Intellilink crash?

Joe 121 · August 15, 2015

I have a 2014 Sierra with a problem with Intellilink. 3 times in the last 2 months, I was driving with my Android phone on Bluetooth and either my I-Pod attached through the USB port or an SD card installed.

I hear static from the speakers and the screen freezes. About 5 seconds later the screen will go blank and it appears the system resets. It comes back up with the clock on the screen

I can start the audio again. but some of the options (i, e. shuffle play) will be reset. It won't pick up on the song that was playing, but it does play as normal. When I had the GPS running, I had to go into recent locations to bring it back up.

I am only averaging 2K miles a month, but the phone is always on Bluetooth and I have either the I-Pod or the SD card installed, though never at the same time because the dealer once told me both attached (SD / I-Pod) could cause a problem

I will schedule a service appointment for next week, but, I wondered if anyone else had this happen.

Bad_Brad · August 15, 2015

I had a similar issue... With mine the radio would lock up, but it would not restart itself to come back to the clock. I had to shut the truck completely off to get the radio back to normal. I normally roll with a SD card in, and connect to an iPhone via Bluetooth. On those occasions when it did crash, I had the iPhone actually plugged in to the USB port. They reprogrammed my HMI module and I have not had an issue since.

irish4life8911 · August 15, 2015

[quote name="Joe 121" post="1667567"

I am only averaging 2K miles a month, but the phone is always on Bluetooth and I have either the I-Pod or the SD card installed, though never at the same time because the dealer once told me both attached (SD / I-Pod) could cause .

I love how you only drive 2k miles per month...... I don't even drive 1000 miles per month.....

Sorry can't help you with your problem though, my intellilink hasn't had any problems

ember1205 · August 16, 2015

Known issues... Take it in and have the software updated. Your truck is plenty old enough to benefit from it.

JRL1164 · August 16, 2015

I had a similar situation, but with the wife's Cruze. They ended up swapping out the radio and it fixed the issue. I know the radios are completely different but from the service told me if a software upgrade doesn't fix it then they usually swap them out.

Payton34 · August 17, 2015

I have a problem where the GMC intelilink animation comes on but then screen goes black. None of the radio buttons work either but the gauge display still works to change radio stations. If I turn off the truck and on again then it comes back and is ok usually twice it didn't come back on. Shut off and it sat half hour tried again and if was back to normal. Dealer said I am on the current update and nothing they can do know. I have also noticed my setting for the nav somehow reset to the default setting sometimes.

Joe 121 · August 24, 2015

_{I dropped my truck off on Saturday to check out the problem with the system. When I came back to pick it up, I was told by the guy behind the desk that they were unable to recreate the problem. They system was already at the latest levels, therefore there was nothing they could do. His hands were tied. I should contact them when it happened again. _{His hands were tied.}After a 'lively' conversation, he called the Service Director who had the Shop Foreman hook it back up to his machine.}

_{According the Service Director, they found 3 flashes to update the system and they were applying them as I waited. If this didn't work, I should call him and they would order a new radio.}

_{Back inside, the guy behind the desk told me they had wiped out the old code and were reinstalling the level that was on the truck when I came in that day.}

_{Not entirely sure who was telling the truth, but, at least, they did something}

mkenum79 · September 15, 2015

Mine crapped out on me this afternoon while on lunch. No audio coming from the speakers on any type of media. Couldn't even make a hands free call. Stopped by dealership and he stated that this is a known problem throughout various models other than the Sierra and GM is working on a update to the software on the Intelli-Link. Hopefully cycling on and off the system will get mine back on. May try and pull the negative terminal and do a reset.

Joe 121 · September 16, 2015

after 2 weeks, system crashed again. I have an appointment this week to replace the radio

ember1205 · September 16, 2015

after 2 weeks, system crashed again. I have an appointment this week to replace the radio

You're getting the runaround.

Ask the dealership to call Tech Line and describe the specific issues. There is a PI document number on a different thread that discusses the April update that was available (which installed December 2014 compiled software). That update took HOURS to apply and made a big difference on my Sierra that was built last August.

BigBadSierra · September 16, 2015

I just had the Onstar Upgrade done and guess what. They put in a new version of software on the radio as well..

So there is another fresh update out there again.

ember1205 · September 16, 2015

I just had the Onstar Upgrade done and guess what. They put in a new version of software on the radio as well..

So there is another fresh update out there again.

Not necessarily. A) Your radio may not have been at the most current version and B) it's possible that a newer version was available but only for use on models equipped with OnStar (or with a certain hardware level of OnStar).

Still... The best defense is to find that PI document number, ask the service folks to call Tech Line, and then hand them the PI number when they say "we can't find anything." If you're still getting the runaround, find a new dealer.

Joe 121 · September 17, 2015

As I said in my earlier post, the dealer either found a new update or zapped and reloaded all existing updates to the system on my last visit. The answer was dependent on who I spoke to. According to the tech, they are not able to pick and choose anything, they are limited to what the machine says is applicable to my model.

I worked in IT for 38 years and I am familiar with this process: 1) it is much cheaper and most times more effective to transfer the ability to diagnose problems to a program running on a PC than to teach all their techs how the system works; 2) whatever they teach their techs, they have to provide the same training to 3rd party techs. This way they control the process and hinder 3rd party skills.

The result is the techs are dependent on the program to tell them what to do. If they don't have the latest updates on their diagnostics, they can't do much about it. And it takes time for diagnostic updates to spread through the field. This is a common practice in computer maintenance dating back to before the PC was introduced to the market.

I searched the forums for "April update" and "Intellilink". I found 1 other reference to the April update and many references to Intellilink. But I found no mention of a specific PI number.

I will suggest they call the tech line, but I have no issue with them installing a new radio.

ember1205 · September 17, 2015

As I said in my earlier post, the dealer either found a new update or zapped and reloaded all existing updates to the system on my last visit. The answer was dependent on who I spoke to. According to the tech, they are not able to pick and choose anything, they are limited to what the machine says is applicable to my model.

I worked in IT for 38 years and I am familiar with this process: 1) it is much cheaper and most times more effective to transfer the ability to diagnose problems to a program running on a PC than to teach all their techs how the system works; 2) whatever they teach their techs, they have to provide the same training to 3rd party techs. This way they control the process and hinder 3rd party skills.

The result is the techs are dependent on the program to tell them what to do. If they don't have the latest updates on their diagnostics, they can't do much about it. And it takes time for diagnostic updates to spread through the field. This is a common practice in computer maintenance dating back to before the PC was introduced to the market.

I searched the forums for "April update" and "Intellilink". I found 1 other reference to the April update and many references to Intellilink. But I found no mention of a specific PI number.

I will suggest they call the tech line, but I have no issue with them installing a new radio.

Keep in mind that "New" only means unused. Could have been build quite a while ago. And, if any of the firmware goes directly on the "radio" that they're referring to, it could still need to be flashed.

PI1238C Feb 23, 2015

jmaher157 · September 21, 2017

I have a 2015 Sierra 2500HD and have had a continuous problems with the screen freezing. It seems to do it most with the ambient temp is hot. I've had it to the dealer a number of times and they have replaced the radio and updated the software. Still freezes up randomly. Most of the time the dealer says they cannot replicate it. I love everything about the truck except the screen issue, the weather app and GPS. Whoever ok'd those apps I hope are only allowed to do menial tasks under close supervision. Weatherbug on my iPhone is 10 times as good and my 7 year old Garmin has more info and free map updates.

Joe