Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
Lizzanna
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thank you!  This actually worked!  I still am not getting any info on the screen when using Pandora, etc., but at least the phone is now staying paired and I don't have to turn it on each time I get in the car.  Thank you very much!

Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
ZorlakDaPhoneHax0r
Enthusiast - Level 2

Glad to hear it Lizzanna! Would you mind setting the question to answered (and my post as the answer) if possible? Thanks!!

PS, I have never had my Audible, Rdio or anything really stream the name of the music / artist properly to the screen. I can see how many minutes have played and that's it. Smiley Sad If I find a fix for that though then I will post it as well.

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Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
hconstantzos
Enthusiast - Level 2

This worked for me, though I'm not sure why. I have not had a problem with my Bluetooth connection for a week on my 2015 Subaru Forester. I even turned the smart lock back on and have had no problems. Thanks ZorlakDaPhoneHax0r

Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
Lizzanna
Enthusiast - Level 2

I'm not sure how to post the original question as answered or how to attribute it to you.  If I can figure it out, I will sure do that.  Thanks again!

Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
Lizzanna
Enthusiast - Level 2

See Response #37 for the correct answer, it worked!

Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
DavidS524
Newbie

I am having the same issue with a 2014 Subaru Forester and a Galaxy S6. I was previously using a Galaxy S4 and I had the same problem. I was hoping that getting a new phone would solve it. Little did I know the S6 has the same issue. I've tried all the suggested fixes in this thread including doing the pairing with steering wheel controls only. So far nothing is a permanent fix. The connection drops vary greatly however. I can drive for 20 minutes without a drop or I might only get 20 seconds down the road. I've called around to a couple of Subaru dealerships in the area to ask about upgrading the firmware. So far the guys I have talked to in both the parts and service department have no idea what I am talking about. When I mention firmware the only response I get is "what now?". Pretty frustrating!

My next step is to try a third party Bluetooth adapter. It would mean losing the previous/next track steering wheel control buttons and the track info on the LCD screen but I want to see if it can keep a better connection.

For those that have reached out to Samsung, have they given any indication they are working on a fix for this? I may end up just switching my phone out before my initial 14 days is up if there are no promising updates regarding this.

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Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
DavidS524
Newbie

I called Samsung today and went through all their troubleshooting steps with no change in the results. They pointed to my car as the problem saying that the firmware for my stereo system needed to be upgraded. It is certainly worth continuing to investigate that path but as I said in my previous post I have not gotten very far on that front. Also, as a 2014 model it doesn't make sense that it wouldn't be more compatible with the newer BT versions.

I've ordered the Kinivo BTC455 which has BT 4.0. If it works well then hopefully that will confirm the error is with my car and not the phone.

Amazon.com: Kinivo BTC455 Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit for Cars with Aux Input Jack (3.5 mm) - Suppo...

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Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
ZorlakDaPhoneHax0r
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hi David,

That sucks about your issues. From your posts, the conclusion that I would come to is the same as Samsung. It really sounds like the BT in your car is flaking out or is having general issues. Especially since your S4 was having issues, too. My bet is that the Kinivo will solve your problems, so long as the entire head-unit in your car isn't flaking out. That said, the Kinivo looks like a cool little device! Smiley Happy

I will be curious to hear if it works for you or not, so keep this thread updated. If your head-unit really is flaking on you then it may not be as simple as a firmware upgrade - which is apparently not as simple as it should be. It could be that you need a new head-unit due to faulty hardware. It definitely happens, and if your BT has never worked right, I wouldn't rule that out.

If you keep pressing Subaru for a firmware or software update for your head-unit definitely post your results. Smiley Happy

Some other thoughts:

- Could there be any other interface causing the BT issues? Power inverters, etc.?

- I'm sure you've tested this, but do you keep the phone out of your pocket? I know I've seen my BT cut out (though rarely) when I leave my phone in my pocket and have thicker clothes on. When I set it in the cup holder or passenger seat though it clears up.

- Does your phone work fine over AUX with an AUX cable? If so, I'm like 99.9% positive that the Kinivo will give you no issues.

- If your phone isn't working over AUX the head-unit could be the entire issue. Ask Subaru for a new one.

- Do you have any other bluetooth sound systems you can test your phone with? Do your friends? You could also verify AUX is working.

- If the answer is no to the above, you could always go down to a dealership and pair your phone with one of the cars on their lot to make sure your phone isn't the issue. Just go test drive something fun. I recently test drove a 2015 Camaro 2SS for fun - so even if your BT isn't working you can still turn it into a fun experience.

- If your head-unit IS the problem, and Subaru won't replace it, you could hit eBay for a factory replacement unit. Before doing this though I would recommend checking your phone in another 2014  Forester to ensure it's not an all-around issue.

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Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
DavidS524
Newbie

So yeah, my S4 did work pretty well for awhile when I first started using it with BT last year. I remember that it would maybe cut out once every few days or so but nothing major. It just got progressively worse over time.

- I received the Kinivo device last night and it seems to be working well so far although I haven't tested it extensively. I will be doing that later this afternoon. It is probably worth noting that it is equipped with BT 4.0. I need to do some more research and find out what my car's head unit has.

- There is nothing that could cause interference in my car that I know of. Also, I do keep the phone out of my pocket, either on my lap or in the center console area.

- I tested my phone using BT with a sound bar and it played fine for a couple of hours. No issues there.

- Here is the really strange part. My S4 and my S6 do not work with the AUX port in the car. They do work for a short time but within 5 minutes it will cut out just like the BT. In my mind this should be TOTALLY separate from BT yet the problem is very similar. I would agree with your idea about the head unit being bad if it wasn't for a couple of things. When my friends plug their phone in via the same AUX cable it works great with no drops. Secondly, the Kinivo plugs into the AUX port and as I said, it seems to be working fine. As for my phone, it works fine using AUX cords plugged into other devices. It is also worth noting one of my friends has the S5.

- At this point I would love to try a new head unit but if I take it in and they are able to get a different phone to work then they will simply blame it on my phone. It is still worth a shot but I haven't had time to get in to a dealer yet.

- Finally, I did test this with various music apps. Spotify, SoundCloud, and the native Samsung with mp3's.

I wish I could be more help to the people having the same problem. For my specific problem, I've decided that there is simply a compatibility issue between my two phones and my car's head unit. Since they both work with other devices I don't think either one is broken. This doesn't explain why an S5 would work while an S4 & 6 have problems but that is pretty much the only conclusion that makes any sense to me.

In the future I will probably be buying  a new head unit that includes Nav anyway. Hopefully that will solve all my problems if I haven't found a fix before then.

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Re: Galaxy S6 Car Bluetooth Problems
Mdearing49
Newbie

Add me to the list. The S6 worked fine for about a week with my 2014 Honda Civic's bluetooth then started an endless cycle of connecting and disconnecting from the car's bluetooth.   Stopped reading texts, too.  I will likely give the phone to my young daughter since I can't afford to throw it away, but the experience has been far too expensive for me to buy another Samsung.

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