tcinla

So my wife and I go to a restaurant and I use valet mode... For the second time (first time I used it there was no problem). Had a great time. We come out and I get into my car and, after putting the code in, I get the "incorrect code entered" message. I know it's not incorrect because I always use the same code (I use it for other things) and I had to enter it twice.

I use the 'forgot code' option thinking I'd get an SMS text but I don't. I turn on Bluetooth with the same result. Turn on wifi with the same result. I connect via the iPhone cable... Same result. So I use onstar and they confirm my contact info and my code... But it doesn't work and they can't unlock it remotely. So we drive home...

It's worked before, the 1 time I used it but not today. No YouTube videos on how to get around this..nada on the topic via Google except a link to another post on this forum today which I read. I get the feeling I'm stuck and have go go see a dealer.

This is not what I would I would call 'reliable'.

tcinla

Forgot to add that I used the mychevy app on my phone. It was useless. I then tried using the onstar app on my phone but the app / service is down right now.

tcinla

So the 'Forgot code' recovery is not via SMS text but over bluetooth. I can't get my phone to connect with My Link via bluetooth, presumably since the DIC is disabled. It seems counterintuitive to require the unlock feature to work over bluetooth while MyLink is down.

MickP

Rooster OG

I've never even tried valet mode, sorry.

tcinla

Called onstar this morning before heading in to the dealer. The funny thing is that, when I told them about the catch22 of needed to do a bluetooth pair with my phone in order to get the recovery code while MyLink is disabled, they asked me what type of phone I have, ios or android. I said iPhone then the girl says the procedure only works over android...

So android can establish a bt connection when 1 side of the pair is down ? AWESOME! lol. I dropped it and went to the dealer. 3.5 hours later, I'm back up and running.

mountainears

Asked a service dealer about what they do recently based on this topic being discussed in another thread. This was the response I received, sounds like they wipe and reload things to reset this (and everything else!).

"We can erase the valet mode using GM's programming tool. We would need the car and both working remotes here to do it."

defaria

I don't think that is what is meant. There's another thread here about the Forgot Code option. Personally I don't see how it could work in IOS or Android as there needs to be some software on the phone that is responsible for accepting the Bluetooth request and putting up the notification. There is a Bluetooth Profile called "MAC" IIRC that allows a text message to be sent via Bluetooth. So that describes the sending portion. What it doesn't describe is the receiving portion.

WRT IOS vs Android - as we know Apple is much more security conscious and less configurable than Android. And it's very conceivable that IOS would not even attempt to implement the MAC Bluetooth profile. Plus I've heard that Apple's implementation of Bluetooth is not fully flushed out. As such it's a very likely possibility that IOS just can't do that Bluetooth function. In general I've always wondered why iPhone users don't typically use Bluetooth but they're always wired and why the complained so mightily when Apple remove the headphone jack. I never use it. Bluetooth is much more convenient and I generally listen to spoken podcasts and know, at my age, the my hearing is not getting all of the frequencies anyway. Being a musician myself, I'm much more concern about making music than just listening to somebody else's music.

WRT how do you pair your phone's Bluetooth to the car when in Valet Mode and unable to use MyLink to do the pairing... I believe GM engineers just assume that most people will pair their phones long time ago.

tcinla

In my case my iPhone was already paired. The pairing showed up in my phone's Bluetooth setting. It just could not connect, which I assumed was due to the fact that my link was down due to the valet lockout. It could be that the valet code recovery uses the existing pairing but it seemed like a catch22 situation if the my link (vehicle ) side of the pair can't connect from the phone side. Maybe android does allow it. As an old UNIX admin Android is awesome so I wouldn't be surprised.

Foosh

Thanks for the reminder to never use valet mode.

Vetteman Jack

It does suck that you had to take the car into the dealer to get it fixed. Hopefully this doesn't happen to you again.

JerryU

FWIW, in a post several years ago, someone mentioned to be sure you put in a code as if you don't and someone does (i. e. Car dealer/tire dealer tech mischief, etc) you could get locked out!

Great advice and like some other "good ideas" I didn't do it! Will with my new Grand Sport.

Foosh

Jerry, I did set the code. I've just never used it.

tcinla

When I got my car back yesterday the dealer said he set the onstar PIN so if anyone has to go through a re flash of their DIC, be sure to reset your onstar pin.

defaria

OK so I got out and tested it and dang if I'm not surprised but it worked! Setup:

. 2016 M7 Vette - AA firmware updated
. Samsung Galaxy S7 running Nougat
. Phone previously paired with car

So I get in my car in the garage and I fire her up. I hear that familiar chime and see on the DIC that my Bluetooth has connected. Next I entered Valet Mode. The DIC says Audio Off and the middle screen shows a number pad with the familiar "Unlock" and "Forgot Code" Options. I check the Bluetooth settings on my phone and I'm not connected to Bluetooth. I try connecting my Bluetooth connection named Blue Thunder (my name for my car) and it tries and tries but fails to connect. So what does Forgot Code do now?

Turns out it apparently turns on Bluetooth - my phone automatically connects - and indeed sends me a text message! Has my code too! Curious I went into Android Task Manager to verify what app is running that received this message (there are so many IM type clients like FB's Messenger, Google's new Messenger, Hangouts (<- which I normally prefer), What'sApp, Signal, etc.) and verified that it was Google's own Messenger app that displayed my message. I believe i have Google Messenger set as the default app. I never use the phone's default messaging app and I usually use Hangouts. But Hangouts is being killed and they suggest you use Messenger so I'm using that.

So what have we learned? I've learned that Bluetooth does have a profile called MAC which allows you to send messages via Bluetooth and when the phone receives the message it will use the default messaging app to display the text message (not verified - I could verify by switching the default messaging app to say What's App and see if it uses that - I fully suspect it does).

Additionally we can say it works on Android, at least on newer versions of Android (I'm at 7.0) and that you must have paired your phone with the car before hand. I'd also say it must routinely and easily connect to your phone when you start up your car and yes, you need to have Bluetooth on.

I'd also say their may be a good chance that iPhones don't support this as their Bluetooth support is reportedly spotty and they may even disallow this for security concerns.

So you know what I did. Can others try to repeat and report back? Note, use a code you use and I'd say don't hit Forgot Code too often. There make be a lockout or a timed lockout on that functionality to thwart any would be attackers from just sitting there and trying all combinations...

Oh, one other extremely interesting thing I just noticed - the text message was sent to my carrier number. I never use my carrier number (480 area code) and always use my Google Voice number (408 area code). So I suspect that perhaps this is the phone number that somehow GM has for me, perhaps registered to OnStar? Went to OnStar and there was nothing there for my Mobile number but it had my 408 number for Home. (Listen I only have one phone - why do you keep asking for multiple ones... anyway). So I added my 408 number to Mobile on OnStar.com....

Turns out that doesn't do anything. The code is still "texted" to my 480 number. Kinda makes sense that the bluetooth-send-txt-to-phone would use the default phone number the phone knows about.

tcinla

Likely the number setup in your My chevy or onstar account profile.

Apple.... yet another fail.

defaria

No. I went to OnStar and set my mobile number. It did not deliver the text message to that mobile number - i.e. my Google Voice Number. It sent it to the same phone number you'd see on the cell phone in Settings - the number assigned to the SIM.