2007 Camry.

I have a 2008 Toyota Tundra with the bluetooth built in. It worked great with the original iPhone. Callers could not tell they were on speaker phone.

Now I had a couple iPhone 3G calls over the same system and:
1) I can hear my own echo (but not the other end)
2) The other caller tells me I'm breaking up.

Anyone else experience similar problems.

AnotherLabRat

Jul 16, 2008, 02:35 AM

Sad to hear this since I'm upgrading my car stereo to one with integrated bluetooth.

Since 1st gen iphone works well and 2nd doesn't....have any of you tried turning off 3G in the settings?

I don't really see a need for 3G just to take calls, so it's worth a shot.

AC Rempt

Jul 17, 2008, 01:47 AM

I think 3G may have something to do with it because I've had to repair my phone after sitting in a parking lot Web surfing.

Some also mentioned cranking the sound on the phone minimizes the echo, and I've also found this to be true.

BoulderBum

Jul 17, 2008, 04:21 PM

I have a 2008 Toyota Tundra with the bluetooth built in. It worked great with the original iPhone. Callers could not tell they were on speaker phone.

Now I had a couple iPhone 3G calls over the same system and:
1) I can hear my own echo (but not the other end)
2) The other caller tells me I'm breaking up.

Anyone else experience similar problems.

I have a 2007 Toyota Prius (I assume it's the same OEM Bluetooth system as yours) and I have the EXACT same problem. Audible echo of my voice and the callers always say I'm breaking up.

It's good to know I'm not alone at least. Keep me posted if you find any solution and I'll try to do the same!

boba2z

Jul 17, 2008, 11:00 PM

I have a 2008 Mercedes C300 with the bluetooth built in. It worked great with the original iPhone. Callers could not tell they were on speaker phone.

Now all iPhone 3G calls over the same system and:
1) I can hear my own echo (Callers sound great)
2) The other caller tells me I'm breaking up, garbled - bad.

Obviously, something went wrong, really needs to get fixed.

bluenoise

Jul 17, 2008, 11:08 PM

I have an 04 Acura TL and the handsfree works better than any of my previous phones. Sound quality is near-perfect and the dash display shows my signal strength, battery level, and incoming call ID.

jblick

Jul 19, 2008, 09:49 PM

2007 BMW 550. Same issue. No issues with 1st gen iphone.

fetalsono

Jul 21, 2008, 11:34 PM

I have the same echo problem as others. some have suggested that changing the version of firmware either in the BMW or iPhone may help. How do you find out which version is running and how do you change it?

Thanks

bruinboy2000

Jul 22, 2008, 08:37 PM

2006 Prius owner here....exact same problem. I hope Apple releases a patch soon!

hsc6

Jul 22, 2008, 09:37 PM

Rooskibar03

Jul 23, 2008, 12:16 AM

Australia 3G iphone will pair and connect (fairly reliably) to the MMI bluetooth factory-fit; but loses connection when ignition key is removed and will not automatically reconnect. To reconnect you have to unpair etc etc.
Apple Australia helpdesk 1300-321-456 says 23jul08 that bluetooth is a recognised problem and currently firmware only works well with apple bluetooth headset, apple are looking for a fix.

Noticed the same thing today on a different car. Every time I got into the car I had to unpair and repair the phone. Not cool.

Top it off with Bad Echo and everyone asking "what" and I'm simply thrilled with the performance.

Mark Booth

Jul 23, 2008, 01:18 AM

I'm having the echo problem with my iPhone 3G and my Infiniti EX35's hands-free Bluetooth system. My callers (or those I've called) report hearing the echo on their end too!

This is a SIGNIFICANT problem and it happens for me on EVERY call in the car! EVERY single time!

I am seriously considering returning the iPhone 3G before my 14 day return window is over. My original iPhone did not have this problem.

Mark

cranbrooke

Jul 24, 2008, 10:48 PM

2006 Prius owner here....exact same problem. I hope Apple releases a patch soon!

I too have the same problem with my 3G iPhone and 2006 Prius. The bluetooth in my car worked perfectly fine with my Motorola phone. Now I'm getting a lot of complaints that I sound distant and words are dropping....very frustrating and disappointing.

xraydoc

Jul 24, 2008, 11:43 PM

2006 BMW 330xi w/ iDrive - bluetooth handsfree and iPhone 3G seem to be working fine. No echo so far as have been reported elsewhere. Also worked well with my original iPhone.

bruinboy2000

Jul 28, 2008, 10:09 PM

has anyone heard of a fix for this?

phatcat

Jul 29, 2008, 12:12 AM

Log your complaint here as a defect:
http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

Add your year/make/model here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1598650&tstart=15

I spoke with Apple tech support over the weekend and they should have a firmware fix by end of next week.

bruinboy2000

Aug 5, 2008, 01:10 AM

has anyone had any luck with 2.01? does it fix this horrendous problem?

AC Rempt

Aug 6, 2008, 12:08 AM

I did a complete restore, and since then, I haven't had a problem beyond the echo, which is overcome when I crank the sound on the phone up. I hope this helps.

hsc6

Aug 6, 2008, 12:09 AM

No the new 2.01 firmware made no difference to OEM bluetooth problems.

tacos

Aug 6, 2008, 02:45 AM

Until a couple weeks ago my 3g iphone contacts wouldnt sync with my 2007 BMW 335i (no idrive). Then the most recent iTunes update was released, and since then (last week some time), the first time i used the phone in my car after syncing, my contacts suddenly started showing up! It still doesnt work as flawlessly as before with the original iphone running 1.1.4, but that iTunes update must have done something...... 2.0.1 didnt give me any noticeable improvements.... anyone else notice an improvement after the recent itunes update?

bruinboy2000

Aug 6, 2008, 02:27 PM

askywalker

Aug 7, 2008, 12:40 AM

my iphone 3g is working great with my Volvo bluetooth.

BoulderBum

Aug 7, 2008, 02:48 AM

I'm not sure if it was the firmware update, or the fact that I turned the "Bluetooth volume" all the way up (with the volume button when you're in Bluetooth mode), but the last call I made actually didn't break up with the 2007 Prius.

I still hear a faint echo, but it's tolerable.

Have others still having the problem tried turning the "Bluetooth volume" all the way up?

Oh, and I also have an iPhone 3G compatible car charger plugged into the phone now. That could also be fixing the problem.

Rankrotten

Aug 7, 2008, 05:08 AM

iPhone 2.0.1 will not sync address book contacts to the blue&me in my Alfa Romeo. Worked perfectly with 1.1.4 firmware.

gray67

Aug 7, 2008, 09:30 AM

The interference you're getting is most likely due to the addition of the 3G radio. It would explain why the 1st gen iPhone didn't suffer the same issue - it didn't have 3G.

I'm having all manner of issues finding car chargers and FM modulators that will work with the iPhone 3G. Almost every charger out there either causes feedback of some sort (either due to the FM mod picking up the noise or because the charger isn't shielded correctly) or doesn't charge the iPHone. Very annoying. I'm going to have to replace my head unit if this keeps up and I can't find a fix.

bruinboy2000

Aug 7, 2008, 09:43 AM

I've tried the "turn off the 3G" trick and the reception still breaks up to my callers. The echo is still there too, but it's not nearly as important to me as everyone saying that they can't hear me.

BoulderBum

Aug 8, 2008, 01:43 AM

I'm not sure if some of you caught what I said earlier, but SOMETHING I DID RECENTLY FIXED MY PROBLEM!!!

The possibilities are:

1. The firmware update helped (which doesn't sound like it's the case).
2. Turning the "Bluetooth volume" all the way up helps.
3. The iPhone compatible charger I bought seems to fix the problem when the phone was attached.

For reference, the charger I bought was the Kensignton LiquidAux w/Remote (http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FKensington-LiquidAUX-Auxiliary-Remote-iPhone%2Fdp%2FB0011UK2HE&tag=colsblo04-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325). It's a charger with a line-out to the aux port of your car (for playing music) and it has a steering wheel-mounted remote for moving through your songs which is sweet, because while you can feel the buttons of an iPod when you're driving without your eyes leaving the road, it's nearly impossible to safely navigate songs with the iPhone touch screen!

I digress, but I'd be interested to see if any of the above fixes help anyone else with the call dropping problem.

Please give an update with status of your success if you've tried any of the same (and if different chargers help, too)! I'll try to experiment some more on my end and see if I can rule out any of the above possibilities as being the source of my fix.

dkeninitz

Aug 28, 2008, 11:42 PM

I'll add myself to the list: 2008 Toyota Avalon and I have the echo with the iPhone. I previously had an HTC (Verizon) 6800 and had no problem; the echo only happens with the iphone. Because I use the push feature for e-mail, which shortens the battery life, I keep 3G turned off most of the time, but I still have the echo.

BoulderBum

Aug 29, 2008, 12:30 AM

So I did some experimentation and it's NOT the charger that helps with the outgoing voice problems. It's either the firmware or the Bluetooth volume. The echo is still barely there, but it's faint enough not to really matter to me.

dkeninitz

Aug 29, 2008, 03:15 PM

I was experimenting today. I think the both the phone mic and the and the car mic are picking up the sound, i.e., the phone doesn't seem to shut off the internal mic when bluetooth is being used, hence the echo. Also, moving the phone nearer the car mic made the reception much clearer on the other end, according to my test subject. I'm guessing the dual mics are sending out-of-phase signals that sound garbled at the other end, while causing an echo at my end. If I'm correct, it seems like this would be easy enough for Apple to fix. I think I'm going to try a call tomorrow while having my son hold the phone outside the car (with the windows up) once the call is connected.

petaloudaki

Aug 30, 2008, 02:00 PM

Everytime that I turn off the car kit or go away from it I have to unpair and pair the phone with the car kit again. I read at all forums about this problem but I haven't found any solution. Any suggestion please?

eicas

Aug 30, 2008, 06:12 PM

It is definitely a problem with the iphone.
I for one am glad I read this thread, I was about to take the car (Avalon '08) to the dealer with the complaint.
This car had negative results when connectin the old iphone after turning the car off then back on. It would not reconect automaticaly. The new 3G solved that problem but it is apparent that it has the echo and voice brake problem.
I used the link in this thread to leave a feed to apple.
I suppose wait for an update to fix the bug.:mad::apple::eek:
My wife loves the phone otherwise, so I guess is a keeper.

BoulderBum

Sep 28, 2008, 12:40 AM

I figured out over the weekend: this is 100% a "Bluetooth Volume" issue.

When you're in your car connected via Bluetooth, press the volume-up button until the "Bluetooth volume" is all the way up.

In my Prius it eliminated the echo and the breaking-up pretty much entirely.

I blogged about the iPhone 3G Bluetooth echo fix (http://www.csharpconsultant.net/post/2008/09/27/Solved!-iPhone-3G-Car-Bluetooth-Echo-and-Break-Up.aspx).

SurfinStan

Oct 11, 2008, 10:57 PM

Forgive me if I'm posting this incorrectly. I'm new to this forum. I recently bought a 2008 Prius and a new iPhone 3G. They pair up fine and all the functions work except for volume.

When I make or receive a call, the volume is very faint for the first few seconds, then starts increasing to normal volume.

When I'm making a call this means the ringing sound starts faint and increases. By the time the person answers the volume is almost normal.

However, when I receive a call, I have to say 'Hello' several times before the caller hears me and then the callers voice is faint for a few seconds. Eventually the volume is fine.

I do not have the echo problem others are describing.

I used my wife's LG Vu with the Prius and had no problem. Volume was strong right away. We both have AT&T as our carrier. The version on my iPhone is 2.51.

Does anyone have any ideas. :confused:

phatcat

Oct 13, 2008, 03:34 PM

I used to the echo problem until I switched phones, but you bring up an excellent topic. I also have this low volume problem at first, just never really noticed it since the echo problem was far worse.

In any case, after I answer the phone I wait a couple seconds before saying "hello"

2008 Toyota Tundra w/ JBL & bluetooth

SurfinStan

Oct 13, 2008, 06:37 PM

I found the solution to the initial low volume on the iPhone 3G and Prius using Bluetooth. In the car, after establishing a Bluetooth connection, place a call using the iPhone and set the volume up all the way on the phone (not the car). Disconned call. Next time you make or receive a call the volume will be normal right away. Someone shared this solution with me on a different forum. I hope it helps others. :)

George Carlin

Oct 14, 2008, 07:38 PM

SurfinStan

Oct 14, 2008, 08:39 PM

I have an 08 BMW with the same issue. When making a call I turned the bluetooth volume all the way up and turn the car stereo volume as far down as possible and this helps but doesn't completely eliminate the problem. I took the phone down to the local Apple store and the G men had never heard of the problem. A call to Apple tech support claimed the problem was the bluetooth in the car not the iPhone - Yet my first gen iPhone worked perfectly with the same vehicle - At that point tech support had no answers.

George,
Did you try the solution I posted right ahaead of yours. 1) Initialte a call on your iPhone after it connects with the Bluetooth on your car. 2) Adjust the volume all the way up on the iPhone (volume button on left side of phone). The phone screen should show the volume maximized. 3)Leave the car phone volume (not the stereo volume) set to mid-range. 4) Hang up and initiate a new call. Volume should be OK

These instructions are for a 2008 Prius, but should work on a BMW.

Let me know the results

BoulderBum

Oct 15, 2008, 02:33 AM

I took the phone down to the local Apple store and the G men had never heard of the problem. A call to Apple tech support claimed the problem was the bluetooth in the car not the iPhone

That's pretty much the response I got at first too and it was a little irksome. I've used four other Bluetooth phones with my Prius and none of them had any issue whatsoever. It's definately an iPhone problem.

At least the guy at the Apple Store called in an exchange on my iPhone (the only thing he knew to try), but that didn't work of course.

SurfinStan, I assume you're the same dude from PriusChat.com?

George Carlin

Oct 15, 2008, 06:45 AM

George,
Did you try the solution I posted right ahaead of yours. 1) Initialte a call on your iPhone after it connects with the Bluetooth on your car. 2) Adjust the volume all the way up on the iPhone (volume button on left side of phone). The phone screen should show the volume maximized. 3)Leave the car phone volume (not the stereo volume) set to mid-range. 4) Hang up and initiate a new call. Volume should be OK

These instructions are for a 2008 Prius, but should work on a BMW.

Let me know the results

I tried it but I still get that Echo which annoys me greatly. The fact that Apple is playing hid and seek on this issue is not giving me a warm fuzzy feeling.

SurfinStan

Oct 15, 2008, 08:58 PM

BolderBum, Yes, I did post on PriusChat.com also. You have to cover all bases.

George, My comments earlier pertained to low initial volume, not echo. I have found that if the volume level in my car is too high I will get an echo. I think the voice coming out of the speaker is picked up by the microphone.

On my Prius 2008 I do not get echo as long as I keep the phone speaker volume at mid-level or lower. This is not the same as the speaker volume for radio or CD. My car shows on on-screne volume control that I can adjust and hear the results. I can also adjust the default phone speaker level. Your car should have similar settings. I did read that the origional iPhone 3G had an echo problem, but forum comments about that seemed to go away by late July. I assumed a software upgrade solved that problem.

I hope this helps.

julE

Oct 23, 2008, 10:53 AM

This turned out to be a very good source for solving the iPhone 3g bluetooth problems (http://www.fixya.com/support/t786474-iphone_3g_bluetooth_problem).

There's a very good chance you will find the solution there.
JulE

Bikeguy96

Nov 26, 2008, 05:51 PM

My problem with bluetooth seems unchanged. My phone connects fine, but I do still have an echo on my end and the person I talk with constantly says that I'm "breaking up" throughout the conversation. It's very frusterating.

I have an '09 Nissan Altima which exhibits exactly the same problem as brainboy and others. Intermittent echo, persistent problems with dropped sounds according to my unfortunate callers. The suggestions that the 3G radio is producing interference makes a lot of sense to me - the charger doesn't unless the issue is use of an approved charger vs 3rd party. I will also try to turn up the blue tooth volume on the car, but it seems like the real issue is that there is obviously a real problem here that Apple is not addressing. Before I went to this blog I naively went to an Apple store to ask for their help, since other phones worked fine in the car. The GMan, who said he was unaware of wide spread probs, ran some diagnostic and gave me a new phone saying that there were some possible gliches in my old device. So Apple has to refurb the phone and I had to resync my new phone and go through some set up steps and it did absolutely nothing! Does anyone know how to get Apple's attention on this so? I'm tempted to start an anti iPhone campaign based on their lack of support or apparent interest...

phatcat

Nov 27, 2008, 12:05 AM

Have you updated to 2.2? Folks on the apple forums claim this update resolved the echo.

julE

Nov 27, 2008, 04:10 AM

Hi,

I stand by my earlier post in this conversation this is the best place I found to deal with iPhone 3g problems (http://www.fixya.com/support/p905248-apple_iphone_3g).

They have a few good solutions for iPhone 3g bluetooth problems, just have a look around.

Good luck,
Jul