If you’re a Dodge Journey car owner, chances are that you have experienced some trouble with your Bluetooth connections. Whether it be connecting to the vehicle or staying connected, this can be a frustrating issue.
Fortunately, in this article there are several steps that you can take to troubleshoot and hopefully fix issues you may have with your Bluetooth connection in your Dodge Journey.
Why is Dodge Journey Bluetooth Not Working?
The first step is to understand why your Bluetooth connection may not be working. There are a few potential causes, so you must take the time to identify which one applies to you. Common reasons include:
- Low Battery
- Outdated Software
- Interference from Other Signals
- Improper Connection Setup
- Faulty Device Firmware/Software Updates
- Bluetooth Not Activated or Enabled on the Device
- Incorrect PIN or Passcode Entered
- Incorrect Network Settings
- The Device is Not Compatible with Bluetooth
- Errors with the Bluetooth Connection
- Poor Connection or Signal Strength
- Too Far Away From the Bluetooth Device
- The Device Is Paired With Another Device
- The Vehicle’s Infotainment System Needed Resetting or Updating
Low Battery
The first thing to check is your device’s battery.
Make sure your device has enough power before trying to pair it with your Dodge Journey.
A low battery can prevent the connection from being established in the first place, or it can cause an existing connection to drop out.
Signs: You may see a message on your device that it is running out of battery.
Your device may also take longer than usual to connect or disconnect from other devices, such as headsets or car audio systems.
Solutions: Make sure that the device you’re trying to connect has enough power for a stable Bluetooth connection.
If the battery is low, charge it before attempting to reconnect with your Dodge Journey again. Once it is fully charged, you should be able to establish a connection.
Outdated Software
Your device may also be running an outdated version of the software, which can prevent the connection from being established in the first place.
Visit the manufacturer’s website and download any available updates for your device.
Signs: You may notice that your device is displaying an error message or a warning message that it is out of date.
Solutions: To ensure a stable connection with your Dodge Journey, make sure that the software on both devices is up-to-date.
Check for any available updates on your device’s settings page and then attempt to reconnect with your Dodge Journey once the updates have been installed.
- Go to your car settings and select the “Bluetooth” option.
- Select “Update Software”.
- Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the update process.
- After the update is complete, try connecting your device again.
If you are still having issues, try restarting your device or your car’s Bluetooth system.
After troubleshooting, you should be able to successfully connect your device to the Dodge Journey’s Bluetooth system.
Interference from Other Signals
Sometimes, interference from other signals can disrupt the Bluetooth connection.
Wireless networks and other Bluetooth devices nearby can block the connection of your Dodge Journey. This interference is especially common in areas where wireless signals are dense, like airports or busy urban streets.
Signs: Your Dodge Journey may experience the following signs of interference: Bluetooth connection drops intermittently, Slow or choppy audio transmission and Inability to connect to other devices.
Solutions: Fortunately, there are measures you can take to reduce this kind of interference and hopefully restore your Bluetooth connection.
To start, try moving away from any electronic devices that might be causing disruption. You can also change the frequency of your Bluetooth connection to a less congested channel.
To avoid this issue, make sure that you are not in an area with a lot of wireless activity. It is also best to turn off any Wi-Fi networks or cellular connections while attempting to connect your device to the Dodge Journey.
Improper Connection Setup
If the Bluetooth device is not properly connected to your Dodge Journey, you may experience issues with its connection.
Signs: Improper setup can lead to problems such as slow audio transmission or inability to connect other devices.
Your Dodge Journey might also display the following signs of an improper connection setup – difficulty connecting with other devices, inadequate audio streaming quality and unreliable connection.
Solutions: To fix this, check the connection settings of your Dodge Journey’s Bluetooth device. Make sure that both devices are properly paired and all the necessary settings have been enabled.
Additionally, try toggling the Bluetooth on and off to reset its connection to your vehicle.
Faulty Device Firmware/Software Updates
It is also possible that the Bluetooth device’s firmware or software has been updated incorrectly, resulting in a faulty connection with your Dodge Journey.
Firmware are programs pre-installed in a device that control how the device functions. While software updates are commonly used to improve the performance of a device, but if an incorrect version is installed, it could lead to connectivity issues.
Signs: Incorrect updates will often lead to errors such as slow audio streaming, inability to connect to other devices and unreliable connections.
Solutions: To fix this issue, you should first update all necessary drivers on your Dodge Journey. Additionally, reset the Bluetooth device’s settings and try again. If this fails, you might need to manually update the firmware/software of your device.
You must always check for updates on both devices before connecting them. This will ensure a more stable connection with better audio streaming quality.
Steps to Update the Software of Dodge Journey Bluetooth:
- Start by connecting the device to your Dodge Journey’s Bluetooth system.
- Go to the device’s settings and locate the ‘Software Update’ option.
- Select ‘Update Software’ and follow the on-screen instructions accordingly.
- Wait for the download to finish before disconnecting the device from your Dodge Journey.
- Now turn off the device and restart it for the new software update to take effect.
- Turn on your Dodge Journey’s Bluetooth again, and make sure that your device is now connected properly.
Bluetooth Not Activated or Enabled on the Device
If the Bluetooth on your device is not enabled or activated, you won’t be able to connect it to the Dodge Journey.
Signs: You will know that Bluetooth is not activated or enabled on your device when you don’t see the Bluetooth icon in your Settings menu.
You should also check whether your device has a version of software that supports Bluetooth connections, as this may affect your ability to connect to the Dodge Journey.
Take Time to Pair Your Device with the Vehicle as it can take several minutes to pair your device with the Dodge Journey, so be sure to give it enough time.
Once you’ve ensured that your device and vehicle are both on and ready to pair, select the “Pair” option from the Bluetooth menu of your device.
You may need to enter a code provided by the vehicle before the process is complete.
To enable or activate Bluetooth on your device, please take the following steps:
- Open “Settings” on your device.
- Select “Bluetooth” in the settings menu.
- Ensure that the Bluetooth feature is toggled ON and visible.
- Go back to the main Settings page and select- “More” to access additional settings.
- Select the option to enable or activate a Bluetooth connection with the vehicle.
You should now be able to connect your device using Bluetooth when in range of the Dodge Journey. Be sure to check that you are within range for it to work properly as this can also affect connection and sound quality.
Incorrect PIN or Passcode Entered
If the incorrect PIN or passcode is entered when trying to pair your device with the Dodge Journey, it will not be able to connect.
Solutions: To resolve this issue, try deleting and re-pairing your device using the correct code. You can also reset both the vehicle’s Bluetooth connection and that of your device to ensure that the pairing process runs as smoothly as possible.
With a few simple steps, you should now be able to troubleshoot any Bluetooth connection issues with your Dodge Journey.
Incorrect Network SettingsIf incorrect network settings have been applied to your device, it could prevent it from connecting to the Dodge Journey via Bluetooth. To ensure that this isn’t the issue, try resetting the network settings on both your device and vehicle.
To reset the network settings of your device, follow these steps:
- Go to “Settings- Select the option to “Reset Network Settings”
- After resetting your device’s network settings, repeat this process for the vehicle.
This should ensure that all networks associated with your Dodge Journey are properly set up and ready to connect via Bluetooth.
The Device is Not Compatible with Bluetooth
Sometimes, the device you are trying to connect may not be compatible with the Dodge Journey. To avoid any issues arising in this case, always check that your device is Bluetooth-capable and also has the correct version of Bluetooth installed (if applicable).
Solutions: To make sure your device is compatible with the vehicle’s Bluetooth connection, take the following steps:
- Look up the version of Bluetooth your device is compatible with and make sure it matches the version installed on the Dodge Journey.
- If you find that your device is not compatible, try connecting a different device with one that is compatible.
By taking these measures, you can ensure that any incompatibility issues between your device and the Dodge Journey are addressed.
Errors with the Bluetooth Connection
If you have verified that both your device and the Dodge Journey have compatible Bluetooth versions, but the connection still isn’t working, then there may be some errors occurring on the vehicle side of things.
In some cases, you may encounter error codes when attempting to connect your device to the Dodge Journey via Bluetooth. Some common error codes that can appear include ERROR-11, ERROR-14 and ERROR-17.
Each of these error codes is associated with a different issue relating to the Bluetooth connection and needs to be addressed differently to establish a successful connection.
Solutions: To diagnose this issue, try restarting your car and completely disconnecting any other devices from its Bluetooth connection.
Once this is done, try connecting your device again and see if the connection works.
Poor Connection or Signal Strength
On certain occasions, the connection between your device and the Dodge Journey may be weak or unreliable. This can occur if the vehicle is located too far away from your device, or if there are any obstructions in the way of the signal (e.g. walls or furniture).
Poor connection between devices may be indicated by several symptoms, such as choppy audio playback, music skipping or interruption in streaming.
It can also lead to slow data transfers between the two devices and even disconnection when attempting to make calls.
Solutions: If you encounter any issues with poor signal strength, try moving closer to the car or relocating any obstructing objects to improve the signal strength.
You can also try connecting via an external device such as a Bluetooth dongle or a car phone holder, which may help to provide a more reliable connection.
Too Far Away From the Bluetooth Device
Sometimes, your Dodge Journey might be too far away from your device for a successful connection. This is especially true if you leave the car outside while attempting to connect your phone.
Signs: The symptom of being too far away will be noticed when you try to connect your device, but it does not appear in the list of available Bluetooth devices on your phone. Additionally, if the connection is successful, it may be unreliable and suffer from poor signal strength.
Solution: To ensure that a successful connection is made, make sure you are within range of the Bluetooth device before attempting to connect.
The Device Is Paired With Another Device
Your Dodge Journey may be paired with another device, such as a laptop or tablet, and thus unable to pair with a new device.
Signs: This symptom will usually manifest itself when you cannot find your device in the list of available Bluetooth devices on your phone. Additionally, sometimes the connection is successful but episodic and unstable.
Solution: To solve this issue, go to the settings page on your Dodge Journey’s infotainment system and delete any existing pairings before attempting to connect with a new device.
If these solutions do not work for you, try resetting that causes Dodge Journey Bluetooth not to work, The resetting process for your Dodge Journey’s Bluetooth can be done within the infotainment system.
To do this, go to Settings and then navigate to Network & Connectivity. From there, you should see an option that lets you “Forget” any existing pairings. Select that option and then reboot your device before trying to connect again.
The Vehicle’s Infotainment System Needed Resetting or Updating
If the above solutions do not work, it may be necessary to reset or update your Dodge Journey’s infotainment system. This can often resolve any issues with Bluetooth connectivity.
Signs: This symptom can manifest itself when your device is paired successfully but the connection is unstable or constantly dropping.
Other signs include if the infotainment system takes too long to respond to commands or does not recognize your device altogether.
Solution: To solve this issue, try resetting your vehicle’s infotainment system. You can do this by accessing the Settings page and going to System Updates.
From there, you should see an option that lets you “Check for Updates”. Selecting this will allow you to install any necessary updates and should fix your Bluetooth connection issues.
If these solutions are not successful, try rebooting the infotainment system. This option is also available on the System Updates page. Select “Reboot” and wait for the system to restart before attempting your connection again.
How do you reset the Bluetooth in a Dodge Journey?
If you’re having problems with the Bluetooth in your Dodge Journey, a simple reset may help. Here are the steps on how to do it:
- Start by turning off both your phone and the vehicle’s Bluetooth connection.
- Next, open up the Settings app from your phone and select Bluetooth.
- Then, turn off or disable all Bluetooth devices that are currently connected.
- Finally, restart the vehicle and then your phone, and then try connecting to the Dodge Journey’s Bluetooth system once again.
If this reset doesn’t work, it might be worth taking a look at the user manual for further troubleshooting steps related to your Dodge Journey’s Bluetooth system.
It may be that you need to visit your local dealership for deeper diagnostics and repairs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, If all the troubleshooting tips fail, contact an authorized service center for further assistance and professional evaluation of the issue.
They are well-versed in Dodge vehicles and have the necessary tools to diagnose and repair any issues with your vehicle’s Bluetooth
You can also contact the dealer or manufacturer for assistance if you are unable to find a solution. They may be able to provide further advice and help guide you through the process of getting your Dodge Journey’s Bluetooth working again.
Ultimately, it is important to take the necessary steps to get your device running again to stay safe and connected while driving.