Sony Support

Article ID : 00116310 / Last Modified : 30/08/2023Print

How to connect a Sony Bluetooth car stereo system with a smartphone (DSX - XAV - MEX series)

    IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products and/or operating systems. Check Applicable Products and Categories for details.

    How to pair your Sony car audio unit with a phone

    The pairing procedure (Activate Bluetooth Pairing mode) might differ depending on your model. In this article, we'll review some examples per series (DSX, XAC, MEX series). 

    You can always check the operating instructions to verify how to connect via Bluetooth for your specific car audio model. They're available on this support website. 

    In short, you want to put the car audio unit in Bluetooth pairing mode so your phone can find it as a Bluetooth device. You do this by going to each device's Bluetooth settings.

    1. Go to the Bluetooth settings of the Car Audio unit. Activate Bluetooth pairing mode to make it detectable.
    2. Go to the Bluetooth settings of your smartphone. Search for devices once you've made the car audio unit detectable. 
    3. When the car audio unit appears, you can press it to connect. 
      • If a passkey input is required, [0000] is the standard unless a different code is generated.
      • Keep your phone within a 1-meter distance when pairing. 
      • A Bluetooth device automatically connects with previously connected devices. Check if neither the car audio unit nor the smartphone is connected to a different device. 
    Access Phone Bluetooth settings

    Android phones

    • Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notification shade.
    • Tap and hold the Bluetooth icon to directly access settings.

    iPhones

    • Swipe down from the screen's upper-right corner (on iPhone X and newer) or swipe up from the bottom (on iPhone 8 and older) to open the control centre.
    • Press and hold the Bluetooth icon to access Bluetooth settings.
    DSX series example
    1. Press MENU, rotate the control dial to select [BLUETOOTH], then press it.
    2. Rotate the control dial to select [SET PAIRING], then press it.
    3. Rotate the control dial to select [SET DEVICE 1]* or [SET DEVICE 2]*, then press it.
    4. The Bluetooth icon will flash while the audio unit is in pairing mode
    XAV series Example
    1. Press HOME, then touch [Settings].
    2. Touch [Bluetooth].
    3. Touch [Bluetooth Connection], then set the signal to [ON].
    4. The BLUETOOTH signal is turned on and lights up on the status bar of the unit.
    5. Touch [Pairing]. The Bluetooth icon flashes while the unit is in pairing standby mode.
    MEX series Example
    1. Press MENU, rotate the control dial to select [BLUETOOTH], then press it.
    2. Rotate the control dial to select [SET PAIRING], then press it.
    3. Rotate the control dial to select [SET DEVICE 1]* or [SET DEVICE 2]*, then press it.
    4. The Bluetooth icon will flash while the audio unit is in pairing mode

    Bluetooth troubleshooting

    I can't find my car audio unit in the Bluetooth menu on my smartphone

    • You can just turn your smartphone's Bluetooth function OFF and back ON and check if it appears in the Bluetooth device list. 
    • Could you do the same with the Car Audio Unit? You can quickly hop out of pairing mode and try again while continuing the Bluetooth search with your smartphone. 
    • Could you check if your car audio unit isn't mistakenly connected to another device? Once connected, it will not be visible to other Bluetooth devices. 
    • Finally, you can reset your car audio unit to enter factory conditions. 

    I've successfully connected in the past, but it doesn't work anymore

    • Make sure you've updated your Car audio unit to the latest firmware. Check the firmware section of your product page, available on this support website. 
    • "Forget" the Car audio unit information in your smartphone. You can delete pairing information in the Bluetooth settings of your smartphone and some car audio models. Pairing both devices again might solve this issue.
    • Check if your car audio unit isn't mistakenly connected to another device. If it is, it will not be visible to other Bluetooth devices.
    • If you've recently connected with many other Bluetooth devices, old pairing information might have been automatically removed. Usually, your smartphone will only hold up to 8 different Bluetooth devices. 

    I've successfully connected, but there is no sound

    • Depending on your Car audio model, you might have to select a different output channel (e.g. Bluetooth audio)
    • Check the volume on both your playback device (e.g. smartphone) and car audio unit. 
    • For some car audio models, phone call voice will only be output from the front speakers.