I’ve had an Apple iPhone since the iPhone 3 was released and now that I have an iPhone 4, I realize that I should be able to pair it via bluetooth with my Toyota GPS navigational system. I have no idea how to proceed, however. Any chance you have a Toyota and can help out?
You’re in luck. For this particular experiment, I went out and bought a Toyota Highlander! Just kidding, I already owned it and I too hadn’t paired my iPhone 4 with my Toyota Nav System, but having seen my friend have his iPhone send stereo to his Ford nav system, I’ve become jealous anyway, so it’s a good time to figure this out.
I’ll tell you right up front, however, that the Toyota nav system is more than a bit weak in the bluetooth support area. In fact, not only does it not (at least, the 2008 version of the nav system in my 2008 Toyota Highlander) support the bluetooth stereo audio protocol known as A2DP, but it doesn’t even offer the ability to transfer your address book onto the car system so you can have nice phone shortcuts there on that screen in your dashboard. I suspect Toyota has an external vendor for the stereo / bluetooth systems, but that should make it easier: simply change the requirements and let them figure it out.
Unfortunately, from what I understand of bluetooth circuitry, this isn’t even something that a firmware update from Toyota can fix. My nav system simply can’t do it. It can’t connect via A2DP to any bluetooth device and push that out as audio on the speakers. Frustrating and disappointing, to say the least!
Anyway, it does work with your iPhone, however, for phone calls, so let’s have a look at the process of pairing the two via bluetooth. I’ll warn you, it’s tricky and will take a few minutes – or more – to get it right. I have tried to capture all the necessary steps on both the Toyota GPS navigational system and the iPhone, but can’t guarantee it’s 100% accurate and correct for your car system.
To state the obvious, you’ll need to be sitting in your car with the nav system powered on and you’ll need your iPhone in your hand. How you’ll see this page too, I’m not sure, but we’ll leave that one for now and just proceed. 🙂
On your phone, go to Settings –> General –> Bluetooth. It’ll look like this:
Now on your Toyota GPS Navigational System tap on the “INFO” button below the screen. You’ll be taken to this screen:
Tap on “Telephone” and you’ll get an error:
We know that a phone isn’t paired up yet. That’s what we’re trying to do! Once the error goes away, however, notice the “Settings” button on the lower left. Tap on it.
Tap on “Bluetooth” on this screen to pair the iPhone with the Toyota nav system.
Tap on “Register” to add a new phone…
Now the nav system is sending a sync signal via bluetooth you need to turn back to your iPhone, which should have had the “Handsfree” system suddenly appear on the screen:
There’s a point in this process where the iPhone switches from the name of the class of device to the specific name “HANDS FREE”. This is a good thing.
Tap on the “HANDS FREE” device on the iPhone and it’ll ask you to enter the sync security code to pair the devices:
Recall from the earlier Toyota nav system screen that the secret code is “1111”. Enter that, then tap “Done”.
Now the nav system screen shows:
Done!
You can verify it worked by looking on your Apple iPhone 4, of course:
And when you get a phone call now and you’re in the car, you’ll see on the iPhone itself it’s incredibly easy to pull a call off the hands free system (if you need privacy, for example) by just tapping on the correct button:
When you are on a call, here’s what you see on the Toyota gps nav system screen:
Since there’s no way to transfer your address book (darn it!) the nav system can’t put names to numbers, which is entirely too bad: when a call comes in while you’re driving, it’s sure nice to have their name show up on the screen before you make the “answer / voice mail” decision.
In any case, I hope this helps you connect your iPhone to your Toyota GPS Navigational system, and if anyone knows how to get a 2008 Toyota nav system to work with the A2DP bluetooth stereo output of the iPhone, please do let me know!!
How can I connect a video cable?
This is excellent Dave. I have managed to connect my phone to 2006 Harrier via blue and icons were most helpful as the language is in Japanese. My question now is, How can I change language to English. Will appreciate if you could post with icons again.
Wish I could help you out, but I no longer have access to a Toyota nav system: I replaced my Highlander with a Mazda! 🙂
Hi there,
I’ve got a question ,if you could assist me it would be highly appreciated. The Toyota kluger genuine GPS 86100, has it got a built in Bluetooth system or is there a way to update the software and add in a bluetooth set?
kind regards,
Sam
I would check with your local Toyota service group or dealership: I don’t see any reference to a model 86100 online?
Thanks, Dave. Your directions are much better than Toyota’s.
I was trying to reconnect an iPhone to our 2008 Camry Hybrid with navigation system.
The process was frustrating because HANDSFREE didn’t show up on the phone.
Then I turned the phone off and on again.
That did the trick.
Back to the basics!
Hello to all,
I was searching for the possibility to have an ipod connected to my B9010 NAV/Audio system in my Avensis T25 2008. Then I saw this topic about pairing a phone over Bluetooth.
But If I go to this setup screen I do not see the phone icon all the other icons are there and the same as your picture but this phone icon is not there.
Is it maybe necessary to first put on your BT on the phone before starting up the NAV/Audio unit in the car so it initializes there is a BT phone ?
Thanks for helping me out here.
kind regards,
Ryan
I have toyota kluger grande 2013 and no luck to transfer my phone contact to the unit. Every time I recive a phone call it’s shows the number only. However I have tried several time and its get disconnected…… Not sure if my unit is faulty or by default it’s like that….
Please help
Thank you! Your step by step helped me to synch my new iPhone without pulling my hair out. You were definitely my hero today!!!
I have a Toyota 2013 which does not have GPS navigation. I used to use my Iphone 5S Google maps and it was talking on car’s loudspeakers through Bluetooth connections. For some reasons it stopped talking and I could not figure out to fix it. Can you please advise?
thanks,
Mir
i have toyota prius in amman jordan but the navigation not wored in my cuntry i need map for prius 2008 for jordinian map plzzzz
Hi,
Do you by any chance have a user guide of the nav system you’re using in this article? I need a user guide of a 2008 Toyota nav system like the one you’re using here.
Thank you for your help.
Well, I have the original book that came with the car, Marvic, but it’d be a real pain to make a copy. Have you called the local Toyota dealership to see if they can help?
FYI: If anyone has a problem similar to mine, when out of the blue, the audio would not function on the Prius 2009 GPS/HANDSFREE system … when calls were made or received utilizing my paired iPhone 5. I had to grab the phone and manually hit the speaker icon, then click on the HANDSFREE . Which of course defeats the purpose of HANDSFREE.
After many hours of frustration for myself and those trying to help me at AT&T, Apple, and Toyota, I went to Best Buy where I purchased the phone, thinking I needed a new phone.
The genius there fixed my phone in a few seconds. He went to “Settings” then “Accessibility” . Somewhere (he said the code was obscure) in Accessibility, it had been set to signal the HANDSFREE on the Toyota to send the audio back to the phone. So he fixed it. Hooray.
Hi, I have a 2010 Avensis with the nav system. I have paired the phone (iphone 3S) with no problem – I have also been shown how to download my phonebook but haven’t done this yet (not sure that I want absolutely every contact transferred). On my old avensis I had the Toyota Bluetooth system as an add-on and I had complete hands free (keeping the “mode” button depressed would initialise hands-free usage and prompt me for dialing instructions). On this Avensis I can’t seem to get total hands-free to work. I can use the touch screen but that is not what I would term hands free. Do you have any ideas if voice activation is a feature – there is a button on the sterring wheel that would suggest it is possible. Cheers
Unfortunately, I too found that the microphone with the hands free system on my Highlander was very poor and ended up replacing it with an expensive third-party Bluetooth system. For reasons I don’t understand, Toyota has no upgrade path.
Can I ask what third party Bluetooth system that you bought, I may have to do that too…
I have a Parrot system but it’s not anything I’d recommend, sorry to say.
I need your help if you can. I have a 2010 Toyota Highlander Limited Edition and I have been told by those who have called me while driving that they can barely hear me on the speaker even though I am aimed at the microphone in the ceiling and speaking up. Is there a way to adjust the microphone volume? I can only find how to adjust the callers volume in the nav system manuals. I would really appreciate your help. Thanks so much.
I have found that I have to turn the fan off on the cars a/c heat. That seams to clear thing up for the caller.
thank you. This was incredibly helpful. A frustration turned into a 2 minute exercise.
Some cars (like the Toyota Verso) have a bug in the handshaking protocol which makes it look like the iPhone can’t be connected to your car. Dealers don’t know this, but I found a simple workaround today which I’ve explained here (no ads, no tricks, just my personal blog):
https://rolfje.com/2012/08/04/toyota-corolla-verso-iphone-bluetooth-connection/
I hope it helps somebody. Cheers.
Thanks so much for great instructions! I was following the nav system instructions but had no idea about tapping the “hands free” on the phone! I was entering the pin in the dialpad! Went back to Verizon, waited my turn :(, then was told I’d have to go to the car dealer! Your helpful website saved me that trip and had me connected in half a minute!
just bought an avensis T2/TR, SAT NAV WHICH DOES CONNECT VIA BLUETOOTH, HOW DO I TRASFER PHONE CONTACTS FROM PHONE TO AVENSIS T2/TR
My Grandmother has a 2008 highlander and we have connected her i phone 4 to her blue tooth many times. We keep syncing it up and it will work for 2-3 weeks and then un-pair and she has to go through the whole process again. Anyone else having this problem? Suggestions?
Has anyone had any luck pairing and using a iphone 3G with a Highlander w/o the navigation system?
I’ve paired my phone, but it doesn’t seem to want to respond to voice commands.
I can hear itunes and pandora via the speakers, but no phone functionality.
Thanks.
Hi could anyone help ,I cant connect Nokia n95 to toyota avensis 09 with satnav and bluetooth?
Synched by IPhone 4 with my 2009 4Runner in 4 minutes with these instructions.
THANKS
drstevej,
PLEASE help! I have my 2009 4Runner paired so that I can use the phone through the car, but I can’t get my contacts to upload/transfer from my iphone 4 to the car. Help???
Thank you!!
Carrie
No-one can. The way that Apple implemented the contact database in iOS, as far as I can tell, there’s no way to copy it to another device. I imagine it’s a security issue.
Robert, glad you got it paired, but you’ve found a limitation in the Toyota bluetooth implementation: no AD2P support. AD2P is the additional bluetooth protocol that supports wireless transmission of stereo audio information, and since the car doesn’t support it, you’re out of luck. Then again, your iPod doesn’t have bluetooth anyway, though of course your iPhone does.
I can pair my iPhone 4 for phone operation with my 2011 Toyota nav but it doesn’t play the iPod over the speakers – help
Gary, when you say “When I connect my iPhone 4 up to the Prius it worked fine, pulled all my contacts with work on my part”…what “work” did you do to get your contacts to transfer over? I have the iPhone 4 and have no idea how to even try to transfer them from the phone. I know how to set up the nav system to be ready to receive them but don’t know how to send them from the iPhone 4. I have a 2008 Sequoia so I may not be able to do it at all, but any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Stef
My wife has a 2010 Highlander and I have 2010 Prius. I have an iPhone 4, she has an iPhone 3. When I connect my iPhone 4 up to the Prius it worked fine, pulled all my contacts with work on my part. We then tried to configure my wife’s phone for her Highlander, it failed to transfer the contacts. We then tried my iPhone 4 (worked fine in the Prius) and it failed to xfer the contacts. Sounds like something with the Highlander BluTooth to me.
Just a note that I just went to the “Lets talk” site and transferring contacts from the iPhone (any version they list) to the Bluetooth/Nav system is not an option. Seems odd considering the high level of technology in the iPhone. A little frustrating…
Chamila, I don’t see how to figure out that model number, based on poking around on my nav system. Perhaps Aaron can enlighten us?
Aaron, I’m SO bummed that my 2008 Highlander doesn’t include that version of the bluetooth circuitry. Guess I’ll have to live with the headphone jack -> AUX in, which is better than nothing.
In terms of the phone contact info, seems like that’d be a great thing to have a device at Toyota service centers where they’ll transfer your phone book onto your car for a nominal fee…
I’m the product training specialist at a Toyota store in Illinois. Your instructions are very good but I would like to point out a couple things where you may be wrong.
First, The newest versions of Toyota vehicles (newer than your 2008 model) do support bluetooth audio on the vehicle. Second, you can transfer your contacts to the navigation system on any Toyota if your “phone” supports doing so. Simply go go to http://www.toyota.letstalk.com , enter the type of phone and wireless provider that you have, and you can find instructions on how to pair the phone, and how to transfer the contacts from your phone to the vehicle. There are a few phones that do not allow this, it will tell you if yours is one of those phones. But its a function or non-function of the phone, not the vehicle.
Hi,
This question may not be relevant to the article. But I appreciate if you can help me on this.
Could you please tell me the Navigation model ? Since I’m searching for a owner’s manual for this particular nav version.
Appreciate if you can help me on this.
Kind Regards,
Chamila