Connect with Bluetooth for Hands-Free Cellphone Use

Our cellphones are vital for keeping us connected, informed, and entertained anywhere we go. And thanks to modern, hands-free technology, they’ve also become an integral part of the process of getting there—especially when going by car.

Hands-free cellphone use in the car isn’t just a necessity, it’s now the law in many states. Fortunately, most phones today are equipped with easy-to-use Bluetooth technology, which can be turned on from the Settings menu to let you make calls, access map apps, and more without even touching your phone.

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless standard that uses radio waves to let multiple devices connect. To use it on the road, you will need to “pair” your car and phone together, which usually takes just a minute or two. Check your Owner’s Manual for specific instructions for your vehicle. Once you’ve paired your car with your phone’s Bluetooth, you can use voice controls through your in-car entertainment system to do things like make and answer calls, or use navigation software to get directions. If you have a vehicle without an entertainment system, you can pair your phone directly with a Bluetooth-compatible headset to make hands-free calls.

Many newer vehicles come with an option of integrating directly with your smartphone’s software, letting you control messaging, navigation and other apps using voice controls. Again, refer to your vehicle’s Owner’s Manual to confirm if these will work for you. Apple CarPlay lets iPhone users get turn-by-turn directions, make calls, send and receive text messages and listen to music or podcasts using the voice-activated Siri personal assistant, while icons are displayed on the vehicle’s interface that mirror the familiar features on your iPhone’s home screen.

Likewise, Android Auto uses Google Assistant to offer much of the same functionality for Android smartphone users. Apps and their audio content will run on the phone, but can be heard and controlled using the sound system of your car. Once Android Auto is installed, you’ll simply say “OK, Google” or press the voice control button on your steering wheel to begin using its features.

Don’t leave home without making connections to Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto. Like a spare tire or jumper cables, they’re essential tools for keeping you safe on the road.

19 Thoughts on "Connect with Bluetooth for Hands-Free Cellphone Use"

  1. Thomas Geydan says

    Your note is too long! Please keep in mind that there are older people, like I, who may have painful conditions. For them, every minute on the computer is agonizing.

    BTW: You have my old email address stored in your system. Please delete it and replace it with my new, and only, email address I have; namely . Thanks for taking care of this detail.

    • Thank you for your post, Thomas! I have sent this up to my team to review further. There are a couple of ways to update your email address on file, one of them would be to give us a call at 800.686.4460 and one of our agents can do that for you. Otherwise, you can also go online to your account here to update that information as well.

  2. Rita says

    How about the people that have older cars without all the
    gadgets? You don’t sell plug-in headsets to match your Doro
    phones. We would like to travel hands-free also.

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Thank you for taking the time to post, Rita. The Doro phones have Bluetooth capabilities and can connect to the Bluetooth headsets that we sell as an accessory, if you do not have Bluetooth in your car. If you don’t want to use a Bluetooth headset, then you can find adapters depending on your vehicle’s capabilities at electronics stores like Best Buy, or stores that specialize in car electronics.

  3. Daralynn Dorsett says

    Get my cell phone in my new car

    • Hi Daralynn, thanks for your post. To enable Bluetooth in your car, you would need to enable the feature in your phone and then find your car’s Bluetooth connection before pairing the two of them up together so that your phone can be used hands-free.

  4. Conni says

    2019 Honda CR-V EX asks for cell phone company name
    Consumer Cellular does OT appear in the list and doing A “write in” is not provided for
    What can I do??

  5. Barbara E Schley says

    Will your phone connect to the bluetooth in a 2013 Honda CR-V?

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Barbara, if the 2013 Honda CR-V has Bluetooth capabilities, then you can connect your phone to it. If you have any trouble pairing them, we recommend referring to the manual or dealership.

  6. Dennis brennan says

    Can’t connect my consumer cellular to my 2017 car phone what to do

    • Nicole at Consumer Cellular says

      Hi Dennis, if your vehicle and phone aren’t pairing, I recommend referring to your vehicle’s manual or the dealership.

  7. David says

    How can I connect my Consumer Cellular ZMax 10 phone to our 2018 Chev Equinox?

    • Hi David, thanks for your question! You will want to make sure your phone’s Bluetooth feature is enabled in the settings of the phone, and that the car is set up to look for that connection to allow for them to see each other. If you’re having any trouble with that, we’d recommend reaching out to your dealership to see if there are any specific steps needed for the car to see that Bluetooth connection.

  8. Paul Sebelist says

    For years, I have been able to connect my Verizon iPhone to my Acura via bluetooth. But my new phone on your network will not pair. The Acura site says Consumer Cellular is not compatible. That does not sound right. What’s the deal?

    • Hi Paul, thanks for your question. Since we are a reseller, you’ll want to select AT&T since you use those specific towers if it’s looking for a carrier. We aren’t able to troubleshoot the car connection, but you can reach out to your dealership for further assistance with connecting the phone.

  9. Avrum M Rabin says

    I am a new Consumer Cellular customer, using my Samsung S9 that was originally a Verizon phone. My phone is paired with my 2018 Kia Sedona, and I can make calls using the blue tooth pairing. In order to connect with Android Auto and Pandora, I plug my phone into the cars system via a USB connection. Since changing from Verizon to CC, I am not able to get connected to Android Auto to run Google Maps or Pandora. Is there a fix for this problem?

    • Hi Avrum, thanks for your question. In these cases, we would recommend disconnecting the phone from the car completely and forgetting the connection before reconnecting it again. If you continue to have trouble, contact your dealership to see if there is something specific that you need to download with changing your carrier.