Built in bluetooth in cars

How Do You Get Bluetooth for a Car?

Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles .

Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years’ experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.

In This Article

Automotive technology tends to lag behind the tech in most consumer electronics. People replace their cars at a slower pace compared to how often they update their phones, so it’s not unusual to encounter a situation where your phone supports technology such as Bluetooth and your car doesn’t.

While Bluetooth connectivity is widely available in new cars, it’s easy to add at least some level of the same functionality to any car with any head unit. Depending on the route you go, you may be able to gain access to useful features such as hands-free calling or music streaming. You may even be able to control your car radio using your smartphone.

Three Ways to Get Bluetooth for a Car

If your current vehicle doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity, but your smartphone or tablet does, you can add the technology to any car using one of three methods.

Install a Universal Bluetooth car kit. The advantages of this method include:

• It is the least expensive option.
• Universal kits are platform agnostic.
• Different kits offer different functionality.

Install a vehicle-specific Bluetooth adapter. Advantages and limitations are:

• This method is only available if your head unit is «Bluetooth-ready.»
• You can keep your factory radio.
• The adapter offers better integration and more features than a universal kit.

Upgrade to a Bluetooth car stereo. Advantages and disadvantages include:

• This approach is the only way to get full Bluetooth functionality in any car.
• Replacing your stereo is more expensive than buying a Bluetooth car kit.
• Upgrading requires you to replace your existing radio completely.

The best way to get Bluetooth in your car depends on your budget and the kind of stereo you have in your car. If you have a Bluetooth-ready aftermarket car stereo, the best and cheapest way is to buy the appropriate stereo-specific adapter. In other cases, a Bluetooth car kit is the most straightforward way to get Bluetooth in your car. The most expensive option is to replace your car stereo.

Add a Bluetooth Radio Adapter

Some head units are Bluetooth-ready in that while they don’t have built-in Bluetooth functionality, you can add it later with a separate peripheral device. These devices typically consist of a small box that contains a Bluetooth radio and other electronics and a wire or wires that you plug into the car’s head unit. Installation tends to be a relatively simple operation, although you usually have to remove the head unit to access the adapter port.

Since these Bluetooth radio adapters aren’t universal, you must buy a device designed specifically for your car stereo. If your car’s head unit wasn’t designed with a Bluetooth adapter in mind, you have to add Bluetooth to your car in some other way.

Install a Bluetooth Car Kit

If there isn’t a Bluetooth adapter designed for your head unit, then a universal Bluetooth car kit is another easy, low-cost way to add Bluetooth connectivity to a car. Plenty of options are out there, so it’s important to understand the different choices available to you. The main types of Bluetooth car kits include:

• Speakerphones
• Hands-free calling kits
• Music-streaming kits
• Combination units

Bluetooth speakerphones tend to be relatively simple devices that don’t interface with the car radio. You pair your cellphone to the speakerphone and then use it like a headset that you don’t wear in your ear. That makes the installation quick, but you miss out on a lot of neat Bluetooth features.

The two main features to look for in a Bluetooth car kit are hands-free calling and music streaming. A good Bluetooth car kit can turn down or mute your radio during calls, which is a useful safety feature. The ability to wirelessly stream music from your phone, including internet streaming radio services such as Pandora and Last.FM is also a welcome touch.

Upgrade to a Bluetooth Car Stereo

While upgrading to a Bluetooth car stereo isn’t a cheap option, it is the only way to add complete Bluetooth functionality and connectivity to any vehicle. If you’re on the verge of a sound system overhaul anyway and you’re interested in Bluetooth, look for head units that include that functionality out of the box.

Full Bluetooth integration means that your head unit can display caller information and song data when you’re streaming music and may be able to dial your phone or control apps via a touchscreen interface.

Aside from the price, the only other downside of upgrading to a Bluetooth car stereo is that it requires removing the existing radio. If you want to keep your factory look or any particular functionality unique to your car, it’s worth checking into whether a Bluetooth adapter is available.

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How To Modernize Your Car With Bluetooth

Bluetooth does nothing new. Even before the technology was introduced, you could make hands-free calls to Mum and stream Mobb Deep’s The Infamous through your car stereo. Bluetooth’s crowning achievement is that it allows drivers to do these things without the messy annoyance known as wires.

We despise cluttered car cabins, and wires have become one of the major culprits for quickly mucking up center consoles. If one of your 2021 resolutions is to keep a cleaner car or to simply upgrade it, it’s time for you to add Bluetooth to your cabin.

There are good and bad ways to do this, just as there are pricier options and cheap options. Below, The Drive’s plugged-in editors untangle the wires and clearly lay out how to proceed without too much hassle. Time to get to it.

What Is Bluetooth?

Let’s begin with the basics. Bluetooth is a wireless technology that allows two devices to communicate without a plug. This technology allows you to easily connect your phone to your automobile’s infotainment system.

How Is Bluetooth Used in Cars?

Smartphones pair to cars and can sync music, text messages, maps, contacts, applications, and numerous other functions.

Ways To Add Bluetooth To Your Car

There are good options, and there are bad options. Learn which is which below.

Bluetooth Radio Transmitter

A Bluetooth radio transmitter essentially pairs with your phone and the radio. After a radio station is selected on the device, you match the station in the car, and the sound comes through the main stereo system. The phone connects through an aux cord, while the receiver is powered by batteries, the car’s USB port, or the car’s cigarette lighter.

Bluetooth Receiver

A Bluetooth receiver can only be used with new cars that feature USB ports or auxiliary jacks. Your phone pairs with the receiver, which then connects to the car’s infotainment through one of those two methods.

Single-Din Radio

If you don’t care about having any of the modern touchscreen amenities like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, a single-din radio is one of the best cheap upgrades for an older vehicle.

After the CD player went bad on my personal 2003 Acura RSX, I replaced it with a basic Pioneer unit. It automatically connects to my phone when I turn the car on, and it has an extra USB port, an aux port, and a microphone for hands-free calls.

Double-Din Radio With Touchscreen

The most beautiful and technologically advanced way to add Bluetooth to your old ride is with a double-din touchscreen head unit. Not only do you add Bluetooth, you also add the upgrades that come with a massive digital touchscreen. A new Double-Din will likely give you Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, too.

Bluetooth Speakerphone

The least useful method is a small receiver and speaker that creates hands-free calls. It does not connect to the radio and does nothing with music. It only amplifies your calls and allows you to speak to it with a built-in microphone.

How Much Does It Cost To Add Bluetooth To a Car?

A simple transmitter or receiver can cost $10, while the premium head unit stereos can cost $200-500. A decent single-din head unit will cost about $100-200.

The Basics of Aftermarket Bluetooth Installation

Estimated Time Needed: 5 minutes to 3 hours

Skill Level: Beginner

Vehicle System: Stereo/Infotainment

Everything You’ll Need To Add Bluetooth to a Car

Installing a Bluetooth transmitter or a receiver is as simple and straightforward as it gets. No tools are necessary.

Parts List

Here’s How To Setup a Bluetooth Transmitter In Your Car

1. Turn your car on.
2. Plug the transmitter into the USB or cigarette lighter.
3. Plug the transmitter into your phone’s headphone jack.
4. Set the station on the transmitter.
5. Set the station on the car’s radio.
6. If it’s fuzzy, try another radio station.
7. Rock out!

Consider Mobile Stereo Installation from YourMechanic

While The Drive’s how-to guides are detailed and easy to follow, no vehicle is created the same, and not all auto maintenance or repair tasks are easy to accomplish on your own. That’s why we’ve partnered with YourMechanic and their network of mobile automotive technicians to offer our readers $10 off a $70 or more service call when you use promo code THEDRIVE.

FAQs About Adding Bluetooth To Your Car

You’ve got questions, The Drive has answers!

Q. So How Do I Know If My Car Has Bluetooth?

A. There are a few ways to identify if your car has Bluetooth.

• Scroll through the stereo options, if possible.
• Use the Bluetooth search function on your phone to look for your car.
• You can perform a visual inspection of the dashboard, as many cars print the Bluetooth logo on the plastic.
• Check your owner’s manual.
• Call a dealership for help.

Q. Ok, Then What Year of Cars Has Bluetooth?

A. Virtually all new cars sold today can be optioned with Bluetooth. The technology was introduced around 2000, and it started to become more popular and common about 5-10 years later.

Q. Alright, Which Cheap Cars Have Bluetooth?

A. If you’re looking for a cheap new car, we recommend the 2020 Kia Rio LX hatchback. For $16,815, the base model comes standard with a 7.0-inch touchscreen display with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a backup camera. There are plenty of good options with Bluetooth today, though, including the Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, or Honda Fit. There are also a host of used cars that come with the feature now as well.

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