While I'm being thread-start happy here...

I have a 2015 RX350 with Nav. I've paired my phone to the system, and it rings in the car (and mutes the radio) when a call comes in. HOWEVER, if I answer the call on my phone (rather than through the car's audio), the radio continues to play rather than being muted. This is particularly annoying because I have to turn off the radio hurriedly. The car still knows the call is going on, because the call timer/etc appears on the Nav screen.

Is there any option to mute the radio while the call is in progress, if the call is answered on the phone itself?! I've watched videos and read manuals and searched forums. Mostly what you find is "here's how to answer a call with your car."

If there were a mute button, or a way to fast-mute the radio from the steering wheel, that'd do for me - but I can't find that either. Pressing/holding the volume down button doesn't do it. Neither does double/triple pressing it. I read somewhere that double-pressing the Play/Pause on the dash will do it... but I don't seem to find a Play/Pause button on the dash!

First-world problem to be sure. But my buddy's 2015 Ford Fusion with Sync does this effortlessly. Was hoping for at least parity in the RX!

 

Sync 3 is light years ahead of any Lexus/Toyota infotainment system. You may be out of luck on this issue.

 

Long press the "MODE" button located just under the steering wheel volume controls will mute the radio.

I use it all the time. Short press of the Mode button changes the mode of the radio, but a longer press will mute the radio.

Another long press will unmute it

 

I will try it!! Thanks! I KNEW there had to be a way!

 

I'm curious about why you answer calls on your phone instead of pressing the off-hook button on the steering wheel. I've never found a reason to do what you are doing.

 

Well, open-air sound quality is not necessarily the best - especially in Texas where it is 100 degrees and the AC is blasting. Depending on who I'm speaking with, sometimes sound quality on the call is important (hearing-impaired parents, business call, etc), so I will use the handset itself or a separate bluetooth earpiece.

 

I don't remember what I was driving -- it wasn't our 3RX -- but it lowered the AC fan speed for calls which was handy.

 

At least some Lexus vehicles up to around 2004 (e.g. all model years of the LS400) that had dealer installed Lexus phone systems automatically lowered the HVAC fan speed during calls. The noise cancellation features of modern vehicle Bluetooth phone systems make that less necessary.