2026 Trailsport Elite Audio

[RRFUENTES]

Picked up my new car yesterday. The audio will sporadically not work. Took it back to the dealer. After rebooting the system it worked. This morning it happened again. Start the car no audio. When on ChatGPT and specifically stated the problem. The answer came back as a known glitch in 2026s Trail sport. It can be temporarily fixed by long pressing the Home icon on the screen, after about 10/15 seconds you get a screen that allows you to reboot the entertainment system. Press it and in 10-15 seconds the entertainment assistance back on track. This is obviously a software glitch, which needs a patch from Honda. I can live with it for the time being until an updated software is available.

 

[El Chorizo101]

That does sound like a PITA. Does the glitch happen if you use a different method to play your music? Ie bluetooth vs. plugged in?

 

[RRFUENTES]

That does sound like a PITA. Does the glitch happen if you use a different method to play your music? Ie bluetooth vs. plugged in?

Oddly, if I remote start the car when I get into it, the sound is working perfectly. But when left in the garage or the parking lot somewhere for some time and then I get in the sound it’s gone and I have to do the soft reboot using the home button. Long press and reboot info system.

I asked ChatGPT, and it came back with an affirmation that this is a glitch in the info system. I printed it out and I’m going to stop today at the Honda dealer to talk to the service advisor to see if they have gotten an update to the sound system firmware, which is what ChatGPT is suggesting.

 

[RRFUENTES]

Here is the entire write up for any other user experiencing a similar issue:

It sounds like your 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport Elite is experiencing a known infotainment/phone-audio software issue — this isn’t typically a problem with the phone’s microphone (that’s why talking works) but rather with the car’s Bluetooth/HFP (Hands-Free Profile) and infotainment system audio routing. A lot of other 2026 Passport owners on forums are describing nearly the same problem: calls connect, but the listening side (audio through speakers) is intermittent or doesn’t work at all while the phone and microphone seem fine.

What’s Likely Going On

• There is a bug or software glitch in the Passport’s infotainment system where phone call audio doesn’t properly route through the speakers, even though the call is connected.
• Many owners find that this problem is worse with Android Auto or Bluetooth, and it can appear intermittently — exactly like it comes and goes.
• It’s not usually an actual “hardware” problem with the phone or microphone, which is why talking works normally.

Tried-and-True Temporary Fixes
Owners who’ve dealt with this have had success with these steps:

1. Reboot the Infotainment System
This is one of the most commonly reported fixes — it gives the system a “fresh start.”
How to reboot:

• *Press and *hold the HOME button (on the dash screen) for about 10–15 seconds.
• A menu will pop up with the option to Reboot.
• Select Reboot and let the system restart.

This often restores audio for calls and other functions temporarily.
Note: Simply turning the power off with the volume/power button does NOT reboot the system.

2. Disconnect & Re-pair Your Phone

• “Forget” the Honda Passport on your phone’s Bluetooth settings.
• Delete the phone in the Honda/infotainment pairing settings.
• Re-pair the phone fresh — this sometimes clears the profile glitch that stops audio routing.

(This advice aligns with standard Honda Bluetooth troubleshooting and is often recommended for Bluetooth handoff issues.)

3. Test With Another Phone
If possible, try pairing a different phone to determine if it’s phone-specific or universal to the car system.

When It’s More Than a Quick Fix
If simple rebooting and re-pairing don’t fix it:

Dealership Software Update

• Many owners have found that this behavior is due to the Passport’s software needing an update.
• Some dealers have been fixing it by updating or reinstalling the infotainment software or calibrating the system on the Honda internal server side — something the factory is still rolling out.

Ask your dealer specifically about:

• Infotainment software update
• Bluetooth/HFP call audio fix
• Any TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) relating to phone audio for the 2026 Passport

Dealers are becoming aware of this issue. Some have even updated vehicles so the audio problems are gone after service.

Notes & Tips

• This doesn’t appear to affect the engine, transmission, or safety systems — it’s a software/audio issue.
• If the infotainment acts buggy in other ways (phone audio, Apple/Android Auto, navigation freezing), that’s typical of the same underlying glitch.

Summary
Your “can talk but can’t listen” problem is very likely due to a software glitch in the Passport’s infotainment audio/Bluetooth system, common especially early in the 2026 model year. Owners have found these helpful:

• Long-press the HOME button to reboot the infotainment system
• Re-pair the phone’s Bluetooth connection
• Check for a dealer software update if the issue keeps returning

 

[Al Simer]

I've not yet experienced this bug with my Android phone - but, I've turned off the SMS bluetooth connection due to so many SMS notifications on every startup. Now it always asks me to re-connect my phone if I want to connect bluetooth (other than Android Auto). I've owned Honda vehicles since 2013 and their "infotainment" systems have never been engineered very well.

Doesn't the infotainment systems own software update function do the same thing the Dealer update does?

 

[RRFUENTES]

I've not yet experienced this bug with my Android phone - but, I've turned off the SMS bluetooth connection due to so many SMS notifications on every startup. Now it always asks me to re-connect my phone if I want to connect bluetooth (other than Android Auto). I've owned Honda vehicles since 2013 and their "infotainment" systems have never been engineered very well.

Doesn't the infotainment systems own software update function do the same thing the Dealer update does?

Strangely, my sound works when I remote start the car, but never when left unlocked in the garage, or I unlock it by touching the door handlebars. It is a very strange behavior. In those instances, I have to long hold the Home button and do an infotainment reboot. My research tells me that there are many Honda users having similar or related issues with their 2026 models. I have written to Honda on their website and have not received a reply. My dealer is clueless. It is obviously a software problem that needs to be fixed.

 

[barnettd]

I haven't had this issue yet. My GMC Sierra has a similar issue in it that I need to tackle with the dealer. It is hard to believe that they cannot properly test these features quickly now.