Text volume via Apple CarPlay

Thanks for the update. I’m following this thread.

 

So is this just an issue when connected to CarPlay and listening to built in radio (ie. not using Apple Music/Spotify/a music app through CarPlay)?

Also, those grayed out settings in the menu may only apply if your device is only connected to the radio via bluetooth (not connected to CarPlay).

 

No - to the opposite, when the iPhone is on BlueTooth only (no Apple CarPlay connection via Wifi), the setting s are not grayed out. That's a fix that was tried but the the volume did not move past mid-point.

The only cool thing was that on the sw wipe adn re-install, the Toyota app remembered all of my settings (seat, vehicle, stations, etc...) which was really nice and a huge time saver.

 

To further muddy the waters here I'll add that when I'm listening to a podcast through carplay, it will pause the podcast and play my message then resume the podcast. While listening to music however, I have the same issue others here have, music continues to play and I can't hear crap from messages.

 

While my issue wasn’t the same as yours, it was definitely one that had many people confused.

Have you hooked up someone else’s phone and verified this issue still exists? Reason I say give that a try is it definitely narrows it down to phone or truck issue. Long, long story behind my issue but I took it to Toyota and went in back with techs knowing it was an issue with my phone and we figured out my issue together. Either way, worth a shot if you haven’t already tried another phone.

 

Yep...first thing the Sr. Service Advisor did was walk out to my truck and connect his iPhone 13 with the latest iOS and same issue.

We did connect this AM however and the issue is reported to the mothership and they advised an update back by week's end - I'm on this thing because it bugs the crap out of me.
Should have been caught in alpha or beta testing well before first customer ship.

 

That was the first thing that we had tried here at home, multiple devices and even one with a different iOS version. The issue was the same across the board. Also tested it with a rav4, and my previous 2021 Tacoma didn't exhibit the issue. Gathered data, process of elimination.

 

So my friends, the saga continues and we have no line of sight for a resolution, but for our collective voices to the Toyota Brand Engagement folks who can be reached at 800-331-4331.

That was the recommendation from my dealer in Naples, FL who did contact their internal Toyota tech folks as well.

Allegedly, they reported my case (I did also receive a case# from the Brand Engagement team) to their powers that be, and now I've done the same from the end consumer perspective.

My guidance to any and all of you who are also experiencing this issue and give a hoot enough about it to try to get us to a resolution, is to take a few minutes and call that 800# above and give them a respectful ear full. I'm afraid it's one of these things that unless or until they hear from a bunch of folks, this will never get prioritized as a fix.

ONWARD!!

 

I called the number (extension 7 btw) and told them I had the same issue and got a case number emailed. Thanks.

 

called in as well and they asked if i had contacted apple, i said no cause i can use my phone in my wife's avalon and no issues.

 

Wow - excellent feedback for them.
Finger’s crossed we get visibility on this issue.

 

Same same North of the 49th. I found it odd as well and thought I had some setting wrong.

Most are saying it turned off the music from their other vehicles yet in my F-150, the music did not turn off only down so it was still in the background as the text message played over. You could adjust those volumes when the text message was being read by increasing or decreasing the volume nob.

 

EXACTLY!!

Every vehicle I've owned that's how it works.

Please call that 800# above and get a case started. THat's the only way it's going to get attention to get this fixed (hopefully over an OTA) - thanks!!

 

Same here. When Maps/ Waze/ Google maps needs to state a hazard or accident, the volume lowers enough to hear that. But with a text message, it doesn't lower enough.

 

Call them - please - let the hear from you and get a case #.

800-331-4331 (ext. 7)

Thanks!!

 

Ok. So I found a work around. Not a fix but a work around. If you connect your phone Bluetooth as just phone and media, the music will mute when playing a message. I’m hoping enough of us complain and they will update CarPlay to do the same thing.

 

I like how the music keeps playing and the texts get read on the drivers side. I usually have a passenger or two, and I prefer the continuity of the music for the passenger while my texts are read for me. I never liked in my Silverado how it would completed kill the music, throw the cabin into silence, and read my texts outloud. The Tundra feels more modern, more sophisticated.

I agree it would be nice to be able to adjust the volume ratio between text and music, but the preset level is not that bad. Believe me, I am a customizer of settings for everything. Again, it would be nice, but I really don't mind it how it is.

Just think to yourself that this is the future, and the more modern, sophisticated approach to CarPlay. That's why we bought these trucks, huh? We wanted the advancements?

Just my $0.02

 

The same issue occurs on my 2nd TRD pro btw, so appears to be a systemic issue or unlucky twice.

 

-99

 

lol, something like that, I traded my solar for a lunar

 

UPDATE:

I'll try to make this bare bones quick but there's a TON of detail...

I called back yesterday and after a lengthy convo, I convinced the level I rep to get me to a live human being level II rep - success!

Call was transferred to US HQ in Plano, TX where again, in detailed length, I spoke to a tech rep who was pinging her software peeps as we spoke and the basic question at hand remained unanswered:

"How can I adjust the volume in Apple CarPlay of an inbound text message."

So, while we still have no resolution to this issue, I do feel better in that we have escalated it to the appropriate area for correction. I have an email from Plano with a documented case number and a thread to follow-up on.

Time will tell but I'm "all-in" to getting this OTA fixed.

Happy weekend fellas!!

 

I can 100% adjust the volume of the text message voice while she is reading the message.

Wireless CarPlay. Listening to music. Push the text button. Music gets quieter on the driver side and Siri starts reading the message. I can turn the volume knob and make the Siri voice get louder or quieter. I found I had to turn the knob a lot. Several complete rotations.

It only gets so loud. There is a limit. So I recommend you reduce the music volume before playing your text if you are having trouble hearing the text.

But in my truck today, while she was reading me a text, I could turn the volume knob and reduce the text volume all the way to silent and back to a standard volume.

 

So…to make sure I clearly understand, while you are driving and you’re connected wirelessly to Apple CarPlay, and you’re listening to music, while an inbound text message comes in, you’re able to turn the volume knob and the inbound text message volume increases?

Did I capture that correctly?

 

Yes. Correct. You got it.

But it reaches a max volume. It’s limited loud, but will decrease all the way to zero.

That’s why I said I would recommend turning the music down slightly before you tap the text msg. Then while the voice is speaking I can increase and decrease the text voice volume with the volume knob.

I can take a video tomorrow.

 

I just tried this and @Carolina Peej is correct. Mine also operates as he described

 

Thanks, @Carolina Peej and @AND - and yes, sure, it works (I just tried it) but that's counter intuitive to other Toyota platforms, e.g., Avalon, or any other vehicle I've had with wired or wireless Apple CarPlay.

The intuitive paradigm is to simply turn up the incoming text message volume when announced, and/or, have the music slightly muted (automatically) so you can hear the text. As described above, I had to wait for the announcement of the incoming text message, let it play and finish (w/o hearing it well because my tunes are on), then turn down the radio volume, then select the message, then increase the volume as it plays (to your point, limited max volume at that).

Seems to me what the developers missed under settings > sound & media > levels > phone, is the ability to slide the elevator bars left or right to increase/decrease new message volume. It's grayed-out and inoperable. See attached.

BTW, I'm on the latest iOS on an iPhone 12 Pro.

 

My text messages do not auto announce. I see a notification on my tundra screen (may get a little 'ding ding' notification sound too, I'm pretty sure) but it remains unread and nothing happens until I tap the notification (or after it disappears, go into the messages page and tap the unread message).

From your text it sounds like your messages just start automatically reading when the come in? This may be a setting on your iPhone. There are at least 4 or 5 places to check. There are settings for Messages, Notifications, CarPlay, Accessibility, Sounds, Siri and maybe even headphones. I am also on an updated 12 Pro. You may want to check your Accessibility settings also to see if you have

There are dozens of combinations of iPhone settings. it could be the verbosity settings under the Accessibility grouping... Who knows. Use the search bar on the main settings page for all of those suggestions above.

I think the experience is perfectly engineered. I get a message notification on my tundra screen (and a little 'ding ding' too, I'm pretty sure) I may or may not turn the radio down a bit (depending on the volume of the music) then I tap my message notification and I can hear the message perfectly through the drivers side speakers, while my music continues to play on all the other speakers.

All good for me. The more I interact with this thread the more I like how it works!

 

I find this annoying as well. I have to manually turn down the music before playing a text message. Similarly, asking Siri to do something also requires manually turning down the music or I have to shout over whatever is currently playing. On all other vehicles I have used CarPlay on the audio automatically lowers when any type of voice interaction is active.

 

This button in the top right controls the auto announce feature.

and if you have your ringer turned on (phone is not on silent or do not disturb) it will audibly notify you you have a message, then you tap the message to make it announce.

Auto announce would annoy me too, but I have that off.

 

in case anybody is curious, iOS 16 didn't change this at all. Not one little bit. Works fine on the rav4 Hybrid.

I think we can rule out iOS as the culprit.