Level 1

35 points

iPhone 13 Pro loses bluetooth connection to car 2-8 minutes after starting a phone call

I recently purchased a new iPhone 13 Pro (then exchanged for an iPhone 13 Pro Max) to replace my iPhone XR. Here is the info on the problem I am seeing for your developers:

Hardware: iPhone 13 Pro Max, running iOS 15.0.2

Car: 2016 Toyota Avalon

Steps to reproduce:

Start Car
Allow phone to connect with car via bluetooth.
Start a phone call
Connection between the car and phone fails anywhere from 2-8 minutes after the call starts.
1. The phone call continues on the phone, but the car thinks the call has ended. After this point bluetooth functionality no longer works properly until I restart the car.

Other details:

- The phone has no issues playing bluetooth audio to the car. Issue only happens on phone calls.

- My old iPhone XR did not have this problem, but was not running iOS 15.

Steps I have taken to fix the problem:

Stopped/started bluetooth service on iPhone
Enabled then disabled Airplane mode on iPhone
Re-paired the iPhone to the car after forgetting bluetooth settings on both devices.
Restart iPhone
Force restart iPhone
Updated software on car
Reset all settings on iPhone
Disabled 5G (settings -> Cellular -> Cellular Data Settings -> Voice & Date = LTE)
Exchanged my iPhone 13 Pro for an iPhone 13 Pro Max, still have the issue

The iPhone is unusable for calls in my car which is really frustrating. Hopefully someone out there has seen something like this and has a solution/workaround. Or maybe this will make it to the developers and they can try and fix the issue.

iPhone 13 Pro Max, iOS 15

Posted on Oct 27, 2021 6:20 PM

Top-ranking reply

Salazar44

Level 1

12 points

Posted on Dec 13, 2021 3:17 PM

All,

I am happy to announce that Apple Support contacted me this morning to inform me of update 15.2. This update has fixed my problem so far. No more disconnects during phone calls in my Tundra.

Please do this update and post your results here.

Thank you Apple Support for listening to our feedback!

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Similar questions

315 replies

Dec 21, 2021 5:35 AM in response to Utrust

Can I ask are you using MagSafe anything while this issue is happening? I’m on my 3rd 13 pro max and same issue happens but it’s on any Bluetooth connection. AirPods, car Bluetooth, wireless speaker etc. It happens less when I don’t have the pop socket or MagSafe charger being used imo that’s all I got atm for diagnosing.

Jan 26, 2022 5:41 AM in response to mahcolo

I have the same car as you do (2010 XC60) and the problem started with iPhone 12 on iOS 14.4 and continues now with iPhone 13 up to iOS 15.2.1. I tested the unreleased iOS 15.3 and it got better (incoming calls works fine, can't make outgoing calls from the steering wheel, but it works if you start the call from iPhone display). The official 15.3 should be released this week, so let's see if it makes it to the final release. If not, I'm going back to the iPhone XS Max which I still keep, and it works just fine without issues for years on the same latest iOSes.

Feb 11, 2022 8:45 AM in response to Mr Future Mac

The last Apple update improved connectivity in my 2016 tundra. However, call still dropped at about 20 minutes which is better than the two or three minutes I got before. I also realized afterwards that I needed to update the Toyota software in my truck, which I did. We will see if that makes it 100% or not.

mahcolo

Level 1

12 points

Feb 11, 2022 3:21 PM in response to macaulayrebello03

I updated to 15.3; my phone now connects automatically, and I can make and receive a call. But…now my Bluetooth connection drops seemingly randomly and I have to reconnect phone to the car. Better than no handsfree at all but STILL not fixed, Apple.

Mar 8, 2022 10:24 AM in response to mahcolo

Ever since I upgraded to iOS 15.3, my I phone 13 pro seemed to pair ok with my 2017 Prius prime. I only post this after 3 weeks of trying. I am a physician and mostly I talked only less than 10 minutes.

guy154

Level 1

4 points

Jan 12, 2022 1:18 PM in response to guy154

Anyone who has this kind of problem should report it here: https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone/

Jan 23, 2022 9:51 AM in response to Sdunlow

Wait for 15.3 (should be released very soon as RC is already out) it fixed for me incoming calls in my Volvo (at least something). But outgoing calls are still hit and miss...

Jan 26, 2022 8:23 AM in response to mahcolo

It's not allowed to be written the word here (apple then deletes the reply). But let me try: you can participate and install iOS public "b e t a" on your iOS device. that's how I tried it.

Jan 26, 2022 10:15 AM in response to davidbenes

Official iOS 15.3 was just released! Anyone able to test it out? I will be able to test it out tomorrow.

Feb 11, 2022 8:48 AM in response to PattyG777

15.2 doesn’t work. But 15.3 may work

Mar 17, 2022 8:06 AM in response to pudgemo

15.4 seems to have solved my disconnection issues with my Audi.

May 10, 2022 11:59 AM in response to Angelady55

Call Apple, file a bug, run diagnostics with them, etc. I believe that’s what finally solved the problem for my 2012 Audi.

pudgemo Author

Level 1

35 points

Nov 8, 2021 7:43 PM in response to pudgemo

Today I ran another experiment. I still have my original (working) iPhone XR. I gifted it to my son when I upgraded to the iPhone 13 Max. Here is what I did:

Upgraded the iPhone XR to iOS 15.1
Connected the phone to my car
Drove around on a call with the iPhone XR connected

At no time did the iPhone XR disconnect or drop the call that I was on. I drove in many spots where the iPhone 13 Pro Max disconnected/dropped calls.

I plan on running a couple more controlled experiments on my iPhone 13 Pro Max over the next few days. One when connected to bluetooth in our other car (not a Toyota) and another in my Toyota but not moving. We'll see what happens.

Hopefully someone at Apple will see this thread and find this info helpful when trying to fix/recreate the issue.

DAV85D

Level 1

4 points

Dec 1, 2021 3:55 PM in response to DAV85D

To my understanding from engineering perspective, this is a Hardware issue rather then a Software issue, while iPhone X, iPhone XS & iPhone 11 with the same iOS 15.1.1 can connect to the Bluetooth and have no issue at all in other hand the latest flagship smartphone iPhone 13 Pro Max can’t do the same operation under the same iOS 15.1.1 then my first thought goes to Bluetooth cheap that can not handle the process.

Dear Apple I guess the chance is high that you have to open a recall program for those iPhone due to faulty Bluetooth cheap.

let’s hope for the best and I hope I’m wrong and is Software part and gets fixed soon.

Dec 3, 2021 3:05 AM in response to pudgemo

Since I updated my 12 Pro Max to iOS 15.1.1 I am not able to connect to Carplay anymore in my 2019 MINI Cooper through bluetooth or cable.

However, I kept my old iPhone 7 with iOS 14.5 and that works brilliantly :|

Since it worked flawlessly on any iOS 14 version with my 12 Pro max too, I believe it's an issue with iOS 15!

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iPhone 13 Pro loses bluetooth connection to car 2-8 minutes after starting a phone call