2017 300S Uconnect texting issues
 

Hello everyone.

I just picked up my brand new 2017 300S (Friday) and I am trying to figure out what happened to Uconnect. On my last car, a 2015 Charger SXT (aka "Christine" for reasons I won't go into in THIS forum), I subscribed to Uconnect. I pressed the phone button on the steering wheel and said "send message to John Doe mobile" and off we went. I dictated the message and Christine read it back, I said "send" and she sent the text.

With the new 300S it seems that they took that feature out of Uconnect and are making me use my smart phone for texting. They are also jamming something called "Uconnect Sirius Guardian" down my throat, free for the first year but $300 every year after (!), and I can't even get a straight answer out of Uconnect or the Sirius people what I need it for.

I am an Android guy and the whole "ok google" thing irritates me, so I disabled it. Now I had to turn it back on and fight with it to send texts. I paired it with the radio with no trouble (phone calls work just fine). But when I say "ok google", I hear nothing from the radio unless I MANUALLY change the input source to Bluetooth and crank the volume up. Then I hear google do the Q&A thing about what I want. After I get it to send the text I switch back to FM (or whatever) and the volume level blows me away. Mind you, the "ok google" feature works fine when I'm not in the car (i.e. in my home).

Can anyone spell this out for me? Do I have to use my smart phone for texting?

And to my friends Megan and Andrea at FCA, yes it is me --- and thank you again for all your help!

G.S.

Hi Gordon,

Congrats on your new vehicle! You can read more details about Sirius XM Guardian here: https://www.driveuconnect.com/siriusxm-guardian/. In order to voice text in your vehicle you have a number of preset messages programmed into your Uconnect system; however, if you want to dictate your own message it will use your phone. We would recommend checking that the volume is turned up on your smartphone when trying to use the "ok Google" feature. Feel free to PM our page with any additional questions!

Andrea
Chrysler Social Care Specialist

Update. Earlier tonight I spoke with Uconnect support where I was told I could send, view, and listen to texts WITHOUT my smart phone being plugged in via USB and without the "Android Auto" app. Basically all I needed was my smart phone and bluetooth.

I was also told that I could press the VR button on the steering wheel and I could list/show messages, so I went out to the car to prove it. Nope. Neither of these features appear to work with Uconnect alone. I'm trying to remember exactly what I did this morning, but I distinctly recall pulling the USB cable from my Android and pressing the phone button on the steering wheel and saying "show messages" ... and it did. Just like the Uconnect 8.4 in my 2015 Charger that I turned in last week.

Can someone please give me the rundown on how this new system REALLY works with "Uconnect 4C"? It is apparent that the Uconnect people don't know what they're talking about.

How do I send a text?
Does sending and receiving texts REQUIRE my smart phone be connected via bluetooth AND USB cable?

Do I have to use the "ok google" feature on my Android to send and listen to texts now?

How do I list or show the list of texts I have received?

Sorry I am not well versed in how the forum software works. How do I send you a Private Message?

No more chrysler cars for me!
 

I recently decided that Android and The Google don't need to know where I am every minute of every day, or what I do on the interwebs, so I took advantage of some of their "optional" privacy settings. Now I can't send a text message through Android Auto while driving. While my Google Pixel XL is TETHERED to my Uconnect radio in my 2017 300S, I say "ok google ... send a message to john doe". It replies "ok lets get some more information. please click the notification icon on your mobile phone". Of course you can't do that while you're tethered and AA is running so I have to pull over, disconnect the phone, and say it again. This time it brings up a menu encouraging me to "turn on these settings for the full Assistant experience". I decline to let it watch my "web & app activity". I decline to let it help me with calendar, reminders, flights and more". Then it basically ends the menu and I'm back where I started. WHY DOES ANDROID AUTO NEED TO SEE MY CALENDAR SO I CAN SEND A TEXT MESSAGE? It doesn't. I am tired of sacrificing my privacy for technology.

After 8 consecutive Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep products I've had enough. The 2017 model of the radio in my 300S is more of a PITA than it's worth. The 2015 Charger that I traded in for this car was great. I did everything through the Uconnect radio. No Android Auto, no tacky USB cable laying across my console (that I've had to replace twice now due to the lid closing on the cable, no SiriusXM Guardian. It worked fine. When this lease ends I'm looking for ANYTHING but a Chrysler vehicle.