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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

Jan 7, 2015 1:53 PM in response to Eye Fixr

I had an iphone 5 paired with my 2013 BMW 328i since I have had the car and even had my ipad 2 paired as well. Both had IOS 8.1.2 and was working fine. When I upgraded to and iphone 6+ and and ipad air 2, they also had IOS 8.1.2 and were working in the BMW. I made the mistake of deleting the older devices from bluetooth and suddenly all devices disappeared and will not pair again. Like you said, when trying to pair, the screen on the car lets me select a 4 digit paring number and I also can enter this on the iphone. The phone shows it's connected but the BMW screen verifies the passcode and then says its connecting. After 3 minutes, the screen says it couldn't pair the device and tells me to go to the BMW website on bluetooth devices. I immediately deleted the BMW bloodtooth from my phone and ipad and went to my truck which uses SYNC and both immediately paired. It's bad when you pay bunches for a car with bluetooth and bunches for a phone with bluetooth and they can't even talk to each other with technology that's as old as the person writing the software.

Oct 9, 2015 7:59 AM in response to Eye Fixr

This worked for me too. I have a 2011 Mercedes ML350. My old iPhone 5 worked perfectly but my new 6S wouldn't Pair.


Here is how I got it to work:

  • Deleted all old phone from car
  • Renamed my new phone
  • The car found the new phone name but the iPhone 6S didn't find anything
  • The car asked me to put in a bluetooth pairing code (so seeing Eye Fixr's post above) I made up a code (0000) and hit submit
  • The iPhone displayed the code and I accepted
  • It worked!

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

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