Infotainment tips for C7 frustrated geeks
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 40
Likes: 14
From: Oklahoma City OK
Infotainment tips for C7 frustrated geeks
2016 Coupe – 30 days old (no in-dash Nav). Numerous Infotainment problems. The dealer is a large one, but they don’tunderstand this system at all. I.e., "...we can only update software. …all the devices are your problem.”
So, I had the dealer update all my Software. A laptop connects the car to some server atGM, and several different things are updated, not just infotainment. The readout on the invoice states:
Reprogram HMI 0600355 .4 0090 9090 Claim Codes# 8F282 and 8FADi
IPhone 6 version IOS9.3
Now everything’s fine when the IPhone is plugged into a USB using Carplay (download that). Music, phone, playlists, Carplaymap. The phone connects to the car’s Wifi hot spot. The phone has to be paired to the car again (Bluetooth).
Nano 7th Gen version 1.1.1
The Nano pod and IPhone can connect via Bluetooth; but they compete, so one must have its Bluetooth turned off.
When a paired phone is in the car, the Nano isn’t recognized in any USB port, but it can be played through the aux jack, and charged with a USB at the same time, but, you have to manually select the playlist on the Nano. So, the Nanopod works best, when the phone’s Bluetooth is off; then, playlist are selectable.
USB Stick (700 songs)
I put all my songs onto a USB stick, and the car recognizes & plays those songs & videos, but they only work in a root directory; i.e. no playlists. Open ITunes, select songs, Copy & paste them into your USB via the USB in My Computer (I call it file manager)
Summary – What I finally settled upon.
Scrap the Nano, unless that’s all you are going to use.
I can’t pair two devices at once via Bluetooth, but I can use the hot spot for several devices at once, like the kid can surf the internetand gobble my OnStar data plan – independently of the Infotainment system.
Use the IPhone by itself, plugged into a USB and with AppleCarplay. I keep the music I want there, or stream music (uses data). For short trips, when I do not want to plug the phone in, I can still make and receive calls via Bluetooth and select my playlists; I have 8. So, only pair your one phone.
I also use a USB stick behind the screen, all music in the root directly, and it also plays videos on-screen. The songs are selectablefrom on-screen and the steering wheel. It's tricky, but the infotainment screen can find your videos. That's pretty cool.
Hope this helps others who may be struggling with the same issues.
So, I had the dealer update all my Software. A laptop connects the car to some server atGM, and several different things are updated, not just infotainment. The readout on the invoice states:
Reprogram HMI 0600355 .4 0090 9090 Claim Codes# 8F282 and 8FADi
IPhone 6 version IOS9.3
Now everything’s fine when the IPhone is plugged into a USB using Carplay (download that). Music, phone, playlists, Carplaymap. The phone connects to the car’s Wifi hot spot. The phone has to be paired to the car again (Bluetooth).
Nano 7th Gen version 1.1.1
The Nano pod and IPhone can connect via Bluetooth; but they compete, so one must have its Bluetooth turned off.
When a paired phone is in the car, the Nano isn’t recognized in any USB port, but it can be played through the aux jack, and charged with a USB at the same time, but, you have to manually select the playlist on the Nano. So, the Nanopod works best, when the phone’s Bluetooth is off; then, playlist are selectable.
USB Stick (700 songs)
I put all my songs onto a USB stick, and the car recognizes & plays those songs & videos, but they only work in a root directory; i.e. no playlists. Open ITunes, select songs, Copy & paste them into your USB via the USB in My Computer (I call it file manager)
Summary – What I finally settled upon.
Scrap the Nano, unless that’s all you are going to use.
I can’t pair two devices at once via Bluetooth, but I can use the hot spot for several devices at once, like the kid can surf the internetand gobble my OnStar data plan – independently of the Infotainment system.
Use the IPhone by itself, plugged into a USB and with AppleCarplay. I keep the music I want there, or stream music (uses data). For short trips, when I do not want to plug the phone in, I can still make and receive calls via Bluetooth and select my playlists; I have 8. So, only pair your one phone.
I also use a USB stick behind the screen, all music in the root directly, and it also plays videos on-screen. The songs are selectablefrom on-screen and the steering wheel. It's tricky, but the infotainment screen can find your videos. That's pretty cool.
Hope this helps others who may be struggling with the same issues.
Last edited by kena48; Apr 2, 2016 at 11:19 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 6,223
Likes: 1,700
From: Northern California
St. Jude Donor '15
Sounds about like what it's supposed to be doing. 9.3 and now 9.3.1 really cleaned up almost all of the issues I was having. Sounds like you've found that happy place where you've got everything working the way you want it to. 
Racer
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 346
Likes: 1
From: Orlando FL
Similar issues
So I had similar results.
iPod Nano useless in car with iPhone 6 paired.
CarPlay useless to me (can't be bothered to plug it in every time
).
However, I was able to get my 582 song USB stick to work just fine with my 2016 car. Only problem is it was a nightmare to get it to work (as in not start back at the first song every time I started the car). There are still issues with the forward and backward navigation, but I can set it and forget it.
What I had to do was follow the excellent threads on here (how to make a basic directory structure from my iTunes using tools and how to get album art included). However to get it to actually work I had to manually fix all the directories and songs. I made it so there are no spaces anywhere in directory names or songs. I also removed all numbers and anything not a letter (A-Z). Probably overkill, but for the first time since getting the car my playlists actually work as I want them too (start a playlist and let it go forever).
Just a FYI if you ever want to get directories or USB working in a 2016.
iPod Nano useless in car with iPhone 6 paired.
CarPlay useless to me (can't be bothered to plug it in every time
).However, I was able to get my 582 song USB stick to work just fine with my 2016 car. Only problem is it was a nightmare to get it to work (as in not start back at the first song every time I started the car). There are still issues with the forward and backward navigation, but I can set it and forget it.
What I had to do was follow the excellent threads on here (how to make a basic directory structure from my iTunes using tools and how to get album art included). However to get it to actually work I had to manually fix all the directories and songs. I made it so there are no spaces anywhere in directory names or songs. I also removed all numbers and anything not a letter (A-Z). Probably overkill, but for the first time since getting the car my playlists actually work as I want them too (start a playlist and let it go forever).
Just a FYI if you ever want to get directories or USB working in a 2016.
Last edited by Joe C5; Apr 3, 2016 at 07:14 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 40
Likes: 14
From: Oklahoma City OK
Cool. And if you put a music video on the USB stick, you can find it by selecting "Media" on the screen. But, you can only watch it in Park! LOL
...and then that video song keeps popping up randomly and won't stop.
...and then that video song keeps popping up randomly and won't stop.
Last edited by kena48; Apr 3, 2016 at 09:51 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,140
Likes: 406
From: Greater Cincinnati Area
2016 Coupe – 30 days old (no in-dash Nav). Numerous Infotainment problems. The dealer is a large one, but they don’tunderstand this system at all. I.e., "...we can only update software. …all the devices are your problem.”
So, I had the dealer update all my Software. A laptop connects the car to some server atGM, and several different things are updated, not just infotainment. The readout on the invoice states:
Reprogram HMI 0600355 .4 0090 9090 Claim Codes# 8F282 and 8FADi
IPhone 6 version IOS9.3
Now everything’s fine when the IPhone is plugged into a USB using Carplay (download that). Music, phone, playlists, Carplaymap. The phone connects to the car’s Wifi hot spot. The phone has to be paired to the car again (Bluetooth).
Nano 7th Gen version 1.1.1
The Nano pod and IPhone can connect via Bluetooth; but they compete, so one must have its Bluetooth turned off.
When a paired phone is in the car, the Nano isn’t recognized in any USB port, but it can be played through the aux jack, and charged with a USB at the same time, but, you have to manually select the playlist on the Nano. So, the Nanopod works best, when the phone’s Bluetooth is off; then, playlist are selectable.
USB Stick (700 songs)
I put all my songs onto a USB stick, and the car recognizes & plays those songs & videos, but they only work in a root directory; i.e. no playlists. Open ITunes, select songs, Copy & paste them into your USB via the USB in My Computer (I call it file manager)
Summary – What I finally settled upon.
Scrap the Nano, unless that’s all you are going to use.
I can’t pair two devices at once via Bluetooth, but I can use the hot spot for several devices at once, like the kid can surf the internetand gobble my OnStar data plan – independently of the Infotainment system.
Use the IPhone by itself, plugged into a USB and with AppleCarplay. I keep the music I want there, or stream music (uses data). For short trips, when I do not want to plug the phone in, I can still make and receive calls via Bluetooth and select my playlists; I have 8. So, only pair your one phone.
I also use a USB stick behind the screen, all music in the root directly, and it also plays videos on-screen. The songs are selectablefrom on-screen and the steering wheel. It's tricky, but the infotainment screen can find your videos. That's pretty cool.
Hope this helps others who may be struggling with the same issues.
So, I had the dealer update all my Software. A laptop connects the car to some server atGM, and several different things are updated, not just infotainment. The readout on the invoice states:
Reprogram HMI 0600355 .4 0090 9090 Claim Codes# 8F282 and 8FADi
IPhone 6 version IOS9.3
Now everything’s fine when the IPhone is plugged into a USB using Carplay (download that). Music, phone, playlists, Carplaymap. The phone connects to the car’s Wifi hot spot. The phone has to be paired to the car again (Bluetooth).
Nano 7th Gen version 1.1.1
The Nano pod and IPhone can connect via Bluetooth; but they compete, so one must have its Bluetooth turned off.
When a paired phone is in the car, the Nano isn’t recognized in any USB port, but it can be played through the aux jack, and charged with a USB at the same time, but, you have to manually select the playlist on the Nano. So, the Nanopod works best, when the phone’s Bluetooth is off; then, playlist are selectable.
USB Stick (700 songs)
I put all my songs onto a USB stick, and the car recognizes & plays those songs & videos, but they only work in a root directory; i.e. no playlists. Open ITunes, select songs, Copy & paste them into your USB via the USB in My Computer (I call it file manager)
Summary – What I finally settled upon.
Scrap the Nano, unless that’s all you are going to use.
I can’t pair two devices at once via Bluetooth, but I can use the hot spot for several devices at once, like the kid can surf the internetand gobble my OnStar data plan – independently of the Infotainment system.
Use the IPhone by itself, plugged into a USB and with AppleCarplay. I keep the music I want there, or stream music (uses data). For short trips, when I do not want to plug the phone in, I can still make and receive calls via Bluetooth and select my playlists; I have 8. So, only pair your one phone.
I also use a USB stick behind the screen, all music in the root directly, and it also plays videos on-screen. The songs are selectablefrom on-screen and the steering wheel. It's tricky, but the infotainment screen can find your videos. That's pretty cool.
Hope this helps others who may be struggling with the same issues.
Do I understand that there are several software updates necessary on a car that just left the factory? My infotainment system is driving me nuts with inability to select songs any way but through the touch screen, and constant switching back to the iPhone as a music source every time I get a WAZE alert.
Can you share how long the software update process took? It's really tough for me to schedule anything in advance, and the local dealer seems to not be able to work in short notice customers in a reasonable time.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 40
Likes: 14
From: Oklahoma City OK
SW Update
Do I understand that there are several software updates necessary on a car that just left the factory? My infotainment system is driving me nuts with inability to select songs any way but through the touch screen, and constant switching back to the iPhone as a music source every time I get a WAZE alert.
Can you share how long the software update process took? It's really tough for me to schedule anything in advance, and the local dealer seems to not be able to work in short notice customers in a reasonable time.
Can you share how long the software update process took? It's really tough for me to schedule anything in advance, and the local dealer seems to not be able to work in short notice customers in a reasonable time.
They wanted to keep the car all day. They were unsure what all got updated, as they connect the car to the GM website that updates everything.
BUT, still having similar issues as you. So, I'm just settling for full functionality with Carplay, once it's plugged into a USB. All other times, I'm stuck with a single list of songs on a USB stick.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,140
Likes: 406
From: Greater Cincinnati Area
They wanted to keep the car all day. They were unsure what all got updated, as they connect the car to the GM website that updates everything.
BUT, still having similar issues as you. So, I'm just settling for full functionality with Carplay, once it's plugged into a USB. All other times, I'm stuck with a single list of songs on a USB stick.
BUT, still having similar issues as you. So, I'm just settling for full functionality with Carplay, once it's plugged into a USB. All other times, I'm stuck with a single list of songs on a USB stick.
I can't use the USB stick option because any time I get a WAZE alert, the infotainment system starts playing music from the iPhone. Selection of songs from the USB stick with the steering wheel controls also seems inconsistent most of the time.
In a different thread, someone suggested just using Siri to select music. That seems to work consistently, though I usually listen to music in album format, and it's tough to remember the names of the hundreds of albums I have.
