iOS 9 update iPhone 6S/+ warnings for Bluetooth in-car connections

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CarPlayToday, Apple made some big announcements including introducing the iPhone 6S and 6S+. Car owners with Bluetooth connections should be wary that there could be some problems with your car connections until the automakers have time to sort things out. Automakers don’t usually have much time to test iOS products with in-car systems before the software is released.

Apple claims that the latest version of iOS 9 that will be out on September 16, will have fewer bugs than the iOS 8.0 debacle last year that wreaked havoc on in-car Bluetooth systems and is still causing problems. Reports from a public beta tester that it corrected disconnecting problems with Bluetooth devices.

Here are some new features that are of interest for car owners:

  • Improved battery life – When the iPhone is facing down the power consumption is reduced.
  • Better Siri – Siri gives contextual reminders, based on usage patterns, and notifying user when to leave for appointments, taking into account traffic conditions in iOS 9. The software on iPhones will even learn what someone typically listens to in a certain location or at a particular time of day such as s/he  gets in the car before work, it can automatically display playback control for music.
  • iO9 Bluetooth Disconnect -With iOS 9, there is new option to disconnect Bluetooth from the iPhone easily. In iOS 9 to disconnect from a Bluetooth device, launch the iOS Settings app and select Bluetooth from the list, then tap on ‘i’ next the device name, then tap on Disconnect. Previously you had to delete the device.
  • Wireless CarPlay – iOS 9 will have wireless CarPlay and support for auto manufacturers to develop apps within CarPlay. Because the connection to the car is wireless for CarPlay, most likely upon entering the vehicle, you won’t have to plug in the iPhone to connect to CarPlay. CarPlay also plays audio messages. iOS 9 allows for the use of car’s knobs to control CarPlay. The wireless feature is not deployed in any known vehicle model, yet.
  • Better Maps with Traffic – iOS 9 displays real-time traffic updates and an approximate time it will take to reach the usual destination through Apple Maps notifications on the Lock screen.

One of our readers reported that he has an iPhone 6 Plus running the iOS 9 beta in a 2015 Ram 1500 with UConnect that the incoming texts on UConnect feature no longer works.

Should you update ASAP? We suggest that everyone with iPhones wait until it is clear that your car make and model will work as well as other important connected devices you use with your iPhone.

The “Nuke-it-fix” and its variations of the “off your Handoff,” continue to work for some Bluetooth fixes.

If you have updated to iOS 9 for iPhone 5/5S/5c 6-6+ and it fixed or fried your Bluetooth issues or music streaming with your in-car infotainment system, please let us know in the comments below, be sure to note your make, model and year of your vehicle. We also welcome any solutions you have found worked with your car.

We have comments from readers that there are still Bluetooth problems reported with BMW, Audi, Acura, MINI, GM(Chevy, GMC, Cadillac, Buick), Honda, Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Mazda, Lexus, Fiat, Hyundai, Chrysler, Acura, Mazda and more.

Previously, after talking to many automakers we asked Why Bluetooth iOS 8-8.1 & iPhone 6-6+ issues persist in cars? It seemed like the 8.1 update helped with a few new model cars. Here is a summary of Bluetooth issues and fixes and checkout the most popular nuke-it fixes.

We received good and bad news about iOS 8.2 when it was first launched.

You are welcome to sign up for our newsletter for daily news, weekly news or just Bluetooth iOS 8+ news to keep informed. Note: if you subscribe to email when published, you will get everything and don’t have to subscribe to other lists.


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25 thoughts on “iOS 9 update iPhone 6S/+ warnings for Bluetooth in-car connections”

  1. I have a 2015 Dodge Charger (SXT). My uConnect system works on and off most of the time with media from my phone. My phone is iPhone 6 (IOS 9.3.2).

    Now my iPhone media does not work at all with uConnect (USB or Bluetooth). However, if I play any song on my phone, my Bluetooth will pick it up and play it through the car speakers.

    Any advice…

  3. I am having issues as well with my iphone 5 in my 2016 Chevy Equinox. Everytime I end a phone call it connects by my bluetooth music instead of reverting back to what I was originally listening to.

  4. Just updated iPhone 5s with latest ios9 and uconnect gives connection unsuccessful error when attempting to pair phone to 2015 Dodge Ram 3500. Worked fine before this latest iOS update.

    • You could try – General>Accessibilty>Car Audio Routing and select “Bluetooth Headset” instead of of the default Automatic.

      Looks like there is a bug in the Automatic setting.

  6. I got a new iphone6s plus and it connects to my Toyota Sienna XLE OK. However, I like to listen to books on my iphone and it disconnects for no apparent reason. I have version 9.1 (13B143) on my iphone6 s plus. Would appreciate any help as to why it is disconnecting. May work for 10 minutes or may work for 30 minutes before disconnecting. My iphone 5s worked great with my Toyota.

    • We have a 2013 Sienna XLE. Once upgraded my iPhone 6+ with iOS 9.2 a couple of wks ago. We can’t hear the music from Amazon music or the iPhone Music anymore.

  7. Interested in this thread as also experiencing problems with Siri, Carplay and also Bluetooth with an iphone 6s running 9.1 and Pioneer AVIC-F77DAB. Previously was using a 5s that worked fairly well in this regard but I’m not sure which update broke it or if I have a hardware issue with the Pioneer. I suspect a combination of both at present. I say this because apart from Carplay not working as well as it did I have lost navigation voice guidance for the both the Pioneer nav and the Maps nav when connected by cable (Carplay). I also cannot hear callers when using the hft either by Carplay or when connected via bluetooth.

    I can get voices guidance with maps over bluetooth and this is about the best I manage. I find it ridiculous that £1600 worth of hardware doesn’t work like it’s supposed to and the problems just change from update to update. Hoping the next ios update fixes things but I’ll believe when I see it!

    • I don’t know about the U.K. but in the U.S., if you have any questions or need help you can Call 1-800-421-1404, Monday – Friday, Between 7:30 – 11:30 AM and and 12:30 – 4:00 PM PST.

  8. Had an iPhone 6+ running iOS 8.x and BT worked almost perfectly with my 2015 Subaru Forester. Upgraded to a new 6S+ running latest iOS and now I have problems. Phone paris up perfectly. But unlike the 6+, even when I leave BT turned on all of the time, it will NEVER connect automatically to the car. I have to press the connected that gets created in the BT section of the phone and then it will connect about 50% of the time. The other 50% it takes another press to get ti to work

  9. Just got a brand new iPhone 6S+ yesterday and it won’t pair properly with my 2014 Subaru Forester. I get a message on the iPhone that says “no SIMM card installed” but intermittently I would get it paired only for music and sometimes it worked for the phone. Frustrating!!!

  10. I have a 2015 Jeep Patriot…my iPhone 5s worked fine with Uconnect until the last update iOS 9.1. Now it will say my phone is connected, but Uconnect says device not available – or my phone will say make sure Uconnect is in range and turned in, when I ambsittingbin the car.

  11. I have just bought an iPhone 6s Plus and upgraded to iOS 9.1. No my VW golf, 2011 does not even pick up my phone when I try to connect! Any suggestions most welcome. Thanks

  12. I install IOS 9.0.2 on my iPhone 5S. I have a 2013 Charger and the car still connects to phone through Bluetooth. The car connects to the phone initially when receiving and making calls. After call connects the call automatically transfer from Uconnect hands free to the phone and the car audio turns back on. I have to then talk through to phone or phone’s speaker in order to complete the call.

  13. I don’t see the comment that I started, so I must not have posted it.
    I have a Honda 2013 CRV Ex and IPhone 6 running IOS 9.0.2. Bluetooth was fine until last Wednesday, when I could barely hear the GPS directions over the car audio. Radio volume was fine. I tried everything that I could think of including checking the hand off option. I unpaired my phone and tried to reconnect. At first I couldn’t get anything, then it showed my phone, but couldn’t connect, try again later. I couldn’t get the system clear option, but today I can. I guess that is my next option. Text has never worked, is it supposed to? (I hope so.)

    • I cleared everything and re-paired my IPhone6 to my 2013 Honda CRV EX. It is now connected, but the volume of the audio on blue tooth is very low still. Is this a problem with Apple or Honda? IOS 9.0.2.

  14. 2010 A4 – just updated my iPhone 6 to the latest iOS and my Bluetooth is registering all the noises on my phone (not on silent) such as incoming emails.

  15. iPhone 6S bluetooth does not discover Blue Parrot VXi B350-XT ver x801p bluetooth headset on iPhone 6S. Strangely, it DOES work iPhone 6 (both on iOS 9.01). Does the iPhone 6S have different bluetooth specs?

  16. Got a new iphone 6s plus and set up bluetooth in my Lexus SUV. Incoming calls connect correctly with bluetooth. But if I place an outgoing call using the phone to select the contact, it doesn’t automatically use bluetooth. It uses the phone as the default audio interface. So much for hands free driving.

  17. 2014 BMW 5 series. iPhone 5s with iOS 9 update. Bluetooth control doesn’t work. I can’t change songs. Loads slowly. It only plays when I use iPhone

  19. have a 2016 mazda6 and bluetooth streaming was working with iOS 9 beta then upgraded to 9.1 beta and can’t connect to audio but can connect to phone

    • Similar issue: 2015 Mazda phone connects for audio, like pandora… Other applications like maps does not come through BT “tries to Make a phone” to gove directions and disconnects immediately. CarPlay doesn’t seem to work either.

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