Hi,

I just purchased a 2010 Base+Tech yesterday...very exciting. I'm having an issue with my cell phone (Palm Centro) and the Hands-Free Link. The phone pairs fine. However, sometimes, if I make a call (whether from speed dial on the car, or from the handset), the call will begin on the bluetooth system, but immediately switch to the handset. To use the bluetooth system, I have to use the "transfer" command. I have received only one call, and it stayed on bluetooth, so I don't know whether the same will happen with received calls.

I have used a bunch of bluetooth systems with this phone, and none of them do this (once they are paired, if I make or receive a call, it defaults to the bluetooth system). Is there some setting I'm overlooking? Or is there possibly some problem with my phone or car?

I'll call the Hands Free Link support line soon, but I thought I'd ask here first.

Thanks!
Marc

 

You might need to have the phone firmware updated.

 

^ Yup sounds like a Palm issue. Palm's bluetooth software is behind the ball. Don't know if you have the 1st or 2nd generation centro as that may help you. When I had my 755 the bluetooth always had trouble synching with and car bluetooth. After I upgraded my phone to winmo bluetooth has worked no problems. I'm sure others on other platforms haven't had any issues either like blackberry on iphone.

 

I'm thinking you are correct. To dwest's point, I have the latest firmware (1.08 for Sprint). I called Acura support, and later tried the various phone-related suggestions (remove battery, re-pair, hard reset) and even with a freshly reset phone (and by reset, I mean ALL data wiped out), I had the same problem. I'll have to call them back. I think I need to (1) try my phone in another TL (to make sure it's not something wrong with my car), and then (2) try another phone model in my car.

If anyone else has had this same issue, please let me know whether/how you resolved it.

Thanks,
Marc

 

A lot of times its not even the firmware thats the issue. Its the hardware and that is the issue that I had with Palm that I had to switch. I've been with palmphones since the treo 300. Which is one of the reasons I left palm during that time because of the bluetooth hardware limitations.

 

I think you're right about quirks in Palm's implementation of Bluetooth. I'm a long time Palm user as well (back to the Palm III) and have had a few of Palm's phones as well. I'm still hoping and searching for the "magic" workaround or fix that may or may not exist...

Marc

 

ive had a similar problem with my blackberry tour. try just taking the battery out of your phone and restarting it...worked for me

 

That was Acura HFL Tech's first suggestion, but it didn't work. I've gone as far as deleting all data off my phone (after backing up!) and pairing the freshly wiped-out phone (without restoring my backup) and it still had the same problem. I'm guessing at this point that it's some sort of software bug in either the phone or the car. However, I'm still hoping for that magic fix....someone must have it :-)

Marc

 

The fix is a new phone, the only way to be sure is to get a friends phone and try to pair it up and see. Its not a software issue its definetly a hardware issue.

 

I'm surprised a little bit by the phones they've tested and the ones they haven't, the ones that work 100% and the ones that are buggy.

They apparently spent some time making sure that the iPhone and Windows Mobile devices worked very well, but they tested virtually no Symbian devices. One of the first things I had to do was ditch my old Nokia E71 that I was fond of and which had worked very well up to the day I bought my TL. :-)

The Blackberry Tour problem surprises me, because people with the 9000 and 9700 say that HFL works very well.

I wish they'd have tested and certified more, but this is my first experience with factory Bluetooth, so I don't know if Acura is less competent than other companies.

Overall, I'm so delighted with the car that I didn't mind buying a new phone.

 

Hi George,

I'm especially surprised in this case because my phone is listed as working 100% other than phonebook upload on the HFL website. I'm wondering whether they tested an earlier version of the firmware, and compatibility has since been broken.

Is there anyone else with a Palm Centro out there? Does your phone work properly with HFL or not?

Marc

 

A quick update: I tested my father's iPhone with the car, and it paired properly but when he made a call, the phone thought it was connected to HFL for the call, but the car didn't show that it was (even worse than the problem I had with my phone). At this point, I'm thinking there's a problem with my HFL unit. I'll be on the phone with HFL support on Monday...and searching this forum over the weekend to see if it's possible to "reset" the HFL unit on my own.

Marc