Why iOS 11.2 is Important for iPhone 8, X Car Bluetooth Problems: BMW, Honda, Toyota, Subaru, VW & Ford

As many of readers know when Apple releases an update to iOS it is either loved by drivers or causes new Bluetooth problems. Since the update to iOS 8 our readers have had to jump through all kinds of crazy hoops to get their Bluetooth connection problems in vehicles solved. The latest version of iOS 11.2 works differently in regards to the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios. Bluetooth problems are most prominent on iPhone 8, iPhone 8+ and iPhone X. There appears to be an unresolved problem with contacts loading into Honda and Acura vehicles. Vehicle models affected include BMW, Subaru, Toyota, Ford, VW, Chevy, Nissan and Kia.

iOS 11.2 also introduces fast wireless 7.5 watt charging for the iPhone X and iPhone 8 models for Qi charging pads, so devices charge faster. Few vehicles with wireless charging, charge at the faster rate, therefore it won’t be faster for most car owners. Control Center Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles changed in iOS  11 .  In iOS 11, Apple lets you disconnect devices or disconnect from networks by toggling off those two buttons from within the Control Center. Those buttons do not, however, deactivate the actual radios in the device. In iOS 11 you have to go directly into each respective settings by going to to Settings ▸ Bluetooth ▸ move toggle off.

The update to iOS 11.2 appears to have helped some BMW, Subaru, Honda and  Acura car owners who have been plagued by Bluetooth issues since iOS 11. We have received positive comments from readers. We can not tell yet, if corrected all Bluetooth problems in Honda and Acura models. We have contacted Honda public relations for information and they are working on getting an an answers.

We did hear from BMW public relations representative Hector Arellano in regards to problems with iPhone 8 and X with Connected Drive BMW vehicles

“BMW is aware of these BMW ConnectedDrive reports and during the past several months, BMW has done extensive Apps, Bluetooth, and USB / audio testing with “pre-release” versions of iOS 11.2 running primarily on iPhone 8, and iPhone X devices.

The BMW Group continues to work closely with Apple on the validation of these devises for BMW vehicles. Since 2004 the company has established a history of finding solutions for external audio devises and smartphone integration where none had previously existed.

If a software update should be required, customers may download the new version via www.bmw.com/update.”

Customers with questions may contact the BMW Genius hotline at 844-443-6487, BMW Customer Relations at 1-800-831-1117 or email CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

We periodically update our Bluetooth fixes form our readers, which appear at the bottom of this article. They often help correct connection problems that can be corrupted during updates.

Update 7/8/2018: We have compiled a new list of Bluetooth fixes to try and have more models with problems reported by our readers..

Apple Forum Members Report Honda and Acura Connection and Contacts Issues

It started with the beta versions of iOS 11.  Honda owners reported it then:

• Voice calls are very low volume, sometimes impossibly low volume and with static.
• Contacts will not populate the calls list so that you have names instead of numbers.
• Contacts will not load, so you cannot order the car to call somebody…you can only tell Siri to do it.
• Pandora will not play automatically, and there is only maybe one change in four that you can get it to work at all.

A forum member noted that that after speaking with Honda there is no current fix for  iOS 11.X, as far as syncing up with later models Honda and Acura Bluetooth. The forum member noted that Honda has had thousands of complaints of this type from iPhone users attempting to transfer their contact list,  as well as disappearing contact lists, from their cars. (See below for a temporary fix for this issue)

Other Complaints Include

• Since updating to iOs 11, driver has have very low volume in cars when making and receiving phone calls via Bluetooth.
• Since upgrading to the iPhone 8 the Bluetooth doesn’t automatically connect with the car.
• OS 11.0.2 AND 11.0.3 update user noticed Bluetooth kept turning itself on.
• There are also USB streaming problems after an iPhone owner  upgraded to iOS 11. the music no longer plays with USB connection.  The car recoginizes the iPhone if there via USB, it charges, but does not play music. The same problem on multiple vehicles and the iPhone 7.
• After an iPhone 6 was upgraded to iOS.11 2013 VW , only some contacts showed up. There were low volume on calls with iOS 11 Toyota RAV4  A 2017 Ford Escape Bluetooth won’t connect after update to iOS 11.
• Bluetooth cutting or low volume with Chevy Traverse, BMW, Honda CR-V, Nissan Murano, 2017 Mini Cooper, Toyota Tacoma, Subaru Outback, 2015 VW Golf, 2017 BWM 330xi, Mazda 3,
• Contact uploading problems with 2015 Acura MDX and 2015 Hyundai.
• USB music playing problems on 2017 Kia Sorento.

Lots of BMW Problems with iPhone 8 & X

• Bluetooth in iPhone X reboots iDrive during conversations in 2016 BMW 428 GC. Also sometimes it has problems finding audio playlists in iTunes.
• 2013 BMW  After the update to IOS 11, the connection becomes very erratic – almost like it connects/disconnects very quickly.  I cannot hear the person on the other end nor can they hear me – at least not well enough to be understood
•  BMW X5 40e.  iPhone X and tried to connect, it took several tries. Once t it connected, half of the apps didn’t function as good, sometimes the display didn’t recognize touch. After 15mins my iDrive kept rebooting with eventually resetting it automatically to factory settings and removing all my connected drive functions. I had to bring my car in at the dealership. They had to reinstall all iDrive software and were unable to connect the new iPhone properly.They said that they had many customers with the same problem, all were iPhone 8 or X owners. All unable to get connected or work properly with CarPlay. BMW is aware of the situation but they say it its an Apple Problem.
• iPhone X and 2016 BMW 428i, phone worked for a bit with car then seemingly messed up Connected Drive. Now  Bluetooth can’t connect X to car system or my iPod, either. Was able to connect spouse’s iPhone 6 Plus. (Had no prior problems with my 7 Plus either.).

Recently, some BMW owners have reported that  BMW ConnectedDrive iDrive problem was resolved in iOS release 11.2.

However there are new problems reported  with iOS 11.2, high battery drain with Bluetooth connections, no phone. As a service, we are republishing and updating most popular fixes that sometime work. Meanwhile there was one report that after installing the iOS 11.2 update the Bluetooth streaming on 2017 Honda Ridgeline stopped working.

Bluetooth Fixes for Cars and iOS and iPhone 5S, SE, 6, 6S, 6 Plus, 7, 7S S Plus, 8, 8 Plus & X

The first thing to do is to make sure you update the software through iTunes or a Wi-Fi connection, this will insure that no settings get corrupted. If you can wait for an update, wait a month or two and check to see if there are problems with your vehicle make, year and model. The older the vehicle is, the longer you should wait.

Hint: It may be easier to disconnect and remove all Bluetooth device setting before you upgrade and start from scratch and save hours of trouble shooting.

Turn Off and On Bluetooth, Delete Devices & Re-Pair

Go to Settings, Bluetooth, Toggle off- Bluetooth (if you go to Control Center it does not turn off the Bluetooth radio.) Re-boot your iPhone (turn it off completely and turn it back on).

Turn Bluetooth back on again and follow prompts on iPhone or Car.

If that doesn’t work. The next thing to try is to disconnect/forget the vehicle.

Disconnect and Re-Pair Vehicle

Got to Settings, Bluetooth, tap to see list of devices, tap car, tap/toggle disconnect or remove (delete) device.

If disconnecting doesn’t work, remove/forget device completely.

Remove your iPhone from the car settings completely. Note some cars may store Bluetooth in more than one place. Be sure the iPhone is removed from all menus.

Shut off the vehicle.

Then follow prompts to re-pair Bluetooth to iPhone and vehicle.

Reset the iPhone Network Settings.

Go to Settings, General, tap/toggle Reset Network Settings, enter password. Then re-pair Bluetooth reconnect Wi-Fi or other settings.

Some Other Things that May Help:

• A Temporary fix for Honda & Acura with contacts not upload, vehicles is to remove/delete the photos in contacts and personal iCloud profile photo then the contacts sync with the Honda or Acura infotainment systems. This may be due to the size of the photographs or code. This fix has worked for several forum members. We are checking with Honda to find out if they are working on a fix.
• Turn off the HandOff feature it has been known to interfere with Bluetooth.
• Remove other Bluetooth devices from your iPhone–sometimes the phone tries to connect to the other devices.
• To be sure that your Bluetooth settings in your vehicle are completely removed, disconnect the battery or completely reset your car’s infotainment system.
• Go to the Apple store and have a genius totally reinstall of iOS or reinstall iOS 11.2 from iTunes. This makes sure that the software is completely correct and not corrupted.
• Change Bluetooth Settings to Headset– Go to General ▸ Accessibility ▸Car Audio Routing ▸ Select “Bluetooth Headset” instead of the default Automatic.
  Or Change Bluetooth to Automatic Go to settings, General ▸ Accessibility ▸Call Audio Routing and change to automatic.
• Contact your automaker for tech support. They should at least know if the problem is compatibility issue with the vehicle.
• We suggest an important function to check if you are having issues with any kind of car connection to make sure that “Do Not Disturb” is not on. Some car owners have not be able  to shut off the “Do Not Disturb” function while connected to their vehicles. By default this setting is set to manual and must be activated before enabled. How the iPhone knows you are driving is that it detects the Bluetooth connection. See how to check to make sure Do Not Disturb is disabled.
• If you need to play music through your car and the Bluetooth doesn’t work, use an AUX cable.

These Bluetooth problems can be costly issue for automakers. One Subaru owner went so far as to have Subaru replace the radio infotainment systems on his Subaru Outback, however the update to iOS 11.2 appears to have solved the problem.

“Sorry to hear the 11.2 has messed up some new folks but I ‘think’ it fixed my Bluetooth issues with my Subaru Outback 2017.Constant ‘cycling’/disconnecting was driving me crazy as my car system worked perfectly until iOS11. I even had Subaru replace my head unit in an effort to fix the problem. I’ve had a couple hour long drives with 11.2 on my iPhone 8 and I had zero cycling/disconnecting. First time since iOS11 rolled out that my 2017 Outback phone/BT system worked as it should. Huge relief as I cannot stand when things do not work as they should!”

While an other forum user commented

“This is definitely not fixed on 11.2. Constant disconnections. Over and over and over and over again. Disconnections, audio playing at the wrong speed. So. Frustrating.”

The update to iOS 11.2.1 iOS fixes bugs including an issue that could disable remote access to shared users of the Home app.

After years of Bluetooth problems with with every update  to iOS since iOS 8, we have seen a pattern that it often takes a few months before bugs are reported with vehicles an for the automakers to fix the problems.  For example when iOS 8 was released it took about three months before the subsequent updates fixed major Bluetooth problems. It is very tempting to update immediately, however if there is no major compelling reason for the update, it appears to be better to wait.

When we previously researched iOS problems with Bluetooth in vehicles, automakers stated that they didn’t get the updates until users get the the updates. Apple has changed it policy and now releases beta versions of updates which gives the automakers more time to test software. There are millions of iPhone users and millions of cars on the road, not every vehicle will be tested during beta testing. If you ever need us to contact an automaker to find out what is going on either write something in the comments below or contact editor[at]autoconnectedcar.com.

If you have updated to iOS 11-11.2 for iPhone 5S SE, 6S/6S+, 7 7+or iPhone 8 and it fixed or fried your Bluetooth connection 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.

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