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Level 1

8 points

Shuffle Issue Using Bluetooth in a Mazda

There is an issue when connecting apple devices (iPhones, iPod Touches) via Bluetooth to some Mazda vehicles where the native Apple music app won't shuffle music. If you go to your Apple device and open the app, the Shuffle function becomes inoperable. If you tap to turn it on, it turns itself right back off. This does not happen when you are not connected via Bluetooth. This issue is noted plenty of places online. In my case, I have an iPod Touch 5g and a 2013 Mazda CX-9 Sport, but the issue is not limited to that device or that year/make of Mazda. From looking online, I believe it did originally work. However, Apple released a previous big update, iOS 7 perhaps, which is when the issue first started.

There are tips that have been given online, however they all have their own problems which keep them limited to being workarounds instead of solutions. One common suggestion is to use the voice commands to activate shuffle. This works, but only temporarily. Sometimes the device will shuffle regularly for a while. Other times you need to re-activate the shuffle every time you start the vehicle. I don't know why it is inconsistent.

Other tips have suggested using alternate music apps, and I have tried many. Some other apps make the situation a little better, but the shuffle often still resets, although you can at least still toggle the shuffle on more easily from within those apps. Unlike with the native music app, the shuffle function does not seem to be locked/stuck which leads me to believe the issue may be with the Apple app and not the vehicle's radio. Alternate apps have their own weaknesses which make them unappealing to me anyway. The biggest for me personally is that the "skip when shuffling" option for songs in iTunes does not seem to be recognized by any 3rd party apps. I have lots of non-music on my iPod and would love to not have to manually skip past every one of those tracks as I do with a 3rd party app.

The bottom line, for me, is that I want to get the Bluetooth shuffling working properly with Apple's music app when connected to my car via Bluetooth. As a consumer, that certainly seems like it isn't too much to ask. While I am not a programmer, I am not convinced that the issue is with the vehicle. It seems that nobody with Apple or Mazda is interested in fixing the issue which I find unacceptable, (although I know nobody cares what I think). Because the shuffle option on the Apple devices becomes inoperable when connected, I suspect the issue is actually on Apple's end.

Is there any hope that Apple actually cares enough to try examining their own code to do something on their end about this?

iPod touch (5th generation), iOS 8.1, Bluetooth

Posted on Nov 17, 2014 6:58 AM

Best reply

jkallisontheknight

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Dec 27, 2017 10:25 AM

Thank you for the help! This issue has been driving me nuts for months. I’m using an iPhone X with Spotify and a 2015 Mazda CX-5. I had the same issue before when I was using an iPhone 7 Plus. Activating the car’s voice assistant and saying “Shuffle All” directly impacts the music player (in this case, Spotify) and turns on the shuffle feature, which for some reason cannot be turned on from the phone when you’re connected to your Mazda via Bluetooth. Unfortunately this is only a temporary fix, because every time you turn on your car, shuffle is off by default. So you must use the voice assistant to shuffle every time you get in the car. But I rejoice because at the very least my playlists will actually be able to shuffle again! (even if it’s annoying to tell your car to do so every time)

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33 replies

pappy35

Level 1

15 points

Mar 6, 2015 10:21 AM in response to FunkHouse9

I have a 2013 Kia Optima with their UVO system. Shuffle works only while the phone is awake. Once it goes to sleep the shuffle cancels. I had an S4 before I got this phone which worked fine and with this issue I just don't listen to music anymore.

dbyone

Level 1

5 points

Mar 12, 2015 6:08 PM in response to FunkHouse9

confirm same issue

2014 CX5

ios8.2

iphone 6

Mar 12, 2015 7:55 PM in response to dbyone

Dealer now claims to have a hardware and firmware fix for all problems associated with iPod and Bluetooth On Mazda Entertainment system. Waiting for part to arrive, hope to get it serviced in the next five days.

FunkHouse9 Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 13, 2015 8:17 AM in response to RobertBurr

Robert. That's great news. Please keep us posted if you get the fix applied and how it works for you. If it gets resolved, I'm going to RUN to my dealer to get the fix installed.

Mar 13, 2015 9:19 AM in response to FunkHouse9

I have little confidence in their word that this is a total fix, but yes, I'll post a note one way or the other.

Mar 20, 2015 8:10 PM in response to FunkHouse9

I bought a 2015 Mazda 6 back in Sept. I traded in a 2012 CX-9 that would not even display any iPod info BUT... it shuffled fine. The first thing I did before I traded was to see how my iPhone synced... all was good except I didn't even think to check the shuffle.... then a week or so after I traded, I noticed it was not shuffling. Crap. Well... today my wife bought a 2016 Mazda 6 and it ALL works perfect! So maybe Mazda does have a fix. Fingers crossed.

Jillm248

Level 1

0 points

Apr 14, 2015 5:07 AM in response to FunkHouse9

I Have the original iPhone 5 and a 2014 Mazda cx-5 and mine won't shuffle either! Hope there is a solution

Apr 16, 2015 5:55 PM in response to FunkHouse9

Just pudchased a 2013 Mazda 3 Grand Touring and I'm having the same issue, I can't shuffle my iPhone 6.

Apr 24, 2015 11:49 AM in response to FunkHouse9

I am having the same problem. I purchase a 2015 Mazda 6 in January. I have found the stereo/navigation and everything related to both to be completely unacceptable. If I try to listen to my music through an iPod or my iPhone wired thru the USB port, it take about an hour before I can listen to the first song because the system spends that much time loading my music. I have had several cars over the last few years and none had this problem. If I sync the phone using the Bluetooth function, then I can not shuffle my music. I agree you can tell the system to shuffle using the voice command the car offers, but most the time it doesn't work, or only works temporarily. Reading many of the post, people seem to believe this a iPhone software issue. I do not agree. I think it is a Mazda issue with the stereos they are using in recent model years. Hearing people say it worked in an older model Mazda, but stopped working when they purchase a new one supports my theory. I have called and made an appointment with Mazda and told them there are people on this site who claim Mazda is aware of the issue and has developed a fix. My dealership is not aware of it, and wants me to bring the car in to verify the problem. Technology in other cars is far more advanced than this and they need to figure this problem out!

Apr 24, 2015 11:56 AM in response to JfromSacto

Good news, bad news. After installing a new BlueTooth module recently at the dealer, I was frustrated with lack of improvement. Bluetooth still will not shuffle and this drives me insane. I completely erased my iPod on my workstation and re-built it in iTunes and I'm happy to say it's working fine now. Rather than waiting forever for a song to play, then hearing the first song over and over each time, it now starts up on the last song playing when I get in the car, but still will not stay in shuffle mode. So, when getting in the car, I just wait for the first song to begin playing on the iPod and then select shuffle, so that OK. I can live with this for a while.

Apr 24, 2015 1:34 PM in response to RobertBurr

Thank you for the information. I will mention the BlueTooth Module when I take my car in next week. Honestly, this problem drives me crazy as well. I use my iPhone almost 100% of the time to play music... I never listen to a radio. Just so I am clear, when you say you erased your ipod, you are saying you did a "restore" on it which wipes out the data and then you re-sync'd it with iTunes to put the music back on correct? I will try this. I'm hoping it will not make a difference that I am using an iPhone vs. an iPod.

Apr 24, 2015 2:37 PM in response to JfromSacto

I did a restore on my iPhone 6 & bubkis.... nothing. They did a factory reset on my bluetooth module in the car and still nothing. If I read it correctly, I believe the 2015 Mazda 6 manual says that on some devices, shuffle will not work. My Mazda dealer (which is an AWESOME one) says that the fix for iPhones has to come from Apple. They can only update the car's firmware with what they get from Apple... I think the whole 'Infotainment' center on the 2015's stink... My wife's 2016 works flawlessly all the way around! I have only had my 2015 6 for several months and now I have a 2016 on order... much better make!

jrs0525

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2015 11:51 AM in response to wingsfan4

Mazda acknowledges that there is an issue, however there is no fix available.

Check your vehicle and phone here:

http://infotainment.mazdahandsfree.com/howto-findaphone?language=en-US

Jul 26, 2015 7:33 PM in response to jrs0525

This is what I came up with today to solve my no shuffle issue on my 2015 CX-5.

I am using an iPhone 6 with iOS 8.4.

- Open Music app

- Go to My Music tab

- switch to the Playlist view

- scroll down to & tap Purchased

- Tap Shuffle

IF you have music loaded that wasn't purchased through iTunes, you could probably create your own playlist in iTunes first, then select that new playlist instead of the Purchased playlist.

Doing this seems to allow the phone to stay on shuffle mode while playing across Bluetooth. The only flaw I've seen is that the shuffle is poor , it seems to play a lot of tracks by the same artist close together

Dec 29, 2015 1:18 PM in response to FunkHouse9

I hope this will help regarding the Shuffle issues reported here .

Here is how I resolved it in my 2014 Mazda 6 with my iphone 6 with iOS 9.2

Note 1: This solution depends on the car having CAR PLAY as part of its electronic system. In fact CAR PLAY is the reason SHUFFLE does not work and therefore the solution as well!

Note 2: I can find no way to turn on SHUFFLE PERMANENTLY. I have to tell CAR PLAY... "Shuffle ALL" each time I want to play music randomly in my car.

What's Car Play?

My 2014 Mazda 6 has a feature called Car Play. There is small button on the left side of the steering wheel showing a head and sound waves coming out of the mouth. This suggests you can talk to the car.

What does it do?

Essentially it allows your iPhone or iPod etc to be connected to the USB port under the "arm rest" in centre console and you can control the phone using the cars electronic system to play music, make phone calls etc. with voice commands —“hands free” for safety! I tried it a few times when I first got the car but hardly used it. I found it a bit of a nuisance to have to connect and disconnect to the USB cable every time I got in or out of the car.

Instead I simply connected via bluetooth to play music make phone calls etc. I asked Siri to play music. She did! But even if I told Siri to SHUFFLE ALL ... SHUFFLE would not work! It worked anywhere else including when connected to bluetooth speakers BUT when connected via bluetooth in the car SHUFFLE would turn off even if it was set to on previously in the phone! When I checked in the phone it had been turned OFF there! So something in the car was actually turning it OFF! I tried to turn it on but it went off IMMEDIATELY!

On the Internet there is much chat about this issue. Everyone blames either APPLE or MAZDA… OK each has to take some of that because their efforts are not proactive or co-ordinated. However, in the course of looking for an answer I re-discovered CAR PLAY…which with iOS 9.2 now works via BLUETOOTH! No more USB connect and disconnect. YES! So I pressed the CAR PLAY button and when SIRI offered her assistance I said... “SHUFFLE ALL” and presto SHUFFLE WORKS!

Now it is obvious that previously, though connected to the car via bluetooth, I was talking to Siri directly through the phone itself and not through CAR PLAY! If shuffle was on in the phone or even if Siri turned it on as I requested if it was not ON in CAR PLAY it would NOT work! So simple and yet so complicated!

There is no way this should be so difficult to figure out. All APPLE AND MAZDA need to do is clearly state the absolutely required information in the MANUALS or these days on the Internet! Simple as this….”Phone features only function if set to ON in BOTH the PHONE and the CAR PLAY system.” Neither provides that information ANYWHERE ! That would save everyone a lot of time and effort.

Surely that is within their “limited budgets”?

Shuffle Issue Using Bluetooth in a Mazda