Mazda 3 TS2 2012 Bluetooth issue

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So I bought my first every Mazda about a month ago. A Mazda 3 2012 TS" Nav edition.

And to be fair it's a cracking car. However there's one slight niggle and I can't seem to get a sensible answer and when I ring the dealer I may as well be speaking mandarin.

Long and short of it is I have an Iphone 7 and I connect to the car to stream music and handle calls etc which on the fafce of it is does.

However I have recently had it speeding music up and dropping the connection mid song or mid call for say 4 or 5 seconds before it says reconnecting and carrying on.

I am now pulling my hair out trying to ascertain if it is a car issue, a phone issue or both. Given the features of the car I do wonder if there's maybe a firmware update or something. The dealer on the phone has been so unhelpful though. Anyone had similar problems?
 

mjd

mjd

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Googling brings up a fair few results for the same or a similar issue and appears to point to an incompatibility between the iphone 7 and older in-car bluetooth systems, because the design cycles for the phone and car dont correspond to each other. So neither is at 'fault' necessarlily, rather the iphone 7 is probably ahead in terms of development.
 
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Yeah I've been trawling google fanatically. I can't get any sense as to whether the cars Bluetooth module can get a firmware or hardware upgrade or something. Wish I could find a Mazda specialist
 
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It effects lots of mazda 3 users, and does seem to be an issue between the new iphones and the cars setup.

Get an android. No problems then
 
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Lol had an android and they are not without their problems. Anyway I tried it today without my Apple Watch connected and it worked all but perfectly so it would seem the cause is also having the Apple Watch connected. ANy idea's?

For the time being I'm turning off bluetooth on the watch when driving.
 
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Ah I see.
Mine plays silly buggers when I have my gear 2 connected at the same time.
I'm on a note 4.

I just stopped wearing my watch after a while... not a fan of tgings on my wrist. Then again I rarely use the car bluetootg
 
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Well surprisingly after filling in a contact form Mazda rung me. There are no firmware upgrades.

Anyway, the stereo is mega simple to replace so may get an aftermarket Android Touchscreen jobby
 
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Well surprisingly after filling in a contact form Mazda rung me. There are no firmware upgrades.

Anyway, the stereo is mega simple to replace so may get an aftermarket Android Touchscreen jobby

I use the Eonon GA6163F.
With a Mal custom rom.
Working very well.

It needs a harness mod to get best sound from the rca outputs if you have bose. Otherwise fine.

They are 300 odd quid tho... but we'll worth it
 
Soldato
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Great cheers mate, which Mazda 3 you got?

That head unit is the one I've been looking at. Where do you get the rims and does it basically work like any android device.

I don't think mine is the nose so is it straightforward and do all the wheel controls work with it?
 
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Great cheers mate, which Mazda 3 you got?

That head unit is the one I've been looking at. Where do you get the rims and does it basically work like any android device.

I don't think mine is the nose so is it straightforward and do all the wheel controls work with it?

I have a 2011 mazda 3 sport

The roms are online, I can supply links if you find you want them.

It's pretty much an android tablet for your car...

Steering wheel buttons do work. You loose the Bluetooth answer / hangup buttons tho.
There is a mod you can do where you splice into a BT cable behind the glove box and connect it to a SW wire on the headunit. This grants ability to use phone buttons on wheel with tge unit I'm yet to do it but plan to in the new year.
 
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Great cheers mate. Not too bothered about the phone controls as long as the onscreen controls are easy enough.

Have you connected a 3g dongle or anything to it? Which maps do you use for navigation?

Sorry for all the questions..
 
Soldato
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Great cheers mate. Not too bothered about the phone controls as long as the onscreen controls are easy enough.

Have you connected a 3g dongle or anything to it? Which maps do you use for navigation?

Sorry for all the questions..

I have a THREE sim with 4gb per month for £7.
(Extra to my phone)

I use a dongle off amazon which works perfectly, takes about 15 seconds to work.

I use Google maps. Purely due to the traffic monitoring.
 
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Just been checking out some youtube videos and it looks great. Going to get the one fomr Hong Kong I think as it comes with a dab+ module.

The 3g dongle is that just tucked away in car or connected to the unit physically?

And does the little built in lcd screen still work and the climate control?
 
Soldato
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Just been checking out some youtube videos and it looks great. Going to get the one fomr Hong Kong I think as it comes with a dab+ module.

The 3g dongle is that just tucked away in car or connected to the unit physically?

And does the little built in lcd screen still work and the climate control?

DON'T BUY FROM HK.
Customs will add £110 to it.

Ebay, can get it with dab+ for £320.

The unit has two usb cables that come out the back.
I use one for dab and one for 3g.
Can tuck them up inside the dash.
Lcd still works and so does climate.

Not sure if other brands do tho so make sure it's the ga5163f.

This is the seller I used:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311747815904

I bought dab box separate

Btw the dab antenna can't be mounted on windscreen if yiu have heated screen.
 
Soldato
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Great cheers mate.

How do you find your mazda generally? This is my first one. I have the 1.6 deisel TS2 Nav and other than being a bit lumpy/rough when first started I'm really liking it
 
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Good car.
Mine the 2.2d tractor lol.

Great car

Love mine, slightly older than your two, but it's the MPS, so that makes up for it. :D

Generally love everything about the car, but I do have a rear knocking noise when the car rocks side to side. Seems a common issue on the 3? Anyone else had this?
 
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