Pioneer Radio Bluetooth Not Working – Here’s the Solution!

A pioneer Bluetooth radio allows you to connect your smartphone with it via Bluetooth connection. You can enjoy hands-free calling, music, and access to your phone profile remotely. But what can you do if the connection is not working?

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You’d be surprised how often people experience difficulties with their Pioneer radio’s Bluetooth functionality. Bluetooth pairing troubles might be caused by damaged hardware inside your Pioneer radio or by software issues. Therefore, you must identify the source of the issue before you can properly resolve it.

In this article, we’ll go into the reasons why your pairing attempts have failed and offer some ideas for how to fix the problem. So, let’s get down to business.

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Why Is Pioneer Radio Bluetooth Not Working

It is important to learn the cause of the problem before finding the solution. To understand the problem, here we suggest some possible reasons for a Pioneer radio Bluetooth not working.

Compatibility Issue

Almost every Bluetooth device is compatible with other devices. But still, some devices are not compatible with the Pioneer radio Bluetooth. Therefore, first, you need to check if the car’s Bluetooth connection is compatible with your mobile phone.

Software Issue

Another issue that might be the reason your pioneer radio Bluetooth did not pair with the android device is the software in the pioneer car stereo. Different software can cause hindrances while you pair the devices.

If your stereo does not recognize the Bluetooth connection, you likely have a software issue. You can try reinstalling the Bluetooth software and restarting your stereo, but if this doesn’t work, you’ll need to contact Pioneer for help.

Bluetooth devices have this common issue of firmware update, so you should check if your model has this software or not in your Pioneer radio.

Connecting Issue

It’s possible that the Bluetooth connection is not working because you haven’t activated it yet. To do this, make sure your phone is connected to the car stereo (and not just to any prior Bluetooth radio), then connect your phone’s audio system via USB or AUX cable and launch the Pioneer Radio app on your device.

It is important to perform the pairing process correctly. Therefore, first, enable the Bluetooth connection in your phone profile and pioneer radio. Secondly, check if the two devices are available to be paired and connected.

If everything is clear, select the device from your screen from the available devices and pair it.

Parking Brake

The most common issue people run into with their Pioneer radio Bluetooth is that it won’t connect. This can be caused by several things, but the most common one is when your parking brake is on.

Pioneer radios have parking brake wires that you should ground while connecting them to the metal. You can find the metal in the radio pocket. If you do not ground the wire, it will give a gray-out feature to the Bluetooth connection.

We will discuss in the solutions section how to ground the wire.

Temporary Reconnecting

Sometimes, Bluetooth connections face interference from many devices and won’t pair with yours. Simply go to the network settings, find the Bluetooth logo, turn it off, and then turn the pairing mode on of your android device. 

If you are an iPhone owner, your phone may not be compatible with your pioneer radio model. In addition to this, if your phone is away from the pioneer radio, the signal weakens. Therefore, keep your phone close to the system and keep the discoverable mode on.

Solutions for Pioneer Radio Bluetooth Connection

After discussing some of the main causes that won’t allow your phone device to connect with Pioneer radio, we will now discuss the solutions.

Restart Your Bluetooth Devices

You can do an easy step to make your phone connect with another Bluetooth device. First, restart the Bluetooth connection of both devices. Mobile devices often show Bluetooth problems. 

To be on the safe side, restart your mobile phone, select the Bluetooth option, remove the old Bluetooth connections, search for the new device, and hit connect. In addition, also ensure that your mobile device is not in power-saving mode as this mode shuts off the Bluetooth option automatically.

Reset the Pioneer Radio

The car’s Bluetooth does not connect with your mobile device automatically. Therefore, if you haven’t found any issue in your device, reset the Bluetooth feature of your car radio. Now connect the Bluetooth devices and play music.

For the touchscreen radio, you should first turn the radio on. Go to the ‘Gear’ option. You can find this option in the top right corner of the screen. Click the screwdriver option and find the Advanced settings. Next, find the ‘Restore’ settings and click it. Confirm the factory restore option.

For manual and non-touchscreen radios, hold the SRC button for a while. Next, go to the Menu, therefore, rotate the circular button. Scroll down to find the ‘Initial’ option. When you find it, rotate the circular button again to find the ‘System Reset’ option. Now press the circular button for Yes.

You would find the display “Restore is processing.” It would take a few minutes and when it is done, you will again see the Initial option.

Now, select Bluetooth and connect it to your phone to check the functionality. You can fix the Bluetooth problem by going through the reset process in more than one instance. However, do note that you might lose some data during the resetting process.

Ground the Parking Brake Wire

You can do this by following these steps:

• Detach the multimedia radio screen and take it out
• Do not disconnect the cable wires
• Expose all wires and find the parking brake wire which has an isolated end
• Take a 15-20 cm conductor wire with peel-off ends
• Take one end and connect it to the parking brake wire, while connecting the other end to a metal surface in the radio’s pocket
• Use insulator tape to wrap both ends
• Place the radio back into its location and turn the vehicle on

Now if you find that the Bluetooth option is still grayed out, repeat the process until the Bluetooth device connects.

Firmware Update

Visit the pioneer website and get the latest firmware update for your radio as it can increase the functionality and help you get rid of Bluetooth pairing problems.

Before you update to the new version, you need to check the model before the update. The manufacturer’s website will provide you with a DVD or CD for automatic updates.

Upgrade the Bluetooth Module

You can also get over the Bluetooth pairing problem by upgrading the Bluetooth module of the pioneer radio. Install a new Bluetooth Adapter and replace the previous stereo.

The final option to fix the Bluetooth connection is to change the Bluetooth car kit in your car.

FAQs

How do I get my Pioneer MixTrax Bluetooth to work?

If you find your pioneer MixTrax Bluetooth not working, you should try to turn the Bluetooth on from the Pioneer radio. Go to your phone settings, find the BT device, and pair it with the Pioneer radio. Select Bluetooth and give some time to establish the connection.

Why won’t my phone pair with my Pioneer radio?

There are multiple reasons, but the main reason would be disabled devices. You should check if the Bluetooth option of both devices is enabled so they can connect.

How do you force a Bluetooth device reset?

Find the settings of your mobile phone. If the Bluetooth connection is on, press it for a longer time to turn off the device. Moreover, forget all the devices you have connected before and reconnect the required one. It will fix the Bluetooth connectivity problem.

How to reset Bluetooth on Pioneer radio?

If your Pioneer car stereo is not working, it’s probably because of a simple issue. A quick reset of your Pioneer radio’s Bluetooth can solve many problems, including lost connection or interference from other devices.

When you turn on the stereo, it will automatically connect to your phone. If this does not happen, turn off the vehicle’s ignition and engine. Disconnect the ground connection from the back of the Pioneer stereo by removing the wire connector from the ground terminal. 

Reconnect the ground connection, then reconnect the negative battery cable. Test that it’s working properly.

Conclusion

Pioneer radio establishes Bluetooth connection with your mobile devices. Sometimes Bluetooth does not connect with the other Bluetooth devices. There are multiple reasons behind this problem.

This article includes all the details of the problem and the possible solutions for these issues. You should check the Bluetooth option. Enable it, put it in the discoverable mode option, and wait for the connection established.

However, if you are not able to establish a stable Bluetooth connection, you can see the above causes to find the possible solution for your Pioneer radio Bluetooth problem,

We hope this article has helped you to connect the Bluetooth of your car radio with your smartphone. 

Last Updated on February 4, 2023 by Danny Reid