Having Isssues with streaming audio via bluetooth and Toytoa Highlander

[59er9er]

I've had this same issue for a couple months with my Droid Bionic and 2012 Tacoma. Streaming was fine before Jelly Bean and now I can only use Google Music. I've searched extensively and each thread ends with no solution. Here's what I've learned:
1. It seems to affect Jelly Bean/Toyota almost exclusively (I heard about a Subaru and an aftermarket stereo a few times)
2. The problem is the change from bluetooth standard AVRCP 1.0 to AVRCP 1.3 with Jelly Bean. For some reason newer Toyota stereos can't handle this. You may notice that before Jelly Bean the Toyota stereo said "streaming audio" for all music (Google, Pandora, Slacker, etc). Now, with JB, the song titles show up on the stereo (a 1.3 addition) and only Google music works. If you try to start Pandora it may play for a few seconds and then stops (while still progressing on the phone) and the Toyota stereo says "Pause." Once you see "Pause" it's all over. Starting Google music again will fix it but no other music player will work. I got Pandora to work the other day when I noticed the stereo said "streaming audio" again. Not sure why it did it but after starting the truck again it's back to the usual. Can't repeat this, track titles are showing again.

So, that's all the info I've collected. The addition of track titles with AVRCP 1.3 has killed the Toyota stereo functionality. I was considering bringing my truck to Toyota and telling them that my stereo is broken but it seems we may all have this problem. I hope someone smarter than me can take this info and come up with a solution.

Please help, this is bad.

This is frustrating for me as well. There was one day last week when I got Pandora to stream through my 2011 Sienna's radio. Incidentally I was testing nav voice functionality over Google Music, the native HTC app and Pandora. But I haven't gotten Pandora to stream since then. The only thing different that I did was I had just booted into Safe Mode the night before when HTC was trying to help me trouble shoot an issue.

 

[greg7673]

So, I just upgraded to a Galaxy S4 and all streaming works fine in my Tacoma now. Truck stereo not at fault after all. Perhaps a factory reset would fix the issue. Or maybe Android 4.2.2 has the problem fixed.

 

[Jetgator]

I have an HTC one and a Toyota sienna and I have been having the exact problem you all have been having. I found one trick though to make Pandora and other streaming music apps to play. Once the music begins to stream and you are connected via bluetooth hit the previous track button. After a few seconds you will hear the music begin to stream. Sometimes it takes a few pushes bit it eventually works. Let me know if this helps anyone!.

 

[Adwad]

Hi all, figured I'd add my experience in case it helps anyone. I have been having the same Bluetooth audio issues with my Motorola Droid Razr M and 2013 Subaru Legacy. After having almost no success for a few weeks, I have been having some moderate success lately....

I use two main Android Apps to play music...Digitally Imported (a streaming internet radio app) and WinAmp (to play music stored on my phone). It seems as though the Digitally Imported app has some sort of "priority" access to the Bluetooth Audio stream.

When turning on the system, if I open the Digitally Imported app, the music almost always successfully plays through the car audio system and the song artist/title display on the display on the car dashboard is correct. If, after turning on the system, I instead try first to play music using WinAmp, it usually does not work. However, if I turn the system on, play something through Digitally Imported, then stop that app, then play music through WinAmp, it usually works. However, the text of artist/song name on the screen in the car is not usually accurate.

Really strange. I also had one time where music from BOTH apps was playing through the Bluetooth system at the same time lol.

I still believe it's some sort of issue with the Android OS that I'm currently on (4.1.2)...I'm eagerly awaiting the next update (hopefully it will happen). But at least I've had some moderate success.

 

[SheCallmeLs]

Ive had the same issue in a 2011 ford fusion but i found that if i just take the fuse out for the bluetooth sync and put it back in it works

 

[AvalonIssue]

I just returned from the Toyota service shop with my 2011 Avalon. They had just replaced the whole unit because of a problem. I was unable to hear music through the speakers using Winamp as my audio player. It has previously worked. I thought it was a bluetooth problem, but working with the service tech we were able to pair the phone and audio. For some reason, we were unable to hear any sound from the Winamp player. However, when we tried Pandora, it worked fine. After a while Pandora would work intermittently then I got a "pause" message on the radio while in blue tooth mode.
I tried another music player, amazon mp3, and that worked fine. I have deleted winamp. I will take the advise on this blog to try to reset Pandora by running google music to see if that will fix the "pause" problem.
Toyota has a web site that allows you to input your phone information after which the app will tell you which features are compatible with their blue tooth. at: Toyota - Entune

 

[soco8228]

I have a similar problem, I just bought note 3, and phone Syncs but not Media, I did not have problem with note 2, but the 2 was rooted, I think it may be a security feature for driving, I found if you go to bluetooth settings it asks for phone or media but will not let me do both at once, so car Syncs to phone only, if you pick media than phone won't sync, not sure if that by helps I am going to try and figure out maybe rooting is the answer

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I have a similar problem, I just bought note 3, and phone Syncs but not Media, I did not have problem with note 2, but the 2 was rooted, I think it may be a security feature for driving, I found if you go to bluetooth settings it asks for phone or media but will not let me do both at once, so car Syncs to phone only, if you pick media than phone won't sync, not sure if that by helps I am going to try and figure out maybe rooting is the answer

 

[raiderpro]

I just switched from an iPhone 5 running ios7 to an LG optimus running 4.1.2.

Previously on my 2013 Toyota Camry I had no issues streaming over Bluetooth, including displaying track info regardless of the app (iTunes, Pandora, Spotify)

Now I am experiencing the same issues mentioned in this thread and its quite frustrating

I would rather stay on the track I'm on moving away from Apple, but this bluetooth issue hurts Lol

 

[RayneRift]

I have a 2011 Toyota Sienna. I also have an LG G2 and Moto G running KK. Neither is rooted or flashed. My Moto G runs Spotify perfectly in the car using BT. The LG displays nothing nor is there any sound. My wife's iPhone 4S has no problems either. So I guess it's an LG issue?

 

[cknapp61]

26APR2015

I am posting a bit of a lengthy partial solution here, hoping that a detailed description with many keywords, might be found when searched for by other people with similar issues. I am pretty good with technology, programming with MS Access database, etc., so I consider myself an advanced computer and technology user. I have my smartphone set up more like a laptop and can get more productivity out of it with regards to spreadsheet and presentation manipulation than most can get out of a desktop system, my point being that though a competent techie, I have not come to a permanent fix....yet...if I do, I will post a follow up here.

There seem to be many articles on the Internet discussing inter-connectivity via Bluetooth between the Toyota radio head audio system and various Android Samsung Galaxy phones such as the Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy S6 with regards to having problems with respect to not playing music files (MP3, WMA) stored on the phone via the automatic Bluetooth connection.

I am having a similar problem with the 2015 Toyota Corolla S Plus (owned for about two weeks) with the Entune Premium audio system. The radio head suddenly began having problems not automatically playing music files (MP3 and WMA) via Bluetooth from my Samsung Galaxy S3 Android Smartphone running Android 4.3.3 operating system (NOT rooted). For about a week, when selecting the Bluetooth audio mode on the car's audio system, the car's audio system worked fine, automatically playing the music files stored on my phone, displaying the Artist, Track Title and Album names as well as the Cover Art on the radio head display.

I will explain my temporary fix first, then the steps I had tried which did not work. Regardless, I have called Toyota Corporation, though the guy was pleasant, he had not run into this problem and could not assist, thus, I will be taking the car to my Toyota dealer this week.

*******HERE IS THE TEMPORARY FIX I CAME UP WITH. **********
(I use WinAmp as my music player on the phone, but this will work with the default Samsung Music or Google Play music file (MP3, WMA) player APPs.
From the Google Play Store, I downloaded the SoundAbout (one word) APP. Basically, this APP has settings which force audio from the phone to be routed to a Bluetooth device such as an earpiece, the car (A2DP protocol) as well as allowing the user to select other protocols based on the device designated to receive the audio. Having first paired the phone to the car once, I then subsequently start the car, wait for the audio system to boot up and select the Bluetooth audio mode. Next, I turn on my phone's BlueTooth, launch the WinAmp player (or music player of your choice) on the phone, select a song to play, then PLAY (Random and other play modes must be set once). This causes the SoundAbout APP to send the audio via Bluetooth to the radio head and the music plays through the car stereo (and the calls also go through the radio head, when a call is complete, WinAMP continues playing music automatically). I can even change tracks by using the thumb pad of the steering wheel. There are only two issues with this arrangement, first, the audio track titles/information and Cover Art are not displayed on the car's radio head display, and secondly, the car radio head is simply not working as it should, it is much cooler to show your family and friends how the car automatically plays music files from the phone via Bluetooth without touching the phone for true, safe, hands free operation...thus the reason I will take the car to the Toyota dealer this week.
****the settings used on the SoundAbout APP, after experimentation, which work for me are: SoundAbout SERVICE-On With Status; Media Audio-Let APP Decide; Phone Call Audio-Let APP Decide; Connectible Devices/Bluetooth Settings-Bluetooth Auto Enable CHECKED.

****Steps I had taken found from various websites which DID NOT SOLVE my issues, in order from advanced to rudimentary:**********

-It was suggested to ROOT the phone....HECK NO, to many APPS and too much data to re-install!

-Cleared the Bluetooth cache and data under the Phone's SETTINGS/MORE/APPLICATION MANAGER (at this point scroll to the right to get to ALL)/Bluetooth SHARE (select by tapping once), select FORCE STOP, CLEAR CACHE, CLEAR DATA...then reboot the phone.

-There was another option which did not work regarding clearing the music cache on the phone, I do not recall the steps right now, but they can be searched for on the internet, but it did not work.

-Delete the phone from the Toyota radio head audio system, turn the car off, unpair the Toyota Bluetooth connection from the phone, reboot the phone. Start the car and re-pair the phone to the car. (hint, not sure why anyone bothers suggesting this as a fix online. If you as the user have not figured out on your own to "re-boot" the system from scratch and try again, you should probably not have purchased such a car audio system, and none of us would be looking for such a simple solution on the internet, thus such postings are inconceivable to me, all they do is become the top listed solutions, which of course do not work in most cases).

 

[cknapp61]

27APR2015

My salesman helped me figure this issue of the Toyota Corolla S Plus Entune Preumium Radio Head suddenly no longer automatically playing music files (MP3, WMA) from my Android based Samsung Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S5, Galaxy S6 (listing all models as this is likely a universal solution, attempting to make "Google Searches" find this posting) with Android v4.3.3 operating system installed, via Bluetooth.

With the help of my salesman, after connecting his Galaxy S4 to my system and the automatic Bluetooth playing of music files from his phone worked, I poked around on his phone and found that the Toyota Radio Head was looking for the Android phone to have the APP "Sound Player" (large blue outline of a circle with a PLAY graphic (blue arrow pointed to the right) in the middle of the circle, and a green music note covering about one third of the icon on the right side) be set as the phone's default music player. I believe that I had changed my phone to use WinAmp as the default music player, thus the Toyota Radio Head could not play the music files automatically, forcing me to launch WinAmp manually to send music to the Toyota Radio Head via Bluetooth.

After changing the file association for music files (MP3, WMA) on my phone the Samsung Galaxy S3, to the "Sound Player" APP described above, the Toyota Radio Head does in fact now automatically play music files from my smartphone.

To change the file association for a music file, browse to a music file using your phone's file browser (I use SOLID EXPLORER, a dual-pane file browser like 2xExplorer for Windows), long press the music file, a window should pop up showing various music players installed on your phone, select OPEN WITH, place a check mark in the box labeled "Always Use This Application", select the APP "Sound Player" (icon as described in first paragraph of this posting). Be sure to do this for each music file type you have, once for MP3, once for WMA, etc.

I had searched the Internet and even asked the Toyota Assistance Center (corporate), which Android Music Player the Toyota Radio Head was looking for as the phone's default music player, but no one could answer this question. I still recommend using the Android APP "SoundAbout" (one word) as mentioned in my Original Posting, as it does allow the user to direct where phone call and music audio should go via Bluetooth or wired headphone connection, it really does help keep the Bluetooth connected devices such as earpieces and car audio systems from losing the Bluetooth connection to the phone. I hope this helps anyone having issues.

 

[pmoreland001]

My samsung galaxy s4 will not pair with my 2012 highlander.