iPhone 16 Pro Max Stuttering Bluetooth iPhone 16 Pro Max driving me crazy!

[Sharky II]

Hi,

My phone is stuttering when connected to bluetooth devices, namely my car. My iPhone 12 Pro Max works just fine.

I've tried deleting the car from the phone, and the phone from the car. I've reset the network settings as I've seen recommended. None of these helped.

I will note that after I reset network settings, next time I got in the car it repaired automatically so I'm not sure what was really achieved there.

I did not migrate anything from my old phone except for logging into iCloud for contacts and passwords.

Sometimes it works okay for a few moments, other times it stutters. Screen off/on makes no difference.

Any ideas on how to resolve? Is this hardware or software? I've updated to the latest OS yesterday, no change.

Thanks!

 

[SmOgER]

Just to be clear so you did try removing the bluetooth device and pairing it manually again?

The next step what I would probably do is to go to paired device settings and explicitly set the device type:

 

[Sharky II]

Yes indeed, I've tried that several times unfortunately.

I do set it as a car so that it automatically goes into Driving Focus.

I'll try again...

 

[Sharky II]

Today I:

- Deleted the phone from the car
- Deleted the car from the phone
- Reset network settings
- Paired them again

Worked ok for a minute, then still stutters on playback.

 

[ALW1026]

Im having this issue now. Did you find a fix?

 

[Sharky II]

Hi - what car do you. have?

I thought it was a problem with my new phone, but I don't have bluetooth issues with my cheap bluetooth headphones that I use at the gym.

It happens on my 2011 year Mercedes E-Class with the NTG 4.0 based audio/Nav system. It also happens on my second NTG 4.0 based 2010 year E-Class, also with my brother's iPhone 8 and the iPhone 12 Pro Max that was previously mine / I upgraded from. My brother has a B-Class and a BMW X1 and has no issues with these devices or vehicles.

I've tried resetting iOS network settings, I've tried unpairing and deleting everything from both the car and the phone a million times. No difference.

I haven't seen anybody post about it on Mercedes forums so I assume it's not prevalent, but I'm suspecting some kind of security update in iOS has caused this as it's happening on multiple W212 cars with multiple devices.

I've unplugged any Usb chargers or devices from the car in case of interference - no difference.

So, I'm still stumped and it's obviously some kind of Apple security update that even affects iPhone 8 users...

 

[ALW1026]

Hi - what car do you. have?

I thought it was a problem with my new phone, but I don't have bluetooth issues with my cheap bluetooth headphones that I use at the gym.

It happens on my 2011 year Mercedes E-Class with the NTG 4.0 based audio/Nav system. It also happens on my second NTG 4.0 based 2010 year E-Class, also with my brother's iPhone 8 and the iPhone 12 Pro Max that was previously mine / I upgraded from. My brother has a B-Class and a BMW X1 and has no issues with these devices or vehicles.

I've tried resetting iOS network settings, I've tried unpairing and deleting everything from both the car and the phone a million times. No difference.

I haven't seen anybody post about it on Mercedes forums so I assume it's not prevalent, but I'm suspecting some kind of security update in iOS has caused this as it's happening on multiple W212 cars with multiple devices.

I've unplugged any Usb chargers or devices from the car in case of interference - no difference.

So, I'm still stumped and it's obviously some kind of Apple security update that even affects iPhone 8 users...

I have a 2014 E class

 

[Reverend Benny]

Im having this issue now. Did you find a fix?

You just updated to iOS 18.3.2 and noticed it after that?

 

[MacDaddyPanda]

Have you checked if there’s a firmware update for the car stereo?

 

[Sharky II]

Hi - I didn't update per se, it coincided with my new phone at Xmas, but that was just coincidence.

Interesting that you have an E-Class too!

My car is 2011 manufacturer year but it had a service at the dealership its whole life, the last one was a year ago and they would apply all the latest updates when doing that.

It's an old car now, I don't think Mercedes are still going to be making any updates.

The difference has to come from an Apple update, and given that it happens with an iPhone 8 too, it must be something done in a security update as the iPhone 8 doesn't get 'proper' updates anymore.

 

[spector]

Hi,

My phone is stuttering when connected to bluetooth devices, namely my car. My iPhone 12 Pro Max works just fine.

I've tried deleting the car from the phone, and the phone from the car. I've reset the network settings as I've seen recommended. None of these helped.

I will note that after I reset network settings, next time I got in the car it repaired automatically so I'm not sure what was really achieved there.

I did not migrate anything from my old phone except for logging into iCloud for contacts and passwords.

Sometimes it works okay for a few moments, other times it stutters. Screen off/on makes no difference.

Any ideas on how to resolve? Is this hardware or software? I've updated to the latest OS yesterday, no change.

Thanks!

I am having the same exact issue with my 16 pro max. This started happening since pretty much day one of having the phone, i got it on release day. Mine has connection issues to my vehicle, my air pods and bose blue tooth speaker... i am still trying to hash out. I have taken it to the apple store and there suggestion after we went through everything is to reset the phone, setup as a new device but dont import anything from a backup (just sign into apple id for your contacts, text messages and such)... i have been putting this off as i have to redownload all apps but i think i will be trying this today. if it works i will let you know.

 

[Sharky II]

I think I figured something out today - when I got my iPhone 16 Pro Max, I also bought a magnetic case (didn't use one with my iPhone 12 Pro Max). I also bought a MagSafe vent mount, and I put the vent mount in the middle of the car, right next to the screen/radio.

Today I had my phone in my pocket and it started playing back and I noticed that it wasnt' stuttering. I mounted the phone the vent and it started stuttering.

So I tried it on the driver's side, next to the window (vs being in the middle of the car) and it also didn't stuffer. I tried this on/off a few times and the result was the same.

Conclusion - I need to test more, but it almost as if placing it too close to the head unit made it stutter.

It doesn't answer why my brother's iPhone 12 and 8 also stuttered, and stuttered on another E-class too. My findings could all be coincidence and it will stutter again next time I get in the car...

P.S. I wonder if it could be the MagSafe and/or the MagSafe case, too. I need to take it out of the case and see if changes anything. I have this case: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D6GCYBHS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

 

[Sharky II]

Disregard, still have the issue. Slightly improved for sure, but still there.