Bluetooth died with update to MacOS Ventura and Bluetooth Controller will not power back on

Hello all,

I have a 2018 Mac Mini that has luckily never had a bluetooth issue. I made the mistake of installing Ventura the day it was released (I normally wait a few weeks to let someone else figure out/get terrorized by all the weird one-off bugs). From the moment Ventura was installed the bluetooth has been "off". Clicking the bluetooth toggle in any of the numerous locations like the menu bar and system preferrences shows that bluetooth is trying to start (little spinning icon but it never switches to "on")

I have tried all the workarounds like rolling back to Monterey (still dead), reset the SMC, and reset the NVRAM, sudo pkill bluetoothd and blueutil to try and power on bluetooth. BlueUtil shows the power state as 255 but the BlueUtil documentation gives two options: 0 is off and 1 is on. I also ran Apple Diagnostics and it gave the ADP000 all clear.

I opened the system report and the following is shown for the Bluetooth controller.

Bluetooth Controller:

Address: NULL

State: Off

Chipset: BCM_4350C2

Discoverable: Off

Firmware Version: v0 c0

Product ID: 0x0001

Supported services: 0x382039 < HFP AVRCP A2DP HID Braille AACP GATT Serial >

Transport: UART

Vendor ID: 0x004C (Apple)

Any insights?

-Michael

Mac mini, macOS 12.6

Posted on Oct 27, 2022 1:12 PM

Best reply

MikeontheMike Author

Level 1

17 points

Posted on Oct 31, 2022 4:27 PM

Hello,

I do not have the same options on os Ventura. I had an extensive call with Apple Support and they said there were a lot of reports of this issue. They took a data dump and their engineering team is working on it.

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68 replies

Nov 18, 2022 8:26 AM in response to annadesign

This doesn't provide you with a solution, but my tracker, mouse and keyboard seems to be working ok again (I have a Mac Mini). All that I've done since the Ventura upgrade is have a session with Josh in Texas who logged the instances where I had lag, stutter and diconnection of the three apple devices. I was told to contact the UK Support line by Josh.

AlI got from them was the brush off from the UK 0800 support number. They said I should go back to Josh, who told me to go back to the UK support....... I've not had time to do so. But its seems to be working. Sorry. I just hope it continues working.

Nov 19, 2022 12:08 PM in response to MikeontheMike

Touching bases. Total silence from Apple this week. Not sure if it was Josh but a guy who wasn’t part of support had me do a data capture so they can see what’s up. Haven’t heard from actual support since the week before.

Apple,

Anything happening here? I feel like I wasted a ton of money on the Apple Magic Keyboard, Apple trackpad, AirPods, HomePods and a MacMini.

What is the plan? I’m a recent Apple convert but it looks like I drank the wrong cool-air. Any plans for fixing your broken ecosystem?

This is disappointing because there is now NO resale value in my Mac mini. Not even sure if replacing the logic board would work as this sounds like software will kill the new one.

Michael

Nov 22, 2022 9:27 AM in response to MikeontheMike

Apple just called.

The engineering team determined that I have a hardware failure. They could not be specific as to what. It just happened to occur at the time of Upgrade NOT because of the upgrade. (I should have bought a lottery ticket! What a coincidence!)

They set an appointment for me to go to an Apple store and PAY to have it fixed.

It sounds like everyone needs to get ready to feel the hurt. Sounds like Apple is sweeping this issue under the rug and ignoring it instead of acknowledging it.

Nov 22, 2022 9:31 AM in response to MikeontheMike

This is not the correct answer. It is clearly a software issue as others have exact same problem at upgrade. I would not bother going to apple as you will waste your time.

Call again and demand a better answer.

dgtlptry

Level 1

8 points

Nov 22, 2022 12:15 PM in response to MikeontheMike

Guess its time to ask media for "help". This seems to be very interesting for big tech mags around the globe. Start informing EU-Media today....please do the same overseas. We sadly have to be loud to be heard by Apple!

Nov 23, 2022 7:08 PM in response to MikeontheMike

Be ready. They did a bunch of diagnostics in store and told me the Bluetooth module had failed. My apple are expired two years ago so they said it would be $410! They ended up cutting me a deal for 50% off the cost of repair. They said there is no documented issues with this so far to be able to take care of it completely. I am having them do the repairs. (Have to wait a week for them to get the replacement before are in before they can fix it. It’s not like it’s doing anything sitting on my desk in a pile of cables to plug everything in.) I can at least sell it for more than $200 when it is fixed and try and get my money back. I’m not waiting for another upgrade to brick it again.

Very disappointed right now and not sure if I am buying any more apple products

Nov 23, 2022 9:09 PM in response to MikeontheMike

this is ridiculous .

If I’ll be asked to pay for fixing it then I’m moving to android and windows with Linux on partitions permanently. At least I’ll save lot of money on hardware and repairs .

this is an absurd when hundreds or thousands of people experience a failure due to system update and the company responsible is telling them that hardware “seems to be breaking at exact moment of mentioned update”. 😡

Nov 27, 2022 7:07 AM in response to MikeontheMike

Hi Mike, I just received the same message (to bring computer in for hardware issue). This is so unacceptable. I am a proud apple owner and have owned apple products since they first came out. This situation is extraordinarily disappointing. How can everyones hardware fail at this install?

I am wondering if they were able to fix your issue? Did you get your computer back yet?

Nov 27, 2022 7:25 AM in response to MikeontheMike

Hi there,

Apple said it will take a week to get the new logic board in and then another few days to install. For that I get the pleasure of Paying for the repair as well.

At this point I am not buying Apple products anymore. If they aren’t willing to fix what they break then I am going elsewhere.

Fun fact. Since OS Mojave we have not been able to use external Bluetooth dongles if the Macs Bluetooth module fails! On a OC I could go spend $20 for one and be back in business. Apples model looks like they built the “trap” where you either pay up for a proprietary fox performed by them or take the hit and stop buying Apple. It hurts. When everything works right it is seamless but one little thing and the who house of cards fails. In/near my desk (and Mac mini) Apple Magic Keyboard, apple trackpad, AirPods, HomePod, Apple TV and most of it became worthless in one Upgrade to Ventura.

Hoping Apple comes to their senses before I have to pay the repair bill. I’m paying to get it fixed and will probably sell it while it is “new” as I have very little confidence in Apple products at this point.

I would happily be paying a repair if the Bluetooth died when I dropped the laptop or one day it just stopped working but for an UPGRADE TO A CURRENT OS kills Bluetooth and many people are reporting the issue then it was a hardware failure caused by poor software design and testing. Are they purposely killing Intel Macs so we have to buy new Apple M series Macs?

Nov 27, 2022 7:31 AM in response to MikeontheMike

Thanks for reply. It is clearly a failure on their part. I am looking at buying a replacement. When I first reported this issue and told "senior advisor" I was ready to be a new mac, he laughed and said, "oh you don't have to go that far, we will help you fix it." Ha! My computer works just fine. I dont need to buy a new mac. As you said, the update causes a failure. We should all be fairly compensated for repair. Is it a bluetooth card that needs replacing or a whole logic board?

https://www.macpartsdepot.com/922-9867-board-bluetooth-27-inch-a1312-imac-mid-2011.html?utm_campaign=18110094187&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=&utm_term=&adgroupid=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAsoycBhC6ARIsAPPbeLvC_kARLEYNbvlp_3jVqbp9rum812pB6s6SoVxeQV8RXqvsQjsAu2oaAg-5EALw_wcB

Dec 5, 2022 3:50 AM in response to MikeontheMike

Has anyone tried to downgrade back to Monterey to see if bluetooth works still under the previous OS version as it did before we all upgraded? That would prove beyond any doubt that this is not a hardware issue.

Dec 5, 2022 6:25 AM in response to MikeontheMike

Hello,

I tried both a Time Machine backup and a full restore and it did not fix it. For me the upgrade to Ventura caused a hardware failure. Unfortunately Apple said that since I don’t have Applecare anymore it is my responsibility even though it happened as a result of an Upgrade.

Dec 5, 2022 6:29 AM in response to MikeontheMike

Got my mini back. The Bluetooth module failed on the logic board and required a full logic board replacement ($400). Oddly there is a shortage of logic boards for Mac mini’s right now. I wonder how many people went straight to Apple before I did all my diagnostics and got all the logic boards. Oddly Apple gave me a 10g replacement as they did not have any 1g Ethernet boards left! Apple still made me pay even though there are tons of people having this Bluetooth failure issue.

Does anyone know how to appeal this or have a contact at media like MacRumors?

fcomau

Level 1

8 points

Dec 5, 2022 8:57 AM in response to MikeontheMike

As you said, Apple get back to me saying is a problem with the logic board, they asked me to pay for the new logic board and all the repair costs. I really don't have the money to pay for a new logic board and especially if it's their fault. I will buy a mouse and a keyboard that can connect to a wireless receiver. This is really disappointing, especially when apple brags about its customer support. I hope a new upgrade repairs the issue but at this time I'm more afraid that something else is going to break.

Dec 5, 2022 8:30 PM in response to Sparky1511

I haven’t tried but I have ssd from my MacBook Pro with Catalina on it. I fired up my Mac mini from external drive with Catalina and it says “Bluetooth unavailable” as if there was no physical device or firmware for it. 🤷‍♂️

Bluetooth died with update to MacOS Ventura and Bluetooth Controller will not power back on