I just got a 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid and it has the nifty bluetooth hands-free phone feature. The only problem I'm having is that while I can hear people that I'm talking to very well with volume to spare, they cannot hear me very well. Please, does someone know how I can adjust the volume of the microphone? I've searched the owner's and navigation manuals but no luck. Thanks in advance!
Microphone Volume Adjustable?
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Posting this here as well since you've posted your question on other boards. <grin>
Here's how to access the menu and increase the bluetooth microphone volume on your '08 Highlander.
Note that I've been successful doing this with my '08 HL Sport with nav and without Smart Key; also note that there are plenty of other buttons in these setup screens, some of which can really screw things up, so resist the temptation to "play around."
1) Foot off brake, all doors closed, cell phone with you in the car so it can sync to bluetooth
2) Set headlight switch to off/DRL
3) Turn ignition to "on" position - do not start the car. Wait for the nav disclaimer screen to appear.
4) Press and hold the "info" button, which is one of the nav buttons next to "disp."
5) While holding the "info" button, click the headlight switch back and forth from AUTO to OFF/DRL three times, about one movement per second. The sequence starts with the switch in the OFF position (step 2), and goes AUTO, OFF, AUTO, OFF, AUTO, OFF.
6) If you've been a very good boy or girl, your nav screen will change to a "System Check Mode" screen. Press MENU in the upper right hand corner.
7) From the Diagnosis Menu screen, press "Bluetooth TEL Check."
8) From the Bluetooth Handsfree Check Menu, press "Handsfree Voice Quality Set."
9) Now press the up arrows at "Send Voice Level" to adjust up from zero. I'm going to try a setting of 2 - I've heard that any higher settings than this and your voice will be louder but distorted.
10) Press "Set."
11) Back out of the menus as far as you can, then turn off the car.
12) Try out your new volume setting for the microphone!
Here's how to access the menu and increase the bluetooth microphone volume on your '08 Highlander.
Note that I've been successful doing this with my '08 HL Sport with nav and without Smart Key; also note that there are plenty of other buttons in these setup screens, some of which can really screw things up, so resist the temptation to "play around."
1) Foot off brake, all doors closed, cell phone with you in the car so it can sync to bluetooth
2) Set headlight switch to off/DRL
3) Turn ignition to "on" position - do not start the car. Wait for the nav disclaimer screen to appear.
4) Press and hold the "info" button, which is one of the nav buttons next to "disp."
5) While holding the "info" button, click the headlight switch back and forth from AUTO to OFF/DRL three times, about one movement per second. The sequence starts with the switch in the OFF position (step 2), and goes AUTO, OFF, AUTO, OFF, AUTO, OFF.
6) If you've been a very good boy or girl, your nav screen will change to a "System Check Mode" screen. Press MENU in the upper right hand corner.
7) From the Diagnosis Menu screen, press "Bluetooth TEL Check."
8) From the Bluetooth Handsfree Check Menu, press "Handsfree Voice Quality Set."
9) Now press the up arrows at "Send Voice Level" to adjust up from zero. I'm going to try a setting of 2 - I've heard that any higher settings than this and your voice will be louder but distorted.
10) Press "Set."
11) Back out of the menus as far as you can, then turn off the car.
12) Try out your new volume setting for the microphone!
Let us know if it works.ThanksI'll try this on the non-Nav JBL Sport HL 08, if possible
Have you talked to your dealer yet??
The non-Nav system may require the dealer to plug in the good old "intelligent tester" to change the setting.
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No, I haven't talked with my dealer yet. Good point about only them being able to configure the settings -- I remember reading about that in the manual.
Oh, that reminds me... my car's actually at the dealer today for the "N" light on the dashboard not turning on since Day 1, and I won't get it back until they replace the ENTIRE dashboard cluster -- Toyota doesn't sell just the bulb itself.
So, I'll give it a try in a week or so.
By the way, they gave me a HL 08 Base as a rental. I started appreciating how much better the Sport edition looks and feels. The JBL system definitely was a worthy investment as well. And if you haven't imagined it yet, the HL 08 without the factory roof rack actually looks weird! Yup, the rental has no roof bars.
Oh, that reminds me... my car's actually at the dealer today for the "N" light on the dashboard not turning on since Day 1, and I won't get it back until they replace the ENTIRE dashboard cluster -- Toyota doesn't sell just the bulb itself.
So, I'll give it a try in a week or so.
By the way, they gave me a HL 08 Base as a rental. I started appreciating how much better the Sport edition looks and feels. The JBL system definitely was a worthy investment as well. And if you haven't imagined it yet, the HL 08 without the factory roof rack actually looks weird! Yup, the rental has no roof bars.
DenverBrian,
Would your procedure for getting to System Check Mode work for other features too, like overriding the nav system when there's a passenger to enter an address? Seems like there was a similar procedure mentioned on this forum for the Lexus or Prius nav. that did this, but it didn't work on the 08 HL...
Would your procedure for getting to System Check Mode work for other features too, like overriding the nav system when there's a passenger to enter an address? Seems like there was a similar procedure mentioned on this forum for the Lexus or Prius nav. that did this, but it didn't work on the 08 HL...
In this version, there is no override for the nav system. Look at other forums (Google is your friend) for very complicated ways to re-copy your nav DVD with a specific tradeout of a specific file to allow that function...but it's way too geeky for me.
And even if you do get the nav override hack, you have to perform it every single time you start the car if you want to use it.
Thanks. I just made this adjustment to my wife's HL Ltd. She always complained that she had to yell when speaking to people via bluetooth. I moved the volume to "2", so I will have her try it out tomorrow while driving.
I have highlighted Step 3 above, and this is the only spot where I messed up in the process. For Ltd's with Smart Key, this requires you to depress the START button twice. As noted in Step 1, keep your foot off the brakes.
I explored some of the other options with those menus. Nothing of interest to me so I didn't even attempt to play around.
Thanks again.
Can't get it to work in my LTD
Well, I've tried this about 20 times and am coming up empty. I have a LTD with smart key, so thanks for the note on changing #3 to push the smart key twice.
But, even with that ... I end up with NAV map on my screen and no menu selection as others have found. I must be missing something in the steps outlined above, but for the life of me, I can't figure it out. I would like to get the volume changed (increased) so the BT phone is a workable option in my Limited with NAV.
As soon as the NAV warning comes up, I push the info button. The NAV warning goes away, and is replaced by the normal info menu which I get anytime I use the info button. Is that what you see when you do it?
ANY ideas/tips for this "inept" user - what am I doing wrong, which prevents me from seeing the BT menu - would be appreciated! Thanks.
Well, I've tried this about 20 times and am coming up empty. I have a LTD with smart key, so thanks for the note on changing #3 to push the smart key twice.
But, even with that ... I end up with NAV map on my screen and no menu selection as others have found. I must be missing something in the steps outlined above, but for the life of me, I can't figure it out. I would like to get the volume changed (increased) so the BT phone is a workable option in my Limited with NAV.
As soon as the NAV warning comes up, I push the info button. The NAV warning goes away, and is replaced by the normal info menu which I get anytime I use the info button. Is that what you see when you do it?
ANY ideas/tips for this "inept" user - what am I doing wrong, which prevents me from seeing the BT menu - would be appreciated! Thanks.
I have 08 Limited with NAV and smartkey. I tried pushing the button in once and also twice, but not luck either way. I did make a Hybrid DVD with the 5.1 loading file on it, so this is why, I am guessing, that I can not access the menu. Has anyone else with a smartkey been able to get this to work? I might try to load my original map disc back in, but I kinda like it the way it is )
Brian
Brian
You must push and HOLD the info button while cycling the headlights. And yes, I do remember that you might see the info screen when you're doing this, but it's the combination of holding down the info button while cycling the lights that will get you to the setup screen.
I'm guessing that with that 5.1 loading file, it also reverts the system to the "old" way of accessing the setup screens, which is widely available through Google. It involves touching the top and bottom of a particular info screen 3 times.
It worked!
When I got home I tried it again, this time, though, with my bluetooth phone sync'd to the Highlander BT system. With the phone sync'd ... it worked!:lol:
Not sure why I didn't figure this out sooner - it's a pretty obvious one. I turned it up to "2" as you suggested, called home and the difference was noticeable. Many thanks for the list and assistance.
When I got home I tried it again, this time, though, with my bluetooth phone sync'd to the Highlander BT system. With the phone sync'd ... it worked!:lol:
Not sure why I didn't figure this out sooner - it's a pretty obvious one. I turned it up to "2" as you suggested, called home and the difference was noticeable. Many thanks for the list and assistance.
I found a solution here:
http://www.wikihow.com/Discussion:Override-Toyota-Prius-Navigation-Gray-out
The instructions are about half way down the page. As a reminder, I am using 7.1 software with 5.1 Loader on an 08 Highlander.
Brian
http://www.wikihow.com/Discussion:Override-Toyota-Prius-Navigation-Gray-out
The instructions are about half way down the page. As a reminder, I am using 7.1 software with 5.1 Loader on an 08 Highlander.
Brian
I'll add that to the instructions and thanks!
Wrong Brian here, but the 5.1 loading file is a file from the older 5.1 nav software. If it is integrated into the 7.1 software, like I have on my 08, it allows you some older options that they took away. Mainly, with it integrated, you can input new waypoints into your GPS, or change bluetooth phones without pulling over. Once you go over about 5 mph, many options are grayed out on the touchscreen.
Brian
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This whole thing sounds like a Bill Cosby routine! Laughed my head off! But am now going to try it, of course, since I expect to have the same problem when I sync up my own cell phone. Am hugely grateful to you guys for the entertainment and the tips!
No kidding. There are actually two issues being discussed here:
--How to increase the mic volume on the bluetooth speakerphone. For that, it's a one-time change in the setup screen.
--How to enable the nav system so you can enter "Billy Bob's Gadget Emporium" while not looking at the road and driving 75mph down the freeway. This one is far more complicated - for a reason, you think? - and if you do manage to figure it out, you have to do it over and over, every time you start your car.
I'm quite fine with modifying the mic volume...and leaving the nav system as is.
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