Lynn Walford

How to pair Bluetooth with iPhone 5-6+ for GMC and Chevy Cars

bluetoothpairGM’s Stefan Cross demonstrated how to successfully pair Bluetooth with the with Intellilink in-vehicle navigation system on a GMC Canyon for AUTO Connected Car News. If you have another GM vehicle such as Chevy you complete very similar actions for Chevy vehicles, Cadillac systems are a little different.

Here’s how to pair Bluetooth with a GMC vehicle with Intellilink.

  • Go to settings menu, Bluetooth is under Wi-Fi on the iPhone turn Bluetooth on.
  • On the Intellilink screen go to settings, tap Bluetooth pair new device.
  • The iPhone recognizes GMC Intellilink, tap GMC Intellilink.
  • Tap pair on the iPhone.
  • The GMC Intellilnk shows that it has pairing request.
  • Tap yes on the screen.

Once the iPhone is paired with the Intlellilink or Chevy system, it allows to access contacts, Siri eyes free music and more.

You can also set up Bluetooth using your voice:

  1. Press the Push to Talk button, wait for the beep, and say “Bluetooth”.
  2. The system will respond with “Bluetooth Ready”.
  3. Wait for the beep then say “Pair”.
  4. The system will respond with “Please start a search on your Bluetooth phone.
  5. Once the search is complete select “your vehicle” on your phone.”Your phone will either ask to enter a 4 digit code, which is displayed on the radio screen, or to confirm a 6 digit code
  6. The system will prompt you to give a name to your phone.Say a name that best describes your phone (example: Karen’s phone); this name will be used to indicate which phone is connected.
  7. The system will ask you to confirm your name.
  8. If you confirm that name, the system will respond with the message: “iPhone 5s Space Gray has been successfully paired”.

Every time you are in the car, it will automatically pair. You can setup multiple devices then   pick what device you want to pair. Previously, when we checked with Chevy OnStar reps they reported that many users did not have Bluetooth issues. You can call the GM infotainment call center located in the U.S. with trained experts in GM in-vehicle technology. Chevrolet, Buick and GMC customers should call 1.855.4.SUPPORT and Cadillac customers can call 1.855.4.CUE.NOW.

Those readers who are experience Bluetooth issues with iOS 8 and iPhone 5-6+ should note that Cross had not upgraded his iPhone 5S to iOS 8, when we shot the video of the GMC Canyon using Bluetooth and IntelliLink.

Various work-arounds often called the “nuke-it” fixes that sometimes work with in vehicle systems and iOS 8-8.02 problems with iPhone 4S-5-6+.

 If you are having problems with Bluetooth with in-vehicle systems and iOS 8.0-8.2.iPhone 4S/5/5C/5S/6/6+ please let us know in the comments below, be sure to note your make, model and year of your vehicle.

To show your distaste for Apple and the iOS 8 Bluetooth Bungle, you may vote for Apple for the Edsel Yugo Biggest Snafu of 2014 Tech CARS Awards.

Car tech influences car buying decisions, especially safety, ADAS & ease of use

autotrderfeaturesAutoTrader in its 2014 In-Vehicle Technology Shopper Influence Study showed how vehicle technology influences car and truck buying decisions.

Vehicle owners give great priory to safety features over infotainment (84 percent). Blind spot detection and back-up cameras/sensors top the safety list.

New Connected Car Ford SYNC 3 goes further with voice & Wi-Fi updates

FORSYNC3Ford introduced SYNC 3, its new entertainment system with voice commands and faster speeds that will be coming on new Ford cars, next year.

The voice recognition is more conversational and the touchscreen is more smartphone-like. Software can be updated via a local secure Wi-Fi network.

Ford considered recommendations from drivers, researchers and testing while developing SYNC 3 while making it optimized for hands-free use.

The interface offers faster responses to touch as well as voice commands and smartphone-like gestures including pinch-to-zoom and swipe are central to SYNC 3, along clean clear graphics.

Under dark conditions the screen automatically switches to a dark background to help reduce eye fatigue and minimize reflections on the windows.

The home screen features three zone choices – Navigation, Audio and Phone to make it easier to use.

With SYNC 3, when you say “play, song, artist, album or genre, that prompts the system to play the desired song, artist, playlist or album. To change back to a radio station, the user just says the name of the SiriusXM station or terrestrial radio station number. Voice search doesn’t have to exact.

SYNC 3 allows for Siri Eyes-Free control, by holding down the steering wheel button.

AppLink allows customers to connect their smartphone to their vehicle and control their compatible apps using voice commands or buttons on the vehicle display screen. AppLink now automatically discovers smartphone apps including Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, NPR One, SiriusXM Radio and iHeartRadio Auto, and displays their unique graphics and branding. Music and news apps are automatically displayed along with other media sources, just like AM/FM or SiriusXM. SYNC 3 also offers subscription-free emergency service 911 Assist.

The driver’s Bluetooth-connected phone is used to dial 911 in case of an accident. With SYNC 3, the car relays additional information, including if airbags were deployed, the type of crash (front, side, rear or rollover) and the number of safety belts detected in use,  to help emergency call dispatchers.