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No Bluetooth, No GPS for Nav, and OnStar not responding. Volt 2012 early build. Help!

25K views 43 replies 12 participants last post by  jerrisn 
#1 ·
Hi Gents!
I hope you can help me figure out a problem that seems to be evolving around dead/disconnected OnStar VCIM module. I purchased used 2012 Chevy Bolt premium package with build date August 2011. Shortly after leaving dealer lot i discovered that the Bluetooth, GPS, and OnStar appears to be dead. OnStar button on the panel above does not respond, Navigation showing GPS with crossed red line, and Bluetooth as Not Available.

I hope its something simple as previous owner was paranoid of being tracked and just pulled wiring from VCIM module. Can anyone confirm exactly where this module is on early 2012 build and how much effort there is to access it and check wiring. There is a youtube video that shows location for this VCIM on 2013 model (under dash next to left driver's foot) but my Volt does not have it in there.

Here is how mine looks like:


I hope you guys can help me out as I really want to try my 90 days free onstar trial and use Nav and Bluetooth features as intended. I dont care of being tracked.
 
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#2 ·
Turn off the car. Open the driver's door and in the side of the dashboard is a fuse box. Open the cover and pull fuse #9 and reinsert. If that activates bluetooth and OnStar. I got tired of doing this so took it to dealer and the VCIM replaced under my extended warranty.
 
#3 ·
Oh, and if that activates the system you probably have to push the OnStar button and talk with them to make OnStar and Sirrius work.
 
#4 ·
yes i tried that already but no luck. Nothing i do brings back Bluetooth, GPS, OnStar. I dont have bumper/bumper warranty for my Volt and my dealer where i purchased my volt few days ago is ignoring me :(. Again, i am hoping its just a disconnected VCIM module by previous owner but can't find anything online that can explain where exactly this module is located on early 2012 builds
 
#6 ·
I would then check under passenger side dash or behind center console cover. Looks like a floor heater vent by yellow connector in the photo you posted??
 
#8 ·
The box should be fairly big and easy to spot. Here is the best pic i got so far.



I suspect it's berried deep inside center console under the nav screen itself but i dont want to remove anything until i know for sure. If anyone with the service manual or at maybe have a pic please post here please.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Questions:
1.) Is your location Los Angeles or Louisiana?
2.) Was your purchase done on an AS-IS basis?
3.) What is the name of your dealer?
4.) How did you manage to make a purchase of this magnitude without testing any of these items? Internet purchase?
5.) What kind of warranty was given?
6.) At your location, what are the laws about reversing such a purchase? Have you asked a lawyer whether you have any options?
7.) How good of a deal did you get on this puppy? $10-12K?
 
#11 ·
I just checked my repair ticket and mine cost $631.00 (thanks extended warranty) and had to be special ordered out of Texas. It took a week to get to dealer. The replacement took about 2.5 hours of which most of this time was reprogramming the Volt ( I know cause I waited for the car and sat in the waiting room drinking coffee watching my Volt sitting idle but plugged in through the drivers side window. So I think its easy to replace (if it needs replacement) but will need a trip to dealer to "activate" via software update through a fairly lengthy software download.
 
#13 · (Edited)
i am still hoping for something simple as previous owner disconnecting the wiring harness but first i need to locate exactly where that module is hidden. If module is dead than i will take the fight back to the dealer and have them replace and reprogram it. Only problem dealer is about 70 miles away one way and something tells it will take several trips to get it resolved. Other than this issue my Volt is absolutely mint
 
#14 · (Edited)
Questions/Answers:
1.) Is your location Los Angeles or Louisiana?
yes
2.) Was your purchase done on an AS-IS basis?
They told me 36 month warranty expired but power train 5 year and battery warranty still on.
I can still go back and purchase extended warranty but i was hoping i dont need as I usually fix stuff on my own in my garage.
2200 plus 100 deductable is rip off in my view.
3.) What is the name of your dealer?
SINGH Chevrolet
4.) How did you manage to make a purchase of this magnitude without testing any of these items? Internet purchase?
I tested just about everything. I did notice GPS did not locate me on the map but I took as it part of required activation of OnStar.
i checked body for damages and any type of abuse. Since all the screens came up fine and buttons worked i took it as all normal. I was not expecting one stupid module to take gps, Bluetooth, and OnStar with it. Something did not come up when i researched volts.
5.) What kind of warranty was given?
Factory 5 year, 8 year battery
6.) At your location, what are the laws about reversing such a purchase? Have you asked a lawyer whether you have any options?
there was an option to pay 250 and have 2 day return option but i refused it.
 
#20 · (Edited)
thanks, my sales manager is off until wednesday. If i can't get them to schedule me in for Sat morning to look at it than i will consider that step. I am trying to deal with other 1000 things going in my life now and not stress myself over no gps/b/onstar haha. But i will fight to get fixed. I really love driving this Volt btw...i want it perfect haha

 
#21 ·
Thats what makes think the module is unplugged. Disabling OnStar "intelegently" by calling onstar support will not kill gps/Bluetooth.

I just tried again fuse trick and no luck. They fuse is not blown btw. Still can't find that damn module. Its not visible under the dash not like 2013
 
#25 ·
Lets drop this option once for all. I will not give up on my volt because of dead VCIM. In my view this particular issue is minor(but annoying) and can be fixed. There is always a challenge when buying used car vs spending big bucks on the new. The fact that everything else in my volt is absolutely perfect does make me regret it what so ever. I will be speaking with sales manager tomorrow (he is off today) to bring my volt in for service first thing Saturday morning. I will post any additional information i will have to help another person with same issue.
 
#27 ·
Here you go!

According to WopOnTour's

It's under the instrument panel. Far RH side on the 2011 and next to the steering column on the 2012-13. There's a caged housing/structure around it and a fastener holding a trap door on the bottom of the cage. The lower knee bolsters will need to be removed for access. Then disconnect connectors and remove the fastener and you can "swing" open the little trap door and the VCIM drops out the bottom.

Cant recommend pulling this module though. Serious loss of functionality, but those that do will discover that soon enough I suppose.
WOT
 
#32 ·
Thanks Boris, now that i feel fairly comfortable that the board is dead i will try push back at the dealer to get it replaced & reprogrammed at their cost or at least partial cost. Tomorrow i should know after i speak with sales manager. If that will not work i will try removing my board and reorder online with same part numbers. As someone point it out earlier, the board needs to reprogrammed when replaced with new by the dealer. It so annoying that this module is also doing GPS and Bluetooth. I would only be interested in OnStar if it was free.
 
#30 ·
Miles556 - let me get this straight. You would rather spend ~$600 of your own money to fix the car than return it and find another? I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you got an awesome deal. That even with the unexpected repair cost you are not able to find a comparable deal.
 
#31 ·
If it ends up out of my pocket expense i doubt it will be 600. The price for the board is a third of that.
The only blow would be to have GM load software and charge me big bucks for it. If the new board works with gps/bluetooth than that is all i need.

You would rather spend ~$600 of your own money to fix the car than return it and find another?
Defiantly yes when buying used and being picky about my trade-in/interested rate/color/features etc. Again i doubt it will cost me 600.
 
#33 ·
You should wait until they roll out the 4G LTE upgrades in Canada and order one of the new 4G VCIMs.
 
#36 ·
to be honest, i don't care about OnStar running on 4G. I have 90 days trial and that is far as go with it.
I really want my GPS and handsfree working in my Volt. BTW, i did some part number searching on gmpartsgiant.com and it appears the actual part number changed like 3 times for VCIM. My guess original units were failing often so the new/revised versions were rolling out to replace the old.
 
#34 ·
Miles556, I would push back hard to have it replaced. Or contact a Volt Advisor and see if they can step in and help resolve this issue. The board is not that expensive, but as I mentioned I sat for two plus hours as the module was being programmed and of course was charged full shop rate for that time. Again, thank you extended warranty.
 
#35 ·
Boris, just got off the phone with sales manager. So far it sounds promising. Even tho bumper to bumper is expired i am covered for the first month 1000 miles by their dealership. Somehow this did not come up during signing up a deal so i was pleased to find out today.

Since they are 70 miles away i asked if they can pre-order the VCIM module so it can be replaced when i come in on Saturday. He suppose to get back to me and let me know. He did say they may need to diagnose it first which is fair enough i guess. It will just cost me 2 trips to get it resolved.
 
#37 ·
Miles556, I had to do the same thing .... diagnose first and then order the part. So two trips and my part had to come from Texas and it took a week. But worth the trip to have things working properly.
 
#38 ·
Quick update on the situation. My first trip to dealer basically end it with them agreeing that VCIM module needs replacement but they of course dont have the module in stock. I will most likely make another trip this coming Friday/Saturday for installation and reprogramming. Expenses are fully covered by the dealer.
 
#40 ·
Yes, I just did this with a 2015 Volt. My compass stopped working, and had it checked only to find my OnStar unit has died and they wanted $700 for a new unit. I found that the GPS, Compass, etc. are all tied to an OnStar unit. Why I don't know, but I bought one off eBay, identical unit, except it came from a 2015 Buick Verano. Same box, everything. Took it to the dealer and they reprogrammed it for about $100. Fixed the compass issue, etc, however when I try to call OnStar, they think I am calling from a Verano. I have spent weeks trying to get them to update the VIN and account on the unit. I call and talk to a Level 1, they escalate to a Level 3 who will respond in 3 to 5 days. They call me back days later, say it is fixed and I need to have the activation sent again from within the car, so I connect to another Level 1 and they get an error and tell me a Level 3 will call me back in 3 to 5 days and the cycle repeats. Just cancelled my OnStar today because I can't use it. It works for everything else. So OnStar is tracking a salvaged Verano at this point. Any other thoughts? Others claim the same thing has been done before, but apparently I can't get it fixed. The car functions fine, just being reported incorrect to OnStar. Why does an OnStar unit in a $35k fail after 5 years? I have many electronics that last longer than that. It ridicoulus that important features like a compass are even tied to this stupid box.
 
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