Should she be speaking to me?

Gabs159 · October 17, 2014, 09:36:07 PM

Hi I have recently purchased a 2006 159 Q4 V6 i haven't had the best of starts but thats ok. My question is should it have voice commands when I press the buttons on the steering wheel or was that an option as i get nothing. I think it might have blue and me installed as well as I have the windows sticker and a usb port in the glove box but it also doesn't seem to work either. Any help would be appreciated.

Cool Jesus · October 18, 2014, 03:21:31 PM

Hmmm? Windows, USB would certainly suggest Blue&Me. Does the Blue&Me logo come up on the centre cluster of the instrument display when key is inserted? Not sure if voice came with Blue&Me or if it was added later. If you have the voice command button on the steering wheel, I'd expect it should be functioning. I think it was a bunch of arcs gradually increasing in size (could be wrong) but I recall it being on the left steering controls.

Gabs159 · October 18, 2014, 10:23:51 PM

Hi Cool Jesus I have all the controls on the steering wheel but if i press the speech or the phone symbol nothing happens. I pulled the radio out and there is an additional box under it in the double din area that I am led to believe might be the bluetooth unit. Its as if its not powered or its dropped off the canbus maybe. I will try and dig a bit further in the next couple of days or maybe take it somewhere to get it checked out.

Cool Jesus · October 18, 2014, 11:48:29 PM

Is it definately Blue&Me?
Is your phone paired via blue tooth? Actual the bluetooth should also say Blue&Me as the connection I think.
Does the USB socket work?

Gabs159 · October 19, 2014, 07:11:37 PM

I really don't know and the dealer i got it from isn't Alfa Savoy so they don't have a clue. I don't know if it means anything but i have a blue & me manual with my service books so I just assumed it had it. I was thinking of dropping it around to one of the non franchise Alfa people that are on this site and see if they can tell.

Cool Jesus · October 19, 2014, 08:47:12 PM

If you have the manual All things being equal I'd say its Blue&Me.
So have you managed to pair your mobile via bluetooth?
Secondly, stick a music file on a FAT formatted USB and see if the USB socket works. If it works we can look at updating the firmware.

Gabs159 · October 19, 2014, 08:56:14 PM

Cant pair the phone as I cant see bluetooth at all. I will retry the mem stick as it is currently formatted as FAT 32.

Cool Jesus · October 19, 2014, 11:19:45 PM

Gab fat32 is fine also mate

Gabs159 · October 21, 2014, 08:07:34 PM

I thought Fat 32 would be but just for the sake of it i tried it as a FAT format with just a few songs but the system still doesn't see it when i switch to AUX. I am more than convinced that it has the bluetooth box sitting under the radio but for some reason the car doesn't see it as being installed. Got me beat for now.

Cool Jesus · October 21, 2014, 09:31:44 PM

Mate there's every chance that a previous owner had an aftermarket radio and hasn't retro fitted the original radio properly. Alternatively, it is an '06, its possible that it doesn't have it, though it has the usb, its a top range model, etc... which should be working. Actually you said you selected aux for the usb? Hmmm from memory the media library on my '10 was accessed via the menu off the steering controls and the instrument display. You also mentioned a an extra box, I would expect the Bluetooth to be incorporated into the radio itself, not separate. Back to after market, its not a link box to get an aftermarket radio to work with the steering controls perhaps? hence shouldn't even be there.

PS, did the dealer sell the Bluetooth functionality at all? I know it will shock some, but the do play dumb if they can get away with it.

It sounds like you had the radio out, can you chuck a pic of the radio numbers stuck on the side of the radio chassis or any identifiers for it.

Gabs159 · October 21, 2014, 10:41:05 PM

No the dealer didn't mention it at all and to be totally honest I didn't even check it as I just assumed it had it. I stumbled across an Nav/bluetooth aftermarket install on a 159 on the web and his pictures look identical to my set up and it makes reference to the Blue and me ecu under the radio as it needs to be relocated so that the new double din stereo can fit. I don't know the protocol for posting other peoples links so I decided not to. I took some photos the other day of the numbers on the radio and the box. I will post up some photos of mine in the next day or so
PS the box i am talking about has a usb port on the front and also thank you for your help.
Peter

Cool Jesus · October 22, 2014, 06:04:47 PM

Its a pity you weren't up my way as I would have popped over to see what's happening. Anyhow, pulled up my e-learn for the 159 and you're right that box is the 'bluetooth control unit' as you correctly say under the radio, with the usb plug, etc... So good news is you have the media player, bluetooth and voice. Just need to figure out why she no speaky.

I'm still searching through the e-learn, but considering the usb, voice and blutooth isn't working. My checks would be directed at that control unit along with the radio and initially check that all the plugs and connectors are inserted correctly and inspect the wires and cabling that may get jambed behind the radio and control unit to make sure nothings been crushed or cut

That usb sicket on the front, I'm guessing should be connected by a usb cord to the socket in the glove box as a starter as I can see a cable leading from it on e-learn. I'm still leaning towards an aftermarket radio having been in place of the OEM and the then owner not having replaced all the cabling properly when retro fitting the original radio...

which buttons do and don't work on the steering wheel?

Cool Jesus · October 22, 2014, 06:23:47 PM

image off e-learn for the dashboard. M162A is the bluetooth control unit and you can see that a cable should be connected to the usb socket

Cool Jesus · October 22, 2014, 06:29:07 PM

Also, in case it's not obvious, the control unit is removed like the radio. Once the radio is out of the way use the two pronged keys and it should slide out like the radio. There should also be a connector out back (on top maybe), aswell as the USB from what I can tell in the e-learn.

Gabs159 · October 22, 2014, 10:10:10 PM

Ok so I am not going mad! From what i remember there is nothing plugged into the usb port in the front and that might explain why it doesn't see the usb stick but not the no voice.I do remember at least one plug in the back of it (blue connector i think) I didn't pull any of the units completely out though just enough to grab a photo of the part numbers. Might be a weekend job coming up to pull it apart completely and refit.