darkhorse

Well lets go right to the issue: OnStar not connecting properly


We purchased a new 2015 Impala in late Dec 2014... OnStar worked at the dealership on delivery. All functions seem to work properly, we even talk with an OnStar representative with the dealers salesman in the car before leaving the dealership. We set up the account and even used the mylink app to do various functions. All seems good. Within a week, and I mean less than 300 miles on the car, the system looses its ability to link up with OnStar at all. I called OnStar representative and was run through some diagnostics. The light on rear view mirror is showing red. The OnStar representative states the car must go back to dealer for repair.

Car was return to dealership for repair. Dealer states, after discussion with OnStar Tech, that the issue is a bad module. The dealer gave me no other information or resolve of the situation. "We'll get back to ya on that" After a week of waiting for the dealer to call me back with a solution, I contacted them and said I'm not happy with the situation. It wasn't until then did their staff start looking into the issue....Why we waited a week I'm not sure. I wasn't happy with the vague answers with either OnStar or the Dealer.


What I've been told so far:


It could be the VCU or the VCIM Module. There are 13,000 on back order, they have bumped my issue to the head of the line because I'm special.


The GPS does not work...so Navigation, voice or on screen will not work either... I paid extra for that.


The system will not connect for a Phone call through OnStar .... I also paid extra for that. The OnStar rep said I just had to have it...


The EMERGENCY SYSTEM doesn't call out... no SOS for me if were in an emergency situation.


The system will connect to a Bluetooth device, ie IPOD and Phone.


Other than that issue the car seems fine..


If anyone has any ideas, or has a similar issue lets talk it up.


I live in the Chicago area, the weather was in the 40's on January 2, On January 3rd the temperature was in the 30's when the system froze up. the tech added that a system with a bad module will freeze the information at the last location when it goes bad.


Thanks

OnStar Advisor

Darkhorse,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I would like to look further into this for you, to see if there is anything we can do to assist. Please send me a PM with your OnStar Account Number, and/or the full VIN of your vehicle. Thanks! I hope to hear from you soon!

~Sara, OnStar Advisor
Social Media Team

darkhorse

Okay I'll send you a PM

sledge.impy

If your dealer had any *****, they would remove a system from another vehicle and install it in yours.

You paid for it.

darkhorse

Sledge,


I asked that question last week when I talked to the service department at the dealership. According to the Dealership service department the module can not be interchanged from car to car. Believe me I asked that question already. I also asked if they needed to take the module out so they could send it in to be refurbished. They said nope that wasn't necessary. we just have to wait and see, and that's what were doing.


I received a call Tuesday afternoon that the part is in, and we scheduled an appointment for Friday... I'll let you know if the issue is resolved. I'm crossing my fingers, hoping that things go right.


Other than this issue I really like the car, and the wife is happy with it.

sledge.impy

At least you tried

darkhorse

Updating the VCIM Module replacement for the 2015 Impala. On Friday last week the Dealership replaced the module and worked with Onstar to recognize the new module...

The Onstar now connects from the car to Onstar and has regained some of the functions, like Navigation screen, weather, the blue Onstar button, and SOS. There are still issues with the system concerning the "Car Phone" system. The cars system has its own phone with number. This system is what gives you the capability of a WIFI hot spot through your car. The service is an additional charge based on the number of minutes you have purchased. It also connects the cars system to the Internet. In Addition to that system the system could and does connect to your Bluetooth on a cell phone in addition to give hands free connection, but I paid for the phone system in the car, I paid the money for the minutes, and I think I should get what I paid for..

The people at Onstar have been some what helpful, but the most helpful thing they could do is to use a one contact person system. Where once you contact Onstar that representative stay with you through out the service call... Doesn't work that way... I've talked to no less than 15 people on this issue so far. Explaining the entire saga to each, and most of them could not stop talking Long enough to listen to what the issue was.... frustrating to say the least.


It's still an open ticket

blueinterceptor

From what I was told, there were a bunch of bad modules. They are on back order. They are only programable once. To the vin of the car they were originally installed in. My dealership is looking to see if there will be a recall or campaign to replace them.

darkhorse

Just to update:

The module seems to be working and no issues on that. A different issue I was having was connecting to the car phone. This seems to be a coverage problem. The car phone system is supported by ATT, so if your not in an area that has great coverage for ATT your not going to connect. This was solved by going to an area where service was better. For me it was just down the street. That just the way it works.

Additional APPs: according to Onstar group there are only two additional APPs, both are geared towards children's entertainment. There are no other APPS to add to my system at this time. My touch screen has the following Icons, Audio, Media, Weather, Text, Onstar, and Settings.

Audio, is just what you think it would be, Am, Fm, and XM

Weather icon shows several boxes of information, and you can select different scenarios, hourly, daily, weekly, radar, clouds, etc....

What the weather page doesn't let you do is give you a full screen of the map... There are always information boxes in the way of viewing the screen ... It would be nice if they would disappear after a time interval. In addition it only appears to show a regional view, and not a close up...

Nav system is awkward. One feature I did find is on the MyLink app on the IPhone you can add a destination in advance and it will send it ti the car navigation system, the system will immediately start giving you directions.

Text button on the screen doesn't seem to do much of anything. Doesn't seem to link up to the IPhone, and doesn't seem to work with the car phone, still working on it....

The Setting icon does a variety of car system changes that are helpful to control.

The Media icon controls your wired media, like a phone or nano or other media device.

What I think would help is just to let your cell phone take over the touch screen in the car... I already have the apps on the phone I need, just let me browse through them...

sledge.impy

1) No Pandora through your phone?? I'm glad I have 2014 model then?!? I have a Pandora app button that I click and it goes to my bluetoothed phone and works.

2) Not sure about what you are exactly looking at with the weather app... can you post some pics? My 3 months Onstar "holiday gift" runs out this month... so I should be able to post comparison.

I did notice that when unsub'd to Onstar that I would get weather alerts, and then would be able to get to the maps. But the alerts were like from 50 miles away and irrelevant to me.