So I got a new phone (LG G5 on android 7.0) and am all of a sudden having BT connection issues when starting my 2011 E550.

As much as I'd like to blame the new phone (LG G5), I not sure it's the source of the problem as it pairs and works without issue with a bluetooth headset I have. Also, it's hard to blame my car as it works just fine with a Samsung S3 and Lg G Flex over the 3 years I've owned it. Sure there were rare connection issues but nothing that a phone or comand restart didn't solve on the first try.

There is no issue setting up the new phone via either update or external authorization options under BT phone menu. The problem is when the car is started and tries to pair with the phone upon comand startup. The comand system shows ready for connection and then it successfully connects to the G5. The G5 shows it is connected but then after a moment the G5 says it is no longer connected. However, the comand system still shows a connection to the G5 but the BT phone, download contacts and call lists menu options in comand are grayed out. Then when I try to place a call from comand while the connection statuses are mismatched, the calls fails and comand says it was an invalid phone number on the first attempt. On the second attempt, the call fails and comand then shows the G5 is not connected and comand is ready for a connection.

At that point, the comand system will find and connect to the G5 again after about 30 seconds and the same cycle continues over and over. Turning comand on and off doesn't work as comand will start saying it is already connected to the G5.

The only way I have found to get the connection to stick is if I go into BT settings on the G5 and choose to connect to MB Bluetooth while comand says ready for connection (in that 30 second window). Then it sticks and the comand menu options for BT phones, download contacts and call lists are available. I can use until comand is turned off and the same cycle continues upon next startup.

This happens whether or not I use the update or external authorization choices under BT phones in comand. I have tried it both ways more than once.

Has anyone experienced something similar? Any advice on where to look next would be appreciated?

I pulled out my old LG G flex and it connects just fine to comand. I need to borrow a more recent phone to see how it works with my car. Also, I was going to try connecting my G5 to another car to see if the issue happens there also. A little process of elimination usually flushes out the issue.

 

I used my $130 off $250 service and had the comand updated at the dealer. When was the last time yours was updated? I was getting weird problems once in a while and it cut out frequently. Just got it done and it hasn't really cut out on me. They charged me 2 hours for diagnostic but did the update as part of it and a couple other things. You might be able to get away with just an hour. Told them I was also getting problems with Sirius and my keyless go so hopefully they took care of it all with the update.

 

i am most certain that its because its the new android 7.0 that is not optimized well enough yet (then they fix any issues in later software updates)
or
just like cetiapha5 said you would need to do the update on your command , i had mine done about 2 years ago and so far so good , i have used galaxy s3 , s4 , s7 , note 5 , iphones 5 , 6 , 7...
i wish i could test the LG g5 to compare my results but i dont know anyone with that phone lol
and
i guess my point is that most likely it is due to the new android version combined with an old command software.

 

Yes, ditto with the phone. Updates for bluetooth seem frequent on Android also. The problem is that it usually takes several months for them to come out with a software update if it's your phone.

 

I had a LG G5 and it connected with no problems, now i have a Galaxy S7 edge and again no problems. Your command system needs to be updated to accept Bluetooth 4.1 which is what the G5 and the S7 are running on. Your Samsung S3 was Bluetooth 4.0.

 

So the android 7.0 release for my G5 was just a few weeks ago. So it is likely there are bugs to work out. I updated the phone right out of the box so I don't if the prior software version didn't have this bug. Hate the though of waiting on an update just that may be the only course of action. I still plan to try it with other cars just to see if reoccurs.

I have not gotten the comand updated since I got it 3 years ago. Haven't had a need to. Paying for two hours of labor may cost more than the phone. But I still plan to try other phones just to rule out the car. I have access to one with android 6 and maybe can get access to one with 7. I will check to see what version of BT those phones are on and look for 4.1.

 

UPDATE: So I got a chance to try some process of elimination this evening. I connected two other phones that worked perfectly with comand even after multiple power cyclings of car. Both phones were on android 6.0.1 and had BT versions 4.1 and 4.2 according to gsmarena. The G5 has BT version 4.2 but the software is updated to 7.0, so the initial 7.0 release seems to be the culprit. I found a few websites with supposed 'fixes' for the apparently well-known 7.0 BT issues. Unfortunately none of them worked for me.

I did get access to another G5 but it was also updated to 7.0. It had the same issues as mine so it does not appear to an issue with just my G5. What it does is work the first time you authorize it. But on subsequent connection attempts, it pairs at first but the phone loses connection after 10 seconds (yes I counted during each attempts) despite comand still showing the phone is connected.

I also connected my G5 to 2 other BT devices - a speaker than handles call audio and media and a cordless phone system that has link2cell. No issues with multiple connection attempts with those devices.

Next I will have to try and get access to another car with BT and try to connect the G5. If it doesn't work, then all signs point to the 7.0 initial release.

 

You can downgrade to previous android version , if its bothering you , and you still wanna use your g5 for music.

 

I think you referring to flashing the stock rom from version 6. That would be great if I could flash it. The problem is you need to unlock the bootloader to flash the phone and the AT&T version of the G5 I have has a locked bootloader that hasn't been cracked yet. So there are no roms to flash. Unless there is a way to roll back within the phone itself but I am not aware of that.

 

same thing with verizon , i have note 5 and bootloader is locked . but as long as you stay within stock Verizon rom/software it all good (you can change kernel/radio(is what most likely causing the issue with BT)/bootloader to a newer or older version etc...). I went back to lollipop which was 5.0 from marshmallow 6.0. had to go to xda-developers.com tho for some help : Drivers/software/rom.... So yes basically its a rollback to original operating system and settings
And then all i did was posponing the new update that verizon was pushing for my phone for sometime.
I dont know how LG and ATT work but im pretty sure something similar.
Although that sounds like too much work for something like that , even though for normal bluetooth streaming id do anything lol

 

Thanks. I will check again on xda.

 

Went to the dealer today and asked them to look at the BT issues I am still having. They could not get different results despite setting everything up from scratch as you'd expect. The SA tried his phone and it worked without issue. They let me pair my phone to a 2017 model and it worked just fine. So in the end they told me the car is fine, but the android 7.0 release likely has some bugs in it that effect compatibility with older BT systems. They did not mention a comand update as a solution. They just said that it sometimes happens with older model years and newer phones and that software updates to the phone usually fix it. Of course they'd be happy to sell me a new car.

Then, I went by a local AT&T store and a rep let me borrow a LG V20 (larger version of G5) which apparently has same BT hardware and was also running android 7.0. The V20 had the same BT issues at my G5 - exactly the same. The rep who lent me his phone said he has no problems with his own BT devices but they are all newer.

I also paired my G5 with a new BT speaker than can pick up/hang up calls as well as play audio from phone. I tried to replicate the same scenario by turning the speaker on and off after initial pairing and the issue did not occur.

So all signs point to an android software update that doesn't play well with older BT devices. Hopefully an update will fix it. Although I don't have much faith in updates coming on AT&T branded android devices based on past experience.