How to Add Bluetooth to Any Car

If you have an older vehicle, the stereo system may not support Bluetooth. You could upgrade your stereo, but there might be a way you can add Bluetooth to your car without spending money on a new stereo system.

Both of these options will work for making calls over a Bluetooth connection to your car stereo as well as playing music, navigation directions, and any other audio that comes from your phone.

Option 1 – Audio Jack Adapter

Does your vehicle have a 3.5mm aux input audio jack? Many vehicles have one located on the center console. Others may have it hidden way behind or up under the stereo system. You may have to have a look in the vehicle manual for this information. If you have one, you just have to plug one of these adapters into the jack, and you’ve got a Bluetooth connection added to your vehicle.

Recommendations:

If you choose this route, I would go with an adapter that charges in your car rather than the models that take a battery. The batteries in those models only last about 8 to 12 hours usually, and it gets really annoying having to replace them every week or so.

Option 2 – FM Adapter

No aux audio jack? That’s OK! You can use an FM Bluetooth Adapter. An FM Bluetooth Adapter will connect to your phone and broadcast music and phone call audio over to an FM radio channel.

For best results, you’ll have to find an FM radio frequency that is available (not used for broadcast) in your area. For that, I use the FM Channel Finder on the Sirius XM website. You won’t get the best sound with this option, but it works pretty well.

Will this solution work for adding a second Bluetooth connection to your vehicle?

Yes! Though you won’t be able to use them simultaneously. That means you’ll have to switch between inputs on your stereo to utilize one Bluetooth connection at a time.

Additional Options:

Universal Bluetooth Car Kit: Clip the small speaker and microphone to the sun visor or mount it on the dashboard. These can be moved to other vehicles whenever you want.

Built-In Bluetooth-Capable Stereo: Buy a stereo or radio with built-in Bluetooth and remove the old factory stereo before installing the new device.

Note: While many devices you can connect to your car independently, other devices may need professional installation.

I hope this guide has helped you add Bluetooth to your vehicle. Have questions or comments? Feel free to leave any in the comments section below.