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Bluetooth for iPhone 6 still won't pair with my car after iOS 8.1 update

So frustrated. I assumed that Apple knew about the problem and that iOS 8.1 would fix what is clearly a very common/widespread issue. Bluetooth is not exactly a new technology... how is it that Apple creates a highly advanced phone, but it can't make a 10-15 years-old technology work?


I never had any issues with my 5S, but my iPhone 6 has not been able to pair with the Bluetooth in my 2011 Mini Cooper since the day I got it (no phone or BT audio). The 8.1 update has had zero effect on the sequence of events that occur when I try to pair my phone. The car has no problem recognizing the phone, and I can see the car listed under Bluetooth devices, and when I select the car from the list of devices on the phone, the screen to enter the pairing code comes up on my car display. The problem is that the phone never gives me the code to enter into the car display.

I have tried all the "tricks" people have used to get their BT to work (deleting all phones from car, resetting all phone settings, renaming the phone, etc). Nothing works for me. I really don't want to have to get rid of my 6, but since Apple has never publicly acknowledged the problem, I have no way of knowing if this is ever going to be fixed.

Really disappointed in you Apple. This is my 3rd iPhone, and you're about to lose a loyal customer if you don't get this sorted out very soon.

Posted on Oct 21, 2014 1:16 PM

Reply
24 replies

Jun 18, 2017 9:54 AM in response to barney126

Had this with VW Golf, fixed it now. On the iPhone, turn off wi-fi. and to Bluetooth in Settings. On car, search for phones. When it shows the iPhone, press OK. A four number pin should appear (seems to be 0000 by default - I have no idea how to change this). The iPhone should prompt for the pin so enter 0000. They should pair. Eventually.

Oct 22, 2014 10:33 AM in response to barney126

Ever since I've upgraded to iPhone 6 my phone has not paired correctly with my 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek. I have to manually connect it each time and even then the hands free phone call technology only seems to work half the time. I brushed off the inconvenience thinking they would fix this issue in the next version of iOS. I just upgraded last night and found that I still have the same bluetooth issues this morning. It's starting to get really irritating now.

Nov 19, 2014 2:53 PM in response to barney126

Hey Apple, any update on a fix for this?! I've been pairing phones since 2007 with my Lexus is250 and never had any issues until now.

Updated to iOS 8.1; didn't help.

Reset network settings; didn't help.

Deleted all old phones from car; didn't help.

Tried to pair with wi-fi off; didn't help.

Renamed my phone; didn't help.

Not sure what the issue is but clearly there's a problem for multiple customers, time to step up with a solution!

Nov 22, 2014 2:57 PM in response to eacamp

I spoke with a Senior Tech at Apple and he said I have tried everything he knows to do and was going to research it further. I decided to try one more time and when I did I noticed a button for my cars Bluetooth which said "restore to default settings". Being desparate, I pushed it and said "yes" to continue. Didn't look like it did anything on my car's screen, but then I tried to pair it again and it finally worked. Good luck!!

Dec 26, 2014 9:02 PM in response to barney126

The same problem here. iPhone 6 with iOS 8.1.2 and bmw 328i 2013 with latest Bluetooth update doesn't pair. The phone will see the car in bluetooh settings but fails to connect. Based on apple tech support I did the following:

1. powered thr phone down and back on- no help

2. Removed all other phones from iDrive- no help

3. Tried with wi if off - no help

4. Reset network settings- no help

5. Restored my phone entirely to factory settings- no help

The phone can pair to other Bluetooth devices and the car can pair with iphone 4 running iOS 7 no problem. my wife's iphone 6 won't pair with my car either.

I sure hope apple is still working to correct this!

Dec 28, 2014 7:40 AM in response to barney126

I'm having same problem. After one week all of a sudden my Iphone 6 won't hold the Plantronics bluetooth. I'll connect it and then in a couple of minutes the device will inform me that it's been disconnected.


Reading all these WIFI and Bluetooth connectivity problems on the community boards is astounding. How could Apple not have figured it out after all these months. Maybe it's impossible and so they've sold a defective product that is unfixable. That would be a HUGE problem for them, not to mention me!

Jan 1, 2015 7:34 AM in response to Eye Fixr

IT WORKS!


Ok, I'm not sure what happened but now my phone pairs with my BMW iDrive system.


The one thing I did since my last post was to remove the last update in installed from BMW "UPD01008.bin" - there is an option in system-> software update to remove latest update. Anyway it took me to an older version of the blue tooth software. I'm going to try to update the BMW software to the latest again and see if that kills the connection but at least it works now...


Hopefully it continues to work...

Jan 1, 2015 7:37 AM in response to barney126

I have learned that you need to assign the bluetooth paring code your self. So when you go through the process and you are given the option to enter digits for a paring code, go ahead and pick a code- say "0000" or "1111" or whatever..


Then your phone will prompt you for the same code- use the same one you put into the car and you should be good to go. At least that how it works on the BMW and it think Cooper has basically the same system.


Good luck and happy paring

Bluetooth for iPhone 6 still won't pair with my car after iOS 8.1 update

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