How do I set up text messages on my Mazda?

Mazda vehicles equipped with the Mazda Connect infotainment system offer the ability to send and receive text messages hands-free using Bluetooth connectivity with your compatible smartphone. This allows drivers to stay focused on the road while still being able to communicate via text messaging.

The system displays incoming text messages on the Mazda Connect screen and can read them aloud through the vehicle speakers. Drivers have the option to dictate responses using voice commands as well. They can also select from a list of preset text message replies to respond quickly with just a touch of the screen.

Overall, Mazda Connect offers a convenient way to handle text messaging that aims to minimize driver distraction. With just a few steps to pair your phone and enable the feature, text messaging can become an integrated part of the driving experience.

Compatible Mazda Models

Most Mazda vehicles from 2014-present support text messaging capabilities through the Mazda Connect infotainment system. This includes popular models like the Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-5, and CX-9. Specifically, the following Mazda models are compatible with text messaging features:

Mazda3 (2014-present)
Mazda6 (2014-present)

CX-5 (2016-present)
CX-3 (2016-present)
CX-9 (2016-present)

MX-5 Miata (2016-present)

Older Mazda models may have limited connectivity features. Check your owner’s manual or the Mazda Connect infotainment system to confirm text messaging capabilities. The connectivity system must be equipped with Bluetooth and preferably a center console display screen to view and manage text messages.

Pairing Your Phone

To pair your smartphone with your Mazda’s infotainment system via Bluetooth, follow these steps:

1. Enable Bluetooth on your smartphone. On most phones, you can find this in the Settings menu.

2. On your Mazda’s dash screen, go to the Home menu and select “Settings.” Then select “Bluetooth” and choose “Add New Device.” Your Mazda’s Bluetooth system will become discoverable.

3. On your phone, search for available Bluetooth devices. Select your Mazda’s system when it pops up in the list.

4. Verify that the code on your phone matches the one on your Mazda’s screen. Confirm to pair the devices.

5. Allow your Mazda to access your contacts if prompted. Some models may also ask you to enable automatic phonebook download.

6. You should now be connected via Bluetooth! Test out features like hands-free calling and audio streaming.

If you have issues getting your phone to pair, try forgetting the Mazda device on your phone and resetting the connection. Make sure no other phones are also connected. See this guide for more tips.

Enabling Text Messaging

To enable text message notifications in your Mazda, follow these steps:

1. Select “Communication” on the Mazda Connect home screen, then select “Communication Settings”.

2. Select “SMS Notification” and switch it to the “ON” position.^[1]

3. You can customize additional notification settings like sounds and popups here as well.

Enabling this will allow incoming text messages to your paired phone to appear on your Mazda’s display screen. You’ll get a popup notification when a new text comes in.

Keep in mind your phone needs to be paired properly via Bluetooth first. Refer to your owner’s manual for instructions on pairing if needed.

^{[1] https://infotainment.mazdahandsfree.com/communication-sms?language=en-EU}

Reading Incoming Messages

To view, listen to, and respond to incoming text messages on your Mazda’s infotainment system, follow these steps:

From the home screen, select “Communication” then choose “Text Messages”. You will see a list of recent incoming messages (Mazda Connect only shows the most recent 20 messages).

To view the full message content, select the message you want to open and the system will read the message aloud and display the text. Use the pause, rewind, and fast forward buttons to control playback.

To respond to a message, select the “Reply” button after opening the message. You can choose from a list of preset reply messages or use the on-screen keyboard to type a custom text response. Your reply will be sent using your paired phone’s messaging capabilities.

The system will alert you to new incoming messages. You can customize the notification settings under “Text Message Settings” if desired.

For additional details, refer to the Mazda owner’s manual or the infotainment guide on managing text messages. You can always manually initiate a messages sync by selecting “Update Messages” to retrieve new texts from your phone (cite: https://infotainment.mazdahandsfree.com/communication-sms?language=en-EU). Keep your phone connected and powered on to enable text messaging through Mazda Connect.

Customizing Notifications

You can customize text notification settings on your Mazda to control how and when you are alerted about new text messages. This allows you to personalize the notification sounds and frequency to your preferences. Here are some key ways to customize notifications:

Notification sounds – You can change the alert tone that plays when a new text comes in. Go to Communication > Settings > SMS Notification Tone and select from the available options like Beep, Chime, or your own custom sound loaded via USB.

Notification frequency – By default, your Mazda will alert you every time a new text message arrives. However, you can change this to only notify you once, such as only playing the tone when the first unread message is received. Go to Communication > Settings > SMS Notification Frequency and choose Once or Every Time.

Display notifications – You can decide whether to display the content of text messages on your Mazda’s screen. Having the full message displayed allows you to quickly glance to read it. But you can turn this off under Communication > Settings > Display SMS if you only want to be alerted without showing the content.

By customizing these notification settings, you can optimize text alerts to suit your needs and avoid distractions while driving. Just be sure to review the owner’s manual so you know how to properly adjust notifications on your Mazda model.

Voice Commands

One convenient way to listen to and send text messages in your Mazda is by using voice commands. You can activate voice recognition and say phrases like “Read text message” to have the system read incoming SMS messages aloud. To send a text, you can say “Send text message” and dictate the content of the message.

According to Mazda’s voice recognition guide, some examples of text messaging voice commands include:

Saying “Get SMS” to hear new text messages read out loud
Saying “Reply” to respond to the latest text message
Saying “Send text message to John” to dictate a new text to a contact

Voice commands provide a hands-free way to conveniently send and receive text messages while staying focused on the road. Just make sure to only use them when safe to do so.

Limitations

There are some limitations to be aware of with Mazda’s text messaging system:

Text messaging only works with phones that are compatible and properly paired with Mazda Connect. Check Mazda’s phone compatibility list to ensure your device is supported.

On certain iPhone models, especially older ones, text message notifications may not appear or may show up as greyed out and unreadable. This is due to technical limitations between the iPhone and Mazda Connect system. Upgrading to a newer iPhone can resolve this in some cases.

Mazda Connect can only display basic text messages of 160 characters or less. Multimedia messages with images, videos, or other attachments cannot be displayed.

Group messages may show up garbled or with missing texts. The system is designed for standard person-to-person messaging.

You can only receive and view incoming text messages on the Mazda display. Replying requires voice commands, which have limitations in message length and punctuation.

Mazda’s text messaging only works when the paired phone is powered on and connected via Bluetooth. If the phone battery dies, reception is lost, or Bluetooth disconnects, messaging will cease to function.

Troubleshooting

Here are some common issues that may occur when setting up and using text messaging in Mazda vehicles, along with potential solutions:

Text message notifications not appearing on screen – This is a commonly reported problem. First, check that notifications are enabled for the messaging app on your paired phone. On the Mazda, go to Settings > Bluetooth and ensure notifications are enabled for your phone. If they are, try deleting the phone and re-pairing ¹.

Text messages not syncing/showing up – If previously synced messages disappear or new ones don’t come through, try toggling Bluetooth off and on again on your phone. You can also go to Settings > Device Connections > Text Messages and select “Delete Device Data” to clear the cache. Re-pair if needed ².

Text messages greyed out – This is typically an iPhone issue and indicates the messages are not fully syncing. Check notification settings on your iPhone for the Messages app and toggle them off/on. You may also need to enable Show Previews in the Messages settings ³.

If you still have issues, check for a software update for the Mazda Connect system. You can also try resetting Mazda Connect back to factory settings. For ongoing problems, you may need service for the Mazda Connect system.

Additional Features

Beyond basic text messaging capabilities, Mazda vehicles offer some other useful features for managing texts in your car (1):

Mazda’s system can read incoming text messages aloud using text-to-speech, so you can listen without taking your eyes off the road.

You can dictate and send text message replies using voice commands.
Mazda allows you to customize text message notifications and sounds.
The system offers contact image display, so you can see the sender’s photo when a text comes in.

Text threads are organized by contact for easy scanning.
Unread texts are clearly marked within the messaging interface.

So in summary, Mazda vehicles provide robust hands-free texting abilities through the Mazda Connect system. You get useful options for listening, responding, customizing, and organizing your text messages safely while driving.