Bluetooth in Base FRS periodically goes out

[Wpomp]

Hey Everyone, not sure if this issue has been discussed before, but I couldn't readily find it referenced when searching.
Periodically my car will lose bluetooth functionality. I have a 2013 FRS with the base radio. It's not that the phone loses connection, its that the head unit stops having the bluetooth function. When the issue occurs, and I press on the volume/menu knob, rather than having the standard menu options containing bluetooth connectivity, etc, the bluetooth option isn't even listed.

When this has happened, the only solution I have found is to wait/turn the car on and off. Has anyone had this issue, and know a better solution? It does always eventually come back, so it doesn't necessarily seem like its a wiring issue?

Any help or input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[czechm8]

Did you ever find a solution to this?
I have a 2013 with the Bespoke NAV unit and my bluetooth just stopped working the other day. In the menu, it shows bluetoogh is turned off, but there is no way to toggle it back on. Just dead.

I suspect that the bluetooth portion of the add-on module to the head unit is bad. Going to the dealer next week to have them scan it to see what's wrong. My fear is that a new module (also includes NAV) will be very expensive. I might entertain upgrading to a new Pioneer unit with wireless Android Auto if that's the case.

Originally Posted by Wpomp

Hey Everyone, not sure if this issue has been discussed before, but I couldn't readily find it referenced when searching.
Periodically my car will lose bluetooth functionality. I have a 2013 FRS with the base radio. It's not that the phone loses connection, its that the head unit stops having the bluetooth function. When the issue occurs, and I press on the volume/menu knob, rather than having the standard menu options containing bluetooth connectivity, etc, the bluetooth option isn't even listed.

When this has happened, the only solution I have found is to wait/turn the car on and off. Has anyone had this issue, and know a better solution? It does always eventually come back, so it doesn't necessarily seem like its a wiring issue?

Any help or input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by czechm8

I suspect that the bluetooth portion of the add-on module to the head unit is bad. Going to the dealer next week to have them scan it to see what's wrong. My fear is that a new module (also includes NAV) will be very expensive. I might entertain upgrading to a new Pioneer unit with wireless Android Auto if that's the case.

I picked up the NAV module for mine originally on eBay pretty cheap. (It was for the '14 radio though I picked up off the forum, not the '13). Might want to consider that as less expensive fix if you don't won't to put out for the Pioneer.

[czechm8]

Good idea. I'll wait to see what Toyota says and how much they want for it.

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

I picked up the NAV module for mine originally on eBay pretty cheap. (It was for the '14 radio though I picked up off the forum, not the '13). Might want to consider that as less expensive fix if you don't won't to put out for the Pioneer.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by czechm8

Good idea. I'll wait to see what Toyota says and how much they want for it.

Are you sure the BT is in the add-on module though? The radio without the module also has BT. I suppose it could supercede it when you plug it in.

[czechm8]

Good point. I just assumed the extension box had NAV and BT. Looks like that HU is pretty cheap second hand. I'll go that route rather than pay Toyota to tell me it will cost $1K to replace.

[czechm8]

For anyone interested. I was able to resolve my BT issue. The NAV AHA extension box does have BT. Turns out my box was bad. I found a second hand HU with the NAV box for really cheap.
The stock HU works fine without the extension box plugged in. BT works fine. Once you plug in the ext. box, it must default to the BT on the box (probably due to the AHA integration).
Only bummer is the replacement box has never had the NAV maps upgraded. I had the maps on my old unit updated for free shortly after I bought the car. Toyota wants north of $300 to update the maps and software! It never ends.

[darksnyder]

Originally Posted by Wpomp

Hey Everyone, not sure if this issue has been discussed before, but I couldn't readily find it referenced when searching.
Periodically my car will lose bluetooth functionality. I have a 2013 FRS with the base radio. It's not that the phone loses connection, its that the head unit stops having the bluetooth function. When the issue occurs, and I press on the volume/menu knob, rather than having the standard menu options containing bluetooth connectivity, etc, the bluetooth option isn't even listed.

When this has happened, the only solution I have found is to wait/turn the car on and off. Has anyone had this issue, and know a better solution? It does always eventually come back, so it doesn't necessarily seem like its a wiring issue?

Any help or input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I have the mid-option 2013 Toyota 86 having the base HU. I also had the same issue a few months back. Living with my friend a few months back, we would often switch between whose phone is connected and during those days, sometimes I noticed the Bluetooth option would disappear completely from the list. We would then park the car, and sometimes turn it off and on like you mentioned. I never really figured out why, but I assumed it had something to do with trying to pair a phone whilst driving! I think I read something in the owners manual as well, but I will have to reconfirm once I reach home.


Currently, I don't have any problems as my phone is the only one that stays connected and not had a single problem with BT since then.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by czechm8

... Toyota wants north of $300 to update the maps and software! It never ends.

Yea, that's just a stupid dumb price these days. It should be free, or very minimal cost.

Of course, try updating a small plane NAV unit sometime. It will make $300 seem cheap, and in that case it is mandatory if you want to use it to legally fly.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by czechm8

Good idea. I'll wait to see what Toyota says and how much they want for it.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by czechm8

Good point. I just assumed the extension box had NAV and BT. Looks like that HU is pretty cheap second hand. I'll go that route rather than pay Toyota to tell me it will cost $1K to replace.

Originally Posted by czechm8

For anyone interested. I was able to resolve my BT issue. The NAV AHA extension box does have BT. Turns out my box was bad. I found a second hand HU with the NAV box for really cheap.
The stock HU works fine without the extension box plugged in. BT works fine. Once you plug in the ext. box, it must default to the BT on the box (probably due to the AHA integration).
Only bummer is the replacement box has never had the NAV maps upgraded. I had the maps on my old unit updated for free shortly after I bought the car. Toyota wants north of $300 to update the maps and software! It never ends.

Originally Posted by darksnyder

I have the mid-option 2013 Toyota 86 having the base HU. I also had the same issue a few months back. Living with my friend a few months back, we would often switch between whose phone is connected and during those days, sometimes I noticed the Bluetooth option would disappear completely from the list. We would then park the car, and sometimes turn it off and on like you mentioned. I never really figured out why, but I assumed it had something to do with trying to pair a phone whilst driving! I think I read something in the owners manual as well, but I will have to reconfirm once I reach home.


Currently, I don't have any problems as my phone is the only one that stays connected and not had a single problem with BT since then.

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Yea, that's just a stupid dumb price these days. It should be free, or very minimal cost.

Of course, try updating a small plane NAV unit sometime. It will make $300 seem cheap, and in that case it is mandatory if you want to use it to legally fly.

In Toyota defense, there method of updating the head units is a proprietary USB stick which updates the maps and the headunit firmware at the same time. I ran into this when I installed the extension module into my 15 FR-S last year (it's the same you'd find in that years prius or other models). I updated entune as far as I could using a download I found on a forum somewhere, but the maps were still from 2014. Went to the dealer and paid $275 for them to update it to the 17 maps and firmware.

IMHO, this is why swapping to an android auto/apple carplay unit is probably going to be my next course of action if I start using the car for longer journeys, the user support from those companies like pioneer is so much better, firmware updates are free and of course with google maps your maps are always up to date. Mazda has it best with their head units, free NAV updates for 3 years after purchase and free firmware updates, and you can do them yourself because the head unit is basically running off linux. They even give you the update tool and you just put your usb stick in and then put that stick into the car, for the maps you simply bring the sd card inside to a computer and update it that way.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by FRSBRZGT86FAN

In Toyota defense, there method of updating the head units is a proprietary USB stick which updates the maps and the headunit firmware at the same time.....

Well, not sure that's a good defense given that they selected to implement it this way rather than using a method that would be user serviceable. In the end, I wouldn't mind the charge if it were reasonable for the amount of work involved in doing the update. Also, the radio is a Pioneer, not some proprietary brand (like Delco for GM) and Pioneer does provide free updates for at least some of their radios.

[DandoX]

I have a 13 FRS with the pioneer HU. Yeah Bluetooth can cut out, but I have had different results with different phones. My old iPhone 6 almost never cut out unless you hit end call twice. My Android phone looses Bluetooth more frequently, the HU is far from perfect in terms of Bluetooth connection but also check your phone Bluetooth settings. Normally Bluetooth is fine if I leave it on my phone and get in my car but like I said the phone end button sees to sometimes cause Bluetooth to loose connection.

I would re setup a connection with your phone and double check all your phone's Bluetooth settings.

[jflogerzi]

I am swapping my unit out for a 300$ Boss Andriod/Car Play unit with a pre made Harness and USB/Radio antenna. Based on my searching it won't be any worse then stock for SQ but you do loose HD Radio(don't care as the reception sucks anyway in my area). I will post a review once I receive it and get it installed. These are basically plug in play due to the older cars not having steering wheel mounted controls.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by jflogerzi

I am swapping my unit out for a 300$ Boss Andriod/Car Play unit with a pre made Harness and USB/Radio antenna. Based on my searching it won't be any worse then stock for SQ but you do loose HD Radio(don't care as the reception sucks anyway in my area). I will post a review once I receive it and get it installed. These are basically plug in play due to the older cars not having steering wheel mounted controls.

Crutchfield makes a really good plug and play harness for an extra fee on any unit you order, planning on getting a unit from pioneer or kenwood or the like