Tommy Trojan

This isn’t. Complaint.

I took my HTC for a spin Saturday and plugged in Car Play. Music playing. Messages all load. No issue.

I opened Car Play and sought a destination, a short spinning gear later, I was notified Car Play could not connect to interne, SSL socket blah blah. Rebooted phone, restart Car Play and same issue. Called On Star, being a weekend told to call back during the work week. Again, this is not a complaint.

Took car out yesterday and same issue appeared. Called On Star...transferred to 3 different On Star team members when I got to tech who asked me to shut everything down (phone, car), check phone settings where I happened to glance at WiFi settings and EUREKA moment. My iPhone WiFi was connected to the C8. Disconnected from C8 so now phone is using my generally reliable Verizon data plan and no issue. Went back in to settings and had phone forget the C8 and issue should be over.

Again no complaint. I dont understand the rationale for selling me data when I have unlimited data on Verizon but maybe the OnStar coverage is bettter in some locales.

Ken_C8

I don't see any value with OnStar. My iPhone does everything and it does it better.

Racer86

Turn off the WiFi on your iPhone. Apple car play will use LTE to connect anywhere.

johnodrake

Yes and be sure to have data roaming on

Blade2382

This....having data roaming on is key.

I also tell them “No I don’t want the data package, even if its free” Its pointless. Coverage is available damn near everywhere you drive now, and google maps stores the maps within approx 100 miles of your route offline constantly. So even if you are offline for 20 mins, you are still covered when it comes to directions.

Geezer1

It sounds like you aren't driving off the Interstate highways in rural America where cell phone service is sparse or where local small cellular providers do not allow people with phones from major service providers to roam.

How do you get Google maps to continually store maps offline? They way it works on my Android phone (Samsung S10), I have to plan ahead and download the maps by manual selecting the areas I want to download. That works fine if I remember to do it or don't have to drive someplace unexpectedly.

I hope OnStar in the C8 works as well as the Toyota/Lexus "Safety Connect" service. We've usually had service on Safety Connect when there was no service on our handheld cell phones. I'll definitely subscribe to OnStar if only for the emergency and vehicle locator services.

Blade2382

Fair points and questions....I am gonna post up my experience from September from my road trip out west and a few steps I have taken in Google Maps settings, so this is going to be long with pictures ala JerryU...just kidding

Ok so I did a trip from Vegas to SLC in September, I drove through all the national parks using non interstate routes and about 50% of the time I had no reception, specifically through the Grand Staircase and Capitol Reef. I didn’t do any pre downloads of the route I was going to use, I just did a non major highway, avoid toll route from Vegas to Zion, then Bryce, then Bryce to Moab, which went through the Staircase and Reef. I really noticed the offline map functionality then.

So yes you can definitely setup a route in the google maps app and then manually download, but you can also set up the app to enable auto downloads. Google then uses your settings to download relevant maps offline constantly based on your map search activity and location when using the app. Yes its big brotherly and it invades your privacy but there are options to delete your maps activity. Below are the settings on my phone (iphone 12 pro)

Auto download settings....click on the top right under your user icon, click on “Offline Maps”, then click on the gear icon at the top right...


Make sure you have selected “Over Wi-Fi or mobile network” on the third row.

If you want to delete your personal map history, go to the icon on the first screenshot again and click on Settings and then Maps History and it will pull up all your maps history which you can delete individual or lump sum on that screen.

Geezer1

Thank you for replying. I have the settings in Google Maps on my Android Samsun set the same as on your iPhone. It doesn't appear that the "auto-download recommended maps" setting can be relied on when there's no cell service. During an unplanned drive from a small town in north central Missouri to another small town in northern Iowa late last year on unfamiliar narrow rural blacktop roads after a family medical emergency, Google Maps could not provide any guidance during much of it.

My in-dash navigation had reasonably updated maps (fall, 2016) but I suspected that it was leading me astray. Google Maps probably didn't work for me because I tried to switch to using it when I had no cell phone service. It was a remarkably stormy/foggy night in which I often had to drive VERY slowly - e.g. 10 to 15 mph - so bad that I couldn't see road signs. Since I was on the "downhill" side of the emergency and trying to get to a nieces 40th B.D. bash, I actually found the situation to be rather humorous - how many people get lost in rural Iowa? I did notice that the OnStar-like Safety Connect emergency service had a connection most of the way while my handheld cell phone had no service at all. Maybe it's the rooftop antenna Safety Connect uses or maybe its transceiver has more power. I would have called the Safety Connect emergency center but mine doesn't include navigation assistance. I ended up following the bull crap instructions from the in-dash nav which took me pretty far out of my way and wasted time. I did arrive before the nieces B.D. party was over since it turned into an "all nighter".

I hope OnStar in the C8 works as well as Safety Connect. My wife has been dreaming up some long trips during "pandemic detention" that I hope we can take in the C8. My biggest concern about the C8 is a tire going flat in a rural area where there is sparse cell phone service and help is beyond the 50 mile range of an airless run flat tire. I hope we can rely on OnStar to call for help but I'm also thinking of punting the run-flats immediately and relying on a Safety Seal plug kit and slime as a backup. I've had a crazy number of flat tires the past few years - there's an amazing amount of crap littering the roads.

Blade2382

Gotcha....I do have data roaming on btw. I just leave it on because I travel internationally all the time. Maybe that helps, just spit balling.

Hopefully on star is better on the C8 for the subscribers like yourself.

Old Leadfoot

Early admission: I am technically challenged.

I have put my Iphone 12 in the charger/holder in my C8. I know it is connected because I can play music from my phone and the
"owner's phone" icon shows on the dash screen.

I cannot get it to make a phone call using the voice prompt. I have tried to use the navigation in the car and cannot get it to load addresses by voice. I am more comfortable using the GM system because I also have Tahoe and use the system in that. I am sure I am doing something wrong but cannot figure out what. I am looking for a simple solution if anyone has any hints that would be great. Thank you

Blade2382

Sounds like you are connected through Bluetooth and not CarPlay. I think you need to click on the phone icon of the main screen of the infotainment system to look at your contacts. If you had CarPlay running on the 2020, you would connect the phone using the USB cable and then click on CarPlay icon, then phone and then contacts.

At least that’s how it works in my Camaro.

ea327

Does your iPhone know when your air bag goes off so they can get you help? Mine doesn’t.

Ken_C8

That's a valid point.

Racer86

[QUOTE=Old Leadfoot;1602602848]Early admission: I am technically challenged.

I have put my Iphone 12 in the charger/holder in my C8. I know it is connected because I can play music from my phone and the
"owner's phone" icon shows on the dash screen.

I cannot get it to make a phone call using the voice prompt. I have tried to use the navigation in the car and cannot get it to load addresses by voice. I am more comfortable using the GM system because I also have Tahoe and use the system in that. I am sure I am doing something wrong but cannot figure out what. I am looking for a simple solution if anyone has any hints that would be great. Thank you[/
did you pair your IPhone to the car ?

b4i4getit

​​​​​​If your airbag goes off you better hope it's not made by Takata.