2024 C8 No hands free calling with out internet???
 

UPDATE SEE POSTS BELOW FOR THE SOLUTION.

Starting a new thread because this is only for 2024 Model Year C8's.
I did not subscribe to on star upon experation of free trial.
Am not using Android auto or Car play.
Have forgotten phone and re paired with blue tooth.
Phone is android.
Contacts, answer calls, are all working.
Spent 1 hour with the dealership tech trying to fix this.
Phone is the only thing connected.
Every time I press the button on the steering wheel to get hands free calling like I did in my C7 I get the message "to do that you'll need an internet connection" "Shop plans"
It appears unless you take a plan your CAN NOT make hands free calls. To do this you must have an internet plan.
I looked in 2024 manual pages 135-140. Except for the verbiage on page 135 that it should do this, it doesn't. Nor are there instructions on how to place a call hands free.
Am I correct? Am I missing a setting?

UPDATE: SEE POSTS BELOW FOR THE SOLUTION

EDIT: This is post #18 in this thread where we’ve figured it out if you don’t want to read through all of this:
”THAT’S IT! The key is to long press the talk button on the steering wheel on the ‘24’s! Short press summons Google and won’t work if you don’t have a subscription, but long pressing summons Siri in CarPlay mode, and it’ll summon the phone if just connected through Bluetooth!

…now we know! Thanks for the many who’ve replied!”

——————————————-

OK, I’m sitting in my ‘24 right now playing around with it. My trial onstar subscription expired about a week ago.

First, let me say Apple CarPlay works perfectly in my ‘24. The trick was trying to figure out how to turn it off to duplicate your problem. Once I finally figured that out, and got my phone connected just using Bluetooth, here’s what I found. When I hit the hands free calling button on the steering wheel, I was having the same issue, but the Google Assistant told me to change settings in my notifications center. I had no idea if she was talking on my phone or in my car. I finally figured out she meant in my car. I had to turn on “allow personal results…” to get it to make a phone call from my contacts. But what I did find before that was if I hit the hands free button and just said call (give a phone number) it worked just fine.

Now here’s what I’m not sure about. I’m playing around with it in my garage and I know my ‘24 C8 IS connected to my home wifi while it’s in the garage. CarPlay works fine ALL the time when I’m out driving, but not sure if everything I just tested for you will still work if I’m out away from my home wifi…
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...90c31a7ea.jpeg

OK, part 2…I just went in and shut down my wifi, and you’re right, I can’t use hands free button without internet connection. “Hey Google” also won’t work without internet connection.

Looks like hands free is only available with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto without a subscription, but I can verify CarPlay works perfectly without a subscription.

OK, pt 3. The button on the steering wheel must only work with a subscription. I’m now hooked in with CarPlay & home wifi turned off. “Hey Siri” works perfectly to make a call and I don’t need to hit button on steering wheel for that, but button on steering wheel requires subscription apparently.

​​​​​…at this point, my question is can the car use your phone for the wifi hotspot to get it to work? 🤔

On my 23 (not the same, I know), I can do hands-free calling via the phone (not the car's infotainment) by long pressing the talk button on the steering wheel, and saying "Call 'whomever'". Invokes the phone's phone app and contact list, and the call is connected through BT. Don't know if that will work in a '24 and CarPlay, but give it a try.

Does the subscription get you all the buttons, or is it a subscription to call and another to hang up?

I'm joking today but it won't be funny on the '26s.

What is the reason you aren't using your android auto?

The hang up button on the wheel works with or without a subscription. It’s the man speaking button that’s not working without a subscription…

I do not make or accept calls when Corvette driving. Everything can wait.

If I am on android auto (AA), I can make a call by pushing the microphone on the bottom left of the android auto screen.
My steering wheel button still does not work.
Sometimes I like to turn AA off so my screen does not start up with AA when I start the car.
I also can get it to work if hooked up to my home wifi as you did but as soon as out of range the steering wheel button does not work.
Why not allow hands free calling by blue tooth with the steering wheel button like all other cars do??????
GM, I don't mind the cost of admission (cost of the C8) but don't nickle and dime me once I buy in!!!

Sometimes I do not want the car to start with the AA screen upon start up.

First off I can’t help I just wanted to let everyone know the difference in buying a $85k GMC truck which comes with 3 years everything unlimited and a $98k Chevy product that comes with a week 30 day trial of everything. For the naysayers in truck world that swear the Chevy and gmc are the same and come down the same line. Might be so but the quality inside is different and the extras are different hence this discussion. Chevrolet is not the equivalent even if you buy the corvette. My GMC AT4X 1/2 ton truck trumps this car inside with feel of the leather and the 3 full years of everything they offer at no cost. Sorry it’s true. The screen in the gmc is twice as big and has better quality all around. The leather is nicer and it has 16 way massaging seats plus the seats actually cool your butt unlike the vette.

I have a few questions:

1) My 2024 window sticker says my car comes with a 3 year remote access plan. Is this not the plan required for the built in Nav and Android Automotive (the car OS, not android phone screen projection)?

2) Are the OP and others testing this out long pressing the talk button on the steering wheel?

3) Am I understanding correctly that if the car is not connected to a WiFi network, pressing and holding the talk button on the steering wheel cannot summon Siri when using CarPlay?

As I understand it the built in software has no program to understand language.

When used it’s just a pass through to the google assistant service which requires internet.

When connected to a phone via Android auto or car play it is able to instead pass through to your phone’s personal assistant service.

It would make sense that a standard Bluetooth connection wouldn’t be enough because the car on it’s own simply cannot understand language.

As far as question 3 is concerned, pressing the talk button doesn’t summon Siri. All you have to do is just say “Hey Siri” without pressing anything and she will follow your commands.

​​​…I haven’t tried long pressing the talk button yet to see if that does anything…

…the 3 year remote access plan is to use the app from your phone to remote start, etc.

I'm super appreciative of your answers @BandDirector !

I do not allow my phone to listen for Hey Siri. I exclusively press and hold the button on the phone when I use it. In all the cars ive driven recently, tapping the button on the steering wheel for voice assistance will always invoke the car's default system. Pressing and holding invokes connected device voice assistance (Siri or Google on the phone). I am very hopeful that long pressing the steering wheel button will invoke siri.

GOOD NEWS! Out in my car now and long pressing the talk button DOES summon Siri!

THAT’S IT! The key is to long press the talk button on the steering wheel on the ‘24’s! Short press summons Google and won’t work if you don’t have a subscription, but long pressing summons Siri in CarPlay mode, and it’ll summon the phone if just connected through Bluetooth!

…now we know! Thanks for the many who’ve replied!

That’s the correct answer! Thanks for posting this!

Excellent. This is what I expected, but several posts had me concerned GM had intentionally crippled CarPlay. Very glad this is not the case. @123vette456 , please try the long press of the steering wheel voice assistance button and let us know if it solves your problems!