California On Tour App

[myvanrodney]

As I pick up the new 6.1 next week, i am a bit lost on how many apps i have available! Looks like VW main app, We Connect Go (cannot find We Connect or plus) and then this one California-on-tour.

I will try this app but what is the difference with the others? I will play next weekend but just want to know if it is worth bothering

It’s quite painful gettting them to work, not particular intuitive. If you persevere, the we connect app is no longer available and has been replaced with the vw app - let’s you view fuel range, lock/unlock doors and see if doors or windows (I think) open and sound the horn!. The California on tour app is more of a camping companion app - you can search for camp sites, fuel stations etc and (if your van has the WiFi button left of the steering wheel) remote control a few things like roof, interior lights etc.

 

[kpttnuts-beach]

It’s quite painful gettting them to work, not particular intuitive. If you persevere, the we connect app is no longer available and has been replaced with the vw app - let’s you view fuel range, lock/unlock doors and see if doors or windows (I think) open and sound the horn!. The California on tour app is more of a camping companion app - you can search for camp sites, fuel stations etc and (if your van has the WiFi button left of the steering wheel) remote control a few things like roof, interior lights etc.

Only if your wifi button works…I’m still waiting on a reason why mine has stopped working…MY24 cali…VW apps and tech team are not really as quick as I’d like at getting back with working solutions.

 

[myvanrodney]

Only if your wifi button works…I’m still waiting on a reason why mine has stopped working…MY24 cali…VW apps and tech team are not really as quick as I’d like at getting back with working solutions.

silly suggestion, but worth mentioning - I found that the light doesn't come on till you take you finger off the button, I think if you hold it for too long it doesn't do anything... so press for no longer than 1 second then release to switch on (and same to switch off).

 

[Barry Chuckle]

I have the app with my Range Rover and Volvo and both those, enable you to turn the lights on, preheat the cabin to a desired temperature. These are the only functions I tend to use and they're really helpful on a cold day, but most importantly they work from any distance. The Cali App doesn't work from anywhere away from the vehicle and doesn't control heating so to me it's useless.

The Cali app does keep dropping out every few minutes with mine too. Personally I think it's more important to open/close the roof from inside the vehicle so you can see any jams etc than outside. I think it's too risky opening it remotely from the outside so I question the use of this feature. But I'd be interested to hear the views of long term owners for their views on this?

 

[kpttnuts-beach]

silly suggestion, but worth mentioning - I found that the light doesn't come on till you take you finger off the button, I think if you hold it for too long it doesn't do anything... so press for no longer than 1 second then release to switch on (and same to switch off).

I have tried the 3sec - 5sec suggestions as per the manual (and taking my finger off at various times including a quick press)..., if I hold it in for 30secs it resets with the 5 yellow flash sequence (as per the manual info). Tried various durations after a reset by still no joy yet.

 

[kpttnuts-beach]

I have tried the 3sec - 5sec suggestions as per the manual (and taking my finger off at various times including a quick press)..., if I hold it in for 30secs it resets with the 5 yellow flash sequence (as per the manual info). Tried various durations after a reset by still no joy yet.

I have now tried longer quick presses with hold and release and can nearly manage to get it to work every time - thank you for your post because it made me try shorter durations than what I was reading in the manual.

 

[flying banana]

I can't be arsed with any of this stuff, folding the mirrors from 10 mile away. Turning the heater on or off. Who cares. It's bollox. Doesn't work. And if it did Who cares?

 

[Barry Chuckle]

I can't be arsed with any of this stuff, folding the mirrors from 10 mile away. Turning the heater on or off. Who cares. It's bollox. Doesn't work. And if it did Who cares?

I personally would find it quite useful to be able to turn on the diesel heater remotely so it was warm when I got into it. We can all open our vehicles with a key, but most prefer to use the remote for that!

 

[flying banana]

I personally would find it quite useful to be able to turn on the diesel heater remotely so it was warm when I got into it. We can all open our vehicles with a key, but most prefer to use the remote for that!

You can set a timer? Even so it's not useful, when you turn the heater on when you get to the van,you must know this, it's toasty before your back from the toilet block

 

[Barry Chuckle]

You can set a timer? Even so it's not useful, when you turn the heater on when you get to the van,you must know this, it's toasty before your back from the toilet block

I'm going away in mine for the first time this weekend so not really that au fait with it yet so you may be correct. But would it not be handy if you're back to your van earlier than planned if you've been out for a walk or something?

 

[flying banana]

I'm going away in mine for the first time this weekend so not really that au fait with it yet so you may be correct. But would it not be handy if you're back to your van earlier than planned if you've been out for a walk or something?

It warms up in about 4 minutes flat, so no. Assuming you mean put the heater on. You can leave the heater on while your out on low too. Too many of these cali lot are far too reluctant to run the heater and it's ridiculous. I've seen candles. Radiators and plant pots mentioned. Just turn it on and enjoy. Also timer? I run mine all the time. Sometime 24hrs a day

 

[vmaxkiddy]

I personally would find it quite useful to be able to turn on the diesel heater remotely so it was warm when I got into it. We can all open our vehicles with a key, but most prefer to use the remote for that!

Why use an app, and a very poor one at that, when the parking heater comes with a remote that works from around a kilometre away.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Why use an app, and a very poor one at that, when the parking heater comes with a remote that works from around a kilometre away.

Thanks, this is where my lack of knowledge as a two week owner shows!
I suppose I'm just drawing parallels with my other cars where I find the remote facility invaluable, but that's probably as it takes a car a good 15 mins to warm up whereas the Cali is significantly quicker which I'm lead to believe.

 

[WelshGas]

I personally would find it quite useful to be able to turn on the diesel heater remotely so it was warm when I got into it. We can all open our vehicles with a key, but most prefer to use the remote for that!

Do you not have a Heater Remote?

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Do you not have a Heater Remote?

I do have one, I've not quite yet worked out how and what temperature etc it starts at when I press it.

The heater remote will probably largely solve my problem when I understand it, but if I had the convenience of an app all in one place it'd be one less thing to carry around.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

It starts at the heat you’ve last selected in the van. Also it will start as Immediately or Continuously as last set in the van.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

It starts at the heat you’ve last selected in the van. Also it will start as Immediately or Continuously as last set in the van.

Ah right that's helpful thank you,so if you're only wanting the remote to heat the van for a finite amount of time you need to make sure that you use the Heat Immediately before you leave the vehicle?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Yes. I believe you’ll get a maximum of 2 hours on Heat Immediately. Beware of repeated use as I believe the heater will ‘lock out’ and won’t work until you’ve driven for a while.

 

[Kayleigh]

Why use an app, and a very poor one at that, when the parking heater comes with a remote that works from around a kilometre away.

Wow! I didn’t know that. Does it need a direct line of sight from that distance?

 

[WelshGas]

Wow! I didn’t know that. Does it need a direct line of sight from that distance?

Press either Vehicle Remote or Heater Remote against your forehead or temple and you can really extend the distance. My Heater Remote has worked from further than 1km with line of sight. Top of Pen Y Faen to the Car Park.

 

[66tim99]

Press either Vehicle Remote or Heater Remote against your forehead or temple and you can really extend the distance.

Still baffled by this, and smell a wind-up.
Or could the radio signal get some sort of boost from your dome, akin to a radar dish?!
I can imagine your chuckles Weshgas, but are you serious?
I know you’re a scientifically minded chap. How could this be true?
Could just holding the remote up vertically at head height do exactly the same thing?

 

[Mr T]

Still baffled by this, and smell a wind-up.
Or could the radio signal get some sort of boost from your dome, akin to a radar dish?!
I can imagine your chuckles Weshgas, but are you serious?
I know you’re a scientifically minded chap. How could this be true?
Could just holding the remote up vertically at head height do exactly the same thing?

Around 60 per cent of the human body is made up of water. And water responds in a very helpful way to electromagnetic waves when inside a cavity, like your body. When the radio waves from the key go into your water-dense body, a ‘dielectric resonator’ is created. This increases the amplitude of the waves, and thus, the range of the signal.

 

[andyinluton]

It starts at the heat you’ve last selected in the van. Also it will start as Immediately or Continuously as last set in the van.

It starts heat immediately or ventilate as last set in the van.
Heat continuously is only available via the control panel. ( and possibly via the app on newer vans)

 

[WelshGas]

Still baffled by this, and smell a wind-up.
Or could the radio signal get some sort of boost from your dome, akin to a radar dish?!
I can imagine your chuckles Weshgas, but are you serious?
I know you’re a scientifically minded chap. How could this be true?
Could just holding the remote up vertically at head height do exactly the same thing?

No joke. Try it.

 

[Kayleigh]

Press either Vehicle Remote or Heater Remote against your forehead or temple and you can really extend the distance. My Heater Remote has worked from further than 1km with line of sight. Top of Pen Y Faen to the Car Park.

That’s brilliant!!