[marcellen]

I have two cars from FCA group with different infotainment systems:
1) a Fiat 500x with Uconnect Live 6.5"
2) an Alfa Romeo Stelvio (same Infotainment as Giulia) with Alfa Connect Nav 8.8’’

The Fiat 500x works flawlessly with Siri, when I click on the steering wheel voice activation command, then Siri responds via the car's speakers. In addition, voice dictation works fine.

On the Alfa Romeo instead, my iPhone behaves strangely, with no apparent explanation or message to the user. When is connected in the car Bluetooth, the voice control button on the steering wheel starts the car's own assistant, Siri doesn’t react.
When I click on Home button, Siri tries to start, but when I speak it does not hear anything, it keeps asking me to say something. In addition, the voice dictation does not listen.
There is no explanation on the iPhone on this behaviour, but I think it's not related to the phone as it works very well on the Fiat. It might be related to the Infotainment system of the Stelvio, new but aged at the same time. I hope there will be firmware fixes for that.

 

[rumifaizer]

Congrats on the Stelvio. My wife understanding was that it would have apple CarPlay. True?

 

[Alfa in Vegas]

Try it without pushing the phone button on your steering wheel. I just say "Hey Siri" like you would do if you phone is laying around anywhere. It automatically comes on through the cars infotainment/phone system. I use it to text while driving, play music through bluetooth (when I don't have my phone plugged into USB) and it has worked flawlessly without ever having to use the phone button.

 

[marcellen]

Congrats on the Stelvio. My wife understanding was that it would have apple CarPlay. True?

Correct, from June they announced CarPlay compatibility, I hope there will be fixes also for sold cars.

 

[marcellen]

Try it without pushing the phone button on your steering wheel. I just say "Hey Siri" like you would do if you phone is laying around anywhere. It automatically comes on through the cars infotainment/phone system. I use it to text while driving, play music through bluetooth (when I don't have my phone plugged into USB) and it has worked flawlessly without ever having to use the phone button.

Thanks for the suggestion. Indeed with Ehi Siri it is able to wake her up, but she keeps deaf and mute..
I keep hoping for a fix from Alfa.

 

[marcellen]

I'm trying to give feedback to Apple also, I dont find it admissible that such sofisticated phone doesnt recognize its state of being useless in that moment.

 

[Baron]

Has anybody found a solution to this problem??

 

[Alfaholico]

Apple Scam !!

I think Alfa understands that Apple is scamming the world....Update your phone and then suddenly your battery craps out...guess what, you now need a new phone....!!! What's that sound you say ?
It's Steve Jobs laughing from the grave.....D

 

[lost1750GTV]

Alfaholico!
yes, I hate the mandatory updates or my phone won't work, forcing me to have apple id or my phone won't work, constantly trying to get me to buy into "i " everything from music to clouds to siri to tracking
all so they can track and know everything about me to sell me to whoever they want.

 

[alfa55]

Come on guys, Siri? Phones are distracting even when the calls come through the info system. I guess most of you will support self driving cars. The only time I get a correct response from Siri is when I curse her out. That she understands>

 

[ALFA168]

The problem appears to be that the bluetooth microphone on the car only works for telephone calls and will not work for Siri. I have confirmed with Alfa Romeo that this is the expected behavior and there is no fix.

As a prior poster noted -- the "Hey Siri" function does work. Apparently this is because that feature does not rely on the car's bluetooth microphone, but on the iPhone's internal microphone. This is different than when you press the home button, which causes Siri to listen through the connected bluetooth device. That is why Siri cannot hear you when you press the home button, but Siri can hear you when you say "Hey Siri." The catch is that you have to give the entire commend all at once after saying "Hey Siri." If Siri has any follow up questions then it will revert to the bluetooth speakers and not be able to hear you.

For example, if I say "Hey Siri, call my wife on her mobile" all as one sentence -- the iPhone will hear it and start the call. If I say "Hey Siri, call my wife," Siri will then ask whether to use the home number, mobile number, etc. and won't be able to hear my selection. But if you can get the entire command through the first time it will work.

The only work around I know of is to use Siri to toggle bluetooth off. Once bluetooth is turned off siri will work normally even if connected by USB. Then after you are done with Siri just ask her to toggle bluetooth back on.

 

[Baron]

I do a lot of work in the car. I like to dictate texts and emails instead of typing on the horrible keyboard. I'm not talking about while in traffic but when parked, etc.

 

[Giovanni Dicesare]

I have two cars from FCA group with different infotainment systems:
1) a Fiat 500x with Uconnect Live 6.5"
2) an Alfa Romeo Stelvio (same Infotainment as Giulia) with Alfa Connect Nav 8.8’’

The Fiat 500x works flawlessly with Siri, when I click on the steering wheel voice activation command, then Siri responds via the car's speakers. In addition, voice dictation works fine.

On the Alfa Romeo instead, my iPhone behaves strangely, with no apparent explanation or message to the user. When is connected in the car Bluetooth, the voice control button on the steering wheel starts the car's own assistant, Siri doesn’t react.
When I click on Home button, Siri tries to start, but when I speak it does not hear anything, it keeps asking me to say something. In addition, the voice dictation does not listen.
There is no explanation on the iPhone on this behaviour, but I think it's not related to the phone as it works very well on the Fiat. It might be related to the Infotainment system of the Stelvio, new but aged at the same time. I hope there will be firmware fixes for that.

Dont think its the ALFA INFOTAINMENT at fault ever since I updated to 11. 1 its been all FFEd up

 

[marcellen]

The problem appears to be that the bluetooth microphone on the car only works for telephone calls and will not work for Siri. I have confirmed with Alfa Romeo that this is the expected behavior and there is no fix.

As a prior poster noted -- the "Hey Siri" function does work. Apparently this is because that feature does not rely on the car's bluetooth microphone, but on the iPhone's internal microphone. This is different than when you press the home button, which causes Siri to listen through the connected bluetooth device. That is why Siri cannot hear you when you press the home button, but Siri can hear you when you say "Hey Siri." The catch is that you have to give the entire commend all at once after saying "Hey Siri." If Siri has any follow up questions then it will revert to the bluetooth speakers and not be able to hear you.

For example, if I say "Hey Siri, call my wife on her mobile" all as one sentence -- the iPhone will hear it and start the call. If I say "Hey Siri, call my wife," Siri will then ask whether to use the home number, mobile number, etc. and won't be able to hear my selection. But if you can get the entire command through the first time it will work.

The only work around I know of is to use Siri to toggle bluetooth off. Once bluetooth is turned off siri will work normally even if connected by USB. Then after you are done with Siri just ask her to toggle bluetooth back on.

Another remark: other apps such Google Maps are working fine, voice dictation through car's microphone is perfect, as well as the feedback to the car's speakers. So the issue is between Apple's own apps and Alfa Infotainment.

 

[ALFA168]

Dont think its the ALFA INFOTAINMENT at fault ever since I updated to 11. 1 its been all FFEd up

For what it is worth, I had the same problem with iOS 10.

 

[ALFA168]

Another remark: other apps such Google Maps are working fine, voice dictation through car's microphone is perfect, as well as the feedback to the car's speakers. So the issue is between Apple's own apps and Alfa Infotainment.

Yes, if the app has its own proprietary voice commands, like Googe Maps, then yes it will work. But even then you have to open the app and press the mic button. It is not truly hands free. Also, most iPhone apps use the mic on the apple keyboard for dictation which, like Siri, does not work with the Giulia's bluetooth microphone.

 

[Chipshot]

I have two cars from FCA group with different infotainment systems:
1) a Fiat 500x with Uconnect Live 6.5"
2) an Alfa Romeo Stelvio (same Infotainment as Giulia) with Alfa Connect Nav 8.8’’

May 25th. Is yours one of the first Stelvios?

I admit I haven't tried Siri in my Giulia or our Renegade (close cousin to the 500X).

 

[AlfaCrisis]

There are a couple of threads on this, here's the summary:

The 2017 Giulia has an Infotainment Manual that uses the "Works with iPhone" logo, which, per the MFi requires certain things, things which the Giulia Infotainment System won't do. To wit:

1) 2017 Giulia's will not alert or display SMS messages. The system WILL mute your phone so it will not alert for these messages, if it is connected via cable or Bluetooth.

2) 2017 Giulia's will not allow use of Siri. A cable connected iPhone with wake to the phrase "Hey Siri", but cannot respond or act beyond that first go. For instance, "Hey Siri, tell Jackie "I'll be late"" will cause Siri to wake up and compose the message to Jackie, but it takes a physical action to send it because Siri cannot hear or speak through the Alfa's system.

3) 2017 Giulia's will function just fine with iPhone calls and music/podcast streaming.


AR is aware of these shortcomings, and their first statement was that the system is "working as intended". After pushing the violation of the MFi's and such, plus elevating the STAR case to a second level operator, I have gotten a response that AR is working with Apple on the issue. iPhones impacted by these failures so far are the 6/6s, 7/7s, 8 and SE. No data on X and 5/5s. This holds true for iOs's 9/10/11.

On a weird note, a deleting and relinking of the iPhone has, on occasion, caused a text chime or two to occur for the first connection sequence, but it fails thereafter. The situation is random, I've personally seen it one of the three times I've unlinked my 6.

Bonus, my 2013 Abarth worked flawlessly with both a 5 and a 6 in all modes, I guess UConnect is the better choice, too bad.

 

[ALFA168]

I had SMS message alerts working briefly, and then they stopped working. I also have an iPhone X and it has all the same issued as my former iPhone 6S.

 

[Tmkopp]

There are a couple of threads on this, here's the summary:

The 2017 Giulia has an Infotainment Manual that uses the "Works with iPhone" logo, which, per the MFi requires certain things, things which the Giulia Infotainment System won't do. To wit:

1) 2017 Giulia's will not alert or display SMS messages. The system WILL mute your phone so it will not alert for these messages, if it is connected via cable or Bluetooth.

2) 2017 Giulia's will not allow use of Siri. A cable connected iPhone with wake to the phrase "Hey Siri", but cannot respond or act beyond that first go. For instance, "Hey Siri, tell Jackie "I'll be late"" will cause Siri to wake up and compose the message to Jackie, but it takes a physical action to send it because Siri cannot hear or speak through the Alfa's system.

3) 2017 Giulia's will function just fine with iPhone calls and music/podcast streaming.


AR is aware of these shortcomings, and their first statement was that the system is "working as intended". After pushing the violation of the MFi's and such, plus elevating the STAR case to a second level operator, I have gotten a response that AR is working with Apple on the issue. iPhones impacted by these failures so far are the 6/6s, 7/7s, 8 and SE. No data on X and 5/5s. This holds true for iOs's 9/10/11.

On a weird note, a deleting and relinking of the iPhone has, on occasion, caused a text chime or two to occur for the first connection sequence, but it fails thereafter. The situation is random, I've personally seen it one of the three times I've unlinked my 6.

Bonus, my 2013 Abarth worked flawlessly with both a 5 and a 6 in all modes, I guess UConnect is the better choice, too bad.

I receive SMS my 2017 just fine. My issue is that I cannot use the car to respond wit the choices it provides.