Database Users

Bluetooth car connection: works, but no sound

Hi everyone,
I picked up my GSIII yesterday (SGH-I747, Bell version from Canada). The phone is a champ, but so far I found fairly serious problem. My car has bluetooth phone functions built in. I paired the phone with it, and it pairs just fine. I can receive and make calls from the car just fine as well, but there is no incoming or outgoing audio. When connected to my car's bluetooth, there is no audio going through my car's speakers or through the phone. It is only when I grab the phone and unclick the "bluetooth headset" button that I can talk on the phone. If I turn "bluetooth headset" back on, there is no sound again. My car worked with my old Blackberry 8330, so the car is fine. It's a 2009 Mercedes-Benz B200, fully loaded, Canadian spec. It has the AUDIO 20 system built in.
My phone specs are as follows:
-stock ROM, not rooted or anything (do we have root yet?)
-Baseband: I747MVLLE8
-Build: IMM76D-I747MVLLE8
The GSII seemed to have the same problem when it came out and it was fixed with a firmware update (http://samsunggalaxysforums.com/showthread.php/5212-Speaker-and-mic-problem-when-calling-someone.)
Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

Did u by any chance turned down the volume on the phone?
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

Bluetooth worked fine in my car. Made a call. And they could hear me and I heard them. This with a Kenwood hdx6980
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

Yeah Bluetooth works on my CD player also
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

after pairing did you go into the bluetooth setting for the paired device (car) and check the "call audio" box?

martyzidek said:
Did u by any chance turned down the volume on the phone?
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
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Nope, I checked the volume and everything is turned up the way it's supposed to be.
faulkton said:
after pairing did you go into the bluetooth setting for the paired device (car) and check the "call audio" box?
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Yep. It's checked. Moreover, if I uncheck it, the car doesn't connect to the phone.

I'll check my calling this morning, but yesterday I had streaming audio via bluetooth (audible playing a book). The only thing I noticed was that, unlike my old myTouch 4g running CM7, the book didn't stop playing when I turned the car off. That's something I'll have to work out.
EDIT - it's only audible that gives me a problem - looks like a specific app issue.

I'll l have to check if my calls work. All my music and podcast work good. They stop when the car turns off and starts up again when I start the car the next day.
Edit: Just tried it out and incoming and outgoing call sounds work great. No issues here.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

I have absolutely no issues with incoming and outgoing calls through Bluetooth in my car. Also, I have no issues playing music through Bluetooth. Possibly try a factory reset on your phone and try again...

It sounds like all your cars support A2DP for playing music. Mine doesn't, it just acts as an old-school bluetooth headset. Can that make a difference?

Mine plays perfectly using Googles Play Music streaming service, also calls work fine, too. This is on my Dodge's U-Connect.

Update: I tried with an old jawbone headset to see if it's a general Bluetooth problem or just specific to my car. The jawbone works like a charm, so it's not a problem with Bluetooth versions or anything like that. But I did notice something interesting: in the Bluetooth options in the gs3 the jawbone comes up with a picture of a phone handset beside it whereas the car has a picture of headphones. I think that's the problem: the phone recognized the wrong Bluetooth profile. I can't seem to delete th car off the list of Bluetooth devices. This is rreally irritating. Any suggestions (short of a total reset)? Thanks!

You might see if there's an update for your car's Bluetooth... if so that might fix your issue.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

No go so far. I'll have to try a reset, otherwise wait for an update or some custom ROMs.

Update: I still haven't done the reset, but I went to the Mercedes dealer today. They told me (after almost a day of investigating) that Germany said that the GSIII is forever incompatible with the B200. I think that's pretty dumb because the problem is clearly software, but the dealer seems to be washing its hands of this matter.

[Q] In-Car Bluetooth Issues

Last night, I tried pairing up my GS4 in my car (which has bluetooth) and although I sync'd it and verified the settings on the GS4, for some reason no audio will play (both calls & music).
Is anyone else having this problem? I've paired my car to a couple bluetooth devices and this is the first time it's not working.

I havent made any calls yet, but Pandora was working fine for me yesterday.

Works fine in my 2013 sonata
ATT Galaxy S4, stock, rooted

No issues in my Wrangler JKU.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

davidusr said:
No issues in my Wrangler JKU.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
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What kind of car do you have...it took quite a bit of fiddling to get bluetooth to work well with my impreza

Works fine with my AVIC-z130bt

wdouglass said:
What kind of car do you have...it took quite a bit of fiddling to get bluetooth to work well with my impreza
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Jeep Wrangler JK Unlimited.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

There are indeed some issues with Bluetooth and I'm not sure who's to blame, or maybe both parties.
I have a 2013 Subaru wrx and it will pair fine, but sometimes it only pairs "Media" and sometimes it pairs media and phone calling functions.
Also, it will NOT pair automatically. I have to go in to the Bluetooth settings on the device and manually click on the Subaru car media, wait 5-10 seconds, then it pairs.
My galaxy nexus always worked like a charm, shame.

I have used Pandora and also made/received calls over Bluetooth without any issues. Always connects automatically a few seconds after my car starts. 2012 Honda Civic

I have had bluetooth issues as well with my pioneer 6100bt headunit. It would only auto connect to phone audio, it was driving me crazy. As a temporary solution i downloaded a free app called Bluetooth Auto Connect. It's free and you need to mark the checkbox setting: Auto Connect every time the screen goes on. Hope this helps you out

Krispydancing said:
I have had bluetooth issues as well with my pioneer 6100bt headunit. It would only auto connect to phone audio, it was driving me crazy. As a temporary solution i downloaded a free app called Bluetooth Auto Connect. It's free and you need to mark the checkbox setting: Auto Connect every time the screen goes on. Hope this helps you out
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I am having the same issue. My phone portion will autoconnect and I have to go back in and check the media box everytime. I have unpaired and paired it back again and the same issue. Every single time I connect I have to recheck that box.
Edit: Sony DSXS310BTX is the deck I have. Worked 100% fine with my GS3.

ldejavul said:
I am having the same issue. My phone portion will autoconnect and I have to go back in and check the media box everytime. I have unpaired and paired it back again and the same issue. Every single time I connect I have to recheck that box.
Edit: Sony DSXS310BTX is the deck I have. Worked 100% fine with my GS3.
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I have the same issue; phone works great, media not so much. it's not a huge deal, because i use the phone part more anyway, but still...

Wow thought it was only me that had this problem, I have to manually select the audio portion all the time as well. What gives!?

And I'm having the opposite issue - media pairs 90% of the time, phone doesn't. And, it will NOT autoconnect.
How is it convenient that I hop in the car, drive away and phone doesn't connect. Instead I have to get the phone out, open up the BT menu and manually connect while I'm driving - real safety feature there Samsung lol

no issues in my 2011 Murano

No voice on GPS while on Bluetooth

I have a strange situation here. My GPS will only read aloud when I am NOT connected to Bluetooth in my car. If I am connected to bluetooth while on the phone but not actually using the Bluetooth, using the handset to talk on the phone, the GPS voice comes through the earpiece on the phone. The GPS voice works fine when I'm not connected to Bluetooth in my car. Does anybody else have this problem? Any solutions? Thanks in advance!
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Ditto!
I too had that problem. I recently was traveling for work and needed GPS in the rental car. I almost missed my exit because the nav voice wasn't working over the car's bluetooth connection. Calls worked fine but not the nav voice....

madhacker7 said:
I too had that problem. I recently was traveling for work and needed GPS in the rental car. I almost missed my exit because the nav voice wasn't working over the car's bluetooth connection. Calls worked fine but not the nav voice....
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ok good to know that I am not loosing my mind
I have no idea what is causing it tho.

Under Bluetooth settings can you see if you are connected as phone and media or just phone? Every once in a while mine just connects as phone for some strange reason!

kilroy1stcav said:
Under Bluetooth settings can you see if you are connected as phone and media or just phone? Every once in a while mine just connects as phone for some strange reason!
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You know what....It didn't occur to me to check that. Good call!
Sent from my SM-G900V using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

kilroy1stcav said:
Under Bluetooth settings can you see if you are connected as phone and media or just phone? Every once in a while mine just connects as phone for some strange reason!
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I will check this too! Was planning on checking it today but we took my husband's car all day, his doesn't have Bluetooth. But I will check that in the morning when I go to work! Thanks!
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

kilroy1stcav said:
Under Bluetooth settings can you see if you are connected as phone and media or just phone? Every once in a while mine just connects as phone for some strange reason!
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Both media and phone was checked off.....hmmmm....not sure why it doesn't work when connected to Bluetooth.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Ok, today I tried my phone with two different Bluetooth devices to make sure I got music and GPS out at the same time and I did so i know the S5 is capable of it. So check to make sure your devices are actually are connected as phone and media when paired next time just to make sure.I know my Motorola roadster2 sometimes only connects as phone even though it is set up as both, I usually have to reboot both the phone and and my roadster to get it to connect as both fir what ever reason. I hope that helps, if not I am at a loss!

I tested this the other day, and it works fine for me. I am using a Kenwood DNX8120 head unit, and it is connected with the S5 with both the headset and media bluetooth profiles. Note that the head unit needs to be on the bluetooth input for me to hear it since it is using the media profile for the GPS voice. If it is on another input (i.e. tuner, CD), you won't hear the phone's GPS.

Still nothing. I cleared my cars system memory and repaired the phone. The weird thing is that it was working when I got the phone a few weeks ago. It worked for a week, then all of a sudden stopped.

A tad bit late, but here nonetheless
putney1477 said:
Still nothing. I cleared my cars system memory and repaired the phone. The weird thing is that it was working when I got the phone a few weeks ago. It worked for a week, then all of a sudden stopped.
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I know this is an old thread, but I wonder if you were listening to bluetooth audio or not. If you weren't listening to bluetooth audio on your car radio, then you wouldn't hear the voice navigation prompts. Unfortunately I don't believe voice navigation works like the phone.
The phone will mute any audio currently playing and automatically switch to the phone.
The nav audio works through bluetooth audio only. It doesn't mute anything so unless you are listening to bluetooth audio you won't hear the prompts (they are there, but you aren't listening to the source where they come through).
I think the solution as stated was to turn off Bluetooth media profile so it only comes out of your phone and leave on bluetooth call audio profile so it comes through the car.

bl^5 said:
I know this is an old thread, but I wonder if you were listening to bluetooth audio or not. If you weren't listening to bluetooth audio on your car radio, then you wouldn't hear the voice navigation prompts. Unfortunately I don't believe voice navigation works like the phone.
The phone will mute any audio currently playing and automatically switch to the phone.
The nav audio works through bluetooth audio only. It doesn't mute anything so unless you are listening to bluetooth audio you won't hear the prompts (they are there, but you aren't listening to the source where they come through).
I think the solution as stated was to turn off Bluetooth media profile so it only comes out of your phone and leave on bluetooth call audio profile so it comes through the car.
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Thank you! I will give thus a try!!!

Try a program in the play store called BTMONO. This worked for me.
Sent from my SM-G900V using XDA Free mobile app

Bluetooth issues

The s7 and s8 ( maybe earlier phones too, don't own those) both use Samsungs own bluetooth quick connect. Both phones have issues with media output in my car. My Nexus 6p works fine, every time again. I just hop into the car and turn on Bluetooth and boom, Spotify is good to go.
With both the s7 and s8 I get into my car and turn on Bluetooth. Then the phone does connect, but only for phone sounds (and contact sync for that matter). Turning off Bluetooth and reconnecting doesn't work, killing the paired connection doesn't work. Turning the phone off and on doesn't work.
I eventually do get it to work by fiddling with the phone and having the car itself initiate the connect after removing the paired connection, enabling it again and the reconnect.
Blargh... Anyone else got this issue? Any idea what might actually fix it?
Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G950F met Tapatalk

zdeev said:
The s7 and s8 ( maybe earlier phones too, don't own those) both use Samsungs own bluetooth quick connect. Both phones have issues with media output in my car. My Nexus 6p works fine, every time again. I just hop into the car and turn on Bluetooth and boom, Spotify is good to go.
With both the s7 and s8 I get into my car and turn on Bluetooth. Then the phone does connect, but only for phone sounds (and contact sync for that matter). Turning off Bluetooth and reconnecting doesn't work, killing the paired connection doesn't work. Turning the phone off and on doesn't work.
I eventually do get it to work by fiddling with the phone and having the car itself initiate the connect after removing the paired connection, enabling it again and the reconnect.
Blargh... Anyone else got this issue? Any idea what might actually fix it?
Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G950F met Tapatalk
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I have had no issues with my BMW, and my car is very finicky. I have issues with a lot of phones. Luckily the S8 works great with my car for calls amd streaming. I know my car has settings for what I want connected per device. Not sure if your car has this option. I used to have one phone connected for calls, and another for music that I left in the car for streaming.

Well the connection isn't the issue perse, it's the button for media audio. The button isn't active and can't be activated 90% of the time after the first connection try. Once I start fiddling I eventually get it to work. Google doesn't bring up anything that has worked for me, so far.

Essential phone is unable to connect to car Bluetooth with phone audio

I am on latest stock. Somehow my car Bluetooth audio was connected but phone audio was not getting selected
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

weird, the bluetooth car connection on mine works fantastic, and my car stereo's bluetooth is a piece of ****!

dryspuri said:
I am on latest stock. Somehow my car Bluetooth audio was connected but phone audio was not getting selected
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
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Did you have another Bluetooth device connected to your phone and the time your phone connected to your vehicle?

Charkatak said:
Did you have another Bluetooth device connected to your phone and the time your phone connected to your vehicle?
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No it was only connection.
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dryspuri said:
No it was only connection.
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Hmm, the reason I asked is because when I had another phone with my smartwatch connected, then I entered my vehicle and realized that phone is connected by the phone calls were not. I found out that my watch took the priority in phone calls instead of my car.

Charkatak said:
Hmm, the reason I asked is that when I had another phone with my smartwatch connected, then I entered my vehicle and realized that phone is connected by the phone calls were not. I found out that my watch took the priority in phone calls instead of my car.
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no phone is connecting to Bluetooth, music plays okay through Bluetooth but when a call comes voice won't be passed on when I select Bluetooth settings three options are there like phone audio, music, phone audio is not selected even if I try to click the box, it remains not selected, weird!!!!

dryspuri said:
no phone is connecting to Bluetooth, music plays okay through Bluetooth but when a call comes voice won't be passed on when I select Bluetooth settings three options are there like phone audio, music, phone audio is not selected even if I try to click the box, it remains not selected, weird!!!!
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If you haven't done that yet: Delete Bluetooth pairing form both the phone and your car's stereo. Pair them again, but make sure to check for any dialog boxes which may ask for your permission to some feature. It could also be that your car's stereo needs a firmware update from your car's manufacturer.

Did all that. Now I am gonna try oreo and see if that helps.
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

One more thing to try. Go to Settings/Location, hit the 3 dot menu (scanning) and disable Bluetooth Scanning. Go back to the BT menu on the phone, delete the pairing if you haven't already, then try to pair again before jumping to Oreo (unless you just want Oreo). It should work and Phone/Media/Contacts should all be checked.
It's not an Essential problem, per se, just funky BT that is more problematic on Pioneer units for some reason.

Croak said:
One more thing to try. Go to Settings/Location, hit the 3 dot menu (scanning) and disable Bluetooth Scanning. Go back to the BT menu on the phone, delete the pairing if you haven't already, then try to pair again before jumping to Oreo (unless you just want Oreo). It should work and Phone/Media/Contacts should all be checked.
It's not an Essential problem, per se, just funky BT that is more problematic on Pioneer units for some reason.
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Thanks for reply but on oreo now and everything works as it should.
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

Try rename your essential phone with a shorter name. It works for me after changing name to a shorter one.

Is working fine here on my 2015 Mazda 3.

I got the same problems. my iPhone and Nexus 6p work flawlessly, the essential connects but after a while it either disconnects or goes to (no media). Re-pairing doesn't work and reconnect either since the essential thinks is connected.

dryspuri said:
I am on latest stock. Somehow my car Bluetooth audio was connected but phone audio was not getting selected
Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
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I did have a couple of hiccups. I had to go to the BT menu, select the device settings and check media audio and phone audio. No problem here after that either on stock or Beta 3.
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

Turn Bluetooth to non-optimized in battery settings ( 3 vertical dot button, upper right of battery settings)

twokidsandaphone said:
Turn Bluetooth to non-optimized in battery settings ( 3 vertical dot button, upper right of battery settings)
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Seems to be better for now on stock essential firmware, it did run spotty, turning on and off a few times, but seems to have stabilized for now. Battery efficiency is noticeably worse, but it does warn about that when turning Bluetooth battery optimization off.
Never mind, it broke connectivity after a couple of hours, doesn't really fix it permanently.