New Bolt owner, with some questions.

[gessner17]

So I purchased a loaded premier the other day and I have a few gripes on it, but the main one is the bluetooth connection to my phone. In my Volt and my Colorado, I can push the talk button on my steering wheel and say all kinds of commands, call bob, do this, do that. They advertise this on the Bolt. When i push my talk button on my Bolt, it just simply calls the last number in my phone I called. Surely this isn't how they designed it? I called my dealer and they said it doesn't support voice command. I just can't believe that with how everything is going to hands free. I don't want to use android auto unless i go on a trip, I don't want to plug that in every time I go to the store or somewhere else, i know it works.
Other gripes are;
1x 12V outlet, terrible.
No adaptive cruise even though it appears to have all the hardware like radar and cameras
Also I remember reading the release on these and they said it had profiles tied to each fob so it would cue your seats and radio presets, etc. Well, with no electric seats available (another gripe) that's obviously not going to happen but i can't even find anything aside from teen driver that will do anything with fobs.

 

[dndrich]

Not sure which phone you are using, but the voice commands do work via bluetooth. If you depress the voice button for just a second it redials. But, if you hold it down for a few seconds, you will here the siri prompt if using iPhone. It then works per usual. I have had no issues with it. Now, initially the siri volume is really low for the commands, so you have to time upping the volume on the knob when you here siri. It will then remember that volume going forward. Try it in the garage first where you can hear it.

 

[Anonymous]

So I purchased a loaded premier the other day and I have a few gripes on it, but the main one is the bluetooth connection to my phone. In my Volt and my Colorado, I can push the talk button on my steering wheel and say all kinds of commands, call bob, do this, do that. They advertise this on the Bolt. When i push my talk button on my Bolt, it just simply calls the last number in my phone I called. Surely this isn't how they designed it? I called my dealer and they said it doesn't support voice command. I just can't believe that with how everything is going to hands free. I don't want to use android auto unless i go on a trip, I don't want to plug that in every time I go to the store or somewhere else, i know it works. I recall the voice commands in my Volt, so I will try this soon and get back to you
Other gripes are;
1x 12V outlet, terrible. I don't recall my Volt having more than one 12V outlet; did yours? How many do you need?
No adaptive cruise even though it appears to have all the hardware like radar and cameras I don't recall my Volt having adaptive cruise
Also I remember reading the release on these and they said it had profiles tied to each fob so it would cue your seats and radio presets, etc. Well, with no electric seats available (another gripe) that's obviously not going to happen but i can't even find anything aside from teen driver that will do anything with fobs.

Did our Volt's have electric seats? I don't recall; I turned mine in last September.

Where did you read about profiles/fobs?

And to think I am upset about no internal NAV as promised by GM CEO Mary Barra at her 2016 Keynote CES speech! hahahahaha

 

[gessner17]

I have an android S7 so no Siri on it. It still works fine in my truck so no idea what is causing the issue. I tried holding down the talk button and nothing happened. Can anyone confirm bluetooth functionality via android phone?

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, mine's an iPhone, so can't help you with Android CarPlay!

 

[gessner17]

So I purchased a loaded premier the other day and I have a few gripes on it, but the main one is the bluetooth connection to my phone. In my Volt and my Colorado, I can push the talk button on my steering wheel and say all kinds of commands, call bob, do this, do that. They advertise this on the Bolt. When i push my talk button on my Bolt, it just simply calls the last number in my phone I called. Surely this isn't how they designed it? I called my dealer and they said it doesn't support voice command. I just can't believe that with how everything is going to hands free. I don't want to use android auto unless i go on a trip, I don't want to plug that in every time I go to the store or somewhere else, i know it works. I recall the voice commands in my Volt, so I will try this soon and get back to you
Other gripes are;
1x 12V outlet, terrible. I don't recall my Volt having more than one 12V outlet; did yours? How many do you need?
No adaptive cruise even though it appears to have all the hardware like radar and cameras I don't recall my Volt having adaptive cruise
Also I remember reading the release on these and they said it had profiles tied to each fob so it would cue your seats and radio presets, etc. Well, with no electric seats available (another gripe) that's obviously not going to happen but i can't even find anything aside from teen driver that will do anything with fobs.

Did our Volt's have electric seats? I don't recall; I turned mine in last September.

Where did you read about profiles/fobs?

And to think I am upset about no internal NAV as promised by GM CEO Mary Barra at her 2016 Keynote CES speech! hahahahaha

No, the volts didn't have electric seats but i remember this in the release and on one of their pages, I'll have to dig around for it when i have nothing else to do. My Volt had 2 or 3. I know i had one in the back seat and I can't remember if i had one in the very back or not but one all the way in the frong is just not enough. I'll have to dig around for the fob profile thing too.

 

[Anonymous]

No, the volts didn't have electric seats but i remember this in the release and on one of their pages, I'll have to dig around for it when i have nothing else to do. My Volt had 2 or 3. I know i had one in the back seat and I can't remember if i had one in the very back or not but one all the way in the frong is just not enough. I'll have to dig around for the fob profile thing too.

I do not recall that in the release and if it is your lowest priority; i'll get back to you about it when you get around to it, too!

You are aware there are two charging USB's in the back seat?

 

[gessner17]

You are aware there are two charging USB's in the back seat?

Yes but i'm not necessarily needing 12V for a phone, I have a small cooler I use on trips. Now i have to run a cord from front to back. Also, for anyone that has a phone that supports QC2.0 or QC3.0, those built in ports are uselessly slow. I haven't measured the output but i have a hard time thinking they are more than 700ma. I can plug into the provided USB ports and charge my phone in 4 hours or into a QC charger and it will charge to 80% in less than 1 hour. Just an annoyance. My main concern is figuring out why my voice command thing won't work.

 

[winterescape]

I have a few gripes on it, but the main one is the bluetooth connection to my phone. In my Volt and my Colorado, I can push the talk button on my steering wheel and say all kinds of commands, call bob, do this, do that. They advertise this on the Bolt. When i push my talk button on my Bolt, it just simply calls the last number in my phone I called. Surely this isn't how they designed it? .

Yes, I agree, I had a 2014 Malibu and have a 2016 Equinox. I made good use of the hands free functionality, I wish they had incorporated the great voice prompt interface as well...

 

[gessner17]

Yes, I agree, I had a 2014 Malibu and have a 2016 Equinox. I made good use of the hands free functionality, I wish they had incorporated the great voice prompt interface as well...

Are you saying you are not able to utilize voice commands either?

 

[winterescape]

Yes, I agree, I had a 2014 Malibu and have a 2016 Equinox. I made good use of the hands free functionality, I wish they had incorporated the great voice prompt interface as well...

Are you saying you are not able to utilize voice commands either?

If I push and hold the call button with my android Bluetooth phone connected I can instruct Google to call. It is different than the Malibu but works with my Bluetooth connected phone voice prompts, sorry for any confusion with my earlier post...

 

[devbolt]

You are aware there are two charging USB's in the back seat?

Yes but i'm not necessarily needing 12V for a phone, I have a small cooler I use on trips. Now i have to run a cord from front to back. Also, for anyone that has a phone that supports QC2.0 or QC3.0, those built in ports are uselessly slow. I haven't measured the output but i have a hard time thinking they are more than 700ma. I can plug into the provided USB ports and charge my phone in 4 hours or into a QC charger and it will charge to 80% in less than 1 hour. Just an annoyance. My main concern is figuring out why my voice command thing won't work.

Both the front and rear USB ports are capable of putting out up to 2A if the device and cable supports it.

 

[SeanNelson]

No adaptive cruise even though it appears to have all the hardware like radar and cameras

The Bolt does not have radar.

 

[michaellax]

No adaptive cruise even though it appears to have all the hardware like radar and cameras

The Bolt does not have radar.

But with the "blind spot" sensors giving readings in each side mirror, I am able for the first time in my life to move over lanes without having to look over my shoulder!

I consider this "driving on instrumentation" like having radar in this instance.

 

[devbolt]

No adaptive cruise even though it appears to have all the hardware like radar and cameras

The Bolt does not have radar.

But with the "blind spot" sensors giving readings in each side mirror, I am able for the first time in my life to move over lanes without having to look over my shoulder!

I consider this "driving on instrumentation" like having radar in this instance.

You should still look over your shoulder. Blind spot monitoring is an assistive device, not a replacement for following safe practices. Same as the backup camera, it's there to show what you can't see in the mirror directly behind you, like an object, animal or a child.

 

[oilerlord]

But with the "blind spot" sensors giving readings in each side mirror, I am able for the first time in my life to move over lanes without having to look over my shoulder!

I consider this "driving on instrumentation" like having radar in this instance.

Yeah, that's a bad idea. It's a driver's aid, not a substitute for safe driving practices. Pg 227 of the manual:

LCA does not alert the driver to
vehicles outside of the system
detection zones, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or animals. It may not
provide alerts when changing
lanes under all driving conditions.
Failure to use proper care when
changing lanes may result in
injury, death, or vehicle damage.
Before making a lane change,
always check mirrors, glance over
your shoulder, and use the turn
signals."

 

[SeanNelson]

The Bolt does not have radar.

But with the "blind spot" sensors giving readings in each side mirror, I am able for the first time in my life to move over lanes without having to look over my shoulder! I consider this "driving on instrumentation" like having radar in this instance.

Those little sensors on the front and rear bumpers use ultrasonic sound to measure the distance to obstacles. They're only good for about a dozen feet or so - nowhere near what would be required for adaptive cruise control where the car needs to accurately know the distance to a car traveling at 70MPH a couple of hundred feet in front of you.

 

[michaellax]

My post was too generalized, so it does give off the wrong impression:

I agree with you both and the manual: in that the preferred practice is to look over your shoulder. I always use the turn signal.

However there are times on the Freeway where given the speed of traffic, I must make a quicker lane change: I look in the rear view mirror (set on camera mode, so distance is skewed), I then look in the appropriate side view mirror, and when there is time, I glance over my shoulder.

If there is not time, I watch the car in the side view mirror and watch it move into the distance behind me. When the side view mirror warning indicator goes off, I then move over to that lane.

There are generally no "pedestrians, bicyclists, or animals" in these situations.

I typically give a "friendly wave" to the car behind me to acknowledge their assistance in letting me safely move into their lane.

 

[mikegrb]

The Bolt does not have radar.

But with the "blind spot" sensors giving readings in each side mirror, I am able for the first time in my life to move over lanes without having to look over my shoulder! I consider this "driving on instrumentation" like having radar in this instance.

Those little sensors on the front and rear bumpers use ultrasonic sound to measure the distance to obstacles. They're only good for about a dozen feet or so - nowhere near what would be required for adaptive cruise control where the car needs to accurately know the distance to a car traveling at 70MPH a couple of hundred feet in front of you.

Just a clarification, the Bolt does have radar. The blind spot monitoring system is radar based. The ultrasonic sensors are used for parking. The safe following distance indicator and emergency stop assist come via the vision system near the rear-view mirror. Chevy's implementation of adaptive cruise control requires an additional radar unit at the front of the vehicle looking forward, which the Bolt does indeed not have.

 

[SeanNelson]

But with the "blind spot" sensors giving readings in each side mirror, I am able for the first time in my life to move over lanes without having to look over my shoulder! I consider this "driving on instrumentation" like having radar in this instance.

Those little sensors on the front and rear bumpers use ultrasonic sound to measure the distance to obstacles. They're only good for about a dozen feet or so - nowhere near what would be required for adaptive cruise control where the car needs to accurately know the distance to a car traveling at 70MPH a couple of hundred feet in front of you.

Just a clarification, the Bolt does have radar. The blind spot monitoring system is radar based.

This seems extremely unlikely to me. Do you have a source for your claim?

In my experience, cars that have ultrasonic sensors in the bumpers for warning about obstacles while parking don't have separate radar sensors for blind spot monitoring. The ultrasonic sensors are cheaper and you need more of them for detecting parking obstacles, and manufacturers hate adding extra cost components if they don't need to.