Update on cellphone audio: EnTune, CarPlay, Stock Tacoma radios

We had so many issues with our two Tacomas' audio that we finally engaged a "lemon law" attorney. Here is our summary on the issue. Would appreciate anyone's thoughts and insignts.

We own two Toyota Tacomas (2000 and 2023) with the same problem, for which the dealers will not acknowledge. When using the hands-free system for telephone calls, the receiving end of the call periodically complains of the call “breaking up” despite both callers having a good signal. There is a LOT of info on this on the internet, however because most do not have the intellectual capacity to understand the complexity, it looks like multiple disparate problems (poor cell reception, poor radio, bad microphone, firmware not up to date, CarPlay software not up to date). Interestingly, this appears to be a problem with many vehicles, but is exceptionally notable in Tacomas and perhaps in all Toyotas. Because it is sporadic, it cannot be repeated at the dealership and the technicians tell us there is nothing they can do. However, when we speak with car electronic specialists, we are uniformly informed that, replacing the stock Toyota radio with an aftermarket, all problems disappear. And, this is confirmed when asking similar questions of AI search engines.


Notably, when replacing a stock Toyota radio (controls the hands free cell call functions) with an aftermarket radio, these problems appear to disappear in many reported cases. This is reported to be because one no longer needs to employ the Toyota Entune system (operating software for all audio functions). However, one needs to replace the stock Toyota radio with an aftermarket (Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, etc.) before one can replace EnTune. The cost to implement this solution is $1,000-$2,000 per Tacoma. What is EnTune (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Entune) ?

• Toyota's branded system for entertainment, navigation, and smartphone integration in their vehicles. Firmware and apps are proprietary to Toyota and continuously updated over time. It competes with systems like Ford's Sync, GM's MyLink, and Fiat Chrysler's Uconnect.
• Provides access to features like satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, GPS navigation, and integrated apps.
• Utilizes a central touchscreen display supplemented with physical buttons and knobs for core functions.
• Allows pairing and interaction with smartphones to make calls, play music, and run compatible apps through the vehicle's interface.

 

try this. https://support.apple.com/en-lamr/HT213683

this helped my microphone quality when using carplay and bluetooth