Automobile Bluetooth Connectivity Issue

wezra · 01-18-2012, 12:10 PM

Just picked-up my Amaze the other day and tried to pair it with my in-car Bluetooth system. The Amaze paired fine, but then started turning on and off the cars built-in phone. This has never happened to me before. It finally stabilized but then the individuals I called on the phone could not hear me... I could hear them. When I looked at the Bluetooth options menu on the phone is showed the headphone icon on the right side. When pairing with the car it goes into music mode so I can actually play my music from the phone on the car via Bluetooth, but the phone isn’t connected.

I called T-Mobile Tech Support last night and found out that HTC knows of this issue and is working on it as we speak. There is a specific bulletin out from HTC covering this exact circumstance. I am not sure if they will release a separate software patch for this or they will wait and include it in ICS. Hopefully, they will fix it sooner than later.

glennjr15 · 01-21-2012, 06:38 AM

I too am having bluetooth connectivity issues with the HTC Amaze. I paired it with my Acura TL, and many times it will not connect with the car when I enter and turn bluetooth on. I often have to cycle bluetooth on/off, and occasionally it'll connect, but is not reliable. Sometimes when it does connect, I cannot hear it dialing, or I won't be able to hear the person on the other line, nor they hear me. NEVER had this problem with my Nexus One...

wezra · 01-21-2012, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennjr15

I too am having bluetooth connectivity issues with the HTC Amaze. I paired it with my Acura TL, and many times it will not connect with the car when I enter and turn bluetooth on. I often have to cycle bluetooth on/off, and occasionally it'll connect, but is not reliable. Sometimes when it does connect, I cannot hear it dialing, or I won't be able to hear the person on the other line, nor they hear me. NEVER had this problem with my Nexus One...

My issues are with a Jaguar which, as I was told, uses the same basic system as Acura, Infinity, Mercedes, Audi and several other manufacturers. The good news is that HTC is well aware of the problems and are currently working on a fix for it. Not sure if it will be released as a general update or with ICS.

deliriousbb · 01-24-2012, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wezra

My issues are with a Jaguar which, as I was told, uses the same basic system as Acura, Infinity, Mercedes, Audi and several other manufacturers. The good news is that HTC is well aware of the problems and are currently working on a fix for it. Not sure if it will be released as a general update or with ICS.

I had bluetooth issues with my BMW 5 series connecting to the iDrive. The bluetooth would connect to the car, BUT once it connected the data connection and phone reception would disconnect. No data connection. I would have to cycle thru airplane mode and then back to phone mode for the data connection to come back. This was a complete nuisance. I factory reset the phone and still had the same issue. So I used my warranty with Tmobile to get a replacement. I compared the two phones and noticed a few differences. The phone with the issue was built in China (earlier build date Oct 11) and the new phone with no bluetooth issues was built in Taiwan (later build date Nov 11). The replacement had no problems with the bluetooh and it also pushed all the phone numbers to my iDrive, while the previous phone did not. hope this helps with find a solution.

ChromeJob · 11:36 AM

I've noticed some quirkiness with my 2006 Acura TSX (Euro Accord) with HandsFreeLink (Honda's system). The battery and signal info is present, but sometimes the phone indicates HFL is connected, but audio doesn't pass through ... the handset mic and speaker are used. Clicking HFL and issuing the "Transfer" command does nothing, then a second click dismisses HFL (but doesn't hang up the call like it should). ~~I rather suspect it's the older hands-free software that is partly at fault.~~
[1]
Anyone got a link to HTC's bulletin? I'd like to read it...

[1] Based on the next post, perhaps it's problems with the handsets. People reporting flaky Wifi, flaky Bluetooth, my flaky video recording....

wezra · 02-16-2012, 08:46 AM

Wanted to give an update on this issue.

I decided to call T-Mobile Tech Support one more time regarding the issue around the built-in car Bluetooth and the issues many of us are facing with the Amaze. I called in last Friday morning. Got a very nice lady on the phone that seemed genuinely interested in helping me sort out what was going on. I explained that my phone was doing two things: First, it was turning the in-car phone function on and off and secondly, my phone was acting like it had a set of headphones plugged in. When it did connect I could hear people speaking to me, but they could not hear me speaking to them. And, the headphone icon would show up on the upper display of the phone.

She went into the database and found several “Alerts” pertaining to Bluetooth issues with the Amaze. HTC knows that issues exist in the software package and are working on a major fix. But nothing mentions the headphone issue or not being able communicate two way on Bluetooth in the car. She asked if I would mind her doing some research, calling HTC directly, and getting back to me. Not a problem on my part. In the meantime, she and her boss took several Amaze units out to the call center parking lot and tried them on a couple of cars that had built-in Bluetooth. All of them worked fine.

About two hours later she called me back. She had called HTC’s liaison with T-Mobile and they researched the issue from HTC’s perspective. The conclusion was that the software package on my Amaze was corrupt and the phone needed to be replaced. HTC also wanted to get the phone back to see what was going on with the software.

Long story, short, they sent me a new Amaze overnight and I received it this past Monday. Of course, after setting it up, I immediately went out to my car and paired the Amaze with the car. Well… low and behold, it works perfectly. I am able to call out and have a two way conversation as I have always had with my other Android and Blackberry phones. And, it doesn’t continually recycle the system. It stays on without any issues. I am also able to receive call normally as well. Issue resolved!

My suggestion to anyone having issues with their in-car Bluetooth and the Amaze is that you may very well have corrupt software like I had. You may want to get to T-Mobile Tech Support and get a replacement phone. I am just wondering if some Amaze units were loaded with problem software. In general, my new Amaze is faster and works far better than the original. I also use Wi-Fi Calling in the house and at work… on the first phone it was continually turning on and off. On the replacement phone it comes on and stays on. The phone actually works the way it was supposed to work out of the box!

ChromeJob · 04:23 PM

Wow, that's promising news, another intimation that there were faults with some of the handsetss. I've had a continuing problem with the Amaze video recording, and am on my second replacement handset (received yesterday). HTC told me my original phone and the first replacement were produced within two days of each other in late September ... The current replacement was made in late January. (crosses fingers) I'll have to pair with my car and test tonight.

The 1.43 update was something like 39MB, and my current handset came with 1.36.531.6 on it (previous replacement had 1.36.531.5). I've asked HTC Tech Support if there's "other software" that isn't updated by an over-the-air firmware update, and was told "No." So if your phone has 1.43.531.3, (Settings | About Phone | Software), to my knowledge that's that last update, and a full update of the handset software. Keep us posted, and I'll try to remember to do same.
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Glad you posted, I paired my phone with my 2006 Acura (Honda HandsFreeLink), and made an outgoing call, and transferred an in-progress incoming call. Both worked without a burp. I'm beginning to wonder if earlier manufactured phones had some quality control issues and we're now seeing replacements, made later, that are more reliable.
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Before flying out of town, I made a call to my voice mail early in the morning. Same problem as before, my vehicle's hands-free made the call, couldn't play audio, then when I tried to "transfer" the call disconnected, but the call was still active on the phone. Not only annoying, but a hazard as I have to handle the phone while driving (illegal in NC), or pull over just to end the call. Both are not acceptable.