Bluetooth Shuts down after 60 seconds

[rjdrivers]

When I start my 2012 Prius C, Bluetooth connects to my Galaxy s5 fine for both phone and music, just as it has for this and my previous phone for over 4 years. Than after 60 seconds, the cars Bluetooth shuts down. If I am playing music from my phone at the time, the word STOPPED appears on the car screen where the artist and album info was just before. This has never happened until this past week.

When I hit the cars Set Up button and choose Bluetooth, it says Bluetooth Off. All other options are grayed out. I can't turn it back on. When I touch the screen over the word Bluetooth, it does beep, as if it was supposed to do something, but remains off as if something was preventing it from turning on.

The next time I start the car, the same thing happens. Even if I turn it off and restart right away. The car and the S5 connect through Bluetooth automatically for phone and music just as they should, then 60 seconds later, it shuts down on the car. Bluetooth on the phone remains on and active. At first I was leaning towards this being an issue with the cars software/firmware. But then I dug out my old Galaxy S2, brought it into the car, and it behaved normally. The S2s profile is still there in my car, so it connected for phone and music, and stayed connected. It did not shut down in 60 seconds like the S5.

So, where does that leave me? An issue with the S5? Its android version, an app, AT&T's latest security update? Anyone else having this problem?

Android Version: 5.1.1
Security patch: 2016-05-01
Baseband version: G900AUCU4CPA3

 

[AZgl1500]

there is differences in bluetooth protocol over the years, how old is your car?

I see you mention your S5 has the latest AT&T software on it, so most likely that will have the latest Bluetooth protocol in that upload. That version of protocol just may not be totally compatible with the car's software.

My son was just telling me yesterday that he bought a new car radio for his pickup expressly because he uses bluetooth in all of his other vehicles, and w/o it being in the OEM radio on the pickup, he felt like "something is missing"

the new radio matched up with his iPhone's bluetooth just fine.

 

[Fox Mulder]

I would delete the pairing from both the car and the phone, then re-pair from scratch. I would also suggest deleting any other devices from the car that you don't use regularly.
If you still have problems after that, maybe contact Toyota and see if there are any known issues with BT. Take a look in the Prius forums as well.

 

[rjdrivers]

Thanks to those who offered help. After comparing notes in a different forum with another Toyota owner (different car, same phone, different carrier) who had this problem, just grabbing at straws as a way to start the process of elimination in solving this mystery, we started comparing apps that had Bluetooth access. We didn't get very far, as just after I listed mine, he got his Marshmallow update, and his Bluetooth went back to normal after that.

He did respond back that of the apps I listed, the only one he had on his S5 was Netflix. I was very doubtful that Netflix would be causing this, but I never would have thought it possible for an app on my phone to shut down the Bluetooth in my car either, so at this point I was willing to consider anything. I deleted Netflix from my phone, tested the Bluetooth connection, and it stayed connected! And it has continued to function normally for the past two days. FIXED! The reason I am not calling this solved is because to confirm the fix, I reinstalled Netflix to see if it would break the Bluetooth, and it did not.

So for what it's worth, deleting Netflix fixed the problem for me, but as far as I am concerned, there was more going on. I just don't know what. Hope this helps someone in case there are more out there with this very odd issue.

 

[rjdrivers]

An interesting development: The other Toyota owner wrote back to say his fix had now failed and gone back to the cars Bluetooth shutting down a minute or two after connecting. I reminded him about Netflix and how, for whatever reason, uninstalling it fixed the issue for me. So he did the same, and it fixed it for him as well. He also reinstalled Netflix, and the fix held, as it has for me.

Still very odd, but now there are two of us.......

 

[Didjit]

Aha! I'm not alone! I've been wrestling with this for a week or more. I've tried deleting profiles and re-pairing, deleting all personal data from the car, and factory resetting both car and phone. I went to the dealer yesterday and they said there was a new "Entune" update for the car. They applied it but it didn't fix the connection problem.

I'm also having GPS problems with Waze. I think it's all due to the Marshmallow release. I'm going to look into retrograding to Lollipop.

P.S. FWIW, I don't have Netflix installed.

 

[AZgl1500]

I am backing up all the way to 4.4.4

I have had enough of the new fangled bs "improvements"

 

[rjdrivers]

There are no easy answers to this. But there appear to be two groups:

1. Constant - happens every time the car is started, and within the first minute or two. Stays off until the car is restarted.
2. Intermittent - happens occasionally and randomly, comes and goes.

Myself and the other Toyota owner I was corresponding with had the constant problem. Deleting Netflix solved it for both of us. People with the intermittent version have deleted Netflix and still have the problem. I have started threads at the AT&T forum, two Prius forums, and one Toyota forum in the Prius section, and here. So far I haven't seen anyone with the intermittent version report finding a solution.

Very frustrating. I only spend about 2 hours/day in my car, but I need to be able to get business phone calls and text messages easily without having to reach for the phone. For sales reps or others who are in their cars most of the day, I can't imagine being without Bluetooth.

 

[AZgl1500]

my answer to that is a Blue Parrott truckers headset,
it goes with me everywhere, and is extremely reliable.

if you don't mind looking like a trucker, or the office receptionist, get one.
I highly recommend it.

it is noise cancelling, you can stand right next to a diesel engine idling and the other guy can't hear the noise.

 

[rjdrivers]

>>>my answer to that is a Blue Parrott truckers headset,
it goes with me everywhere, and is extremely reliable.<<<

That or any number of Bluetooth head sets could solve the phone calls problem, but not text messages.