Often I forget to turn on my iPhone's Bluetooth until after I am rolling. When that happens, the car doesn't "grab" the signal. I have to jump thru the menu hoops to manually connect the phone. Am I missing something easier?

 

I just leave the Bluetooth on all the time.

 

Agreed and never turn off BT. Connects instantly after starting the vehicle.

 

While that information is helpful, I don't think that is what op is looking for. I used to keep bluetooth off as well to save battery life but have noticed it doesn't quite save as much as you would think.

I do normally keep my bluetooth on as well, but I will test it out when I get a chance to see if mine will automatically connect without manually going through the menus and connecting it.

 

This. It's about the battery

 

I have been told that the car only searches for a signal for the first 10 minutes of driving. After that, you'll need to go to Setting > Bluetooth > Select car from list, on your iPhone.

 

Today's BT uses very little battery and is not really worth turning it off. BT goes into very low power mode when not being used on my iPhone.

 

Quicker is to go to phone/connect. If you want/need audio you can go to
audio/BT/connect. I usually do not realize the phone is off until I am going
for the music LOL.

 

I just turn off the car and then turn on bluetooth on phone and then turn on the car again. Faster than searching for connect button on Navi screen and then waiting for it to connect. Which takes ages to connect if you choose to go through the menus and sometimes it just refuses to connect. Turn off the car and on again will connect instantly.

 

Yes, in the end the easiest thing to do is to wait for the next red light or stop sign and restart the car.

There are a few things like this that should be easy-breasy dashboard "one touch" buttons. The DUAL temperature off thing is another one. Another is an AC ON/AC OFF thing. Too many menus to do simple stuff like this that are used frequently

 

We charge our phones in the kitchen near the garage. Kathy will
park in the garage and bring in her phone and plug in the charger.
I stroll out and fire up the car and am greeted with the pleasant
"Bluetooth Connection Successful". What is connected is her phone
inside on the charger!
By the time I reach the end of the driveway it has dropped but there
is no notification. First thing I know I'm getting a call...in my pocket!

BTW daryll40, you can not restart a hybrid unless it is in park, no rolling
restarts in neutral as with a conventional IC. I don't know why it is set
up this way.

 

We have a similar issue. We have TWO Lexus RX's...wife's is a 2015 and mine is a 2016. Sometimes I come home and haven't finished a call so I'll chat in the driveway, using Bluetooth, for a few minutes before ending the call and shutting off the car. If wife happens to get into her car, nearby in the two car garage, and start the engine, the call will jump to her car, since I have my phone paired with both cars (I drive her car sometimes). At that point the only way to pull the call back is to bring the call back to the phone (not my car's bluetooth). I have to be careful when taking to my mistress

 

Notice that if you turn off the car during a call it will default back to the phone
and not disconnect the call. Different technique (doesn't solve our original
situation) is to tap the Start/Stop button while the car is still in gear. This will
shut off the motor but leave the car is Accessory Mode with bluetooth connected.
Be sure to tap Start/Stop one more time with your foot off the brake to fully
shut off the car. Be sure not to text the mistress...leaves a paper trail...LOL

 

Also in my old Lexus and recent Toyota cars, if you were talking on Bluetooth and arrived home, you could continue the call on Bluetooth after shutting down the ignition without losing the Bluetooth connection. To do this, you have to shift to neutral before shutting off the engine. Then after shutting it down, you can shift to park and the call will continue on Bluetooth with the engine off. I assume this works in this new RX but I have not tried it yet.

 

Instead of restarting the car, just hold down the radio power button for a few seconds. It will reboot the system, even while driving.