iOS 8-8.1.3 iPhone owners sing Bluetooth Blues for in-car infotainment issues & glitches

bluetoothbluesSince Apple released iOS 8 in September, there have been several updates up to iOS  8.1.3 with minor glitch fixes. However, car owners are bemoaning problems with almost every make and model car according to AUTO Connected Car News when they buy an iPhone 6/6+ or upgrade to iOS 8.1.3.

"We have been besieged with complaints from hundreds of car owners from all other the world with Bluetooth problems and iOS 8, " said AUTO Connected Car News editor, Lynn Walford. "The problem is so severe our readers gave Apple the Edsel Yugo Tech Cars Award for the Biggest Snafu of 2014."

AUTO Connected Car News has cataloged makes and models of cars or trucks from owners that have experienced a myriad of problems such as:

  • Bluetooth working for phone calls but not streaming music with iOS 8.1.3 with model cars such as the VW Passat 2012, 2012 BMW 325, 2010 Lexus RX350
  • Inability to pair Bluetooth with iPhone 6 iOS 8.1.3 with VW Tiguan 2010, BMW 7, Toyota Prius 2014, Lexus LS460 2009
  • iPhone 6 can't discover BMW 325i .
  • iOS 8.1.2 Bluetooth not working at all with 2013 Acura ILX, Nissan Maxima 2010, two Toyota Camrys
  • Chevy Cruze with iPhone 5 only pairs less than 50% of the time.
  • No phone book contacts import from Toyota V 2012 with iPhone 5 iOS 1.2., 2012 Hyundai Genesis with iPhone 6+ running iOS 8.1.3
  • Bluetooth not working with 2013 Hyundai Veloster w/Nav and iPhone 6Plus after the update to iOS 8.1.3.
  • 2010 Honda Accord EX and Honda Fit 2013 problems with outgoing calls or interrupts conversations.
  • Problems with almost every car make including BMW, Audi, Acura, MINI, GM(Chevy, GMC, Cadillac, Buick), Honda, Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen (VW), Mercedes-Benz, Mazda, Lexus, Fiat, Dodge (UConnect), Hyundai and more.

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AUTO Connected Car News' commenters keep asking for solutions such as this one:

"I got an iPhone 5s in November 2014. Since then, I haven’t been able to connect to Bluetooth. I can plug-in through USB, but I can only play ITUNES PURCHASES!!! My music library is LARGE, and I don’t understand why items I *legally* downloaded won’t play in my car.
But that’s only the minor issue…. I want to be able to make phone calls and stream music. I’ve searched for solutions but haven’t found any. Help?!!!????"

Many frustrated car owners noted that their iPhone 5S or earlier models worked with Bluetooth well, until the update to iOS 8.  Some are stating that they will never buy an Apple device ever again.

It appears that newer make and model cars have fewer problems, noted Walford. The angriest owners are people who paid the most for their cars such as BMW, Mercedes and Audi owners. She says that Mazda finally admitted a problem with the Visteon products and replied with emails stating that its HandsFree system does not support all features in iOS 8 and iPhone 6.

empnewclothes"The problem with Apple is that it will not admit that there is a problem.  It's like The Emperor's New Clothes fable.  The king is walking around naked and his Bluetooth doesn't work, but no one is speaking up," said Walford.

AUTO Connected Car News in an effort to help readers has contacted iPhone accessory makers to try to find an add-on device to help them with their "Bluetooth Blues" and created a newsletter for "Bluetooth Issues with iPhone 5-6+ and iOS 8."  The news website that only covers connected car news issues has reported on the various  nuke-it fixes, summary of Bluetooth issues, interviews with analysts why there are Bluetooth iOS 8-8.1 & iPhone 6-6+ issues and reports  that it seemed like the 8.1 update did help some car owners.

There is a ray of hope because the iOS 8.1.3 update did help an  iPhone 5S user who reported that Bluetooth finally worked after the update with an Acura MDX 2015. There are also rumors that iOS 8.2 may offer some Bluetooth changes because it will work with the Apple watch.