Text Messages With Touch And Go - Android Galaxy S3 Works!

[DeeKayAitch]

I've recently got a 2012 Prius with Touch and Go. According to the Toyota website information on compatibility of phones, the T&G bluetooth link is not compatible with SMS messaging for a Samsung Galaxy S3. This, I am delighted to find, is incorrect. I have downloaded the latest T&G software (though not sure this was absolutely necessary for it to work) and am able to receive text messages on the go. They display on the T&G screen once you have got to the relevant menu, and there is a brilliant conversion from text to voice where it reads out the message to you (if you click on the ear icon beside the message)! So you don't have to look at the screen or your phone to read text messages.

It took me ages to find out how to get it to work, but if you have a Galaxy with the bluetooth connection on for phone calls,etc, you will have found that after you have entered the car, after a minute or two it gives a notification whistle (or whatever your chosen sound is), and then probably another one shortly after that.

I usually have the phone in my pocket, so didn't notice that when the whistle comes there is a notification message on the phone, seen if you drag down the notifications bar at the top of the home screen, or wherever, to tell you the Toyota T&G wants to communicate with it. If you click on that notification it allows the text messages through. At least that has been my experience.

This may be of some help to anyone with this difficulty.

[diverdave]

Hi Deekay

I have also recently bought a Prius with touch and go and have a Samsung S3. Although my phone pairs with the system ok I don't get a notification noise or message telling me that the T &G wants to communicate with it.I have also recieved text messages whilst driving but nothing has come up on the screen so I presume that I cannot read my text messages on my touch and go, or get the conversion from text to speech.

Is there something else that I need to do?

Kind regards,

Dave.

[Ethanedwards]

Very interested in this. I have a Galaxy Note2 which is basically a faster S3 with a bigger screen. when I get a text all that happens with my Yaris T&G screen is a text box pops up and a notification sound occurs. Please can you post a end to end idiots guide on how you do this?

I BT the phone for phone and music automatically. I don't usually BT it for data as well but have done so once to test it. I used the settings/more settings/ tethering etc then set up the bluetooth tethering option. Do you usually leave this on then?

[DeeKayAitch]

Hi Dave,

Although your phone is pairing for phone calls, it looks as if you need to tell it that you want to receive text messages too.

Originally, I had the same problem as you. Next time you go inside the car with your phone, switch on the car electrics (start button), then beside the Tand G screen press the button with the phone symbol. This will bring up one of two screens in your car. The one you want displays several icons down the left hand side, including one that looks like an envelope. This is the one for displaying text messages. (If you don't get the correct screen, just tap the phone button again.)

If your phone is connecting properly, when you hit the envelope/text button it will display a list of text messages. I suspect that your text button is greyed out, or when you hit it it tells you SMS is not available.

Then, and this is the crucial part, go to your Galaxy phone and on the home screen drag down the notifications bar from the top. If you are not familiar with this, it is a mostly black bar that runs across the top of the home screen about 4mm wide. You have to put your finger near the top of that bar to open it and drag it down. This should then display, among other things, a message that Touch and Go wants to communicate. Touch that message and accept the offer to communicate and follow any prompts.

I found once I had done that the individual texts came through, listed on the car screen. To convert a text message to speech, so it talks to you, you need to select an individual text message from the list of texts displayed. Then once you have selected it, to the right of the text near the top is an ear symbol. Touch that, then hey presto, the lady robot will read the message to you!

The difficult bit can be actually getting those text messages through in the first place. I certainly wish you success in this.

[DeeKayAitch]

In relation to Ethan's question, I think the solution will be similar to the one I have outlined for Dave, assuming the Note screen and menus are similar to the Galaxy S3 and the Yaris T&G is like the Prius T Spirit one.

I usually leave my tethering option on the phone as enabled, so it will communicate with the car, but I believe this only affects an internet connection for the car, and is not necessary for texts. Good luck in getting it all going.

[DeeKayAitch]

A supplementary note for my message to Dave. After first entering the car, you may have to wait a minute or two for the T&G message to appear in your notifications bar on the Galaxy.

Once you have got it working, then you don't need to check for notifications every time you use the car; it will remember.