Help Text messages over car bluetooth stopped working

[jkmasi]

I had my Droid Maxx working perfectly with the bluetooth in my Honda CR-V. Speed dial, phonebook access and text messages - all working great. I deactivated my Maxx a few times, and used a few different phones. Now, I have reactivated my Maxx, and the text message function will not work consistently.

Before, the bluetooth notified me when I received a new SMS, and it would read the text message out loud to me if I wanted. Now, half the time when I select Text Messages from the bluetooth menu, I get "Text message function not supported by phone" on the screen, and it almost never notifies me when I receive a message. At other times, it works.

I have tried unpairing the phone (and restarting the phone), clearing the handsfree system in the car, and repairing the phone, with mixed success. I can always make and receive calls, and I have access to the phone book, but not usually text messages. The very first time I paired this phone, I was prompted to allow access to phonebook, and call history AND I got a second request to allow access to messages. Now when I pair, it only asks the first question.

Is it possible that something is wrong/corrupt with bluetooth services on my phone? Is there some deeper setting that I need to clear? Do I need to do a factory reset?

 

[doogald]

Boy, I wish I had an answer, but I'm not 100% sure. I'm having my own issues with my car deck (Kenwood) and the phone and I haven't even looked into messaging support (though I have a Pebble watch, so that's less important.) Still, with no connection to BT my phone will offer to read the message itself with the Assist app Drive mode, but not while connected to the stereo.

Did you first pair before the OTA update last month? If so, maybe there was a change in the OTA.

It does seem that there is nothing universal about this, and every car system seems to have different levels of usability with the Maxx, from what I've read.

I suppose you could see if there is a firmware update for the CR-V's BT system. Or call them and see if they know anything about it - pretty remote, but worth a try, I guess.

Good luck...

 

[Kevin-B]

Hope I'm not stating the obvious here: Some of this functionality is provided by the Assist app. Are its settings all consistent with your former conditions?

I don't know what other settings affect reading text messages aloud. The first time this ever happened for me was with the Maxx, as set up in Assist.

 

[scvcpa]

I noticed that once I started using Hangouts instead of the stock app, the read-out stopped.

 

[jkmasi]

Hope I'm not stating the obvious here: Some of this functionality is provided by the Assist app. Are its settings all consistent with your former conditions?

I don't know what other settings affect reading text messages aloud. The first time this ever happened for me was with the Maxx, as set up in Assist.

I have never used driving feature of the Assist app. Text message readout over my car's bluetooth system was working just fine without me ever using assist.

 

[jkmasi]

I noticed that once I started using Hangouts instead of the stock app, the read-out stopped.

This makes sense, I think, because hangout messages are not in true SMS format. I'm wondering if this is part of my issue. I am not using hangouts for SMS, but I have been using hangouts and whatsapp a lot lately.

 

[jkmasi]

Just wanted to report back that I got this feature back after a factory reset.

 

[Old Member]

I installed 4.4 tonight and after setting Hangouts as my default messaging app Assist began reading my texts to me again.