Troubleshooting Bluetooth Connectivity Issues
If you have been attempting to connect your phone to your car’s Bluetooth but have been having difficulty, read on to find out more troubleshooting tips.
Checking If Bluetooth is Enabled
The very first thing you should do is make sure that Bluetooth on your phone is enabled. On most phones you can do this through the settings menu. Additionally, you can use the quick access toggles from the notification bar and find the Bluetooth toggle. If it is not enabled, you can enable it from here.
Unpairing Old Devices
Because many cars are capable of remembering several different Bluetooth devices, you should explicitly unpair any old devices from your car’s memory before attempting to pair a new one. To do this, you can access the Bluetooth menu from your car using its onboard controls. From there you should select the option to clear previous pairings, after which, the device should no longer appear in your car’s list of devices.
Enabling Discovery
Once your car’s memory is clear of any old memory, you should also make sure that your phone is discoverable by your car. On most phones this can be done from the Bluetooth menu but it could also be done from the settings menu under networks. Either way, the option you’ll be choosing usually says something like “make discoverable” or “enable visibility”.
Resetting the Connection
If after going through these steps you are still having difficulty connecting to your car, you may need to completely reset the connection. This can be done on most phones by toggling Bluetooth on and off or even restarting your phone completely. Additionally, you can reset your car’s Bluetooth from the onboard menus.
Conclusion
By following the troubleshooting tips outlined in this article you should be able to get your phone and car to connect via Bluetooth. Remember to always explicitly unpair old devices, enable discovery mode, and reset the connection if needed. If you’ve gone through all these steps and you’re still having difficulty connecting, you may need to consult your car’s user manual for further instructions.
