Play Music From Iphone?

Peter Whitaker · January 12, 2015

Hi All

My Iphone has successfully connected to the car through Bluetooth and I can make phone calls on the hands free.

I would also like to be able to play music stored on my Iphone through the car audio system. I have tried two ways without success:

1. I connected a mini jack to jack lead from the iPhone's headphone socket to the auxiliary socket in the car but when I play a song on the Iphone it's not coming through the car audio.

Anyone know how to do this?

2. I tried connecting it as a "portable player". It looks like the previous owner managed this because it says "Toms iPhone" in the listed portable players. Also there is a device identification number inserted. So there's two fields - device name and device ID number. On the Iphone there's various numbers (wifi number, IMEI number etc) but I don't know which number this is.

Anyone know how to do this?

many thanks

Pete

gjp527 · January 14, 2015

I connected mine, as you have, to use the phone, then went to the section to add a portable player.

I suggest you delete the previous owner's phone first, then press the button to add a device.

The screen then changes and states something like, a device is already connected, do you want to disconnect?

Press yes, then follow the familiar pairing instructions as for using the phone, and your phone's description will appear in the info.

Switch off and now when you start everything up, there will be two notifications of a Bluetooth connection, and both the phone will work as will the music.

gjp527 · January 14, 2015

An addendum, for the two connections to occur at each start, you have to enable the Bluetooth connection to be instigated from the car rather than the phone within the appropiate section of the pairing procedure.

Peter Whitaker · January 15, 2015

Many thanks GJP - sounds good! - I'll try and report back.

Peter Whitaker · January 16, 2015

Hi G,

Well unfortunately that was a disaster !

All the options seem different to yours - I think we must have different systems.

I cannot find an option to delete the previous portable player - only to edit the name - which if I do just reverts back afterwards.

You say to select add a device... do you mean add a phone or a portable player?

If I try to add a portable player it just gives the error "Bluetooth connection failed"

Can you tell me where are you starting from... Is it Set Up / Audio or Set Up / Phone...?

I don't know which system you have but my car is a 2010 model with hard drive system.

thanks

Pete

gjp527 · January 16, 2015

I have a 2009 IS250C with the ML system and hard drive.

I'll go through it tomorrow on my system and give you a blow by blow account with exact text rather than from memory, and, hopefully, if some sections are different, you'll be able to work it out.

Sent from my Iphone using Lexus OC

gjp527 · January 17, 2015

For my system it is as follows:

1. Ensure Iphone is on with BT on.

2. Switch ignition on.

3. Wait for the notification that car and Iphone have connected via BT.

4. Press Setup, Audio, BT Settings.

5. Press Remove.

6. Select the name of the phone to delete (ie previous owner's) and then Delete etc.

7. Return to BT Settings page and press Register.

8. Upon notification that 'BT device already connected, do you wish to disconnect it?' Press Yes.

9. Follow the pairing instructions.

10. Return to Audio page and select BT Auto Connection.

11. Select Portable Player, Portable Player information.

12. Select 'From vehicle' in the section marked 'Connection Method'

13. Return each page to setup.

14. Switch off and when you switch back on there should be two notifications of succesful BT connections.

After that within the list of audio devices, under Bluetooth (BT) you will have your phone. You may have to begin the Play from the actual phone as sometimes the play is not automatic, and the phone will also be available as before.

Peter Whitaker · January 17, 2015

Hi G,

It worked !!!

Thanks you so much for your efforts - thats exactly what I needed - a step by step guide.

It wasn't exactly the same as yours so I had to improvise. At one point it was asking me to put in a passcode on the device but then it just registered it anyway. I knew it had worked when I heard Martha and the Vandellas coming through the car stereo !

It may not be exactly the same as your system but I still wouldn't have been able to do it without your list.

Now Iphone works to make calls and play music!

So many thanks indeed!

I give Lexus top marks for quality and attention to detail but in the case of this on board system I score them low for user-friendliness. For this they could take a leaf out of Apple's book.

Pete

Lexie04 · February 28, 2016

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the info about connecting your Iphone to your IS 250 .

I had the same problem as yourself, phone worked but no music.

I had always just used the 6-CD changer but thought it was about time to get into the real world.

Each time the option to connect Audio was greyed out.

Removed my phone and followed the 14 steps set out by gjp527 and on came U2 car the car speakers.

Thanks for your post.

Mike Hartland · March 12, 2016

I was having trouble figuring this out and getting my Iphone to work as an audio player until I tried GJP527's 14 point method above and it worked first time. Thanks for that.

usedlexus · June 30, 2021

I had the same problem.

You read lots of things on blogs an on the internet that are unhelpful and/or of no use...and a waste of your time.

This solution was just PERFECT.

Many, many thanks to GJP527!

Southernsoarer · March 31, 2023

Thought I would just refresh this topic and say a big thanks to GJP.

I've been getting to grips with my new Lexus IS250c and hadn't got around to organising the music but my phone connected easily so that was my next task. Glad to say thanks to above info I'm fully connected with both phone & music apps that I have!

Thanks again!

Spacewagon52 · March 31, 2023

46 minutes ago, Southernsoarer said:

Thought I would just refresh this topic and say a big thanks to GJP.

I've been getting to grips with my new Lexus IS250c and hadn't got around to organising the music but my phone connected easily so that was my next task. Glad to say thanks to above info I'm fully connected with both phone & music apps that I have!

Thanks again!

This is the essence of the forums - people helping others to enjoy their Lexus vehicles even more!

hazelnut · April 28, 2023

I don't seem to be able to get this to work on my 2009 GS450h . There never is a portable player option. 😞

Bluemarlin · April 29, 2023

18 hours ago, hazelnut said:

I don't seem to be able to get this to work on my 2009 GS450h . There never is a portable player option. 😞

If I recall on mine, once you've registered your phone and set up the Bluetooth audio options for both phone and music, you have to set it to AUX to get Bluetooth music.

casskay216 · May 12, 2023

I have a 2006 Lexus GS300. How do I connect blue tooth to my phone so I can listen to music on my Iphone and follow navigation on my screen instead of my phone, plus have a hands free option so if someone calls i can just answer and talk to them through the car?