Outlander and Smart phone

[sherbertdip]

Hi i'm toying with buying a PHEV, one of the plus points is that a smartphone can communicate with the car i'm mainly interested in the pre-warming facility, my question is how?

Is it via the mobile phone network, or bluetooth?

I ask because i live in a dead-spot for mobiles, and the car would be parked out of bluetooth range.

Cheers

[stavers]

I had one of these on loan for a week or so and I set up the capability on my phone.
Basically the car has a WiFi generator and it uses that to connect to your phone so your phone has to be within the WiFi range of the car and it cannot be connected to any other WiFi signal whilst you are checking the car or changing the settings. So if the car will be out of Bluetooth range it will probably be out of WiFi range as well.

I happened to have an old phone lying around that I used as it was a pain to use my normal phone as had to keep changing the WiFi over!

Also, it can be a bit quirky to use - especially setting / overriding the timer function.

[DSLiverpool]

Its done via an app for Android or iOs - send the command via the app from anywhere.

[stavers]

DSLiverpool said:

Its done via an app for Android or iOs - send the command via the app from anywhere.

Nope - that doesn't work. You have to be connected to the car's WiFi connection for the app to work. If you're outside of the WiFi range you just get a message stating that the app won't work as it's not connected to the car.

[DSLiverpool]

stavers said:

DSLiverpool said:

Its done via an app for Android or iOs - send the command via the app from anywhere.

Nope - that doesn't work. You have to be connected to the car's WiFi connection for the app to work. If you're outside of the WiFi range you just get a message stating that the app won't work as it's not connected to the car.

To be honest when I had one on test I would have been near it to test it but our Zoe is base spec and that can be done from anywhere - that's really odd.

[stavers]

DSLiverpool said:

To be honest when I had one on test I would have been near it to test it but our Zoe is base spec and that can be done from anywhere - that's really odd.

I agree - it's a real pain in the a**e having to be connected to it all the time!
I would imagine that the Zoe probably has a 3G connection which allows it to talk to the phone from anywhere. A much better option in my opinion!!

[DSLiverpool]

stavers said:

I agree - it's a real pain in the a**e having to be connected to it all the time!
I would imagine that the Zoe probably has a 3G connection which allows it to talk to the phone from anywhere. A much better option in my opinion!!

Yes except its packed up at the mo lol

[rwoodward]

the Outlander sets up its own wifi network, which you need to join before you run the app, then it'll talk between the car and the phone. however if you're out of range, then you're out of luck!

you also can't access emails / web etc when your device is connected to the cars wifi. its not too much hassle to switch between them but its 'clunky' at best!

ross

[linton944]

If you're looking at an Outlander PHEV you have to get the GX4h or above for the app to work & for it to have the electric heater - you don't get any of this with the 3h