Onstar Hands Free Problems
September 16th, 2017, 2:32 PM
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Onstar Hands Free Problems
My Onstar hands free voice service died last week after two trouble free years of using the 2015 Volt. The cellular radio was still operational as I could remotely send key fob commands to the vehicle using the http://myvolt.com website. The voice hands free calling seemed to work in accepting commands and trying to place the call but after about 30 seconds, it came back with can not complete the call and no network is available. The blue button for an advisor and SOS red button never connected either although they seemed to try connected but gave up after about 30 seconds.
Onstar telephone support was no help and although a senior tech called me back and said he connected to the car without a problem and updated the system, the voice services still did not work.
I did not want to waste time taking the car in to the dealer so I tried to force a reset of the system by power cycling the onstar module (i.e. remove the power and restore the power).
I found some online GM service notes that suggested service techs need to power cycle the unit after updates so I gave it a try. The GM service bulletins said to be careful not to power cycle the onstar module with the car running and also to make sure the accessory mode was not active (i.e. after you shut off the car, it does to accessory mode to allow listening to the radio). After you shut down the car you can open the driver's side door to turn off accessory mode. If you remove power to the onstar unit when the car is turned on, it assumes you are in a crash and powers onstar from an internal non-rechargeable back up battery (BUB). Since the BUB is not rechargeable, this requires buying a new BUB and physically replacing it.
After turning off the car and canceling accessory mode, I removed the onstar fuse (in the 2015 volt from the driver side fuse panel fuse number F9). Per the GM Service Bulletin, I waited 5 minutes and replaced the fuse. This restored all the voice services and all is now working.
The GM Service Bulletin advised after such a power cycle the onstar "directions and connections services" would not be available until the vehicle was driven about town for several days to allow the system to recalibrate itself. When I pressed the blue button to connect to an advisor to test the voice services before I has a chance to speak to her she answered with my name and before I said anything she said she would help me with anything except "directions and connections" until I drove the car about town for several days.
I have not yet verified that directions and connections will return but at least the hands free services now work.
I am disappointed that telephone support did not suggest power cycling the onstar unit as this was much less painful than waiting on hold on the phone and not resulting in a solution and of course much less painful than leaving the car with the dealer.
I still have no clue why handsfree voice died in the first place.
Onstar telephone support was no help and although a senior tech called me back and said he connected to the car without a problem and updated the system, the voice services still did not work.
I did not want to waste time taking the car in to the dealer so I tried to force a reset of the system by power cycling the onstar module (i.e. remove the power and restore the power).
I found some online GM service notes that suggested service techs need to power cycle the unit after updates so I gave it a try. The GM service bulletins said to be careful not to power cycle the onstar module with the car running and also to make sure the accessory mode was not active (i.e. after you shut off the car, it does to accessory mode to allow listening to the radio). After you shut down the car you can open the driver's side door to turn off accessory mode. If you remove power to the onstar unit when the car is turned on, it assumes you are in a crash and powers onstar from an internal non-rechargeable back up battery (BUB). Since the BUB is not rechargeable, this requires buying a new BUB and physically replacing it.
After turning off the car and canceling accessory mode, I removed the onstar fuse (in the 2015 volt from the driver side fuse panel fuse number F9). Per the GM Service Bulletin, I waited 5 minutes and replaced the fuse. This restored all the voice services and all is now working.
The GM Service Bulletin advised after such a power cycle the onstar "directions and connections services" would not be available until the vehicle was driven about town for several days to allow the system to recalibrate itself. When I pressed the blue button to connect to an advisor to test the voice services before I has a chance to speak to her she answered with my name and before I said anything she said she would help me with anything except "directions and connections" until I drove the car about town for several days.
I have not yet verified that directions and connections will return but at least the hands free services now work.
I am disappointed that telephone support did not suggest power cycling the onstar unit as this was much less painful than waiting on hold on the phone and not resulting in a solution and of course much less painful than leaving the car with the dealer.
I still have no clue why handsfree voice died in the first place.
