It talks!!
 

I was trying to make a call on my cell phone today (Bluetooth connection in my X5), and was in a poor cell coverage area. The speakerphone said "System failed" or something like that. Do I have Voice Recognition, or is this something else?

You probably do. Hold down the steering wheel button with a speaking face for a few seconds and if you hear a beep then say "Help" or say "Dial Phone" and see what happens.

OK, I did what you said, and I apparently have VR! Among the commands that are available are "Dial Name"and "Dial Number". When I say either of them, I am told "Phonebook is empty". However, I see the listing of my phonebook on the dash display. What am I doing wrong?

You're not doing anything wrong. You need to build in an address book (which is different from the address book in the phone, BTW), or you can dial a number. Here's the command set:

Dial number
Dial name
Add name
Delete name
Play phonebook
Clear phonebook
Redial

OK, cool. I will play with it tomorrow, and see what I can do.

What cell phone you have? if u have V551 MOTOROLLA OR t68I SONY the phone book will automaticaly transfer to the car

I have a Moto V710. As I mentioned, the phonebook transferred to the car, as far as those you could select off the display screen on the dash. I am assuming UCrewX5 is saying that you create a completely separate phonebook for VR in the X5.

i'm sory i thought on the OBC display you saw phone empty!! yes he is right, you need to build your own phonbook ###

hold till you hear the Beep then say save name. the system will guide you.
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The listing you see on the display is from your phone. In order to use Dial Name with the VR, you will have to manually speak and program the phone book in the VR module. This phone book and the one in the cell phone are 2 different things.

Maybe I will go play around with this tonight, while the wind builds. Might be "special" to sit in the X5 playing with the VR, listening to the hurricane winds outside the garage.:scared:

OK, just after I lost electricity, I did go out to the garage and play a bit with the voice recog. I figured out how to program and dial a couple of numbers.

Thanks for the help! This makes me love my X5 just that much more!

Why doesn't everyone build their roofs as strong as the one on your garage.
I take it you survived hopefully untouched?
That was one mean hurricane,
I was glued to Fox news when I got the time.
I live in an exposed area in Ireland and I HATE big winds,
the rain I can live with,
particularly with my new mudflaps!
Best wishes.