rx400h 2005 and iPhone

[Saphian]

Would like to be able to search a contact and make a call from the via the car but not sure it's possible

Can someone tell me if it's possible and how to transfer numbers to the car's phone book from an Iphone - going through RX's settings to transfer doesn't

seem to work or even illicit a request on the Iphone to transfer.

If iPhones and RX's don't work well together, what Bluetooth head is the best option to go for and how do they work ie will I be able to use the car screen to call a contact - music on Iphone aside - what would be the point of a separate Bluetooth head otherwise?

Thanks

[Superduner]

If it's like my 2007 (and I use an Android phone), you have to transfer every contact individually from the phone.  Android won't do it en masse

[Saphian]

Thanks Superduner.

Not getting much info from the screen that says how to do individual transfers - just says "Transfer Data" what am I looking for exactly that would enable me individually transfer contacts?

[Superduner]

As I said, I don't know anything about the workings of apple stuff, but on the Android you go to the contact (on the phone) and then select "share".  It then gives you an option of using Bluetooth to send it, to the car in this case.

Maybe iPhones have something similar?

[Brian26]

Hi Saphian,

Have a look at this website it will tell you what each generation of Iphone will and will not do with each generation of RX.

Hope it helps

Bri

 

http://www.lexus-tech.eu/Bluetooth/search.aspx

 

[m4rkw]

I would just change the head unit for something modern and use siri.

[Saphian]

Thanks for the info.

No Bluetooth share option on an Iphone 7  but did initially manage to get it to pair with the speaker and mic working but without contacts transferring I unpaired them hoping a fresh re-pair would get the contact transfer to kick in but now nothing works and pairing is erratic.

Also checked that Lexus Bluetooth link which implies iPhones up to 5C work but they don't even "see" each other let alone pair up.

Decided to for a cheap external unit that plugs in and has rave reviews - fingers crossed as this is all rather tedious - used to think that Bluetooth was universal  and it was just a case that you either had it or you didn't. 

 

[flookyk]

On 5/3/2021 at 8:10 PM, Saphian said:

Thanks for the info.

No Bluetooth share option on an iPhone 7  but did initially manage to get it to pair with the speaker and mic working but without contacts transferring I unpaired them hoping a fresh re-pair would get the contact transfer to kick in but now nothing works and pairing is erratic.

Also checked that Lexus bluetooth link which implies iPhones up to 5C work but they don't even "see" each other let alone pair up.

Decided to for a cheap external unit that plugs in and has rave reviews - fingers crossed as this is all rather tedious - used to think that bluetooth was universal  and it was just a case that you either had it or you didn't. 

 

Bluetooth has changed a number of times over the years.

I used to have Bluetooth connection in my motorcycle helmet to my mobile around 12 years ago but it depended on what phone you had as it only worked with some versions of Bluetooth and not others. I doubt if that system could connect with the phones around now.

[Goodplan53]

Hello Saphian,

I echo your frustration.  I have recently bought a 2016 450H.  Lovely car, but I do not seem to be able to make a call from it, even after pairing my phone (Iphone 11).  My understanding is that despite all the features of this luxurious brand, making hands free calls from the car does not seem possible - surely that's not right, is it?  What if we get stuck in traffic and need to call ahead?  

I must be doing something wrong...any advice please?  

Thanks.

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, Goodplan53 said:

I must be doing something wrong...any advice please?  

You are indeed, but I'm afraid I don't know what.

All I can say is that I could make hands-free calls in my 2013 RX450h when I had it and still can in my current 2018 RX450h.

[Goodplan53]

Thanks Herbie,

Actually that's a relief, because it proves to me that this is a function that the RX has. 

I guess I just need to read the instructions again (RTFI lol!), unless you could post an idiots' guide on how to do it, please?  Whenever I or my wife tries to set it up, all I get is "pardon?".

Thanks

[Herbie]

6 minutes ago, Goodplan53 said:

Thanks Herbie,

Actually that's a relief, because it proves to me that this is a function that the RX has. 

I guess I just need to read the instructions again (RTFI lol!), unless you could post an idiots' guide on how to do it, please?  Whenever I or my wife tries to set it up, all I get is "pardon?".

Thanks

Are you trying to use voice commands, such as "Dial John Smith" or "Call Home"?

If so, I've never managed to get that working but I just assumed that it can't cope with my strong northern accent. I don't think many people have got it working at all, irrespective of which model/variant of Lexus.

I normally use the joystick to find the number I want in the phonebook, press the 'off-hook' button and the call is hands-free from then on.

[Goodplan53]

Thanks Herbie

I have had other makes such as Honda and they make their voice commands work, so Toyota should too.  I’m  surprised that Lexus have allowed this obviously widespread and common fault to continue.

Despite all Lexus’s engineering prowess, most owners judge their cars by the touch points where the driver interacts with the car.  

[Herbie]

23 minutes ago, Goodplan53 said:

I have had other makes such as Honda and they make their voice commands work, so Toyota should too

I completely agree, as do many other members of these forums.

The infotainment and nav systems have long been the 'Achilles Heel' of Lexus, but all other aspects of the cars are so good that it would be cutting your nose off to spite your face if you made it into a deal-breaker and went to some other brand because of it.

[Goodplan53]

Thanks Herbie, you're probably right - I do love the car, despite its faults.

Going back to your earlier advice about using the joystick - is it possible to 'slow' it down?  The slightest touch with my arthriticky left hand and it whizzes off the screen.  There's no way I could use it to select a contact in my phonebook, or anything else for that matter.

I'm grateful for your insight.

[JBPRX400h]

There is an option in one of the setup menus to adjust sensitivity.

JBP

[Goodplan53]

Thanks John - I'll have a look...

[JBPRX400h]

On 5/7/2021 at 8:18 AM, Goodplan53 said:

Thanks Herbie, you're probably right - I do love the car, despite its faults.

Going back to your earlier advice about using the joystick - is it possible to 'slow' it down?  The slightest touch with my arthriticky left hand and it whizzes off the screen.  There's no way I could use it to select a contact in my phonebook, or anything else for that matter.

I'm grateful for your insight.

Did you find it Tim?

If not it should be in Menu, Settings, General, Feedback Force

Good luck!

JBP

[Goodplan53]

Hi John

I didn’t find it yesterday when I was the passenger. I found menu, settings, general but that’s where I got lost. I’ll try again - thank you for your help. 
 

regards

Tim

[Saphian]

So, decided to go down the plug-ing Bluetooth device thing to be able to make and receive calls via Siri which kinda works.

But this only works if you really just want to play music from your smartphone - there's no way to listen to a radio station and make and receive calls with ease as it uses a radio frequency.

Who'd have thought it's 2021 - might have to buy a helmet and sticky tape the phone to it instead!!

[Superduner]

I find that 2 empty cans and a bit of string works well.

[Herbie]

3 hours ago, Saphian said:

Who'd have thought it's 2021 - might have to buy a helmet and sticky tape the phone to it instead!!

It may be 2021 now but your car is 16 years old and may have been in development for 2 or 3 years before that, so you're trying to match today's technology with something around 18 or 19 years old. Add in the development and changes to Bluetooth along the way and it gets even more complicated.

[Saphian]

The car may be 16 years old but Bluetooth is 32 years old - so you'd think they'd've found a way to make it work across the board universally within the first 16 years!