iPhone 5 Bluetooth issues with car

I have had this problem for months, reported it to Apple via phone and also on their website where they ask for bugs to be reported (forgot what it is called). Yesterday I had to go to an Apple store for genius help with the Do Not Disturb feature on my phone (seems it stopped working on January 1 and Apple has it as a known issue that is going to be repaired via an over-the-air fix to be sent out of January 7). I told the genius about the problem with Bluetooth not working properly in my 2011 Infiniti M and he could find nothing in Apple's database about such an issue with Infiniti vehicles or any other vehicles. Apple has apparently chosen to dismiss the reports of this issue and not include it in any troubleshooting databases its employees can access. Not sure if this is because they are not hearing about this from enough people or if there is some other reason. There are several websites with hundreds of individual reports each but it might be something that takes tens of thousands of reports in order to be given any credibility. I am resigned to using my phone in my car the way I did it almost 10 years ago...with the phone in my hand.

I wrote to Apple via email and really vented. A few days later I heard from someone in the executive staff. I explained the situation and she arranged to have an Apple engineer call me. He asked. Lot of questions and he told me he would elevate this to the engineering team. He told me that nothing in the upcoming iOS update will address this issue. I will post any info I get from them as I receive it. Good luck.

<Edited By Host>

Ira A, what is your issue with BT? There seems to be an issue that many people (including me) have on many different cars and brands where the phone pairs fine and makes outgoing calls fine, but when receiving a call, neither side can hear the other unless the call is answered on or transferred to the handset and then transferred back to the car or headset. If that is your problem I can confirm that at least for my phone and my car (2013 Infiniti G37x/Nav) the 6.1 Beta (2 and 3 at least, not certain if I ever got 4) fixed the issue. I've since received several calls with no issue and no Infiniti updates.

Note, I still have issues with Bluetooth streaming. I can always stream music, but often I don't have any track info on the car's screen and can't skip tracks. Seems to work perfectly 100% of the time if I turn off the car while in BT Audio Mode or switch to BT Audio immediately on startup so that it is in that mode when the car connects to the phone. But it is spotty if the car connects to the phone while on a different audio source. Far as I can tell, Beta did nothing to help this issue. Still other people have a problem pairing in the first place, which I have no idea if 6.1 will address.

For what it's worth, when I contacted Apple tech support about my issue with receiving calls back in October, the tech I talked to on the phone was aware of the issue and told me that Apple was aware and was going to try to fix the problem since it was an issue accross so many brands. It seems that everyone gets different answers depending on to whom they speak.

I have the same issue with my 2010 Nissan Maxima with factory nav. Pairs fine, outgoing calls fine, incoming calls do not properly connect. I don't know about the music streaming as I have an older iPod connected in the console via the USB port. I hope when the 6.1 is released to the public it helps but the engineer told me that he knows of nothing in the update that will resolve it. Also, if I'm stopped or going slowly I can receive a call at times. There are many vehicles discussed on this topic but I think the prevailing issues are with Honda/Acura and Nissan/Infiniti most with navigation.

2013 Honday CR-V no navigation. All bluetooth features OK except receiving calls. The call must be answered on the phone and then transferred to the car.

Thanks Ira I sent the following note to Mr Cook. Hopefully this is fixed ASAP before God forbid one of us is seriroulsy injured or killed, let alone ticketed for using our phone handheld.

Dear Mr. Cook,

I am a big fan of Apple products starting with my first iPod years ago through several iPhones, iPad, etc.

My iPhone 4 worked great even when upgraded to IOS 6 in my older Infiniti M35 and my current 2012 Infiniti M37. Then I got my iPhone 5 which I love except for one MAJOR problem. The phone pairs with my car fine. I can place calls fine. However when I receive calls the Bluetooth disconnects. I have followed various boards with hundreds of other people complaining about the identical problem with other cars although primarily Infiniti, Nissan, Honda and Acura. The only work around is to answer the call on the iPhone and then transfer it back to the Bluetooth. Needless to say this defeats the purpose, is VERY dangerous and illegal in many states.

My iPhone is currently running 6.02. I have heard rumors that there may be a fix in 6.1 or 6.2 whenever they may come out, but only rumors.

I have been in contact with Apple and Infiniti with no success. Apple claims they are unaware of the issue. Infiniti now states they are aware and are working to resolve. In the meantime every Apple iPhone 5 owner who answers their phone this one is putting their lives in jeopardy. What is Apple doing to fix this? Hopefully it will be fixed before someone God forbid is seriously injured or killed because of your flawed product.

Thank you.

This is an apple problem - they are the common denominator. It is disgusting that they know this is their problem and will not admit to it. Someone is going to get killed looking down at their phone trying to transfer the call back to the car. I will never buy another apple product and would love to return my IPhone 5. This kind of response will be Apples downfall.

Someone choosing to use their mobile device and getting killed is hardly the responsibilty of the handset maker. At some point personal responsibilty and common sense must dictate one's actions.

@PNutts

Actually, a manufacturer that produces a product that contains a defect that the manufacturer either (a) knew, or (b) could have reasonably foreseen, would result in injury or fatality to users is in fact legally liable in the U.S., both criminally and civilly. This is the usual "negligence" standard in U.S. law. And the foregoing doesn't even assume that the manufacturer is liable under the so-called "strict liability" standard, where proof of knowledge or foreseeability are not even required to hold a manufacturer liable, only that the product was defective in some fashion. The strict liability standard applies most often in consumer products situations, where there are such a disparate states of knowledge and resources to correct a problem. I haven't spent the time to research wether the strict liability standard would apply to this issue (it's a question of each state's law), but my hunch is that it does. I note that California, Apple's home, is the most aggressive state in the U.S. in holding manufacturers to a strict liability standard.

An example of strict liability laws in action, analogous to that which may apply to the iPhone, is the typical Nav system consent/warning screen found in cars -- with its disclaimers and instructions that the system shouldn't be used while moving. It's the strict liability laws that make these screens advisable for manufacturers, however "dumb" they may seem.

In this case, it's not even challenging for a reasonably competent plaintiff's lawyer: Apple advertises that the iPhone 5 works with Bluetooth systems, including those in cars, yet it knows, to a certainty, that its phones do not work correctly, and will lead to fumbling around and distraction, by hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of car drivers. Inevitably, some of those car drivers will be involved in crashes, and Apple has done nothing to warn the public. That's a case I'd be tempted to take myself, if I was a litigator. (And yes, I am in fact a lawyer. But just a corporate lawyer. :-)). Heretofore, Apple has been making products -- computers, displays, peripherals, iPods that don't lend themselves to strict liability tort claims. Proof of defect or harm is difficult to prove. But as the iPhone becomes a central feature of how people use their 3,000 lb. hurtling missiles known as cars, that may be about to change . . . . Have you heard of the case of the woman who put a cup of over-heated McDonalds coffee between her legs at the drive-thru? It spilled; she sued and won. It may sound dumb, but there was evidence at trial that McDonald's made its coffee much hotter than the standard and knew about the possibility (hundreds of prior spill incidents reported to the company) and ignored it. A cautionary tale. Apple are you listening?

HAGlaser I second this.

<Edited by Host>

You know something I find really interesting: When we call Apple to complain about this problem, most of us have talked to Apple customer service reps who say they have never heard about it and have no internal documentation that there is any problem with the Iphone 5 compatibility with the bluetooth systems in our cars. On the other hand, Ira A and I both have had our posts on this forum edited by "the Host" whoever that is when we have posted email addresses or phone numbers of Apple employees. Therefore there is someone at Apple who has read all 21 web pages of our complaints about this problem and our pleading with Apple to fix it. So for them to pretend it doesn't exist is ridiculous. And I spoke to a senior advisor 3 weeks ago who fessed up to the problem, but had no idea when, if or how they were going to fix it.

Here is my solution. My car answers the call when I am driving slowly. So when the phone rings I slow down as much as I can depending on where I am. So far that is allowing me to answer the call through the bluetooth in the car. But of course that is just as dangerous as what everyone else is doing.

My infiniti m37 won't answer the phone in park, can't slow down any slower than that 😟

Since neither one of us are Product Liability Lawyers all we can do is have a good discussion. What should be considered is that in this scenario the phone does not have an unreasonably dangerous defect that causes injury when used as intended. Meaning, taking a call on the phone and transferring to handsfree is intended use and does not itself cause injury. Also, in this case the missing feature (handsfree) does not itself cause injury. If you choose to take the call by hand while driving, the law in my state is quite clear that you are Distracted Driving(a Primary Law where you can be ticketed without any other violation taking place).

If someone tries to make the argument in court that Apple is liable because of an accident while answering a phone using the phone instead of the handsfree, that is going to be problematic in a number of ways. Most importantly, assuming the phone is deemed defective (unlikely), knowingly using a defective product significantly reduces the liability of the defective product. Additionally, the accident was caused while using functionality of the phone that is not defective (transferring a call to handsfree) and the fact that it was used as an alternative to a missing feature isn't relevant.

I believe a reasonable person knowing their handsfree doesn't work would not engage in risky behavior (answering the phone while driving) that could lead to the extreme examples in this thread. But if they choose to and have an accident while committing a traffic violation I don't agree that the phone is primarily responsible.

Anyway, just my $.02. It's good to hear other folk's opinions.

So the store had to reset your device and we will then need to make an appt to have this done? I am willing to try. I have a 2013 CRV and have had this issue for 3 months now. My work-around is to just call people back but then I may have a smaller contact list than many of you. Thank you for this insight.

I did try, as one or two have, to wipe the iPhone 5 entirely clean and start again.

After wiping it clean and installing nothing while working with ios 6.0.2, it continues to do the same thing (not allow answering of calls on the bluetooth in a 2013 Infiniti M37).

As one poster aptly noted, it is not as though Apple doesn't know of this problem (because they monitor this board and delete posts they don't like; see edited by host notes in various posts), they just refuse to admit it publicly or provide its customers with any update or information they are working on it.

Whoever at Apple decides it is better to not keep its customer base up to date is an idiot. Since when is that a good business practice?

I expect this will be "edited" as well by Big Brother.