GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: evo1986 on 20 April 2018, 11:25
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Delivery stop for vehicles fitted with wireless smartphone charger, advanced telephone connection and business mobile phone interface
Retailers are to stop delivery of all new vehicles containing certain optional phone preparations to customers with immediate effect.
The affected PR codes are:
9IJ
9IH
9IP
9IQ
9ZC
9ZE
PTT
PTC
PTO
These phone preparation options normally include a component which amplifies mobile phone signals. Regrettably, due to technical and regulatory constraints, we are unable to provide this function at this moment in time.
All other functions of these options, such as wireless charging and dual phone Bluetooth connection will continue to be fully operational without any restrictions.
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So the advanced phone prep is the problem?
And if you've ordered one, even if its at the dealership, you aren't getting it... if the car has arrived, you'll be getting another car ordered minus it?
Sounds a bit harsh!
Sounds like its only something you'd do if the unit was dangerous...
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Well that's interesting as my new GTI which is allegedly arriving at the dealership on Monday next week was ordered with Wireless Charging option (PR Code 9IP), which seems to be one of them affected.
Any idea what this will mean for my car ?
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Well that's interesting as my new GTI which is allegedly arriving at the dealership on Monday next week was ordered with Wireless Charging option (PR Code 9IP), which seems to be one of them affected.
Any idea what this will mean for my car ?
Unfortunately it means you will not be able to take delivery until the technical solution is fixed.
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That sounds a bit alarming... what about people who already have the system fitted? Recall?
Or is it that it breaks some EU law that prohibits VW from selling it from a certain date?
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I guess it's something to do with radiation due to the signal booster breaking some European regulations or something ?
Bit of a bugger though as it now doesn't look as though I'll be collecting the car next weekend as I thought. I'm glad that evo1986 posted this here now though, as I was due to sign for the car on Wednesday next week and pay the balance of my deposit Wouldn't like to have paid many thousand of pounds deposit for a car that I won't be able to actually purchase.
Hmm...wonder what my options are now if legally they can't sell me the car that's been built for me ? Never been in this position before.
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My guess... a violation of OFCOM's Wireless Telegraphy (Mobile Repeater) (Exemption) Regulations 2018
That's effective April 2018, and while I can't find the final technical standard (IR2102), I did find a draft:
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/107253/DRAFT-IR_mobile-repeaters.pdf
I'd say someone has been informed that VW are breaking this UK law...
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It’s also being discussed over on a Seat forum as it affects Seat (and Skoda) too - presumably also Audi?
Seems the Seat fix will take about a 1/2 hr per car and involves unplugging the signal booster. Whether or not that’s an interim fix so customers can take delivery of their cars or the permanent technical solution doesn’t seem to be clear.
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Well, from over on the Seat forums, the following seems to be the cause of the problem:
It has come to light that the signal-boosting technology has been found to be capable of receiving signals from restricted sources and organisations that are ordinarily illegal to intercept.
In the interests of public security and regulatory constraints, SEAT has taken the decision to immediately stop deliveries of all new and used vehicles containing these wireless charging phone boxes.
The issue does not affect customers’ safety and from the limited details we have been given it certainly sounds fixable, the actual technology working effectively – perhaps overly so – and the aim being to ensure that customers will no longer be able to receive data that they shouldn’t have accoess to.
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My VW dealer is meant to be fixing this issue on a new Golf I am picking up next Saturday. Does anybody know how the fix might be done as I'm worried that it will involve taking part of the dash apart and if so I would be pretty upset that they are doing this on my new car??
They said only involves lifting of carpet and some very minor work, but not 100% convinced.
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Bloody hell that's a bugger, thank goodness my car hasn't been built yet. Will get hold of the dealer and de-select this option quick smart.
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Probably just unplugging the aerial or power lead to the amp
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My VW dealer is meant to be fixing this issue on a new Golf I am picking up next Saturday. Does anybody know how the fix might be done as I'm worried that it will involve taking part of the dash apart and if so I would be pretty upset that they are doing this on my new car??
They said only involves lifting of carpet and some very minor work, but not 100% convinced.
It is located in the offside rear quarter panel behind the interior trim panel, so rear seat bench and drivers side rear interior trim panel will be removed only.
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Thanks Gaz. I wonder why my dealer said it would only really involve lifting up some carpet?
I don't think I have an option other than to let them disconnect it. Not too concerned if it only involves very minor work. But presumably the removal of the amp does compromise the intended functionality which I paid an extra £360 for??
Thanks
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I presume it only takes away the signal booster but leaves the wireless charging, so if you ordered it because you live in a mobile phone poor signal area then it could be seen as a waste
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Well, you could always just plug it back in... ;)
Hardly gonna pick up signals from secret services are you?
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Just had a call from the dealers to say my car will be released from the Docks and be with them on Friday. Apparently a TPI has been sent to dealers detailing the fix for the telephone coupling issue that's required to sort out the problem. When I asked them, is it just like SEAT are doing, i.e. unplugging the amplifier, he said to the best of his knowledge, he's been informed no, and that this is a permanent fix (thinks it may be a software update to the unit) ?
In any case, looks like I'll now be hopefully collecting the GTI a week Saturday
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Well, went to see the new car at the dealership on Saturday, and I was lead by my salesmen into their workshops where the car was there in one of the service bays. I was a little shocked when i arrived that pretty much all of the rear boot trims (striker lock trim and both side trims, were removed and all the parts on the back seat of the car.
When I asked what was happening, I was told that the TPI from VW was to remove the amplifier completely (that connects the phone aerial to the car aerial and boosts signal) from the car and tie up the cables to prevent them rattling. The tech told me the TPI had said this was because the amplifier was interfering with the DAB signals and resultant poor radio signals. When I told him what the forums were saying (i.e. it is being removed as it crosses over into frequencies that Offcom in the UK deem private, he was sort of left scratching his head. So either VW are right and it's simply something to do with poor radio reception, or they are "misguiding" (shall we say) dealers in to the real reason for the TPI in the first place.
I am going in tonight to sign for the car and instigate my cherished plate transfer for a collection on Thursday evening, but have told them I want to view the car in the daylight first to make sure that all trim has been correctly refitted with no scratches, broken fittings, marks etc, and the same goes for the rear bumper, in which somewhat stupidly in my opinion, they had removed the transport wrapping from even though they were no doubt rubbing up against it whilst doing the work ?
My final dilemma is that regarding the fact they effectively they have removed part of the option I had paid for, with no guarantee that it will ever be refitted, should I demand some sort of recompense on the price of the option now only some of it's functionality now works ? The option cost £360.00so I'm thinking at least £100 for the missing part of the spec. What do you think ?
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I did have a customer challenge this with VW customer services but as I expected they didn't get anywhere. The wireless charging option on the Golf for £360 was never advertised as having a mobile signal booster in part of the price.
I guess only customers who ordered the Mobile Phone interface - Business may have grounds to ask for a reduction in the price however we haven't had a single customer order that as an option.
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OK good to know thanks Evo.
I was definitely told by my dealer at time of order, that like my current GTD which also has the climate windscreen fitted, that although unlike last time VW were not making you having to select the advanced phone option when ordering this windscreen option, they did tell me that the Wireless Phone pack did also give the same sort of boost functionality to the phone that my current 2016 advanced phone prep does. As you rightly say though, on checking the description in the brochure it doesn't implicitly state this, but it was one of the reasons I selected it. Guess it's my word against their's.
In any case, if they are removing a part of a new car that came with a feature (be it advertised or not), and hacking a brand new car apart this isn't something surely that's normal practise ?
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OK good to know thanks Evo.
I was definitely told by my dealer at time of order, that like my current GTD which also has the climate windscreen fitted, that although unlike last time VW were not making you having to select the advanced phone option when ordering this windscreen option, they did tell me that the Wireless Phone pack did also give the same sort of boost functionality to the phone that my current 2016 advanced phone prep does. As you rightly say though, on checking the description in the brochure it doesn't implicitly state this, but it was one of the reasons I selected it. Guess it's my word against their's.
In any case, if they are removing a part of a new car that came with a feature (be it advertised or not), and hacking a brand new car apart this isn't something surely that's normal practise ?
Understood mate, then I guess your gripe is going to have to be with the dealer / salesman rather than VW them selves that told you it had a signal booster. Not sure how on earth they would have known it actually had that feature when it doesn't state it anywhere in the features.............
Like you say its your word against theirs
Hope you enjoy the new car I am sure it will be great what ever the outcome
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Not sure how on earth they would have known it actually had that feature when it doesn't state it anywhere in the features.............
Probably because many salespeople have little product knowledge Lee, but spout any old twaddle to give the impression to the lesser informed that they do.
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BTW, Lee, what is Mobile Phone interface - Business actually doing that Discover Pro does not have? I was curious about that for some time. As mentioned before, on 2016 GTD if one ordered the climate windscreen, Advance telephone connection had to be ordered too... So what does the Mobile Phone Interface - Business do that's worth having? Thanks.
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The offending article ;D .
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/963/26943742247_5cbde8844f_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/H3VHS8)
Checked it out at the dealers last night and the wireless charging function works great, and it has 2 USB sockets (like my current GTD). One as you can see in the photo above, however it's a lower profile one than in the current car and the moulding for the USB housing is now floating and doesn't rob the cubby of width like before. Oh and no AUX (which I've never used anyway), presumably to allow better access to the bigger phones ?
The second USB socket is right inside the armrest centre cubby (as per the current GTD that has the advanced phone prep). The only (very slight) disappointment is that there is no elastic band holder to hold the phone in place like currently so the phone when connected in here will rattle around. I might have to rig something up here for future, or cover the insides of the armrest cubby with the felt like flock that lines the door bins (seen it done on another forum).
Other than that, I've checked all the trims in the boot where they were taken apart to remove the amplifier and it all looks brand new and solid as a rock (you genuinely can't tell someones been in there) and the paintwork on the rear bumper is still unmarked. Happy days.
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I guess AUX is gone because nobody is using it any more... reasonable cost saving for VW IMHO.
Most of the latest phones are dropping headphone jacks anyway and most of the ones in the last few years support either Bluetooth audio streaming or are being connected with Android Auto or Car Play.
I remember when an AUX input was the height of advanced technical capability! But not used it myself in many moons - not since my cars offered a USB stick/SD card instead.
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Agree Fred, I also remember being very smug when my Vauxhall I had at the time (yes I know), came with an 3.5mm AUX socket which was quite new to the market. All my friends though it was super cool.
However today for me it's either Radio, Android Auto (with either Spotify or Tunein Radio) or music on the SD card. Never used the 3.5mm socket ever in any of my previous VW's.
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LOL one of the Vectra's I had had it as a MY change and I was terribly excited to get one with an AUX port when my colleague's ones didn't have it.
The oneupmanship of company car drivers :D
But now I just look at it as a fluff filled hole that I don't use.
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But now I just look at it as a fluff filled hole that I don't use.
:shocked: