Why can't I play music after connecting Bluetooth in Passat?
3 Answers
Passat connected to Bluetooth but no sound when playing music may be due to the following reasons: Phone volume not turned on: The volume on the phone is not turned on; the solution is to enter the phone "Settings", select "Sound", find the "Media" option, and turn up the "Media" volume. Music playback programming incompatible with car model code: Some phones (such as iPhone) have music playback programming that is incompatible with certain car models' codes, so they can only make calls but not play music; the solution is to try changing the Bluetooth playback frequency band to resume normal use. Car Bluetooth multimedia not enabled: The multimedia music function of the car Bluetooth is not turned on; the solution is to find the multimedia option on the screen, enter it, and select Bluetooth to play music.
When using my Passat, I also encountered the issue where Bluetooth connected but music wouldn't play. Initially, I thought it was a hardware failure, but later found several possible causes: the media audio might be disabled by default in the phone's Bluetooth settings - just enable it in the phone settings; or there could be incompatibility between the phone's system and the car's Bluetooth version, e.g., the Passat supports A2DP protocol but the phone's OS update caused protocol mismatch; the car's pairing list might be full without deleting old devices - clear it and re-pair; there could also be music app permission issues - check if the app settings allow audio output. I've also experienced cases where the phone volume was too low or muted - just increase the volume. For prevention, regularly update both car and phone software. Fellow car owners suggest reconnecting after every phone update to avoid many headaches. Finally, hardware issues like Bluetooth module failure are rare but possible - have the dealership check the error codes, but don't panic as most cases are minor issues.
I've been driving a Passat for several years and encountered this issue. The usual cause is incomplete pairing - the phone shows connected for phone audio but not media audio. Sometimes the phone's battery saver mode automatically disables Bluetooth audio. Solutions: Try restarting both phone and car infotainment system, delete all paired devices and reconnect; then verify media audio is enabled in phone settings. In the car system settings, select Bluetooth as audio source instead of defaulting to radio or USB. I've developed a habit of checking these settings every startup to prevent minor issues. For phone apps, ensure full permissions are granted when using Apple Music or Spotify. Compatibility-wise, Passat works with both iOS and Android, though newer phone models occasionally require additional setup. From experience, don't neglect software updates - infotainment system upgrades are free during warranty period.
