# Hands Free Calling Issues (Bluetooth)



## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

bvbull200 said:


> What gives? Is the bluetooth in the car really THAT weak? Is there some glitch? Am I doing something wrong? The car goes in for something cosmetic soon anyways and I will bring it to Chevy's attention, but it is really frustrating. Our main motivation for the Connectivity package was the bluetooth.


Mmm...sounds like some kind of glitch. My salesman set my older Nokia- regular phone, no internet etc.- up in minutes. It was really simple. It works great! All my calls are made using MY cell phone minutes and NOT the ones that I bought from OnStar when I got the car. I have to start using those 100 minutes before they expire.

FWIT- a friend of mine has a Lexus 300 ES, I think it is, with bluetooth and it is HORRIBLE! I ALWAYS know when he is calling me from his car. It has static, it cuts out etc. He has had Lexus look at it a ton of times, but nothing changes. He has a much newer phone than I do.

I would have the dealer try to pair your phone to the car and see if it works for them. Sorry I couldn't be much help.


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## SilverCruzer (Nov 30, 2010)

I have a 5 year old Motorola phone, no web, pretty basic except that it has Bluetooth. It connected right away, is always recognized, and I have made many successful calls.


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## bvbull200 (Jul 18, 2011)

Thanks guys. I realize that is how it is supposed to work. 3 different phones have pretty well established that it is an issue with the car. I am just seeing if there is something else to consider besides the obvious trip to the dealer.


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## drumrolfe (May 10, 2011)

Take it to the dealer imo.

I, like others, have had no problems with Bluetooth. 

It just works. The system stays paired with no problems. I use a Droid2.


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## LucyCruze (Jul 1, 2011)

Just curious... where are you usually storing your phone when you want to use the Bluetooth?


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## bvbull200 (Jul 18, 2011)

LucyCruze said:


> Just curious... where are you usually storing your phone when you want to use the Bluetooth?


Neither of us are storing it anywhere, yet. We figured we wouldn't worry about address books, storage, or anything else until we can make a **** call. While testing it, I set my phone in the cubby below the HVAC controls, on top of the dash just above the radio, in my lap, even on the flat area in front of the screen. Proximity hasn't been the issue, but I understand why you'd ask.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

LucyCruze said:


> Just curious... where are you usually storing your phone when you want to use the Bluetooth?


Does that really make a difference? Mine is usually in my pocket and it works fine.


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## bvbull200 (Jul 18, 2011)

fastdriver said:


> Does that really make a difference? Mine is usually in my pocket and it works fine.


It could. Bluetooth has a finite range and that range can be affected by various factors. In a bag next to a laptop in the backseat, for instance, could be enough to make it drop the signal.


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## SilverCruzer (Nov 30, 2010)

LucyCruze said:


> Just curious... where are you usually storing your phone when you want to use the Bluetooth?


 In my pocket. It can even be some distance from the car and still work. One time I was in the study (room in the house next to the garage) talking on my phone, and my wife started the Cruze to run and errand. The car "hi-jacked" my call by putting the call on speaker phone in the Cruze and turned off the speaker on my phone. The guy ended up continuing his conversation with my wife and neither party knew what was going on.


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

SilverCruzer said:


> In my pocket. It can even be some distance from the car and still work. One time I was in the study (room in the house next to the garage) talking on my phone, and my wife started the Cruze to run and errand. The car "hi-jacked" my call by putting the call on speaker phone in the Cruze and turned off the speaker on my phone. The guy ended up continuing his conversation with my wife and neither party knew what was going on.


LOL...This happened to me just last week. I was closer to the car though. I was outside talking to my cousin, with the car running with the AC on because the dog was in the backseat. My phone rang. I went to answer it, but couldn't. No one was there. Then I realized what happened.

Speaking of range- I love the LONG range of the key FOB! Works at a great distance! When I had my "award winning 1999 Motor Trend Car of the Year" Chrysler 300M, I had to be just about on top of the car for the key FOB to work. They even changed the antenna for it with NO luck!


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## LucyCruze (Jul 1, 2011)

SilverCruzer said:


> In my pocket. It can even be some distance from the car and still work. One time I was in the study (room in the house next to the garage) talking on my phone, and my wife started the Cruze to run and errand. The car "hi-jacked" my call by putting the call on speaker phone in the Cruze and turned off the speaker on my phone. The guy ended up continuing his conversation with my wife and neither party knew what was going on.


Haha, that's pretty funny. A little inconvenient, but funny. 

I just asked because I've noticed a bit of a drop in reception when I have my iPhone inside the center console. I usually keep it in the cupholder and it works better.

It didn't sound like that was the issue, but I figured it never hurts to ask.


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## cruze2011white (Feb 2, 2011)

What phone are you using? If its a newer HTC or any phone with android this could be the problem. There is a problem with bluetooth on some the phones. Its probably not the car. What I had to do is tell it not to sync the phone book otherwise it would constantly disconnect. Once i did this is works great. i have the incredible 2 and just got the update and it at least now shows who is calling me but I have not tried to resync the phone to the car since the update. I thinking it will work now. Having the phone in your pocket will not cause a problem for distance. I left my phone in the house and started the car, went inside to get it and it was already attached to the car.


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## cruze2011white (Feb 2, 2011)

I just resynced my phone with the Gingerbread update and the phone book works now. So if you have Android base phone and if its HTC you might need the update to fully connect the phone to the car.


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## SilverCruzer (Nov 30, 2010)

LucyCruze said:


> Haha, that's pretty funny. A little inconvenient, but funny.
> 
> I just asked because I've noticed a bit of a drop in reception when I have my iPhone inside the center console. I usually keep it in the cupholder and it works better.
> 
> It didn't sound like that was the issue, but I figured it never hurts to ask.


 Oh, I see. YOu are asking about cell phone reception, not BT to phone reception. Yeah, I usually just always have it in my pocket since its such a small phone (6 yr old Moto).


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## bvbull200 (Jul 18, 2011)

cruze2011white said:


> I just resynced my phone with the Gingerbread update and the phone book works now. So if you have Android base phone and if its HTC you might need the update to fully connect the phone to the car.


HTC Evo 3D for me and a rooted HTC Evo 4G for the wife. I could see my wife needing an updated ROM but mine is stock and up to date.

I was unable to get my mother in law's iPhone 3GS to connect, though.


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## trol (Dec 4, 2010)

I have the HTC Thunderbolt and the bluetooth was terrible. No phonebook download, lots of disconnects. Also, once the car moves, the phone button on dash would darken out (so you can't use it).
I had rooted my phone and was trying different ROM's and still no luck. I just recently went to a AOSP based ROM (CM7). Now the bluetooth works and the phonebook downloads to the car.


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## shamrockgal23 (Jul 26, 2011)

cruze2011white said:


> I just resynced my phone with the Gingerbread update and the phone book works now. So if you have Android base phone and if its HTC you might need the update to fully connect the phone to the car.


I was on this thread since I've been encountering similar constant disconnect problems with my HTC EVO. The bluetooth has stopped working during calls randomly, even when parked and not moving!

I will look for updates for the phone and try to re-sync it to the car to see if that fixes anything. I never had an issue with this phone and a bluetooth headset before.


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## dennisu (Jun 17, 2011)

My HTC Desire hooked to the car the first time and is still connecting everytime I turn the car on without fail. My phone books works everytime and the calls list (incoming, outgoing, missed) loads up about a minute after startup. The cell service can drop the call as I keep it in my pocket at all times but not the connection to the car. The Onstar phone works fantastic even in a poor cell area so it's good to have as a backup or for a long distance connection.


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## dennisu (Jun 17, 2011)

*trol*



> I have the HTC Thunderbolt and the bluetooth was terrible. No phonebook download, lots of disconnects. Also, once the car moves, the phone button on dash would darken out (so you can't use it).


What button and how does it do that?


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## bvbull200 (Jul 18, 2011)

I unsynced the phone, then resynced but told it not to sync the phonebook. Now it connects perfectly every time and there are no drops. 



dennisu said:


> My HTC Desire hooked to the car the first time and is still connecting everytime I turn the car on without fail. My phone books works everytime and the calls list (incoming, outgoing, missed) loads up about a minute after startup. The cell service can drop the call as I keep it in my pocket at all times but not the connection to the car. The Onstar phone works fantastic even in a poor cell area so it's good to have as a backup or for a long distance connection.


So you can access your phone's contact list via the car's handsfree system? I wonder why it would work on the Desire, but not the Evo 4G or 3D. I contacted HTC and they said it was an incompatibility in bluetooth profiles or something. I don't know why the Desire would be so much different? I have to think there is a fix out there. My wife's phone is rooted and mine will be soon enough. Without going to an AOSP ROM, I wonder what else might do the trick.


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## dennisu (Jun 17, 2011)

*cruze2011white*



> I just resynced my phone with the Gingerbread update and the phone book works now. So if you have Android base phone and if its HTC you might need the update to fully connect the phone to the car.


Is the update for the phone or the car?


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## bvbull200 (Jul 18, 2011)

dennisu said:


> *cruze2011white*
> 
> 
> Is the update for the phone or the car?


Gingerbread is android 2.3 so he is talking about an update for the phone.

Doesn't fix anything for me though.


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## trol (Dec 4, 2010)

bvbull200 said:


> Gingerbread is android 2.3 so he is talking about an update for the phone.
> 
> Doesn't fix anything for me though.


 Bvb, I see you are familar with rooting. I have a thunderbolt and out of the box the bluetooth didn't work, then the updates came along still no workie as for downloading contacts/phonebook.

I flashed many roms with no success until trying an AOSP rom and bam, it worked great and downloaded contacts to car.
I just recently flashed to a sense GB Rom and now it works on that also.
I suggest you try flashing this ROM as it is the same person and build as my TB but for your evo.
║▌ ║▌││░ | ROM | Synergy-Kingdom | NIGHTLYS | 2.3.3 | SENSE 3.0 |░ █║▌ ║ - xda-developers

Hope that helps.


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## cruzeman (Mar 13, 2011)

Don't sync contacts and will stay connected


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## Mikesus (Aug 4, 2011)

hmmm.. 


Have a rooted Evo and it doesn't drop at all, and the phone book sync'd just fine. What I do have happen is that occasionally, I get a call, answer it, and on the car display it says "Private Call" and transferring the call does not work. Turning off bluetooth on the phone and back on resolves it tho...


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