JRiz recently gushed about how bitchin' the iPod integration is in our 2009 Nissan 370Z, and I agree with everything he said. Our 2009 Infiniti FX50 has the exact same interface, and our 2009 Nissan GT-R is 95% the same save for a smaller, off-center control wheel.
But all of them have an annoying flaw that only creeps into the picture when you are listening to your iPod when a bluetooth call comes in through your paired phone. And I always pair my Bluetooth phone to the cars I drive whenever I can, so the following happens to me a lot.
The iPod doesn't automatically pause when a handsfree call comes in. What's more, there's no way I can find to switch back to the iPod screen (where the touch screen pause control resides) while a call is ongoing. All I can do is manually rewind my program to where it was (if I can find it) once the call ends.
It's no big deal if the call is short and I'm listening to music I've heard a bazillion times before. But it's annoying as heck when listening to an audiobook, podcast or anything else that needs to be followed word for word. I listen to podcasts about 75% of the time these days so I run into this a lot in these NIssan family vehicles.
It doesn't have to be this way. Other cars do the auto-pause thingy when calls come in. Still others allow access to the audio screen's pause control or let you switch to FM or AM (a trick that forces an iPod pause) mid-call. None of this works here. Of course if any longtime owners know of a workaround, I'm all ears. The manual's certainly no help, as it treats Bluetooth and iPod as two entirely seperate systems.
.
Dan Edmunds, Director of VehicleTesting @ 9,797 miles
PS: The white card is there to obscure Mike's phone number. Sorry girls.
msdaisy says:
08:22 AM, 08/ 1/09
Can't you pause from your ipod?
heartlessbstrd says:
08:42 AM, 08/ 1/09
Hah, that was a nicely constructed video. Props.
cwmoo740 says:
09:29 AM, 08/ 1/09
When an ipod is connected through a USB cable to a car system, the ipod controls don't work. You're required to operate it through the car. Also, the ipod is usually hidden inside a glove box or out of reach somewhere when it's hooked up.
ktinsd says:
10:28 AM, 08/ 1/09
Nicely posed z in the photo, good angle to see the wheels & good use of natural light.
msdaisy says:
11:28 AM, 08/ 1/09
I found this:
"
1- Take your ipod, and make sure its on and PAUSED.
2- Plug it in to the FX gateway.
3- Immediately hold the play/pause button on the Ipod until it goes to sleep (a couple of seconds).
4- Then press any button on the Ipod. It will wake up, and still be under the radio's control, but you now can scroll thru the ipod and play whatever you want! Plus the song up/down on the radio still advances songs! (I tried using track up/down to go into the menus, but it would work. Didnt try again but it should work).
"
dougnash2009 says:
11:34 AM, 08/ 1/09
I have realized the same annoying flaw in our new G. Being that the whole process is software-based, wouldn't it seem plausible that Nissan/Infiniti could administer an update patch? Or, someone in the aftermarket? There's already an outfit that offers little computer control modules that interface with the car, to do things like angle the mirrors when the car is in reverse, etc.
actualsize says:
11:37 AM, 08/ 1/09
Huh? Have you done this? I'll go try it now.
msdaisy says:
12:01 PM, 08/ 1/09
Nope, I actually found it on an infiniti forum:
http://www.infinitifx.org/viewtopic.php?p=157286
msdaisy says:
12:08 PM, 08/ 1/09
Nope, I read it here:
http://www.infinitifx.org/viewtopic.php?p=157286
ak_aviator says:
12:25 PM, 08/ 1/09
This is bar none the most ridiculous thing to get spooled up over.
"Sir, I can't seem to get my ipod to pause during an incoming call! What do you recommend I do?"
"I recommend you stop being such a !@$$@%."
http://www.entertonement.com/clips/vdrmqhhbhl--SeatbeltOld-School-Luke-Wilson-Mitch-Martin-Stuart-Cornfeld-
actualsize says:
01:25 PM, 08/ 1/09
@msdaisy: Nope. It didn't work. It's impossible to get from step 2 to 3 fast enough; The car takes over as soon as the plug is inserted. Besides, the advice dates back to early 2007, so I'm sure we're dealing with different software in a 2009.
@ak_aviator: I disagree. I see thousands upon thousands of folks with long, boring, traffic-infested commutes like mine each day. In such conditions it's impossible to really DRIVE the car, so the electronic conveniences (which people are demanding in ever-increasing numbers) start to take on greater importance.
No one can legally push their engine or suspension to the limit, but they'll certainly max-out the capability of their air-conditioning or iPod connection. Is this a reason to avoid buying this car? Of course not. But it is worth mentioning, espcially in a year-long blog format.
ak_aviator says:
02:30 PM, 08/ 1/09
It's still ultra queepy
majin_ssj_eric says:
06:18 PM, 08/ 1/09
I have a G37 and this particlar problem is a bit of an annoyance. It does the same thing with cds or with the HD. They just keep right on playing and if the conversation is long enough, a whole album will play away unheard...
actualsize says:
10:31 PM, 08/ 1/09
So it's the entire audio system that's getting pwned by a Bluetooth call. Hey, if the system can be programmed to mute the music, it can be programmed to pause it, too.
vqaddict says:
08:23 AM, 08/ 3/09
A possible work-around is to transfer the call to your handset, giving you control back to the audio system, pause the ipod, then push the phone button on the steering wheel to return the call to the bluetooth system. Thoughts??
tcd223 says:
08:26 AM, 08/ 3/09
The easiest and trendiest fix is to just go buy an iPhone.
actualsize says:
09:11 AM, 08/ 3/09
@vqaddict: At which point in this process do you recommend I strike the guardrail?
jbbevel says:
09:53 AM, 08/ 3/09
This is annoying....
But I just keep my ipod accessible, press the pause on my ipod and then press the "pick-up phone" button on my steering wheel.
When my phone call is done, I press resume on my ipod.
Not perfect... but it works.
actualsize says:
10:09 AM, 08/ 3/09
@jbbevel: The annoying-er thing going on here is that the iPod controls are disabled when plugged-in to this fully-intergrated connection.
dougnewcomb says:
12:07 PM, 08/ 3/09
Wait, wait ... don't tell me. The answer is replace the head unit with one from the aftermarket!
bbechtel16 says:
10:26 AM, 08/ 4/09
"The easiest and trendiest fix is to just go buy an iPhone."
Speaking of trendy, "-Like"