Infotainment Issues

GN2018 · October 3, 2019

Does anyone NOT have issues with their infotainment system? I've seen this issue on here before, but today is the second day this week that my volume control did not work. Yesterday, no matter what I did, including taking the key out and opening the door (to try to reset), I could not get ApplePlay to work. It would play Pandora through my phone so it recognized that the phone was plugged in but ApplePlay would not connect. Of course, in both cases, the next time I drove the truck, things worked. It's like it takes a bit of time for things to reset.

Anyway, my question of anyone not having problems is to determine if this is just gremlins in the system that I'm going to have to live with or, is there actually a system on the road that actually works. FWIW, I have a 2018 Silverado with the 5.3 engine. It's a 4x4 LT with a couple options, like leather seats, but nothing really as far as add-ons. If that matters.

To say this is frustrating is an understatement. Truck is less than 12K miles and just under one year old. Silly me, I thought the installed options of the vehicle should work as they are meant to, but the infotainment system seems to get a pass because issues just can't be pinned down. Doesn't help that when you turn the truck off and wait a bit the issue goes away. Kinda hard to demonstrate the issue to the dealer. Can anyone say "Problem could not be duplicated."?

HeySkippyDog · October 3, 2019

Have you tried disabling your phone's bluetooth before startup?

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m3n00b · October 3, 2019

I got a black screen at like 5k miles. They replaced the hmi and it's been good for the last 3 years and 25k miles. Except one time where the volume went full blast on it's own and could not be turned down....one time 2 years ago.

GN2018 · October 3, 2019

1 hour ago, HeySkippyDog said:

Have you tried disabling your phone's bluetooth before startup?

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I have not, but I would view that as a critical flaw. I don’t think toggling my Bluetooth on and off is a reasonable expectation. It might resolve the problem (I may try it), but I would not accept that as proper function.

HeySkippyDog · October 3, 2019

I have not, but I would view that as a critical flaw. I don’t think toggling my Bluetooth on and off is a reasonable expectation. It might resolve the problem (I may try it), but I would not accept that as proper function.

I wouldn't either, given that GM advertised the hell out of Apple CarPlay compatibility. But as an engineer and knowing how Apple is, don't put it past them to have some proprietary wonky stuff that bricks your infotainment system. Android is all open source and easily available to programmers.

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davester · October 3, 2019

Um, no. Only parts of Android are open-source. I don't believe the Android Auto subsystem is open-source.

HeySkippyDog · October 3, 2019

Um, no. Only parts of Android are open-source. I don't believe the Android Auto subsystem is open-source.

If it isn't open source, who's holding the key to android auto?

Android has always been open source bud.

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jpinoy · October 3, 2019

2 hours ago, HeySkippyDog said:

If it isn't open source, who's holding the key to android auto?

Android has always been open source bud.

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There is a difference... Android as in the OS is open source(in original form, AOSP), the version maintained/released by Google, they own that. Android Auto is an app, which is owned by the creator, also owned by Google, which is not open source. Now, with that said, doesn't mean they can't be hack or made available to the public under certain license agreement(GPL??)

Remember, Huawei debacle, restricting it to using the Android Open Source Project(AOSP), cutting it from Google apps and services.. so there's that..

Edited October 3, 2019 by jpinoy

desertz · October 3, 2019

2017 Silverado Lt2 z71 with 8in infotainment.

I just switched from Android to Apple.

Very seldom had problems with android except Samsung s10+ would make random phone calls. Apple is a different story. iPhone 11 pro max.

Started with IOS 13.1 and now am up to 13.1.2.

Does not like me starting the truck with the remote. Must times it’ll take several miles before CarPlay will start. Sometimes not at all.

Doesn’t matter if I put key in ignition before or after I connect the phone. I’ve also tried several different lengths and types of cables.

Also which ever usb plug doesn’t matter. Though I did have a music usb thumb drive connected in the glove box. Removing this may have helped. Still troubleshooting that one.

Also Bluetooth will disconnect when CarPlay starts. Though that was one of the fixes in 13.1.2.

Not very impressed with Apple. At least it don’t make phone calls on its own like the s10+ does.

Programmers are getting sloppy these days.

While I’m here. Why is it google maps will show a satellite image on the vehicle screen and Apple maps does not?

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Jacoby · October 3, 2019

Mine works fine

Penguin VII · October 3, 2019

As with all software it's sadly not as easy as plug and play. Considering most android phones have so many variations of OS because each brand feels then need to put a spin on it and add a dozen useless utilities and Apple is so locked down they never seem to function unless it's apple to apple, and even then they struggle at times with different versioning.

In my experience the infotainment in these trucks is good when it works but has multiple annoying glitches that leave me beyond annoyed. Here is my short list (every issue on the new unit except the first):

First infotainment unit ate a CD and the techs were unable to fix it so it had to be replaced. (embarrassingly with a Florida Georgia Line album in it, I didn't know, I was new to country and a friend recommended them, don't judge)
Backup camera will randomly go black, then come back to life or will glitch and stop then go back to life.
On startup the screen will be blue with the backup lines overlaid for 15 or so seconds then fix itself
1 in 3 tries and Android Auto won't connect on the first go, but rather have to have a back and forth for 3-4 unplugs and clicking to get it working. Sometimes it just doesn't work.
Bluetooth works 95% of the time, but randomly just won't find the phone, no matter how many tries I make
And the most annoying thing, at times the volume knob won't work for a solid 30-120 seconds, sometimes longer. I try turning it up/down and still nothing, just hangs. Doesn't work at all.

Outside the volume knob the only thing that really gets me is the AA issue, which seems to have mostly cleared up. Prob down to 1 in 12 times having an issue now. My guess, it was the phone, AA version or combo.

mcdavis · October 3, 2019

I don't use Android Auto (and will probably never own an iphone), but I have had the entire system freeze twice since I bought the truck used 6-2018. The 2nd time, I called GM's Infotainment help folks through Onstar (called Onstar, they transferred me over).

I literally was told this happens sometimes, the easiest solution is to turn the truck off for about 5 minutes and it will reset. When I called it was frozen and I was driving. So, I made a pit stop, when I started back up it was fine.

Yes, crappy response but it is a simple fix and lines up with the OP's statements that the next time he drove it, everything worked.

I know some of you won't agree, but it's like anything else on any car/truck on the road: the more frills you put in, the more chances that something will fail. Just a fact of life on a mass produced vehicle. NOT saying I like it, just that I recognize it.

NCPGMC · October 3, 2019

My biggest gripe is that seemingly on the random mine will drop Internet service and will not reconnect...no rhyme or reason for it. The 4G LTE indicator can be maxed out and it will still say it lost service. Other than that I have not had any issues. My issues are with the Android Auto app for stopping Pandora and starting Amazon Music for no reason...

GN2018 · October 3, 2019

3 hours ago, mcdavis said:

I literally was told this happens sometimes, the easiest solution is to turn the truck off for about 5 minutes and it will reset. When I called it was frozen and I was driving. So, I made a pit stop, when I started back up it was fine.

I said this once before. I wish they’d put a reset button in the system. I did pull the car over, shut it off, removed the key and opened the door. But I did not wait 5 min. Stopping for a reset is bad enough. Waiting for 5 min is absurd. However, I guess that’s my only option because I can’t stand it when things aren’t working right (OCD).

Penguin VII · October 3, 2019

24 minutes ago, GN2018 said:

I said this once before. I wish they’d put a reset button in the system. I did pull the car over, shut it off, removed the key and opened the door. But I did not wait 5 min. Stopping for a reset is bad enough. Waiting for 5 min is absurd. However, I guess that’s my only option because I can’t stand it when things aren’t working right (OCD).

Couldn't agree more. I'm sure there is a hidden reset somewhere, it's annoying that it's not in the settings though.