Bluetooth Issue

[DB S600]

LX470 OWNERS:

As an owner of a 2004 Lexus LX470 and a recently purchase Motorola V710 I have finally had a chance to see how the two integrate with each other. Overall I am impressed, expect for one major issue...

When receiving an incoming call there are no audible alerts whatsoever. A) On the vehicle, the telephone window pops up on the navigation screen, detailing caller information and allows the driver to accept or decline the call. There is however, NO audible alert or ring-tone produced by the vehicle. B) When locked into bluetooth mode, the V710 goes absolutely silent. NO keypad OR ring tones. This has been a problem particularly when standing outside of my vehicle (within bluetooth range - while the vehicle is turned on). When receiving a call, the phone does not ring and the call is missed as I am not made aware of the call.

Is there anyway to override this "silence" while the phone is in bluetooth mode? AND has anyone else had this same experience with their Lexus or Acura bluetooth vehicle?

ON PAGE 119 OF THE NAVIAGATION SYSTEM OWNERS MANUAL IT STATES THAT THE TELEPHONE WINDOW IS SUPPOSED TO POP UP, AS WELL AS AN AUDIABLE ALERT. IS THERE ANY WAY TO ADJUST THIS AUDIABLE ALERT? ON / OFF, VOLUME??? HAS ANYONE HEARD OF SUCH?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP ON THIS MATTER.

[jarling]

I'm so glad you brought up this topic. I was busy all day thinking that my only problem with the v710 Motorola phone (new yesterday) was that I couldn't figure out how to beam my phonebook (never found a way to do this, despite hours of researching) to the LX470. I read your post and ran out to my car to see if I could recreate your issue. I concur, the car never rings to indicate an incoming call. If it helps you, I did notice that I could get the phone to vibrate on incoming calls if I selected the ring tone "Vibrate and Ring". Interestingly, the phone does not vibrate if you select "Vibrate", go figure. In every other ring setting, the phone and car were both silent on incoming calls.

If it helps anyone, I got around the phonebook issue by loading my phonebook into a Nokia 6600 and beaming from there to the LX470. Once the phonebook was loaded into the LX470, I was able to access and use the phonebook with my v710.

One more thing. We reproduced the same non-ring issue with the v710 and my husband's 2004 LS430. Oh, and the "Vibrate and Ring" did not result in even a vibrate when paired with the LS430.

We're so disappointed! My husband is returning his new v710 tomorrow.

[DB S600]

Thanks for your input. Your recommendation of setting the phone's ringtone to "vibrate and ring" works for me too. However, this silence from both the vehicle and the phone is still a problem that should not happen.

As far as transferring your phonebook is concerned, you should note that this is the work of Verizon, as they disabled some of the V710's bluetooth functions. To name a few others: the phone does not transmit battery or signal strength to the vehicle either.

With regard to the car not ringing, I believe this to be a problem with Lexus and not our phones. As it does note in the navigation system owners manual that the car is supposed to make a sound.

I have e-mailed Motorola, but have not heard back from them, when I do I'll be more than happy to post such. If anyone hears back from a lexus dealership that would be great too. If anyone else has these problems, please share.

Thank you.

[HankSz]

I contacted Motorola software support on the issues of 'no audible ring' and 'no ability to upload phonebook data'. The answer I received was that they ARE aware of these issues and are currently working on a new software release that should be available around August 13-16. They stated that this may be 'an over the air' or 'bring it in to your service provider' update.

Otherwise it's great to finally see a Verizion BT phone!

[pemarsh]

I am so happy that this phone actually atleast works with bluetooth in the lx 470!! My big worry is that it would not even work. I am also very excited to see that Motorola has a fix coming!!! I will be getting the phone myself sept 15 (when i get the cheaper 2 year upgrade rate!).

I am not all that familiar with how this works though...so i have a question. Where does the phone need to be while you are in the car?? Can it be on your person, or does it need to be in the car at a specific location??

[pemarsh]

by the way...where did you get the v710--vw stores here in chicago dont have any yet.

[HankSz]

The phone can be anywhere in the car or on your person. I used a second 'modified' holster velcroed to the dash between the instument cluster and the air vent so I could have easy access to the display and the keypad for in-call entry while in motion.

Bluetooth should work up to 30 feet away accoring to the specs.

[HankSz]

I bought my V710 at the local Radio Shack store.

VZW stores probably will not have them until the 15th of August.

They did transfer my phonebook info from my T720 with no problem.

[DB S600]

Just to sum up...

Motorla V710s are available at RadioShack stores now and will become available at Verizon stores August 11th. With a two year contract expect to see a price of $320 minus a $70 rebate at both locations.

When using the phone in bluetooth mode, you do not have to have it in any specific location, as long as it is in a "30 foot" range of the its bluetooth compliment (the LX).

As far as Motorla addressing the issue of the phone going silent in bluetooth mode, they replied with a request for my to call software support and do a live troubleshooting. Havn't gotten around to that yet. That would be GREAT if this is a simple "over the air programming" update to the phone's software. Did the give any specific date?

Goodnight.

[pemarsh]

So, does this over the air programming fix work??

[DB S600]

No word on the update yet. Sorry.

[DB S600]

Is there any way of placing an outgoing call (through the nav system - not to override such by dialing a number on the phone) while the vehicle is in motion? I thought that you could place calls to one touch dial presets, however, they disappear once you start moving. Thank you.

[pemarsh]

Reading the manual, it states there are six ways to make a call. 1-5 states this can not be done if the car is moving. The 6th method I didnt quite understand.

[Kort]

Just picked up my v710 today from VZN. The official release in the VZN stores is tomorrow and Radio Shack had them last week. The price is better at VZN though. I have noted the same issues with the non-ringing and can't send the phone book to the console when in a bluetooth session. I don't mind that it does not ring since it does sillence the radio during an inbound call, and thats all the notice I need. Not being able to upload the phonebook is an issue though. Has anyone tried to voice dial while in a BT session? I think I'll try that now since all the numbers in the v710 can be accessed by using the voice dial feature and stating the name as it's programmed into the phone.

[DB S600]

KORT:

"I don't mind that it does not ring since it does sillence the radio during an inbound call, and thats all the notice I need."

Yes, but do you always have the radio on? Could you please do me a favor and tell me if your Lexus makes any noise when there is an incoming call (I understand that the phone does not, but does your car?)...

THANK YOU.

[George L.]

When I am getting an incoming call I hear a ring out of the speakers, but the phone it self doesn't do anything. But I have a v600 so it might be different? I would think it would be the same though.

[pemarsh]

Has anyone else had the problem of not being able to download the phonebook into the lexus bt system, as Kort is having?? (Kort, correct me if im misunderstanding the problem you are having with your phonebook).

If I recall, I thought DB S600 did this without a problem.

[George L.]

Has anyone else had the problem of not being able to download the phonebook into the lexus bt system, as Kort is having?? (Kort, correct me if im misunderstanding the problem you are having with your phonebook).

If I recall, I thought DB S600 did this without a problem.

I can only transfer over one number at a time, instead of the whole phone book at once.

[DB S600]

With the Motorola V710 from Verizon Wireless you are unable to transfer your phonebook to your Lexus. Unfortunately Verizon tweaked some of the V710's Bluetooth features and in doing so disabled the function in question. I do not believe it to be a problem with the car but one with the phone; as you are able to transfer such with other Bluetooth phones (Motorola V600).

[pemarsh]

So, I guess this is more of a pain in the butt more than anything, as you can enter all your numbers into the lexus system manually.

I guess the other issue is the no ringing problem.

[sstrich]

Is there any way around the problem of not making a call with the car in motion? This seems like a major problem to me, and I'm surprised by the limited discussion here. Thanks.

[DB S600]

OKAY EVERYONE, THIS IS WHAT I'VE COME UP WITH...

1. THE MOTOROLA V710 AND THE LEXUS LX470 ARE ABLE TO LINK WITH ONE ANOTHER, IN SO FAR AS PLACING OUTGOING AND RECEIVING INCOMING CALLS.

*HERE IS WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE*

*NO AUDIBLE ALERT ON INCOMING CALLS*

2. PHONE SET TO A POLYPHONIC RING TONE (I.E. "ALERT") --> HAVE AN INCOMING CALL --> TELEPHONE SCREEN POPS UP --> HOWEVER, THE CAR IS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE THE RING (THEREFORE NO AUDIBLE ALERT).

I HAVE CALLED MOTOROLA AND THEY SEEM TO BE POINTING THE FINGER AT LEXUS FOR THIS FAULT STATING THE BLUETOOTH SYSTEM THAT LEXUS USES IS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE POLYPHONIC RING TONES. I HAVE CALLED LEXUS AND THEY ARE LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM.

3. PHONE SET TO A MONOPHONIC RING TONE (I.E. "NOTIFY") --> HAVE AN INCOMING CALL --> TELEPHONE SCREEN DOES NOT POP UP --> IN THIS REGARD THE PHONE DOES NOT MAKE THE CAR AWARE THAT THERE IS AN INCOMING CALL, NOTHING POPS UP ON THE NAVIGATION SCREEN AND THEREFORE NO AUDIBLE ALERT.

THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PHONE, IN WHICH IT IS UNABLE TO TRANSMIT BLUETOOTH ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AN INCOMING CALL WHILE SET TO A MONOPHONIC RING TONE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MOTOROLA; THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT.

*UNABLE TO TRANSFER PHONE BOOK*

4. VERIZON DISABLED MANY V710 BLUETOOTH FUNCTIONS; THIS APPEARS TO BE ONE OF THEM.

*UNABLE TO PLACE CALL WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION*

5. LEXUS HAS DISALLOWED SUCH OF THEIR SYSTEMS WITH REGARD TO SAFETY CONCERNS. ONCE YOU EXCEED 5 MPH, YOU ARE LOCKED OUT OF PLACING A PHONE CALL AND ALSO INPUTTING DESTINATIONS IN TO THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM.

IF ANYONE CAN DUPLICATE THE RING TONE PROBLEMS NOTED ABOVE AND CARES ENOUGH OR HAS ENOUGH TIME TO REFERENCE SUCH TO MOTOROLA (800.331.6456) / VERIZON (800.2.JOIN.IN) / LEXUS (800.25.LEXUS) , I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. I HAVE ALREADY DONE SO. HAVING SPENT $70K ON A CAR AND CLOSE TO $500 ON A PHONE, I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED BETTER. IT IS UPSETTING TO BE PUNISHED FOR BEING AN EARLY ADOPTER OF THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY. HOPEFULLY MOTOROLA / VERIZON / LEXUS CAN GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED ASAP.

THANK YOU.

[pemarsh]

I will be getting my phone on Sept 15, and you can be sure as anything that I will be calling!

[jarling]

*UNABLE TO PLACE CALL WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION*

5. LEXUS HAS DISALLOWED SUCH OF THEIR SYSTEMS WITH REGARD TO SAFETY CONCERNS. ONCE YOU EXCEED 5 MPH, YOU ARE LOCKED OUT OF PLACING A PHONE CALL AND ALSO INPUTTING DESTINATIONS IN TO THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM.

Regarding the issue of not being able to place calls while the car is in motion, I have two suggestions:

1. This is a lousy work-around, but you can always pick up the phone and dial your number. The call will go through and will be through the car's speakers.

2. You ~are~ able to place "One Touch" calls through the car, even while moving, if you have set them up.

That said, I think the only way to set up the "One Touch" dialing is to have already set up the phonebook. See my previous post for suggestions on how to set up the phonebook by using a different cell phone. Once the phonebook is set up using a separate bluetooth cell phone, it will work fine for your v710. However, there is a 17 phone number limit in the "One Touch" system. For me, this accounts for 90% of my calls.

Also, for what it is worth, I spoke with an aftermarket stereo/DVD installer regarding my LX470, and they indicated that they were able to bypass the Lexus speed sensor/parking brake sensors so that the Nav and Phone systems will work while moving. They indicated that it will likely invalidate my warranty on the electronics, but it might be worth it.

Now a question: Has anyone figured out if it is possible to set up voice dialing through the car?

[sstrich]

DB S600 and Jarling: Thank you for your posts. Jarling....Have you actually had success with using the one touch dialing buttons? This would be an acceptable solution for me. Also, have you confirmed that while dialing the phone manually, you can still speak and listen through the car's speaker system? I have been waiting for months for this phone as the bluetooth option was the primary reason I got rid of my 2002 LS 430 for the new one. I am very disappointed in the way Lexus has set up their phone and nav systems. I should have done better research.

Also wondering whether anyone out there has actually disabled the Lexus speed sensor that disables the nav/bluetooth system as described in the prior post?

Thanks to all. SStrich