Looking at the manual I see that SMS messages can be read through the nav screen. The messages icon on my nac screen/phone screen is greyed out. I don't see any settings to enable this feature, despite references to it in the manual. I have an iPhone5. Can anyone shed some light on this?
EDIT: A search turned up this tidbit. I'll give it a go in the morning on my way to work.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...-messages.html

 

You might need to enable Bluetooth Notifications in your iPhone's Bluetooth settings for your car's profile.

 

That's what I found out in the above linked thread. Thanks. I'll be trying it out in a few.

 

Enabling BT messaging on my phone caused the messaging options and settings to appear in the nav screens, however no messages will load there. What else do I have to do to get the messages to go from the phone to the car? Also I see something about the email registered to the phone in the owner's manual. It seems that both SMS and email can be accessed in the nav.

 

OP, worst case if folks here can't help, remember that you can make FREE use of a Technology Specialist at your dealer who can walk you through how to use features and help with things like these connectivity challenges. It's their job to help owners out.

I would offer a suggestion how to do this myself, but I'm one of those odd-***** that tries to completely disconnect from text/email when I'm in my car, so have never enabled the function on my present iPhone6. IIRC from old threads on this same problem, resolution was based on settings on the Phone as Litzdog911 was suggesting -- BUT -- some older phones do not have either the iOS and/or Bluetooth profiles that allow them to actually talk to the Lexus headunit... Look in the owners manual to see if it states what the minimum supported phone is -- that may provide a clue, or do a few more searches and perhaps you'll find that old thread I seem to remember, or as I suggested, hit up your Technology Specialist. It's a good business card and number to keep in your contact list for the future.

 

I will be attending a new owner's even next Thursday at the dealer. Taking your advice I dug deep on the enform site. I finally found that only inbound messaging is available on my iPhone. I cannot return text messages using the mouse. Being able to receive them both on the screen ad audibly is a nice feature. It seems that I discover a new feature, and/or lean something new, everyday. This RX450H has turned out to be one of the most satisfying vehicles I've owned in over a decade.

 

Not sure, you may be able to reply using SIRI.

 

Yes I saw that. How do I activate Siri? A long press of the talk button? That was it on my previous vehicle. I've never actually used it, but now might be a good time to try it out.

 

Yes a long press of the start button will activate Siri. I just received my first text message over the NAV screen. Have not tried Siri yet.

 

I have not tried Siri either. Thanks for info. Reading/listening to messages is only the first half for me. If I can't reply, it's very frustrating.

 

With my '13h and iPhone 5s, I use Siri to both listen to, and answer, text messages.

1) enable Siri (Settings, General, Siri, Siri and Allow "Hey Siri")
2) ensure that your phone is connected with your car (I believe you're making calls thru it, so I'm assuming that all's well thus far).
3) plug phone into power (Hey Siri works only when the phone is being supplied power - because it takes a significant drain on the battery/system).

To operate:

When a text message comes in (announced by the car navigation/radio) simply:
1) push radio off (so you can talk to Siri without the radio causing "noise" and interfering with your spoken command(s) - I find this admonition optional, as I can and have successfully commanded Siri even with the radio on and playing).
2) speak: "Hey Siri, Read Texts" - after which, Siri will tell you how many (unread/new) texts you have - and from whom they were sent.
3) upon reading the first text, Siri will ask if you wish to reply; if yes, say "yes", wait for her to ask what you want to say, say it, and then she will read the draft of your reply to you -- after which you will be able to say "send" or "cancel" - or likely another command -- but you're on your own to figure out what is available (let me know); if now, then say "no" - upon which, Siri will continue with the next new message.


Tidbits:
- You may affect a change in volume by turning the volume control on the radio while Siri speaks.
- It is counter-intuitive, but the radio need not be on - ever - during this process
- If you use the car's text reading function for a message, it will no longer be a "new" text message; and Siri won't play it for you if asked.
- I have not been able to reply to a text message using the car's function - same as you have found - and this is despite the ability to apparently enable and even add/edit the reply text messages.
- I find that it is easy to use the navigation controler to quickly listen to a message; however, when a string of messages come in, they playback in LIFO - which is a PITA; therefore, if/when only one message comes in, I may decide to quickly play it thru the car's system. When a series of messages come in, I find asking Siri to read them more convenient.

I just returned from a 1,700 mile five-day trip (with a side trip thru the Tail of the Dragon - but that's another article) - and used Siri to carry on multiple conversations while on the road.

I'm sitting watching DWTS, am not in the car to double-check my process (above), and have possibly left out some hugely important item that will prevent you from successfully following my path -- but, then again...


...mebbe not.


Added: Yup, Forgot one:

To send a text (my S.O.'s nickname is "Princess") to my S.O.:
1) say "Hey Siri, Send Text to Princess"
2) Siri replies with "what would you like to say to Deborah XXXXX (her hame as it is in the phonebook)?
3) "I'll be home in ten minutes" (be sure to be quick and not try to insert any pauses, as Siri is impatient)
4) Siri will read back the message and ask if I'd like to send it, for which I'll then reply one of:
5) "Yes" or "Cancel" (if the message didn't get translated as I wished.

Note that all of these instructions above are without touching the phone -- EXCEPT if the screen is off, Siri will say "You must first unlock your iPhone". I have my phone on a suction mount on the windscreen to the left of my steering wheel - and my iPhone has the fingerprint key - so I use my left thumbprint to open/unlock my phone. That is the only time I need to touch the phone for any process above.

I'm rooting for Rumor (we're watching a taped copy of DWTS).
Lemme know.

 

Thanks for the detailed instructions!

 

This is not the case. There seems to be now way to activate SIri using the voice command system in the car. My sales rep/Tech Specialist confirmed this as well. It seems that using "hey Siri", which I've not tried yet, is the only way.

 

Not the only way.

In addition to my lengthy post above, note that by pushing the button on the phone and waiting for it to "bing", you can then tell the phone to "call Joe Blow" or "send Text to Sue" or "What time is it", or "give me directions to walmart", etc - just as you'd do with your phone normally. This means that you could have the phone at your side in the cup holder, not need to look at it, and still use the phone's commands after pushing the button and getting its attention.

One thing that I omitted from my earlier post is that, in all cases, the car's microphone and car's speakers are in use -- not the phone's.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I'll give that a try.