Root issue and workaround for Entune radio rebooting

Hello!

After working through this issue for weeks, I have a radio that works consistently and has not rebooted for 6+ months.

What I was experiencing: random radio reboots when a smartphone was connected via Bluetooth, and consistently rebooting when driving past the same location.

Steps I went through to troubleshoot the issue: Upgrade the radio system to the latest available firmware. Updated the gracenote db. Deleted the saved phones from the radio. Factory reset the phones. Reconnected the phones but did not allow messages or contact sync.

Solutions I considered before identifying the problem: Install new aftermarket head unit. Install a screen mirror kit to use the stock radio screen but gain carplay or android auto functionality.

ROOT ISSUE: faulty or corrupted microSD card. After disconnecting every peripheral device from the radio, the SD card was the only device I had not removed. I removed it and found that the navigation did not work (obviously) but also the maintenance log data is stored on the SD card. I drove the car for a few days and verified it did not reboot after the SD card was removed! I continued to use the car normally an told my wife to drive and use it as she would normally, and it didn't reboot for her either. Our regular commute is about 45 miles round trip, and we just completed a 1400 mile round trip road trip with no issues.

I imagine the issue can be resolved and functionality maintained by purchasing and installing a new microSD card from Toyota with the latest map data. Due to the cards being encrypted, and we can't reformat them to attempt to resolve corruption, this is not an ideal solution for me as I track maintenance on my phone and use Google Maps to navigate, so the lost functionality is not missed.

I hope this helps save someone some time and money!