Toyota Bluetooth Not Working? Try These 16 Fixes

Toyota Entune Bluetooth issues are popular on these models: Camry, Highlander, Sienna, Yaris, Prius, Tacoma, and Corolla. If you have any of these Toyota models and you’re experiencing Bluetooth issues with Toyota Entune, then you’re not alone because a lot of drivers of these models experience the same problem.

With that being said, if Toyota Entune isn’t working and you can’t connect to Bluetooth, then you should know that you aren’t alone.

There are a number of issues why Bluetooth and Toyota Entune aren’t playing nice with each, but you can bet you’ll find the solution to your problem with one of the troubleshooting guides below.

But do note that every Android device is slightly different, as well as the versions of Toyota Entune’s technology. The steps provided are as broad as you can get.

Toyota Entune Bluetooth and Phone Greyed Out

If Bluetooth is greyed out on your Toyota Entune, it’s likely down to a software problem that’s going on within the Entune. Sometimes, devices have failures within the software and this can cause a glitch.

if the Bluetooth and Phone is greyed out in your Toyota and you can’t connect to Bluetooth or you can’t add a new device, the best thing you can do is to perform a factory reset on the Entune.

This will wipe any issues going on within the infotainment system and it’ll allow you to connect to Bluetooth.

Why Is My Toyota Bluetooth Not Working?

When your Bluetooth isn’t working, then depending on your situation, whether it’s a Bluetooth problem, your songs not playing, can’t add a new device because Bluetooth is greyed or any type of problem that you’re experiencing, then it’s being caused by a specific issue that you need to diagnose on your Toyota Model.

Whether you’re driving a Camry, Highlander, Sienna, Yaris, Prius, or Corolla, there’s a specific problem that’s causing the Entune issue and not allowing the Bluetooth connection to work properly.

1. Possible Cell Phone Malfunction (Glitch or Bug)

If your Toyota Entune Bluetooth audio has stopped working or you can’t add a new device, maybe there’s a glitch or bug, it might stop it from being able to connect to your Toyota using Bluetooth.

Bugs and glitches occur all the time in smartphones and this can cause them to stop working properly. A bug is a failure in the software and this can sometimes cause unexpected errors to occur with one of them being Bluetooth errors.

If the glitch is preventing your phone from connecting to your Toyota, you need to get rid of it.

2. The Device is Not Connected

If your phone isn’t connected to your Toyota, then this might lead you to think that your Toyota Entune isn’t working properly when it actually is working properly, it’s just that your device isn’t connected to the Bluetooth.

The Entune works on a Bluetooth connection so you need to make sure that you try and connect your Toyota to your device using Bluetooth. That’s the only way your Bluetooth will be able to work.

3. The File May Be Corrupted

If you think that your audio isn’t working because you have Bluetooth problems in your Toyota, the file that you’re trying to play may just be corrupted instead.

You need to make sure that you’re playing music from certified sources like Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon music. If you’ve downloaded music onto your device and you’re trying to play it through your Toyota, you need to play the music on your device and check that it’s actually playable.

Sometimes when you download songs from YouTube and convert them to mp3 then download them to your phone, they can be corrupt and sometimes unplayable.

4. The Bluetooth Volume on the Phone May Be Low

If you haven’t turned up the volume on your Toyota Entune or your device, then you’re going to think that your Toyota isn’t working when in fact it actually is working, your volume is just too low.

There are knobs on your Toyota as well as buttons on your phone that’ll allow you to turn up the volume so that you can hear whatever you want to hear. Whether that’s music, a call, if your Bluetooth has connected properly, check your volume too.

If you’ve noticed that it’s started to work, then it wasn’t your Toyota’s Bluetooth that wasn’t working, it was actually your volume.

5. Song is Not Playing

If your song isn’t playing in your Toyota, then this can lead you to think that Entune Bluetooth isn’t working. If your Toyota isn’t working, then make sure that your device is connected and you actually click play on the song that you want to play.

If the song isn’t playing, then the Entune is going to appear as if it’s not working. If you press play and you notice that no music is playing, then you can conclude that your Toyota Bluetooth isn’t working.

7. Your music files may not contain the correct artist, song title, album or genre information

If you notice that your Entune isn’t recognizing the audio on your device and playing it, it could be that your music file doesn’t contain the correct artist, song title, album, or genre information.

If the file is essentially corrupt and contains the wrong information, then it may appear as if your Toyota Entune isn’t working or that there’s a Bluetooth problem when it’s just the file you’re trying to play.

Try playing music from certified apps like Spotify or Apple Music and see if you have better luck with your music playing.

7. The Song May Have Copyright Protection That Does Not Allow It to Play

If the song you’re trying to play has copyright protection, then it won’t work when you’re trying to play it in your car.

Some apps like Soundcloud have copyright protection that prevents you from being able to listen to the full version of the song unless you pay to unlock it.

If you’ve noticed that your song has stopped playing, check the source of where you’re playing it and check that the music isn’t copyright protected. If it is copyright protected, then this could be why you’re having issues.

8. Your Phone Isn’t Compatible

If your cell phone isn’t compatible with your Toyota, the Entune Bluetooth isn’t going to work and nor will you be able to add a new device.

If your phone is pretty old and doesn’t have Bluetooth, it won’t be able to connect to your Toyota. The Toyota Entune Bluetooth only works with Bluetooth-compatible devices so you need to make sure that you’re not using an old device that may not have Bluetooth.

All smartphones have Bluetooth so if you’re using a smartphone, you know that you’re good.

How to Fix Toyota Bluetooth Not Working

Now that you’ve diagnosed why you can’t connect devices to your Toyota, you can start to fix the issue. If it’s a general glitch that’s causing Bluetooth issues on your Toyota, then this can be cleared with someone’s reset and restart methods.

If it’s more specific, then you can use the specific fixes below to solve your problem.

1. Perform a Master Reset of the Toyota Entune System

If your Toyotas Entune’s Bluetooth is still not working and you can’t add a new device or play music, then you can perform a master reset and this should clear any bugs or glitches that are causing problems.

1. To reset the Entune System, press and hold the audio knob to power off the system and Entune will power off and restart on its own.

Or

1. Hit the Start button cycle. Don’t start the engine, just start up the car and wait for everything to power on.
2. Hold down the Apps button on the infotainment system and cycle the headlights 3 times on and off. This will take you to a diagnosis check screen.
3. Hold down INIT until a screen pops up. It’ll say personal data is initialized.
4. Press Yes. Everything on the system will be deleted. Only do this if you’re ok with it.
5. Restart your vehicle and turn it on this time. This should fix your Bluetooth issue with your Toyota. If the Bluetooth audio icon was greyed out, this should bring it back.

2. Reset Connection In Entune

The best thing to do when your Toyota Bluetooth isn’t working is to reset the connection in Entune. This will allow you to restart the connection to see if there’s a glitch in Entune that was causing issues to begin with.

1. Turn Bluetooth Off, then On on your phone. Swipe down from the control or notification center to do this.
2. On Entune, turn Bluetooth Off, then On.
3. Manually connect Entune with your phone. If the connection process takes longer than a minute, cancel the connection and try it again.
4. Manually connect your phone with Entune. Go to Bluetooth in your settings > tap Entune to connect.
5. Wait and make sure your phone automatically connects to Entune.
6. Turn your vehicle off > Open the driver’s side door > Start the vehicle > Wait for a confirmation of the connection to display on your Entune screen.

3. Check the Security and Auto Accept Prompt On Your Device

Usually when you connect your device to any car, even your Toyota, there’s a security/auto-accept prompt that shows up just before the connection is finalized. To see the prompt, you need to unlock your device and check if anything pops up.

Usually, there’s an accept button, or you’ll need to put in your passcode so that your Toyota can access things on your device. So if you haven’t unlocked your phone yet before concluding that your Toyota Bluetooth isn’t working, then you should check it properly.

4. Turn Off Your Toyota Vehicle

Technology can be really touchy sometimes, especially when it comes to wireless hardware. In this case, your Toyota is refusing to connect with your device. That’s not an uncommon problem and is generally the root cause of the problem.

1. Shut off your Toyota vehicle entirely.

2. If you’re on the driver’s side, open and close the door. This will trigger Entune to shut down.

3. Wait for Entune to shut down completely.

4. Once Entune has completely shut down, you are welcome to start your vehicle back up.

5. Press and hold the Power button until your power options menu appears.

6. In your power options, choose Shutdown or Power Off; it depends on your device.

7. Wait 60 seconds. This ensures that your Android device has been successfully shut down.

8. Press and hold the Power button again until you see your Android light up.

9. Attempt reconnection with your Toyota.

5. “Forget” Your Toyota Vehicle

In the event that your Toyota and device do not sync, then you should “forget” the car on your list of devices within your Bluetooth settings, like so:

1. Locate and launch the Settings app.

2. In your Settings menu, scroll down until you locate Bluetooth.

3. In your Bluetooth menu, you’ll see your car listed as a linked device. Select it.

4. In the popup box that appears, select Forget.

5. While you’re at it, turn your Bluetooth OFF, and then turn it back ON, by using the slider to the right of Bluetooth.

6. On the Entune screen, highlight Add a Device and select it by pressing OK.

7. Follow through with the on-screen instructions.

8. When you reach the section that asks for a 6-digit pin, instead, highlight Special PIN and select it. When prompted, punch in 4 zeroes.

6. Spotify Refusing to Work

When Bluetooth is working, all you want to do is enjoy your music on Spotify. But what if it isn’t working? There’s a solution for that, too.

Here’s what you do:

1. Locate and launch the Settings app.

2. In your Settings app, locate and select Apps. You may have to scroll down to find it.

3. Locate Spotify in your Apps menu. It’s in alphabetical order.

4. On Spotify’s app info page, first select Force Stop. This will ensure that none of Spotify’s processes were causing any problems.

5. Next, choose Storage in the same menu.

6. Tap Clear Cache and then select Clear Data.

7. Attempt to play Spotify again.

7. Try Switching Off Your Device

Restarting your device will refresh the software it’s running on. If there’s a bug or glitch that’s causing your phone not to connect your Toyota Bluetooth, then restarting your phone may get rid of it which could fix the problem you’re experiencing.

8. Force Restart Device

Since you’re not able to connect to your Toyota due to a Bluetooth problem, there could be a glitch on your device that’s preventing this. If you’re still experiencing problems, then you have the option to force restart your phone.

When you force restart your phone, rather than the software being shutdown (like it does when you restart your iPhone,) the hardware gets shutdown. All it does is cut the power of your device and restart it again.

Doing this could get rid of bugs and glitches that could be causing Bluetooth problems with your Toyota Entune.

Force Restarting iPhone

For iPhone 8 or Later:

Quickly press-release the volume up button, then press-release the volume down button in quick succession. Once done, press-hold the sleep/wake button until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

For iPhone 7 & 7 Plus:

Press-hold the sleep/wake button in tandem with the volume down button for at least 7-10 seconds. Do not release them until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

For Restarting Android:

If the standard restart doesn’t help, simultaneously press and hold the power and volume down keys for more than seven seconds. This will force your phone to restart.

9. Update Your Software

Your phone is continually being improved and enhanced. The software is undoubtedly new on the latest models, but so are new features on the latest OS versions as a result.

When it comes to glitches or problems, it is always a good idea to upgrade your software to the most recent version available on the market. This has been known to remove Bluetooth issues and this could allow your Toyota to connect.

Android:

1. Locate and launch the Settings app.
2. In your Settings menu, choose About Phone or Above Device. You’ll find it at the bottom of the menu.
3. Select Check for System Updates.
4. If any are available, select Install.

iPhone:

Plug your device into power and connect to the internet with Wi-Fi. Go to Settings > General, then tap Software Update. If you see two software update options available, choose the one that you want to install. Tap Install Now.

10. Reset Network Settings

The next thing that you should do to try and get rid of any glitches that could be causing Bluetooth issues between your device and your Toyota is to reset your network settings.

iPhone:

1. From the home screen, tap Settings
2. Scroll down to, then tap General
3. Scroll down to, then tap Reset
4. Tap Reset Network Settings
5. Tap Reset Network Settings to confirm
6. After doing this, go try and connect to your Toyota Entune and see if it works.

11. Try Replacing the Corrupt File with a New Version

If the file that you’re trying to play in your Toyota is corrupted, then you need to either replace it with a new version or you need to play something else. If you do play something else, then it should start working and you should no longer be experiencing problems.

12. Make Sure You Are Not Leaving the Device in Your Vehicle During Very Hot or Cold Temperatures

If you’re unable to connect your phone to your Toyota Entune, you need to check that your device isn’t malfunctioning. If your car is too hot or too cold and you’ve left it in the car, this can cause it to malfunction so when you’re trying to connect to your Toyota, it might have some issues.

Sometimes your phone might stop working temporarily when you’ve left it in weather that’s not correct. You need to make sure that you get the device back to an appropriate temperature before you conclude that your Toyota Entune isn’t working.

13. Check Your Phone’s Compatibility

In order for your Toyota Entune to connect to your device properly, it needs to be Bluetooth compatible. If you’re not trying to connect it via Bluetooth, then you need to check that it’s compatible via USB or an iPhone dock.

But if you are trying to use Bluetooth, you can’t be using an old phone that doesn’t have Bluetooth capabilities.

To check this, you need to look in settings or your notification bar for the Bluetooth icon. if you can see it here, then you know that your device is compatible with your Toyota Entune.

14. Update Toyota Entune

Entune is continually being improved and enhanced. The software is undoubtedly new on the latest models, but so are new features on the latest OS versions as a result.

When it comes to glitches or problems, it is always a good idea to upgrade your Entune’s software to the most recent version available on the market.

This has been known to remove Bluetooth issues and this could allow your Toyota to connect.

15. Factory Reset

A factory reset will be needed if a force restart doesn’t work. A factory reset involves wiping your device clean and restoring it back to its normal settings. For this to work, you’ll need to be willing to lose all of your data in the process, but if it’s backed up, then you’ll get it back.

iPhone

1. Open Settings.
2. Select General.
3. Go to Reset and choose to Erase All Content and Settings
4. You will be prompted to backup your data at this point. Tap Back Up Then Erase.
5. Enter your passcode to confirm the factory reset. Once you have entered the passcode and hit OK, then your iPhone will start erasing.
6. Once the reset is complete, then check to see if you can connect your device to your Toyota.

Android

1. Open Settings, and select System.
2. Select Reset options.
3. Select Erase all data (factory reset).
4. Select Reset Phone or Reset Tablet at the bottom.
5. You’ll be asked to confirm, select Erase Everything.
6. Your device should reboot and may show a progress screen indicating that it is erasing the data.

16. Getting in Touch with Toyota

You may need to seek council with Toyota if none of the solutions are working for you; in fact, Entune may even be out of date. If your device is too far ahead in updates, it may be giving Entune issues with being out of date. In that case, a Toyota representative can give you options best suited for professionals.

If you don’t want to go to Toyota and you want to go to a local mechanic that has experience with the Entune infotainment system, you should speak to some mechanics in your area.

You’ll be able to get good quotes from some over the phone but if you can, go to them in person to make sure that they can actually deliver on the quote that they stated.

If you’ve only been able to get one quote for the replacement, you should check with other dealerships in your area to check if you can get other competitive prices.

Bottom Line

Even though wireless technology like Bluetooth can be touchy sometimes, it doesn’t happen often enough to shelve the usefulness. When it works, it works.