Bluetooth in Car not working since Samsung S4 update

[WhyMe]

So my Samsung S4 Galaxy Bluetooth has worked seemlessly with the integrated Bluetooth in my car since I got my phone a year ago. Just recently my phone stopped sending MMS (picture messages) so the Vodafone store told me to do a factory reset as it has something to do with a OS update.

I did the factory reset on the phone (which now sends MMS) but from that very moment my phone will not function correctly with the Bluetooth in my car.

Frustratingly, it connects perfectly as before even showing call logs and phone book as before but the very second I make or receive a call, the Bluetooth connection is dropped and the car displays 'No Bluetooth link'.

Furthermore, my wife has a Samsung S3 Mini which has also just stopped sending MMS but we chose not to do the factory reset on hers, and it connects fine to the car just as it always has, and it functions fine for her on both incoming and outgoing calls.

So it looks like there has been a series of OS updates, one of which will prevent MMS messages being sent, but should you then do a factory reset to get this facility back, you will lose In Car Bluetooth compatibility - really sucks, unless anyone else has any suggestions?

[Retired-Laura]

Hi @WhyMe

Make sure that the Firmware is up to date on the phone.

You could also pop the phone back to the Vodafone store so we can take a look into this for you.

Cheers,

Laura

[WhyMe]

As far as I can tell, my Firmware is up to date. I just did a 'check for updates' on the phone & it said everything was up to date. Also consider that an older S2 and S3 Mini are working fine, I doubt it is this.

One thought...is it just possible that something has gone slightly wrong on the SIM card and it is that which is causing the problem? It might explain why it connects to the In-Car Bluetooth but drops only when making or receiving a call, as well as the anomaly of being able to Bluetooth images successfully.

I'm just starting to think that maybe it's the micro SIM which has been somehow damaged. Any thoughts??

Unfortunately I don't have access to any micro SIMS to swap and try the theory.

Otherwise I'll go the Vodafone store on Thursday but I have to admit we've received nothing but dreadful service coupled with a lack of knowledge on both technical and administration issues so I'm loathe to return but feel I probably have to try one time before taking the issue further up the chain of command. Coupled with the fact they don't have car parking nearby being a pedestriansed town centre neither I nor they will be able to test / check anything in the car. Ideally I need to go to a store with adjacent parking and find a member of staff willing to come out to my car.

Anyway, thoughts on whether the micro SIM could be damaged and causing the problems would be most welcome. Thanks.

[hrym]

A faulty SIM is one thing that would be worth eliminating.  The update wouldn't normally cause this, but it can happen and would be likely to be co-incidental.

[WhyMe]

So I went back to my Vodafone store today. After explaining in great detail my expereince and the steps I have taken to prove beyond all doubt that the fault lies with my phone and not my car, I was initially brushed aside & told to go back to Fords for a Bluetooth update - arrghh.

However after explaining once more that my phone does not work with ANY car, and every other phone I have tried works fine with MY car, they did accept that something must be wrong. Lots of head shaking and confused faces and checking of settings, all to no avail.

I did feel at this point though that they were genuinely trying to help me and were just baffled. They then asked me to drive around to near the rear of the store where they then bought out a selection of other phones to test.

As expected, they all worked fine in my car - and my S4 continued to drop the connection.

They have agreed to send my phone off for investigation and possibly a complete replacement. They had no courtesy phone available but I have my old Samsung S2 - which also works fine in my car!

So, hopefully I have begun the process of resolution but my message to others out there is:

DONT NECESSARILY BELIEVE VODAFONE WHEN THEY SAY A FACTORY RESEST CAN NOT DAMAGE YOUR BLUETOOTH BECAUSE IT CAN & IT HAS!!

I'm still happy to continue with Vodafone and feel that the guys in the store really did genuinely try to resolve the issue today and here's hoping that the phone comes back fully working or replaced.

I will post an update when I get it back.

[hrym]

Once again, I don't think it's the reset, I'm more inclined to suspect a failure in the update that's only appeared when a reset has enabled the service. I suspect the repair will be a reflash of the firmware and this should fix it.  I just hope the repair centre has the facility to do a full test.

We never checked whether you could connect to anything else via Bluetooth, of course.

[WhyMe]

I'll bow to your more superior knowledge! I don't know what a reflash is but I hope it works.

As mentioned in a previous post, the phone connects fine to all other phones via Bluetooth and is able to send / receive a photo.

It's this anomaly that seems to confuse everyone as to a large extent the Bluetooth does actually work - just not with any cars! 

[WhyMe]

Actually just to clarify my previous post, the S4 does connect to all the cars but the connection is dropped the very second thaat there is an incoming or outgoing phone call.

[hrym]

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@WhyMe wrote:

I'll bow to your more superior knowledge! I don't know what a reflash is but I hope it works.

---

To clarify: a reflash is a re-installation of the operating system.   It's normally done by cable and bypasses the phone's own updating system.

[WhyMe]

Not much to report 😞

Went back to my Vodafone store after 7 days having been told my S4 phone will be back in 5 - 7 days only to be told there is no phone in my name - apparently though the store workers tell me it takes 7 - 9 days now - Go figure!

So, I'll go back in on Monday but have a nasty feeling this isn't going to end well.

In the meantime my S2 continues to work faultlessly with my In Car Bluetooth 🙂

[Retired-Sarah]

Hi @WhyMe 

Our Live help team will be happy to check this for you.

Thanks,

Sarah