Maverick24 Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 anyone get this to work with their phone. The option is on the uconnet but can't use it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 (edited) Text messaging is not supported by the 8.4 / 8.4N radios in the Journey. Only Chrysler products equipped with the 8.4A / 8.4AN radio supports text messages. Update - this is incorrect - see my post below! Edited February 10, 2014 by Journeyman425 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick24 Posted February 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 the bozo's shouldn't of put the option in then if it wont work jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 the bozo's shouldn't of put the option in then if it wont work lol...I agree. We have the smaller touchscreen w/o uconnect, but the start up screen still gives warnings about using it. IMO, uconnect has a long way to go to match the ford mysync thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtomatoman Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 Text messaging is not supported by the 8.4 / 8.4N radios in the Journey. Only Chrysler products equipped with the 8.4A / 8.4AN radio supports text messages. Finally. Someone who has an answer to this question. I have spent hours updating and monkeying around with my phone only to see this option fail time and time again. My dealer and the Chrysler help line consistently told me it was my phone. Three phones later, no text in my DJ. Since we, evidently, cannot rely on dealers nor the Chrysler help line for accurate info, Chrysler should spend a lot more time on employee education and/or create a position for someone to review the owner's manuals so that they are correct. I was also told when I purchased my DJ that my vehicle would support text. Again, poor employee education is likely at the root of that statement. I love my DJ, but that $#!+ pisses me off!! Peace. Addicted to Dodge 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted to Dodge Posted February 8, 2014 Report Share Posted February 8, 2014 I only have the 4.3 in my Journey. I tried this a few times as well with no luck. Soon I became frustrated and said screw it, I have better things to worry about. I have the same problems with my wifes Town and Country. I just assumed I was electronically challenged. As long as I can plug my mp3 in and listen to music I am good. To hell with the rest, its way over my head anyways!! jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Finally. Someone who has an answer to this question. I have spent hours updating and monkeying around with my phone only to see this option fail time and time again. My dealer and the Chrysler help line consistently told me it was my phone. Three phones later, no text in my DJ. Since we, evidently, cannot rely on dealers nor the Chrysler help line for accurate info, Chrysler should spend a lot more time on employee education and/or create a position for someone to review the owner's manuals so that they are correct. I was also told when I purchased my DJ that my vehicle would support text. Again, poor employee education is likely at the root of that statement. I love my DJ, but that $#!+ pisses me off!! Peace. It frustrates me, too - and I work for a dealer. Educating the personnel is extremely important, and also extraordinarily time-consuming. Dealer employees at nearly every level have multiple online courses to take every year, and our techs are sent away for training several times per year just to stay current. But the other side of the story is the dizzying array of features and options that today's cars are crammed with. These features and options often change not only with each passing model year, but sometimes in mid-cycle as well. I'm not defending the people who don't spend the time to learn, nor am I making excuses for them, but trust me when I tell you that it is a truly daunting task to keep it all straight and current. One of the reasons why I participate in this forum is that it helps me to learn things by researching your questions. I agree that the "messaging" button should not be there if the feature is not present or even available. Jkeaton - your 4.3 can be upgraded to Uconnect and that's why the message comes up on the welcome screen. But the 8.4 and 8.4N cannot be upgraded to Uconnect Access which supports voice texting, so the grayed out "message" softkey really has not place on this unit at all. My understanding is that Uconnect Access is embedded in the 8.4A and 8.4AN radios which are otherwise identical to the 8.4 and 8.4N and so removing the grayed out key would likely be a large corporate expense in the overall picture. bigtsr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtomatoman Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 I get it. No one can know everything. BUT, Chrysler, as a company, has a responsibility to either KISS or be sure that their employees are up to speed. Why eliminate text functionality from any vehicle? Why have an 8.4AN and an 8.4N anyway? Just make all the top tier systems the 8.4AN or whatever. Of course there is a place for differing component levels, but make all the 4.3s the same and all the 8.4s the same. Uniformity is simpler than trying to train employees about the differences. That said, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that there's a reason for the differences, but from a consumer's POV, more functionality would sell more cars. It does not seem that adding or subtracting a feature would cost Chrysler much at all. Sometimes its one simple feature that is the most important. I don't really need the text feature, but it would be nice. For another DJ buyer it may be the difference between purchasing a DJ or moving on to the next vehicle on their list. Anyway, I feel your pain in all the education. I get it all the time at work. It seems like you do quite well with your continuing education. Thanks again for clearing this issue up for all of us on the forum. Peace. rolly and bigtsr 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigtsr Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 In the automotive reality world there are "very few" manufacturer owned dealerships and these are usually showcases in and around their manufacturing facilities. Your typical dealership works on the edge of profit margins and therefore if they don't want to spend money on keeping their employees on the cutting edge of skill and knowhow there are ways to do it while keeping the brand manufacturer of your back. A great deal of their profit lies in the extras the sales staff can sell to the buyer and therefore the marketing of 8.4N or 8.4AN is usually about dollars and whether the salestaff has the peripheral component knowledge to upgrade the buyer with these attractions and we all know what the turnover can be like in the sales department. I agree with Redtomatoman it would be nice if choices were simplified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcgusto82 Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) What is the difference between the 8.4A, and 8.4? What cars does it come in? Edited February 9, 2014 by Mcgusto82 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
air1rfc Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) You can find out which version you have here. driveuconnect.com I see you have a 2012. My 2012 which was built in Feb 2012 has the 8.4N. Edited February 9, 2014 by air1rfc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
air1rfc Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 (edited) All I have had the message function working on a 2012 built in February 2012. It has the 8.4N. Long story short it does not work with many popular phones. Like iPhone for example. I tried with the iPhone 4 and now the iPhone 5S with no luck. I am not sure if it is the IOS of the phone or a limitation with the unit in the car. But it does not work. U-Connect lists the iPhone 4 as not capable of messaging on the website. Which was correct as I could never get it to work. Now for how it does work. I have a basic Samsung flip phone for my work SGH A847R. If I connect it. Bingo it works. So it seems that to have the texting work you need a more basic phone. Edited February 9, 2014 by air1rfc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r440 Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 from what I have read it seems that apple wont let it work,I have no idea if another brand might Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
air1rfc Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 in this picture we see the phone connected with the messaging active. I blacked out quick numbers at the top between dial and mute. I do want to make edits to the images clear. This image shows the inbox. There are two options either view or listen to the text. Where the +1 is the phone number of the incoming message. I have blacked it out. Finally we see the text content in the final image. Again the 1+ is where the phone number of the sender of the text. So in the end a simple Samsung flip phone with bluetooth works very well if texting is important. Addicted to Dodge 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) What is the difference between the 8.4A, and 8.4? What cars does it come in? 8.4A is embedded with Uconnect Access (hence the "A" designation) which is a series of features similar to GM's OnStar - there is a button in the rearview mirror of a 8.4A equipped vehicle which will call 911 or Roadside assistance via the interface with the radio. When you register for Uconnect Access, you receive an app for your smartphone which then allows you to remote start, remote door lock/unlock, receive vehicle theft alarm messages, and voice message dictation via your phone. Other Uconnect access features include the Bing search engine, SRT Performance Pages and the ability to turn your radio into a WiFi hotspot. I made a critical error in my statement about text message support. Nowhere in my dealer literature is there a discussion about text messaging via the radio. It only discusses Voice Texting, which as I mentioned above, is only available with the 8.4A/AN radio. Voice texting allows you to dictate to the VR system in the car, and then it translates that into text messages which are then sent by your phone via the bluetooth system. As air1rfc so eloquently demonstrated (and I thank you for that) you can indeed text with certain phones. I've never seen it work in any of my customers' cars (presumably because nearly all of them have smartphones) and just as he pointed out, it does not work with the iPhones, of which all four of my family members have. I have the Owner's Manual downloaded on my desktop as a PDF - I put it there when I ordered the car and read through it over the six weeks that it took to build it and deliver it to my shop. This version does not discuss the radio functions in detail. The Owner's Guide which is supplied with the car does. I stand corrected by air1rfc and by the book: Voice Text Reply - Uconnect Phone can read or send new text messages on your mobile phone. your mobile phone must support Voice Text Reply over Bluetooth in order to use this feature. If not compatible, the "Messaging" button will be greyed out... I'm truly sorry for the misinformation, guys. As of now, Uconnect access is available on these models: http://www.driveuconnect.com/features/uconnect_access/packages/ Edited February 12, 2014 by Journeyman425 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtomatoman Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 Well now. . . This seems to be an interesting issue. I'm not sure how to feel about the fact that a flip phone works to allow text but not a "smart" phone. Maybe I was too hard on my salesman. The whole text thing is just weird. I was initially interested only because it seems that everyone would rather text than call nowadays. There were times that I missed texts while my music was playing. It would be nice to have the uconnect system alert me of a text and show it on the screen. Safer than reaching for my phone and reading that way when I'm alone in the DJ. My wife reads texts when she is with me. I just don't get it. I bet its completely logical if you have all the facts, but I just don't get it. Why can my phone book show, but not texts? I have NO desire to compose texts through uconnect as the Access system allows. Just an alert and a visual without reaching, that's all. I was over this texting thing. Now I'm frustrated again. UGH. Peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted February 10, 2014 Report Share Posted February 10, 2014 RTman - what kind of phone do you have? I have an iPhone 4S and apparently it does not support "Voice Text Reply over Bluetooth". I will check my son's iPhone 5 and see if it works. I'll let you know. Again, my apologies for misinforming you in my earlier posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman425 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 iPhone 5 does not work either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtomatoman Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) iPhone 5 does not work either.Thanks for checking Journeyman. I've been through 2 Motorola droids and an HTC droid. My latest Motorola RAZR was on the uconnect site as supporting text. I didn't realize that the droid I purchased was loaded with a different software version that does not talk to uconnect for texting b/c my RAZR does not result in the text feature being enabled. Not being a techie, I don't understand what is behind this feature. It very well may be that uconnect, as it is in my 2011, is based on outdated technology and only works with older phones. It just seems so basic that something that seems to work almost like my phone should be enableable. I was previously convinced that a SMS update would solve this issue. I did a couple of those without success. Anyway, I'll get over this texting thing again. It either wasn't meant to be or someone with tech experience will figure out how to make it work and tell the rest of us. Until then I'll have to continue to reach for my phone when I hear my text notification and think about all the other features of my DJ that I love.Peace. Edited February 11, 2014 by redtomatoman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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