Radio muting IPhone GPS direction alerts

Good evening,

I had a new weird experience this weekend. I will try to explain so it makes sense.

This is on a stock 2018 SR5.

I was on a road trip using the maps function on my IPhone for the first time.

The phone battery was getting low so I plugged the phone into the existing USB which is interfaced to the stock radio.

I noticed that I was no longer getting direction voice call outs from my phone. The phone audio was being muted from the stereo with the stereo off.

If I turned the radio on or disconnected from the USB, then the phone audio worked.

Any ideas?

 

iPhone sensed it was connected via USB and, by default setting, routed the audio through that USB connection. The iPhone doesn’t know if the connected audio is on or off. You would have to find the appropriate phone setting and GPS app setting to keep the audio output the phone when it’s plugged in.

Sorry I can’t be more specific, but I hope that points you in the right direction.

 

Being an iPhone, once it starts playing (you won’t hear it yet), you’ll want to edit your local iPhone settings window (by swiping up or down depending on iPhone version).


Select the circled icon above in the top-right corner of your “Now Playing” (or “Not Playing”, if you’re not listening to anything at the moment like me) bubble.


This is a list of all possible output sources connected to my phone. When I’m in the Lexus and connected to the cord to charge, I also have a Lexus Bluetooth connection and a docking station connection. Depending on the input you have selected on the vehicle, one of those two connections will now send audio to your vehicle speakers.

 

Good information I’m going to try this

 

Thanks guys for your input. I will take another look at it and see if I can figure it out.

So just to be clear, is this a setting issue on the car's stereo or phone itself?

 

The phone. The phone can only send audio to one destination at a time: either its speakers (or earpiece in the case of a phonecall), its headphone jack, its Bluetooth connection (one connection at a time), or its USB port.

Your phone is probably connected via Bluetooth automatically when you get in the vehicle. The audio plays as normal, like you expect. You decide to charge it. Your phone senses the new usb output and “smart” switches over (I mean, every other time you add an audio output, like a Bluetooth connection, or a pair of headphones, the iPhone knows to move the audio there for you). So, now your vehicle is thinking Bluetooth, and trying to play Bluetooth (in fairness, there is still a Bluetooth connection to the car, it’s just radio-silent at the moment). So, you have a choice. A) tell your car to switch to USB (I don’t bother with this, because the Lexus has like a billion different audio/media inputs to scroll through, and especially with the nature of nav audio, it might be difficult to locate). Instead, I like B) tell your iPhone to output back to the Bluetooth connection, and not the new dock connector. This way, you haven’t trashed your vehicle settings for the next time you start from off, or disconnect your phone cable from the radio.

 

I contradicted my answer with my explanation. Truly, it’s one or the other. They’re just on different wavelengths at the moment.

 

Excellent, thank you very much for taking the time to explain this.

I will play with it later and try to figure out the appropriate settings.

One thing I can say is that I never paired or enabled my phones Bluetooth to my car. But the car may still be looking at Bluetooth?

Anyway, it will be easier to figure out from the comfort of my garage rather than barreling down the highway.

My solution on the trip was using the 12v out with a USB adapter adjacent to the USB outlet.

Thanks again,

Ken

 

I played with it tonight, no luck.

Just as an FYI, I don't have the bluetooth enabled in my truck. Maybe that's why I can't set it.

Only time this will be a problem is when I'm using the maps on my phone and want voice call outs.

I'll just have to plug into the 12v outlet in that case.

 

Ok, I played with it some more. Here's what I figured out.

When the phone is plugged into the stereo USB and I select IPhone on the stereo, then the phone audio does come over the car's stereo speakers and I can control the volume via the stereo.

But if I am listening to the radio then I must manually reselect iPhone audio to hear it on the speakers.

In all cases the phones speaker is muted as well as the phones volume control.

I guess this is better than before. It would be nice if you could set the stereo to soft mute the radio when the phone is giving voice call outs. Much like aviation audio panels.

At least now I know how to get the audio from the phone. I will just have to make sure IPhone is selected as the audio source.

Learn something new everyday.

 

What would be cool is if you could display the video on the phone on the stereo display.

Not that I am encouraging watching video while driving. But to have the map shown on the stereo display would be nice.

 

We use Android so there is that. However, with Bluetooth you can choose audio or audio & calls. Can't remember where the text option is.
Regardless, we use our phones (Google maps) & haven't tried to tie into the stereo. I do need to do that.
To my point, in our 4runner the USB next to the 12v doesn't charge a phone etc. It is a data link.
You have my attention and interest,
Ryan.

 

Yes, I'm learning slowly but surly.

Not sure why your phone doesn't charge off the USB port. I know for a fact that mine does. That's what I've always used to charge my phone while traveling.

 

That’s CarPlay. That would also give you much more control. Sounds like you might benefit from an aftermarket stereo unit that’s CarPlay compatible.

 

you can disconnect the Bluetooth from the phone this way you can hear music through the radio and directions through the phone
this what i do or you have to be on Bluetooth for both through the phone you can charge at either instance as long as you don't choose USB connection
I am on Android

 

You can also deselect “play voice over Bluetooth” and your phone will use its own speakers to navigate.

 

I have not paired my phone to the trucks Bluetooth, nor do I want to.
Can I still do what you posted? or is your suggestion only available for phones that are Bluetooth enabled?

Thank you.

 

USB charging is MUCH slower than using the 12v plug with a charging cable. If you just get a 12v apple lightning charging cable, you won’t have to deal with the audio problem you mention with your map directions.

Your phone will charge much faster AND your navigation prompts will come through your phone. Two-fer-one.

 

Good tip, as I posted earlier, I was able to get the phone audio over the trucks speaker system which I thought was pretty cool.

I haven't had a chance to try it yet while driving but when I do, I will report what my thoughts are.