Voice Command Issue-IPOD?

lloydweb · May 3, 2021

Don't know if any other members have had this issue? Voice command works perfectly for satnav/phone, etc, but when I try to use it to select a song on my ipod touch (only 2 months old, 256g), I just get the error phrase 'media device not selected', even when the ipod is the only device plugged in.

It works for music on a USB stick, but just not the ipod. To be honest, I don't use voice command much at all (never have), but I don't like it when things don't work.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Alex S. Driver · May 4, 2021

Are the songs listed correctly on the car's screen?

lloydweb · May 4, 2021

Yes Graeme, no issues with the display or the playback using the trackpad. It's purely when I try to use voice command, which works for everything else including music on a USB stick.I've spoken to the dealer and he's going to speak to one of his tech guys. Maybe some odd incompatibility issue?

Alex S. Driver · May 4, 2021

It could be something to do with the capabilities of the file system on the iPod? I use a 128 GB USB stick which had to be formatted as fat32. What do ipods use as a filesystem? Mind you, I've found the whole voice control thing so frustrating I've not progressed to selecting tracks yet.

lloydweb · May 4, 2021

Ipods should 'just work' really, my previous 160g ipod was fine in my RC300h. Never used this new ipod in the old car, so can't compare. I'll just have to see if the dealer comes up with anything.

Alex S. Driver · May 5, 2021

Just a thought, Mike. Could the iPod be going to sleep to save power? i.e. It lets the car grab the music titles to index them but when the car comes back later and tells it to send the selected file it's having a snooze? This might explain the 'media device not selected' message.

Random thought 2: How many tracks on the iPod vs the USB stick?

lloydweb · May 5, 2021

I guess that's possible but I'm pretty sure I've tried it when the ipod is 'active' and still have the same problem. Plus wouldn't you have the same problem however you selected a track, ie voice command vs. trackpad? As to the USB, I did just do it as a test and sure, there's over 150g used in my ipod, but only 2g or so on the USB I tested.

See what the dealer comes back with I guess, it's only a minor annoyance but it should work and I can't see why it doesn't. Ipod's are hardly rare or esoteric devices, after all!

Alex S. Driver · May 9, 2021

I just tried it myself and it stubbornly refused to play anything on the USB stick... or maybe it's trying to make a comment about my taste in music!

I will try a small USB drive to see if that helps. Perhaps it's just overloaded.

lloydweb · May 9, 2021

I didn't have any problem with voice command on my test USB at all, but I only put half a dozen albums on there. The dealer's not come back to me yet, I'll probably chase him this week.

PDM · May 10, 2021

Mike,

I have a similar issue, but on my usb stick, with my 2021 RX.

All voice commands work fine (phone, nav etc), but when I try to use them for playing albums etc off the usb stick, I get the "no media device selected" message... even though the album list works fine when selecting in menus. I use (well, I used to) this feature all the time...

I have an open case with Lexus UK on this.

Paul

PDM · May 10, 2021

9 hours ago, Alex S. Driver said:

I just tried it myself and it stubbornly refused to play anything on the USB stick... or maybe it's trying to make a comment about my taste in music!

I will try a small USB drive to see if that helps. Perhaps it's just overloaded.

Alex - check your stick is formatted as FAT32. Windows 10 will use exFAT on >32GB usb disks, and the Lexus can only read FAT32.

Paul

lloydweb · May 10, 2021

That's interesting Paul, seems like an alternate version of the same problem! I have no problems whatsoever with any other voice application (satnav/phone/USB music etc), but, just with the ipod, it won't work AT ALL. I can't find the 'voice training' option either, think it's been removed.

PDM · May 10, 2021

42 minutes ago, lloydweb said:

That's interesting Paul, seems like an alternate version of the same problem! I have no problems whatsoever with any other voice application (satnav/phone/USB music etc), but, just with the ipod, it won't work AT ALL. I can't find the 'voice training' option either, think it's been removed.

Hi Mike, I have sent a link to this post to Lexus customer service given the apparent synergy in the two bugs.

Did this bug manifest itself after a visit to the dealer (and perhaps a software upgrade) or you only just recently tried the ipod for the first time in the car? For my RX, I had voice commands working on mp3 playback off the stick intermittently, but I believe it became much worse when the Feb 21 software release was installed. This could still be a coincidence, however, given it was still temperamental before. I will post when I find out more.

Paul

lloydweb · May 10, 2021

Hi Paul. No, I only bought the car in March, it's a Lexus Head Office ex-Marketing car, 15/16 months old at the time, I only had a basic service done before pick-up. I'm unaware of any software updates it may or may not have had. There is clearly some sort of device detection issue here, it's just that our two cars differ in the audio devices they can't detect!

lloydweb · May 11, 2021

My dealer's just come back to me and the only thing he and his service department can suggest/is aware of, is that it may need a software update. I can't be bothered to drive all the way to the dealers, wait for hours, then drive back again, for a relatively (to me) trivial issue, so I'll leave it till first service.

Paul, it would be nice though if you could let us know if you make any progress?

PDM · May 11, 2021

Hi Mike,

Will do. Unless the LC has a very different software base in the infotainment than the current RX then I suspect the latest software will not help you here - as my RX is running the latest at present.

Unfortunately I have been so used to barking "play album <name>" commands at our CT and NX over the years that not having it working in the RX is rather annoying and surprising. Luckily my dealer is only a 5min drive away.

I'll keep this thread updated with my findings.

Paul

PS I'm envious of you LC500 owners, but the argument to my wife that "it has isofix points in the back, so it's a family car..." didn't work. 🙂

lloydweb · May 12, 2021

Cheers Paul, it's a good 45 minutes to my dealers in Bolton so I'll leave it till next service, it doesn't bother me that much. As you say though, a software update may not help! It would be great if you could indeed keep us updated.

As to the LC being a family car, well......the back seats are REALLY small, worse than the RC. A family of kittens, maybe!