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Unable to receive phone calls thru car audio system using lightning charger and audio adapter .

I purchased a iPhone 8 recently. It’s the first iPhone I’ve owned without a headphone jack. I’ve always been able to make and receive phone calls through my car’s audio system using a y-adapter audio cable plugged into my headphone jack. For my iPhone 8, I purchased a lightning charger and audio adapter splitter so that I can charge my phone and continue using my car’s audio system for phone calls, GPS directions, etc. But it doesn’t work! I can only make and receive calls using the phone’s speaker. I can play music on my car’s audio system from my iPhone, but I can’t make or receive phone calls with the splitter. BUT I can make and receive calls on my car’s audio system with the lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter (dongle), but not with the splitter. I’ve used two different y-adapter audio cables, to no avail. I tried all of the “call audio routing” settings, to no avail. On one of the settings, I forgot which one, I could hear the caller, but they couldn’t hear me. I’m beginning to regret buying the iPhone 8. Life was a lot easier with my 4.5-year old iPhone SE (2015). Can anyone please help me?!!

iPhone 8

Posted on Feb 27, 2022 8:00 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 28, 2022 5:07 AM

Hello,

Yeah, those adapters and splitters alway seem to be problematic.

Instead, you should consider using Bluetooth and connect your phone wirelessly to your car. Most cars manufactured in the last 10 years should support Bluetooth:

How to connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your car - Apple Support

Set up and use Bluetooth accessories on iPhone

Note: you can still charge your phone with a cable while using Bluetooth for navigation etc.

Good luck.

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4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 28, 2022 5:07 AM in response to GrandmaDenver

Hello,

Yeah, those adapters and splitters alway seem to be problematic.

Instead, you should consider using Bluetooth and connect your phone wirelessly to your car. Most cars manufactured in the last 10 years should support Bluetooth:

How to connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your car - Apple Support

Set up and use Bluetooth accessories on iPhone

Note: you can still charge your phone with a cable while using Bluetooth for navigation etc.

Good luck.

Mar 1, 2022 2:52 PM in response to MrBill3

My 14-year old car does not have a USB input port, just the analog RCA red and white stereo audio inputs. For nearly 13 years I have been able to use a 3.5mm to RCA stereo audio cable to play music and make and receive phone calls hands-free on my iPhones through my car’s audio system. But the lightning charger and audio adapter splitter I bought after buying an iPhone 8 without a headphone jack does not support making and receiving phone calls through my car’s audio system. It plays the music, but does not allow me to have a phone conversation. I have spent countless hours over the past 5 days trying to resolve the problem caused when Apple got rid of the headphone jack. I’m so frustrated!

Unable to receive phone calls thru car audio system using lightning charger and audio adapter .

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