[Researcher]

So, I recently cancelled the free trial for OnStar for my 2017 G2 Volt--mainly because I think it's ridiculous to pay $49/month for a service that is basically the exact and FREE with my iPhone. I can just use Google Maps via bluetooth and I get the same thing, only better because I can see the route that has been chosen ahead of time.

Anyway, since I cancelled it, I was told that I would move to a basic account where all I would have is remote access via the app, and so forth.

While I had the free-trial of OnStar, I was able to set my charging preferences so that if I was charging at home the car would only be charging during off-peak hours, but would start charging immediately if I wasn't home. Additionally, if I was charging at home, the amp would automatically be 12 amp--which I had set it to.

Since I cancelled, whenever I get to work (where there is a free charging station) the delay charging kicks in and it won't charge immediately if charging needs to continue past off-peak hours. This is very annoying because every day I have to change the preference to charge immediately. Moreover, when I get home, the amp charging automatically goes back to 8, instead of 12, requiring me to constantly change it.

Has anyone else noticed this? It's very annoying, but not annoying enough to make me shell out $49/month for the convenience of having it remember my charging preferences. I feel like this should be native to the vehicle and not part of the OnStar service. Is it, am I just missing something?

 

[Sly Bob]

If you want the car to charge immediately, plug it in, unplug it and plug it back in again. This will force the car to start charging immediately regardless what the settings are in the car. Furthermore at home you can make the car charge all the time at 12 amps by using gps based charging and setting your home location.

You do realize this is all in the manual?

 

[Researcher]

Yes, and this is what I had done when I first received the car. But after I cancelled my OnStar account, it all reverted back and is not sticking to the GPS specific charging preference I first created back in May 2016. Did you read my post?

 

[marcusm]

Try resetting it. The GPS-based setting expires every 90 days in any case.


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[Researcher]

Try resetting it. The GPS-based setting expires every 90 days in any case.


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Really? That seems pretty ridiculous.

 

[marcusm]

That's what the manual says. For me I noticed it needed to be reset less often than that, after about 6 mos.


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[Researcher]

That's what the manual says. For me I noticed it needed to be reset less often than that, after about 6 mos.


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Ok, thanks! I will try that.

 

[mitchell674]

Try resetting it. The GPS-based setting expires every 90 days in any case.


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This. Mine resets my "home" location at 3 months and reverts back to 8 amps. I'm not really sure why anyone thought this was necessary.

 

[marcusm]

This. Mine resets my "home" location at 3 months and reverts back to 8 amps. I'm not really sure why anyone thought this was necessary.

I think it is really a legal CYA move by GM to put the onus on the owner in case there are problems or fires of overloading a low amp capacity home 120 Circuit.


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[HeatfanJohn]

That's what the manual says. For me I noticed it needed to be reset less often than that, after about 6 mos.


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Thanks for posting this ... I didn't notice the "Expiration" section when I read the Using Location Based Charging section of the owner's manual. I also don't know why GM doesn't making setting the "Home" location more easier by just placing a "Set home" button on the normal charging screen. This reminds me of Steve Jobs and the design of the iPad which is a very complex piece of technology that is shipped without an owner's manual because it's use is intuitive. Of course if you want to take a screenshot you need to read the owner's manual, at least I did for an iPhone.

 

[Mike91326]

Do you get a warning when you hit 90 days and need to reset?

 

[scrambler]

No you dont, and I think that is a pity, because after 90 days it is easy to forget.

 

[bluzer1]

Do you get a warning when you hit 90 days and need to reset?

Yes I did, exactly 3 months after purchase. I almost missed and clicked through the pop up dialogue.
There are so many nags to click through every day, you just get in the habit and can easily miss important ones.
My twice daily list:
- TPS (not paying ~$200 on winter tires)
- It's cold outside and may be slippery (no **** I'm in Canada)
- ERDTT (for a 12 minute drive to work from a warm garage )

 

[hellsop]

This reminds me of Steve Jobs and the design of the iPad which is a very complex piece of technology that is shipped without an owner's manual because it's use is intuitive. Of course if you want to take a screenshot you need to read the owner's manual, at least I did for an iPhone.

That's kind of the point -- You can own and charge a Volt without reading the manual and you'll have a long and happy existence without ever knowing 90% of the ways the experience could be bettered. Setting the home location is "taking a screen shot" levels of esoterica for Volts. 8 amps every charge will work just fine, and it'll even tell you how long it will take.

 

[Just_Jon]

Yes I did, exactly 3 months after purchase. I almost missed and clicked through the pop up dialogue.
There are so many nags to click through every day, you just get in the habit and can easily miss important ones.
My twice daily list:
- TPS (not paying ~$200 on winter tires)
- It's cold outside and may be slippery (no **** I'm in Canada)
- ERDTT (for a 12 minute drive to work from a warm garage )

Do these messages require any interaction?
Is this something different from Gen 1?
I see those messages (not TPS) but they go away in a few seconds on their own.

 

[bluzer1]

Do these messages require any interaction?
Is this something different from Gen 1?
I see those messages (not TPS) but they go away in a few seconds on their own.

The 90 days 8A warning was on the entertainment screen (not DCI). I believe there was an OK button but it goes away on it's own.
I think I missed it the first time as the dialogue went away just as I noticed it was something new.
The second time I read it (and hit Ok ?) and went to home charging and noticed it had flipped to 8A so changed it back to 12A.
Assuming it will be back in another 2 1/2 months.

 

[canehdian]

Yes I did, exactly 3 months after purchase. I almost missed and clicked through the pop up dialogue.
There are so many nags to click through every day, you just get in the habit and can easily miss important ones.
My twice daily list:
- TPS (not paying ~$200 on winter tires)
- It's cold outside and may be slippery (no **** I'm in Canada)
- ERDTT (for a 12 minute drive to work from a warm garage )

Lucky for you the last two can be solved with a resistor mod. The car will rarely think it's 0 and never nag you about the temperature or running the engine without you wanting it to. TPMS you can't really fix unless you buy the sensors.

Do these messages require any interaction?
Is this something different from Gen 1?
I see those messages (not TPS) but they go away in a few seconds on their own.

This location feature is not applicable to gen1.
You should be able to press a button to make messages go away. But it's still annoying to have them pop up every single time.

 

[bluzer1]

Lucky for you the last two can be solved with a resistor mod. The car will rarely think it's 0 and never nag you about the temperature or running the engine without you wanting it to.

Thanks. I'm aware and am considering getting one calibrated to -15 or -20 next year, but I really don't like the idea of loosing accurate outside temp, especially on the highway.
Regarding the TPS, like I discussed on another thread, they could use geofencing and date to figure out where it's not mandatory, especially for winter.
I wouldn't mind having to acknowledge the missing TPS in a dialogue (to release them from responsibility) for 90 days like the 12A charging.

 

[hellsop]

Just remember, when faffing around with the temperature sensor, it WILL affect (in some way unspecified) the operation of the climate control system as well. The outside temp, the humidity sensor, and the solar level sensor all influence the climate operation.

 

[Geert Aerts]

My Volt (bought in the United States) has 3 years of free OnStar. Not so in Canada? GM keeps sending me surveys asking how much I'd be willing to pay after it expires and I doubt I'd even pay $9.99 a month.