[iMore Question]

Hi

I upgraded my iPhone 4S to IOS 7.1 and lost all Bluetooth functionality - My car can't discover my phone and my phone can't discover my car, the same with my MacBook Pro... it can't discover my phone either so it is a total Bluetooth issue not just the car.

I tried everything I could find suggested on line with no success so I took the big step of restoring to factory settings and re-building my phone apps, photos, contacts and files from scratch.

No affect, I still have no Bluetooth functionality

[Just_Me_D]

Are you certain you are enabling discovery mode correctly via the devices you're trying to pair with?

[iOS Gravity]

Did you try resetting the network settings?

[roger486]

Yes, I am sure. These are devices that I have used with this phone for quite sometime (MacBook Pro - 2 years+, car Bluetooth 1 Year+). They were both working fine up until I installed IOS 7.1.

To trouble shoot, I have done hard resets on both the car and the phone, plus some other suggested fixes before I resorted to a system reinstall. A question on this site about Bluetooth not working was solved by turning off AirDrop... but I have an iPhone 4S which does not have AirDrop.

[roger486]

Did you try resetting the network setings?

Yes, done early on. Also deleted 'old' device profiles.

I have confirmed that the Bluetooth on my laptop and car hands-free are working by testing with my wife's iPhone 5C running IOS 7.0 and that connects just fine.

[pr1nce]

No Bluetooth problems with my 4s. Try rebooting your device. Then re-pairing Bluetooth with your device.

[roger486]

I am afraid that was the first ting I tried (and I have tried several times)! Then re-booting my car system, then deleting the profiles from my iPhone, Car and MacBook Pro, then re-booting them all, all over again. Thant was before I got into complete system reinstallation

[Jaguarr40]

If all else fails for you go ahead and restore your phone after a backup and set it up again.

[roger486]

Yes I have done that too... except when I went to restore from backup it said I couldn't as the backup was corrupt!! So I had to rebuild it as a new phone, which took a whole day of work.

Still no Bluetooth! It just sits on "searching for devices", my MacPro also fails to see it even when I turn on the personal hotspot.

[nikkisharif]

Yes I have done that too... except when I went to restore from backup it said I couldn't as the backup was corrupt!! So I had to rebuild it as a new phone, which took a whole day of work.

Still no Bluetooth! It just sits on "searching for devices", my MacPro also fails to see it even when I turn on the personal hotspot.

Did you make sure your car was compatible with OS 7.1 and is iTunes on your MacPro updated?

[roger486]

Did you make sure your car was compatible with OS 7.1 and is iTunes on your MacPro updated?

I had been using my phone with the Bluetooth in the car for over a year before I updated to 7.1 - it worked just fine on 7.0.

And yes the iTunes on my MacBook is updated, though I don't see why that should make a difference? My phone should be able to act as a personal hotspot with or without iTunes. I have also tried my phone on a Logitec Bluetooth speaker - my MacBook connects to it just fine, but my phone is unable to detect it.

[kch50428]

I'd suggest a visit to an Apple GeniusBar - have them do some diagnostics and see what they advise - your 4S may have developed a hardware issue.

[Jaguarr40]

Just so many of you know with this issue kch had a girl ask a question on an Infinity a 2012 and after telling her a neighbor who has thew same car had his flashed to the proper OS 7.1, There are many cars that have built in handfree have to have their software updated, She had a workaround done. I went in today during lunch and had mine flashed, Works fine. Most of the software is Siemens and they are working to get all this done. Be patient. It will get done.

[roger486]

Just so many of you know with this issue kch had a girl ask a question on an Infinity a 2012 and after telling her a neighbor who has thew same car had his flashed to the proper OS 7.1, There are many cars that have built in handfree have to have their software updated, She had a workaround done. I went in today during lunch and had mine flashed, Works fine. Most of the software is Siemens and they are working to get all this done. Be patient. It will get done.

That does not explain why it does not work on any other Bluetooth devices including a MacBook Pro that it used to sync with with no problem. Neither does it explain why my wife's 5C works with the car - perhaps it is Apple's way of making me spend $1000 on a new phone?

That, and I am certain that if I went into the car dealer and said that Apple expects them to upgrade their software so that Apple devices will work with it they would just laugh.

[roger486]

I'd suggest a visit to an Apple GeniusBar - have them do some diagnostics and see what they advise - your 4S may have developed a hardware issue.

I have just come back from a couple of days in Hong Kong where I saw my first Apple GeniusBar. I do not think that they have them in New Zealand.

[Speedygi]

I have just come back from a couple of days in Hong Kong where I saw my first Apple GeniusBar. I do not think that they have them in New Zealand.

Just ask any Apple store employee and they will be more than ready and happy to help you. Cheers!

[abduls16]

roger486: Are you still having issue's with this?
Were you able to go to a genius bar?

[roger486]

I do not think that they have "Genius Bars" in New Zealand.

I spoke to a specialist repair shop and he told me that iPhone 4S had an issue with overheating on the chip that contained the Bluetooth and WiFi causing them to fail and the switches in the settings menu just greying out. I was told that this problem had become dramatically worse with the release of IOS 7.1 - associated with battery drain problems.

I was told that a very temporary fix was to put your phone in the freezer for a while (they did not recommend this as condensation would soon kill the phone). I tried this and amazingly I got Bluetooth and WiFi back for about half an hour before it failed again. The permanent fix was a new mother board (at about the same cost as a whole new phone)!!

I now have a iPhone 5S... so for $1,100, problem solved.

[David Kennedy3]

Ahh Yes Apple seems to be heading in a new direction that seems to have abandoned the original concept of Apple and functionality.
This new vision seems to be aesthetics over functionality and does not consider testing thoroughly; for that would take too long and what difference does it make if it develops problems of things working as before when change is all we are now after. This way we will keep up with the other junk phones in the market place by making some more junk!!! OH , and let's take a perfectly solid OS X and make it mirror the IOS cause that is real important , the outcome product will destroy the desktop cause every other manufacturer is doing the same thing.