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Running just HVAC without radio?

89K views 140 replies 63 participants last post by  ChrisW6ATV 
#1 ·
Hello everyone,

Pardon my ignorance as I have only had limited time to play with a demo Volt... Still waiting for my Volt's arrival. And the Chevy site's 2012 Volt owners manual link is not pulling up the correct doc as of 4pm CDT.

One thing I noticed when playing with the Volt was that if I turned off the radio and just hit the Climate button (I think that's what it's called), the climate control options screen would come up, but the radio would kick on as well. I would assume there is a simple way to just run the HVAC without the radio on, am I correct? Again, sorry for the potentially dumb noob question.

Thanks fellow Volt owners for your input!

-Dan
 
#2 ·
I would assume there is a simple way to just run the HVAC without the radio on, am I correct? Again, sorry for the potentially dumb noob question.
Welcome to Volt Complaint #1. Nope, it's not a dumb question. It's a dumb implementation.

Only way I've found to consistently get the radio to shut up is to turn it down. Mute works for a single drive duration, but it un-mutes when you start the car again.

And yes, nearly everybody's complained about it. And no, GM doesn't seem to be in a hurry to fix it, or even acknowledge that it's a stupid implementation.
 
#3 ·
Hmm, yeah this is kind of dumb IMO (no offense to anyone) as you would want to conserve as much energy as possible in such a scenario where you wanted climate comfort but no desire to listen to the radio... I would assume just a software fix GM...

Thanks for your reply.

-Dan
 
#5 ·
Yup, agree with all of the above. It's complaint #1, turn down the volume, select Aux, welcome to the club :)

You might want to check out my FAQ, linked below.

(hi guys!)
 
#6 ·
Is this only on the 2011 & 2012 w/ NAV models? I have the stock radio, it lets me hit climate to turn on the climate screen without turning on the radio. If I hit "source" or whatever, there's a popup saying something like "radio is powered off, press power to turn on".
 
#7 ·
Simply turn the radio volume button down all the way and leave it there if you don't want the radio playing. The radio and speakers are used to produce various turn signal and warning chimes. The car simply would not be in FMVSS compliance with the radio unpowered. Of course, many other components could be added to do these functions, but they would add cost, consume power, and add mass with all the associated wiring harnesses.

The Bose sound system is high efficiency. Just relax and put on some soothing music and don't obsess about it!
 
#8 ·
I am happy with the design. It's just not that hard to turn the volume down.
 
#42 · (Edited)
Perhaps GM doesn't consider it a BUG. I think Bob_Livonia has given a pretty good explanation in post #7. I can be retrained to turn off the volume or even use the aux on the radio if nothing is plugged in and it bothers me. I see it is a passionate complaint here but i think making it into a big deal just detracts from the positives and enjoying the Volt. GM has no doubt heard the complaint. Whether they change it or not, i really enjoy the Volt and hope all here do also. It might be good not to get too worked up over it imo.
Joe
 
#10 ·
#1 complaint: Radio silence!

Greetings,

I love my new volt in many ways... But the touch controls and the radio are not among my favorite features.

For starters... The button layout on the center console looks like someone just loaded a bunch of random buttons into a shotgun and blasted away! The layout makes no sense. But I can live with that.

But the fact that you cannot turn off the stereo is driving me CRAZY. (Yes I know I can turn the volume down.) Why does the radio have an off button when most of the other NON-RELATED buttons turn the radio back ON? !!!

The radio OFF button should turn the radio OFF! And it needs to STAY OFF until I turn it back on! There is absolutely no reason that un-relared functions like the Leaf button, Climate button, Auto button, Nav button, Dest button... Should turn the radio back on.

OFF means OFF! Until I turn it back on.

This software BUG needs to be FIXED! NOW!
 
#11 ·
seconded...

I agree! It seems like slightly different behavior could be programmed into the existing buttons. The Volt owner could then pick one or the other of the radio behavior schemes on the configuration screen.

I would even be willing to pay for an actual additional physical button to be added to the center stack to produce acceptable radio behavior, if it came to that.
 
#12 ·
LISTEN UP GM!!!!!!
THIS HAS BEEN ASKED ABOUT REPEATEDLY. MY TAHOE HYBRID IS THE SAME. I CANNOT TURN OFF MY DAMN STEREO WITHOUT TURNING OFF MY NAV AS WELL. THIS IS NUTS. FIX THIS!!!
 
#13 ·
Maybe all the audio sounds are processed via the 'Radio' and therefore for the Nav. phone, etc... to work, the radio, or radio amp, must be on. Also remember all of these devices use the same screen. This is only a guess since my current care still have a separate radio.
 
#15 ·
I am happy with the center console and you people just need to get used to new tech instead of wanting everything to work like your '72 Oldsmobile.
 
#114 ·
I agree with you, Volt drivers can except a futuristic vehicle like the Volt but still cling to the idea that everything in the Volt should still work like the outdated ICEs...new ideas, new trends means new ways of doing things...
 
#16 ·
It's not a matter of actually powering down the radio... I understand the amplifier needs to stay on for the navigation, phone & dings & beeps... But when I do NOT want the distraction of MUSIC. The Off button should MUTE the radio until I turn it back on. (And yes we all understand the volume is a workaround for this software BUG.) The radio needs an OFF button that turns the radio OFF. Just because I am cold and want to access the climate control screen does NOT mean I want the radio to play!
 
#17 ·
Because YOU have CAPITITALIZED ever OTHER word, I will GRANT your wish, PRINCESS!

Turn DOWN the VOLUME.

YOU'RE WELCOME!

Let me guess, now you want ANOTHER pony???
 
#18 ·
Your comment is not particularly helpful nor relevant. I guessed you missed the part where I said: "And yes we all understand the volume is a workaround for this software BUG." Read before you post.

The issue is not resolved. This is an interface design flaw. It is the # 1 complaint about the Volt. It's completely Non-Intuitive. It is a behavior that confuses and irritates people.
 
#19 ·
Folks,

Why not just use the MUTE button on the steering wheel or center console. Moving your finger to hit the button on the steering wheel is very simple, very fast, and very convenient. Nav, etc still works (sounds - ie RPT repeat button, etc).

These attachments show pictures/locations of both buttons.
Text Line Font

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Door handle Small appliance
 
#20 ·
Why not just use the MUTE button on the steering wheel or center console.
Because it's not persistent over power cycles.

And it's stupid that we should have to do so. I agree this is absolutely the #1 complaint about the Volt. Sure, the radio system needs to be on to drive the display and play any necessary sounds. Fine. That's a technical implementation detail nobody should have to care about. But if the radio was turned off before I hit a button that needs to turn on the hardware, when I press the button it should be smart enough to turn on the radio and mute it itself.

I agree it's stupid that it doesn't work this way. It's stupider than GM doesn't seem to think this needs to be fixed. It's crazy silly wonderful that this is the number 1 problem with the Volt, since most cars have serious major quirks and this one falls down into the noise (so to speak).

But GM should still fix it. The fact that they haven't implies they don't care what customer's #1 complaint is about the car, and that's really not a good thing for GM to be implying...
 
#22 ·
FWIW they did fix it for the new electronics with the base radio without nav on the 2012s. So it appears they are listening. But they are still using the old electronics/software for the nav models, perhaps there is some inherent design flaw that prevents them from disabling the radio on that, until they go to some next generation of the nav system. It is pretty stupid.

For the NAV units you'll have to use the src->aux workaround.
 
#24 ·
I am not asking for workarounds. I understand there are workarounds for the BROKEN off button.

My point is the OFF button is BROKEN.

GM needs to FIX the OFF button or remove it entirely from the dash and provide accurate instructions describing all of these convoluted workarounds for the missing OFF button.
 
#27 ·
This has been discussed dozens of times in the past. I understand from your perspective it is broken. It is not from their perspective. Some users like it working the way it is and think having the radio/music off was temporary. Apparently this works like this on many GM cars so it is working as designed and not a Volt thing.

I always am bewildered at the dramatic passion people show on this topic when MUTE is so simple/fast. If I never listened to music or the radio I'd just leave it on AUX or keep something plugged into the 3.5mm jack (old head phone 3.5mm plug).
 
#32 · (Edited)
I hate this too. It's been commented on ad naseum. No reason to get worked up about it. For those wanting it to be fixed NOW -- not going to happen. For those that think it's fine as -- it's annoying to many people.

Scott, the problem I have with your mute solution is that it works for radio but not for an iPod or USB stick. In these cases muting lets the songs keep playing and you may not want to do that. And yes I know you can hit Pause.

GM has said that the Volt is bringing new buyers to GM. Maybe this is the downside of that -- we're used to something different and arguably better. I honestly don't see how anyone would think this was better than the way everyone else does it and, consequently, I agree with flmark that they should fix it (prospectively). And I'm not that picky.
 
#34 ·
Scott, the problem I have with your mute solution is that it works for radio but not for an iPod or USB stick. In these cases muting lets the songs keep playing and you may not want to do that. And yes I know you can hit Pause.
Hmm ... now you have done it. I listen to MP3s too have have used MUTE to silence them. Normally with just random playing music MP3s I don't care but when listening to instructional MP3s or book MP3s it is annoying and I have to hit pause. It vehemently and passionately annoys me. Thanks for ruining my good day.
 
#43 ·
We are talking about the difference between a push and a twist.

Tell me all you babies aren't bein little b*tches because you absolutely need to be able to push a button to silence the radio instead of twist a knob?

Twisting the volume down does everything you are asking for.

No, it's not a workaround! It is the way it works.

Get used to it because if you don't like it, sell the freaking car or hang yourself. Those are the 2 choices you have.
 
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