I am thinking about trading in my 98 Lexus GS 300 for a new 350. I have one question (actually 2) about the Bluetooth phone integration, which is very important to me in considering whether I want to just buy a Bluetooth earpiece or car kit for my 98 or consider upgrading to a new car.

Right now I have the Lexus portable phone and a Cingular account. Almost all of my calling is via 9 speed dial numbers. The number that I use most of all requires a long PIN sequence to be entered after the call is answered. This is easy currently since all I need to do is hit the send button on the phone, and it sends all of the pre-stored PIN digits from the built-in phone book. I do this while driving.

My question is exactly how is this done in the GS 350? Does this work -- again while driving -- and *which* buttons do I push. (I wish the manual was on-line so that I could just look it up. But the manual is only available on-line after you buy the car.) When I trade-in my GS, I'll get a new Cingular phone, so I can pick the best one to go along with the 350.

I *think* that what I want is called "Transmit DTMF tones using a stored number from the handsfree system's phonebook with the tones heard through the vehicles audio system" in lexusbluetooth.letstalk.com BUT I have no idea what sequences of key pushes cause these digits to be transmitted. Again, I'm only interested in something that can be done while in motion.


Also, one more question please. I read that you can NOT dial through the display while in motion (unless you do the nav mod), but CAN you dial through the phone while it's hooked into the Bluetooth while the car is in motion?

 

I don't think I can answer you first question, but for the last question, it is true that you can't dial on the screen while the car is going over like 5 mph. But yes, you can dial through your own phone, and it will send the signal to the bluetooth in the car and you will be able to talk through the car. You may not be able to dial through the car, but you can answer and hang up through the buttons on the screen or the buttons on the steering wheel.

For your first question, instead of looking for the manual online, you should just call a Lexus Dealership, and ask if you can be trasnfered to the tech/services department. I'm sure there gonna be able to answer your more specific questions.

 

I tried this. The question was too detailed for them. They knew how to answer the standard questions but not the more detailed/obscure ones. So I thought it would be better to ask some owner who has the manual and/or who knows the answer.

 

I currently am using Bluetooth and Speed Dial. I came across something in the manual called "Speed Tones" - I think this is what will work for you.

 

The manual section you copied shows how to enter a number into the speed dial list. What I want to know is, once I input a speed dial number that has a PIN code sequenece after it, how do I access it? Again, I think the manual calls it "Transmit DTMF tones." Probably I have to speed dial the number then hit the send or some other key to send the extra tones (prestored PIN codes.) I'm trying find out exactly what it is I have to do.

The reason I am asking is that this is important to me and might encourage me to just keep my current car if for some reason Lexus has dropped this feature or has implemented the use in some crazy way that is hard to do.

Thanks!

 

I think you just push a button like speed dial. Except you push it on the Speed tone screen.

 

The way this works you have to push buttons at least twice. Once to initiate the call and once again to send the second series (PIN tones) of tones after the call is answered.

In my 98 Lexus currently, you initiate the call via the off-hook button on the steering wheel and then you push the Send key on the phone itself once the call is answered to send the second set of tones for that speed dial number (the PIN or DTMF tones).

My question is what do I push while in motion on the 350? Do I push the speed dial on the speed dial screen (or is that grayed out during motion?), and, most important, what key do I have to push to send the send the second set of store tones for this number (the PIN or DTMF tones)? Thanks!

 

What I would do if I was you is go into a dealership with your phone and ask to play with the phone system. Ask for a Manual for a GS350 and try it for yourself. You should be able to figure it out in about 20 minutes.

 

I do not have a phone yet with Bluetooth and different phones with Bluetooth have different levels of integration with the 350 that's why I'm hoping someone can look my question up in their manual for me. It's ashame that Lexus only lets you look at the manuals on-line for their cars you currently own and have the VIN number for. Thanks.

 

Detailed questions like this are not in the manual! - They descibe a procedure, but to really get it to work you have to play with it!

I would call Lexus directly and ask for some techincal assistance. Eventually you'll get someone on the phone that is familar with it. Or borrow a bluetooth phone. You can sign up with T-Mobile for a pay as you go Razr with Bluetooth and try it free for 14 days. If it doesn't work at the dealership, take it back. No contract or anything!

 

Take a look at this site.

http://lexusbluetooth.letstalk.com/p...iew=1&model=GS

Once you look up a phone it will tell you how much actual compatablity is with each type of phone on the new lexus.

 

The best place for cellphone information that I know off is howardforums.com
They have one whole forum devoted to bluetooth. Check it out, join and ask.
Nothing to lose:
http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=201

 

I know and that's a good first step, but it doesn't define its own terms or tell how they can be accessed.

For example, what exactly does "Transmit DTMF tones using the phones keypad with the tones heard through the vehicles audio system," mean and what sequence of events would have to cause to make these tones be sent?

 

It's a little hard to explain. It is possible on almost any modern handheld cell phone to program in a variety of pause commands and DTMF tones. You should not have to manually press a key to send the extra tones necessary to navigate through a PBX, voice mail, etc. You would have to check the manual for your specific phone to see how to program pauses and DTMF tones. I can guarantee you that it is easy to do on most modern cell phones.

For example, when I speed or voice dial my corporate voice mail, my Nokia phone dials the number, pauses until the PBX answers, then sends the DTMF for voice mail, pauses, then sends the DTMF tones for my extension number, pauses, then sends my password, etc. All of this is done automatically and is a function of the phone and not my Nokia car kit.

I don't have a Lexus with Bluetooth but I would hope and assume that all phone numbers, including those with additional DTMF tones, would be uploaded from your Bluetooth phone to the Lexus Bluetooth system. The pauses and DTMF tones are just part of the phone number in the phones directory.

Am I correct in my assumption that you have an OEM navigation system in your 98 GS? If you don't have nav, there is not much reason to continue to use the old Lexus portable phone except to have the phone controls on the steering wheel.

If you want to keep your 98 GS, it is fairly easy to install an aftermarket phone kit - Bluetooth or hardwired - that would mute your radio when a call is in progress, automatically answer and hang up, voice and speed dial, etc. And, unlike the old Lexus portable phones, a modern phone would easily fit in your pocket. There have been several very good threads on this forum about installing a Bluetooth phone kit in a late 90's GS.

 

I bought an owner's manual (2007 GS350/430) so I could keep it and read up on everything. At $20, I considered it a bargin. I'm sure I'll learn a lot from it.

I love digging into things before I buy stuff, which is why, although I'm probably going to get a 2007 GS350 this summer, I'm also considering a GS 450h, an LS 460 and a 2008 GS350. I also considered but have rejected an IS350 since just felt too small when I was in the driver's seat.

I'm very happy with my 98 GS300, which I purchased new in Oct 1997, but I'm ready for a new car and my son will be taking my 98 off to college in the fall.