LO 21

iTrader: (5)

Am I the only one that hates that I can't hear my BASIC cell phone features (text message or email notifications, the clicking sound when typing, etc.) when connected to Bluetooth?

Background:
My iPhone 6 connects to my IS F's Bluetooth automatically when I turn on the car. Calls work through the car's Bluetooth as expected, but I only hear my phone's features when my car's audio is set to Bluetooth. This is a problem since I mostly listen to the radio and no music on my phone through Bluetooth.

Something funny happened today for the first time, though.
I got in my car, the iPhone connected to Bluetooth as usual. I turned off my iPhone's Bluetooth so that I could watch/listen to a video on my phone. (Don't worry, I wasn't driving. I was parking outside of my office.)
I then needed to make a call so turned the phone's Bluetooth back on, re-connected it to the car, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IT WORKED LIKE I WOULD EXPECT IT TO.
Calls worked through the car's Bluetooth, and the rest of the sounds came out of the phone directly.

Why does this not happen automatically, and how does one make it function that way?

For reference, my dad's RX350 functions in the same, stupid way. So I'm thinking it's a Lexus thing.
And my friend's Mercedes ML350 functions the "CORRECT" way, where calls work through Bluetooth but the rest of the phone's sounds are heard through the phone.

streetx

iTrader: (4)

I never really looked but maybe its in your setting somewhere because the only time sounds come through my speaker is when i get a phone call. All other notifications are through the phone

SoulFreak

iTrader: (1)

Like streetx mentioned, check your settings. I've never had any Bluetooth complications like you mentioned. Not on my 2nd gen is350, previous and current F. Everything works like a charm! But I did realize you tend to turn Bluetooth off/on. If you do this frequently you might actually get connectivity issues. Since the car automatically tries to communicate with your handset and being that you have it off, it will cause issues while your driving since the car won't let you mess around with those settings while its in motion. Meanwhile, your phone is trying to communicate? All my handsets have been previous gen iPhones and currently have a 6 plus. I will recommend entering into setup-general-delete personal data. This should clear all Bluetooth info as well, if it doesn't just do it manually. Reconnect Bluetooth device and just leave it on!...lol...change source like you always do and listen to the radio.

LO 21

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for your reply. It's good to hear there's hope! Now just have to figure it out.
It's just odd, since all the Lexus cars I've tried connecting to function the same, crappy way.

For you, it functions "correctly" even if you're listening to FM radio? Incoming and outgoing calls work through the car's bluetooth, and all other notifications can be heard on the phone itself?

LO 21

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for your reply as well!
Yours functions "correctly" as well? When your car's audio is on FM radio, all notifications can be heard from your iPhone?

Your theory makes sense, but I don't think that's the problem. I've never had connectivity issues, and the same thing happens in other Lexus cars. When I turn the iPhone's bluetooth off, and then need to reconnect it during the same trip, I go the the car's phone screen and just reconnect the phone. Works as expected.

I will definitely try resetting the car's bluetooth settings or seeing if there's an option in there. That might work. Will let you know.

SoulFreak

iTrader: (1)

Correct, all notifications work via Bluetooth from vehicle, just as expected. As a matter of fact the one thing I do, is put the phone on silent by clicking the silent button on the side of the iPhone. If I don't silent it, I get annoyed by the text chimes through the car speakers, not to mention it startles me when I'm not expecting a text. Just to clarify connectivity issues, I meant it in a sense that all your communications link/features might bug out. Just how you been experiencing. I dealt with countless cases of wireless communication via Bluetooth earpieces and handsets in my previous career. I know it's not the same scenario but same principle. Anything wireless will eventually need some form of troubleshooting. Not to mention the firmware on the IS F is rather outdated compared to new handsets coming out. Good luck!

LO 21

iTrader: (5)

I think we're have exact opposite understanding of what we think is the "normal" way the car/phone should be behaving haha.
I bolded your text above, which is the opposite of what I'm trying to accomplish, which is the following:

Calls work through the car's speakers via blutooth.
Sounds for EVERYTHING else (texts, emails, etc.) to come out of the phone

SoulFreak

iTrader: (1)

Lol, indeed we have. Basically, all you want to do is receive and make phone calls via Bluetooth, everything else via phone speakers...

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Disable all the other services, enable handsfree services only, and you should have what you are looking to achieve.

I don't disagree, Lexus bluetooth capability isn't nearly what some of the more modern devices have shown, but the development cycle for the automotive industry is nothing even remotely like the personal electronics industry. No one has died from a cell phone failing in an unpredictable way, but certainly people have died from automotive failures related to design deficiencies or inadequate testing, so the stuff we get in our cars is usually 3 - 4 year behind current technology. Lexus is actually slower than most at adopting new tech as well. Which is fine by me because I'm not a big fan of the expanding hardware abstraction footprint in modern cars, and even less enamored with cars being able to communicate over hostile networks like the Internet.

mikersoft

iTrader: (1)

Here here!

The combination of Internet connected vehicles and autonomous driving is still in its infancy & there have already been plenty of examples of potential problems, both from buggy software as well as malicious attacks. I'm certain the frequency of such incidents will only get worse before it gets better.

-Mike

LO 21

iTrader: (5)

Good idea, I'll try that. Where do I have an option of disabling these features? I don't see it in my iPhone's Bluetooth settings, so I'll check the car tonight.

whaler96

If you silence the ringer on your phone (with the button on the left side) you will get rid of the notification sounds and keep all other functionality including taking/making calls and streaming music.

LO 21

iTrader: (5)

Hey, thanks for your reply as well. But like before, that's not what I'm trying to accomplish.

I think I've done a poor job in expressing how I'd like the phone to function, which is as follows:
---phone calls function through the car's speakers via Bluetooth
---every other notification comes out of the phone's speakers

I WANT to be able to hear when I get a text message. Even with the phone's ringer ON, it tries to put all sounds through the car's speaker. But with audio output set to "radio", the sound doesn't come out of the speakers. It only comes out of the speakers when the car's audio output is set to "Bluetooth", which I never use since I'm always listening to the radio.