We Connect T6.1

[GrumpyGranddad]

thing is I went to purchase it and it told me I already have it until nov 2023. So surely I / we should have the features they suggest we can have if we parted with the monies ..

Hmm.. I might call them also.

That’s exactly the point Zippster - worth challenging this. If they really can’t provide the features that they are advertising to us that we’ve already paid for, maybe some compensation is in order.

 

[johna]

I just spoke with VW Digital Services. A very helpful & friendly guy said that VW have told them that a "big update' that will solve "a lot of current problems" will be happening in the next quarter, i.e. Q1 2021. Digital Services don't know when in the quarter. He said that VW say this update will include control of the auxiliary heater and other issues. It will also give this and the lock / unlock control to MY21 vehicles. So, watch this space ...

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I just spoke with VW Digital Services. A very helpful & friendly guy said that VW have told them that a "big update' that will solve "a lot of current problems" will be happening in the next quarter, i.e. Q1 2021. Digital Services don't know when in the quarter. He said that VW say this update will include control of the auxiliary heater and other issues. It will also give this and the lock / unlock control to MY21 vehicles. So, watch this space ...

That’s good news. Fingers crossed.

 

[Ray Jordan]

Ive pretty much much given up on We Connect at the moment.. I don't think it is fit for purpose.
This morning WeConnect told me that my Cali was unlocked! I always check before bed and I know that it was locked by me.

I went out and tried the door handle first and sure enough it was still locked. I unlocked and locked again with the remote and WeConnect then changed to LOCKED.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Ive pretty much much given up on We Connect at the moment.. I don't think it is fit for purpose.
This morning WeConnect told me that my Cali was unlocked! I always check before bed and I know that it was locked by me.

I went out and tried the door handle first and sure enough it was still locked. I unlocked and locked again with the remote and WeConnect then changed to LOCKED.

That’s really bad. Imagine if you’d been some distance from your van and unable to check it! Unnecessary worry.

 

[Californication69]

Mine has worked really tbh.
Whilst in Paris, it said my boot was unlocked, I left the hotel and checked the boot. It was indeed on the catch. You couldn’t open it, but it was on that locked slightly open position. I unlocked using the app, opened the boot, pushed my boxes back a bit more, the chair compartment was squashed to the box, and closed the boot, the electric mech pulled the boot closed. I locked again using the app, and it said the boot was now locked.
Let’s hope they get the night heater timer sorted, then it will be the ultimate companion ? (And lock / unlock for MY21 owners)

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Another issue i’ve had recently with We Connect is that it’s flagged up a tyre pressure warning even though the car display says all tyres are inflated correctly. This warning has persisted for a while. Anyway after driving to Citygate VW today to drop my car off (for the notorious bench seat repair), the warning on the App has disappeared. So, I conclude that some things on the App are not ‘real time’ but resolve themselves after the vehicle has been driven a distance.

 

[zippster]

Another issue i’ve had recently with We Connect is that it’s flagged up a tyre pressure warning even though the car display says all tyres are inflated correctly. This warning has persisted for a while. Anyway after driving to Citygate VW today to drop my car off (for the notorious bench seat repair), the warning on the App has disappeared. So, I conclude that some things on the App are not ‘real time’ but resolve themselves after the vehicle has been driven a distance.

Agree.. mines telling me I need to refuel even though I did at 10:30 this morning..

Hurry up Q1 update we need you!

 

[Kernowboy]

Is this the app that costs £129/yr outside any ‘free’ yrs provided on vehicle purchase? I say free but clearly it’s paid for in the Discovery system cost, and presumably the £600 ish additional cost for the Pro system allows for the additional 2 yrs. My question I suppose is, is it worth it? Or more broadly, is it worth upgrading to the Pro system given that c.40% of the cost is offset by the additional 2 yrs - but only if it‘s worth subscribing beyond the free period on the standard Discovery system. Thoughts?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Is this the app that costs £129/yr outside any ‘free’ yrs provided on vehicle purchase? I say free but clearly it’s paid for in the Discovery system cost, and presumably the £600 ish additional cost for the Pro system allows for the additional 2 yrs. My question I suppose is, is it worth it? Or more broadly, is it worth upgrading to the Pro system given that c.40% of the cost is offset by the additional 2 yrs - but only if it‘s worth subscribing beyond the free period on the standard Discovery system. Thoughts?

I love the Discover Media Pro and didn’t get it for the We Connect App. Re’ the App, It’s too early to say but after my 3-years are up i’ll review whether the App is worth paying an annual subscription for.

 

[Wogga]

I have the Skoda Discovery Pro in my current car exactly same as just different looking icons. unlike what I am reading it works faultlessly and its been around for 3 years so we are not talking new technology here? It is baffling what the criteria is for changing the characteristics of the app. It has purely got to be that for some reason our van owners must need different features. Well big assumption there that they are listening to customer feedback!

 

[Kernowboy]

I love the Discover Media Pro and didn’t get it for the We Connect App. Re’ the App, It’s too early to say but after my 3-years are up i’ll review whether the App is worth paying an annual subscription for.

It certainly looks good but I would be interested to hear why you love it? It’s a fair old chunk over the standard system and I‘m trying to work out whether it’s worth going for the upgrade. The extra 2 yrs is a factor in that, for me at least. On my T6 I invariably ended up using google maps or waze through app connect because the OEM satnav really wasn’t great. So I’m tempted but a little hesitant to pay more for the Pro version unless its been improved.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

It certainly looks good but I would be interested to hear why you love it? It’s a fair old chunk over the standard system and I‘m trying to work out whether it’s worth going for the upgrade. The extra 2 yrs is a factor in that, for me at least. On my T6 I invariably ended up using google maps or waze through app connect because the OEM satnav really wasn’t great. So I’m tempted but a little hesitant to pay more for the Pro version unless its been improved.

Hi Kernoboy,
Well, I can’t really compare the Pro to the standard version since i’ve never used it and TBH I didn’t compare the features/functionality of the two options.
I just really like the look and feel of the big touch screen on the Pro, online connectivity, gesture control, App Connect, Car Play, Voice Control, etc. 2 USB ports for connecting media, Great graphics. I’m actually still finding my way around it all.

 

[Perfectos]

We connect is shockingly bad, in contrast discover media is very good.
If I had to part with real money for we connect I would be asking for my money back. In the modern age VW have done a shockingly bad job with this software and the integration / user interface. Very clunky and poorly executed. The features it purports to provide in reality does not work as it should and as advertised!

 

[Californication69]

Interesting email from the VW We Connect team today.
It mentions the lock / unlock and the Online auxiliary heater !
I shall ring them and ask why they are putting it into an email?

They need a proof reader !

System update of mobile online services for your Volkswagen​

Dear Mr XXXX Your satisfaction is always our top priority. Part of maintaining our standards involves performing regular system updates for mobile online services. This usually happens in the background. However, we will require your assistance following the system update that will take place on December 2nd 2020 between 00:01 a.m. and 04:00 a.m. (CET). The next time your Volkswagen is started after the update, communication will need to be re-established between your vehicle and our systems. To do this, the relevant profile for the primary and secondary user must be selected in the vehicle’s infotainment system depending on the driver, and the correct S-PIN must be entered. If you are the primary user and will be unable to access your vehicle for a prolonged period, please inform a secondary user about the steps that need to be performed after the system update. We have provided detailed instructions for this below. Please be aware that after the time window for the planned system update mentioned above, various mobile online services will not function until you start your vehicle again. During this period, you will not receive any notifications from your vehicle in the We Connect app, in the We Connect web portal or by email and will not be able to send any commands to your vehicle through the We Connect app or from the We Connect web portal. The following services are affected: ‘Lock & Unlock’; ‘Horn & Turn Signals’; ‘Parking Position’; ‘Vehicle Health Report’; ‘Vehicle Status’; ‘Online Auxiliary Heater’; ‘Online Anti-Theft Alarm’; ‘Speed Alert’; ‘Area Alert’. Please note in particular that no notifications from the ‘Online Anti-Theft Alarm’ service can be received during this period. The anti-theft alarm system will still trigger as usual in the event of an attempted theft, but you will not be informed of this by a notification in your We Connect app or in the We Connect web portal. For this reason, please try to minimise the time between the system update and restarting your vehicle (do so within 24 hours if possible) in order re-enable communication between your vehicle and our systems as soon as possible. We would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding. Please proceed as follows the next time you start your vehicle after the system update: First switch on your vehicle’s ignition. If your vehicle is unable to connect to the Internet at its present location, please move your vehicle to somewhere where it can establish a connection. Communication between our systems and your vehicle can only be established when there is an Internet connection. Next, please select your profile as primary or secondary user from the available user profiles. Please note: If you do not actively select the primary or secondary user from your user profiles, the guest user profile will be selected and your vehicle will be in ‘Maximum privacy’ mode. There can be no data connection between the vehicle and the data server in this mode. This means that the functionality of various services is also restricted. The current vehicle status is also not shown in the We Connect web portal or We Connect app. If you are asked to do so, please enter your four-digit S-PIN.Once you have entered your S-PIN, you may then be asked to enter your username and password. Please enter these if asked to do so. Once you have entered all of your details and your user profile is successfully accepted, please check whether the globe in your infotainment system turns white. This means that your vehicle has been reconnected to the Internet and can communicate with our systems. This may take a few minutes. If the globe in your infotainment system does not turn white or the infotainment system in your vehicle behaves differently from the above, you may need to turn your ignition on again. Leave the vehicle to stand for a few minutes, then try again. If you require assistance with these steps, the infotainment system behaves differently from the above or you have further questions about the mobile online services, our customer support team are always happy to help. Thank you for your support. We hope you continue to enjoy using Volkswagen We Connect services. Your We Connect team​

Any questions, ideas or feedback? Then give us a call. You can call us on 0800-279 750 8* If you prefer to write to us, please send us an e-mail at: weconnect-support@volkswagen.de More information about We Connect is available here: connect.volkswagen-we.com * If your phone provider does not support this number, please call +44 (0) 1908-813 700. The costs are based on the relevant rate charged by your provider. In the case of calls from abroad, roaming charges may apply.

Imprint Postal address: Berliner Ring 2, 38440 Wolfsburg Volkswagen AG is registered in the Commercial Register of the District Court of Brunswick under HRB 100484. Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Hans Dieter Pötsch Chairman of the Board of Management: Herbert Diess Board of Management: Oliver Blume, Markus Duesmann, Gunnar Kilian, Hiltrud D. Werner, Frank Witter The VAT ID number of Volkswagen AG is DE 115235681.

 

[66tim99]

Interesting email from the VW We Connect team today.
It mentions the lock / unlock and the Online auxiliary heater !
I shall ring them and ask why they are putting it into an email?

They need a proof reader !

System update of mobile online services for your Volkswagen​

Dear Mr XXXX Your satisfaction is always our top priority. Part of maintaining our standards involves performing regular system updates for mobile online services. This usually happens in the background. However, we will require your assistance following the system update that will take place on December 2nd 2020 between 00:01 a.m. and 04:00 a.m. (CET). The next time your Volkswagen is started after the update, communication will need to be re-established between your vehicle and our systems. To do this, the relevant profile for the primary and secondary user must be selected in the vehicle’s infotainment system depending on the driver, and the correct S-PIN must be entered. If you are the primary user and will be unable to access your vehicle for a prolonged period, please inform a secondary user about the steps that need to be performed after the system update. We have provided detailed instructions for this below. Please be aware that after the time window for the planned system update mentioned above, various mobile online services will not function until you start your vehicle again. During this period, you will not receive any notifications from your vehicle in the We Connect app, in the We Connect web portal or by email and will not be able to send any commands to your vehicle through the We Connect app or from the We Connect web portal. The following services are affected: ‘Lock & Unlock’; ‘Horn & Turn Signals’; ‘Parking Position’; ‘Vehicle Health Report’; ‘Vehicle Status’; ‘Online Auxiliary Heater’; ‘Online Anti-Theft Alarm’; ‘Speed Alert’; ‘Area Alert’. Please note in particular that no notifications from the ‘Online Anti-Theft Alarm’ service can be received during this period. The anti-theft alarm system will still trigger as usual in the event of an attempted theft, but you will not be informed of this by a notification in your We Connect app or in the We Connect web portal. For this reason, please try to minimise the time between the system update and restarting your vehicle (do so within 24 hours if possible) in order re-enable communication between your vehicle and our systems as soon as possible. We would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding. Please proceed as follows the next time you start your vehicle after the system update: First switch on your vehicle’s ignition. If your vehicle is unable to connect to the Internet at its present location, please move your vehicle to somewhere where it can establish a connection. Communication between our systems and your vehicle can only be established when there is an Internet connection. Next, please select your profile as primary or secondary user from the available user profiles. Please note: If you do not actively select the primary or secondary user from your user profiles, the guest user profile will be selected and your vehicle will be in ‘Maximum privacy’ mode. There can be no data connection between the vehicle and the data server in this mode. This means that the functionality of various services is also restricted. The current vehicle status is also not shown in the We Connect web portal or We Connect app. If you are asked to do so, please enter your four-digit S-PIN.Once you have entered your S-PIN, you may then be asked to enter your username and password. Please enter these if asked to do so. Once you have entered all of your details and your user profile is successfully accepted, please check whether the globe in your infotainment system turns white. This means that your vehicle has been reconnected to the Internet and can communicate with our systems. This may take a few minutes. If the globe in your infotainment system does not turn white or the infotainment system in your vehicle behaves differently from the above, you may need to turn your ignition on again. Leave the vehicle to stand for a few minutes, then try again. If you require assistance with these steps, the infotainment system behaves differently from the above or you have further questions about the mobile online services, our customer support team are always happy to help. Thank you for your support. We hope you continue to enjoy using Volkswagen We Connect services. Your We Connect team​

Any questions, ideas or feedback? Then give us a call. You can call us on 0800-279 750 8* If you prefer to write to us, please send us an e-mail at: weconnect-support@volkswagen.de More information about We Connect is available here: connect.volkswagen-we.com * If your phone provider does not support this number, please call +44 (0) 1908-813 700. The costs are based on the relevant rate charged by your provider. In the case of calls from abroad, roaming charges may apply.

Imprint Postal address: Berliner Ring 2, 38440 Wolfsburg Volkswagen AG is registered in the Commercial Register of the District Court of Brunswick under HRB 100484. Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Hans Dieter Pötsch Chairman of the Board of Management: Herbert Diess Board of Management: Oliver Blume, Markus Duesmann, Gunnar Kilian, Hiltrud D. Werner, Frank Witter The VAT ID number of Volkswagen AG is DE 115235681.

Is this the update that might enable remote operation of the auxiliary heater perhaps?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Is this the update that might enable remote operation of the auxiliary heater perhaps?

Hope so but i’m doubtful.

 

[Californication69]

Hope so but i’m doubtful.

It would be an absolute blessing !

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

So, as previously posted I too have We Connect showing my Cali as being unlocked and on checking it was locked. I need to stop looking at the App, too unreliable! :-(

 

[Ray Jordan]

This has happened to me twice now and I checked the rear door just in case and this was locked solid (I always wait for the indicators to flash and the "clunk" from the solenoids. I think VW have some major bugs with T6.1 MY21 around locking (and other things) which is why the promise of updates.

There's another quirk people need to be aware of with the locks.... I was sitting in the cabin of the Cali and my keys had come out of my pocket. When I moved I sat on the key and the Cali locked. I tried to get out but all the doors were deadlocked. I picked up the key and pressed unlock, which unlocked the doors again but about 20s later the doors automatically locked again so I repeated this by unlocking and again 20s later the doors locked without me touching the key fob and the alarm also went off because I was moving about.
What I found was, if I opened the driver door then everything reset back to normal. It is widely advised that you never lock the Cali with the key fob whilst inside but the automatic locking until the drivers door is opened is a bit quirky.

On the note about WeConnect and heating controls...
VW mention three heaters. 1. the climate control 2. auxiliary coolant heater 3. auxiliary air heater. The manual states that the auxiliary coolant heater can be controlled by the VW app. The California does not have the auxiliary coolant heater, only the auxiliary air heater which as we know cannot be controlled by the app.
Hopefully this may change but there is a possibility that VW are talking about the auxiliary coolant heater still in their communications. Lets hope not

 

[andyinluton]

On the note about WeConnect and heating controls...
VW mention three heaters. 1. the climate control 2. auxiliary coolant heater 3. auxiliary air heater. The manual states that the auxiliary coolant heater can be controlled by the VW app. The California does not have the auxiliary coolant heater, only the auxiliary air heater which as we know cannot be controlled by the app.
Hopefully this may change but there is a possibility that VW are talking about the auxiliary coolant heater still in their communications. Lets hope not

The California does have the auxiliary coolant heater , but the user has no control over it, it fires up if you start a cold engine below 5 degrees.

 

[andyinluton]

I was sitting in the cabin of the Cali and my keys had come out of my pocket. When I moved I sat on the key and the Cali locked. I tried to get out but all the doors were deadlocked. I picked up the key and pressed unlock, which unlocked the doors again but about 20s later the doors automatically locked again so I repeated this by unlocking and again 20s later the doors locked without me touching the key fob and the alarm also went off because I was moving about.
What I found was, if I opened the driver door then everything reset back to normal. It is widely advised that you never lock the Cali with the key fob whilst inside but the automatic locking until the drivers door is opened is a bit quirky.

The locking is normal sensible behaviour, it assumes you are outside the van and have pressed unlock accidentally, & logically thinks that if you've unlocked but then don't open a door soon you didn't actually mean to do it so locks up again.

 

[Ray Jordan]

The California does have the auxiliary coolant heater , but the user has no control over it, it fires up if you start a cold engine below 5 degrees.

You are right... it does... thankyou. I don't understand why this heater can be controlled by the App? Is that all it does?

 

[andyinluton]

Unless the water pump is running - its driven by one of the belts on the engine, there's little point as the water won't circulate.

 

[Ray Jordan]

OK.. I have had a good think about this coolant heater.. The coolant heater is used for defrosting the windows, heating the passenger compartment and pre heating the water cooled engine system. This explains the fact that the coolant heater kicks in automatically below 5 Degs. It also explains why there is a remote control... this would be to pre heat the vehicle from the app whilst you are say having breakfast. This must be the "heat immediately" setting heater that works off the separate heating key fob as well.
My train of thought suggests that this is the part of the app that is missing which may be corrected later so that you will be able to pre heat the Cali with either the key fob or the app.
I was rather hoping that the app would control the air heater which I guess is the "heat continuously with departures times" heater as this is the one you would use during camping as the coolant heater only runs for a max of 2hours until you move the vehicle again. Hope I haven't bored the pants off of everyone!