[Vinoh]

For a couple of weeks now, the Hondalink app on my iPhones has not shown an any info (odometer, battery, etc) or any services (climate, destination, etc). It can connect to the car and go through the authorization procedure but that’s all. It shows that I am logged in and shows the type of car it’s connected to.

This all started when I called tech support to let them know that, even after the last app update, the destination function still would not send to the car until it is connected via bluetooth. Even though this is a problem everyone is having, the rep insisted that I redo the authorization process and give her my password so they could investigate. (Oddly enough, she didn’t think it was unusual or bad practice to ask for my password when I objected.) Since then, the app has lost all its ability to show any services or interact with the car. Since this happens on my wife’s phone as well, I suspect it is a server issue.

I’ve had many calls with her over the last couple of weeks. The latest involved me resetting the system to factory defaults which wiped out all my info, including saved places, but did not fix the issues. She has been in touch with the telematics team who have also been in touch with the people in Japan.

I’m still hopeful this will be solved but am losing patience with how long it is taking and the fact that every step seems to make the problems worse. Has anyone here had similar issues that may shed some light on what’s going on?

Thanks.

—Dave

 

[yoshix]

Hi Dave, don't be frustrated with this app, this is generally crap. The clarity wasn't even listed as a supported vehicle on Hondalink website, they added it recently. Now with every update is going to be worse. Things I've noticed:

if you can't upgrade your car status, go to find my car and keep pressing update location, sometimes it is taking me like 20 times before time status is change
Another walkaround I found is obviously to restart the phone and kill the app first
Sometimes doesn't work at all. Because I don't have a sim card or any modem I assume that tree way communication looks like this: vehicle(GPS) ---> sat ---> Honda APP server ---> my cell (WAN)

I hope this will help you a bit.

BTW: I don't understand Honda approach to the entertainment system and all developer-related matter. Would be great to hire a few good programmers and make the things in a proper way? CAr is great but the software in general is.........

 

[Vinoh]

Thanks, but my situation is much worse than others have experienced. I don't even have a button show up to find my car. And nothing comes up when I select my car in manage subscriptions button on my account settings screen. Because of this, it appears that this is caused by a backend problem on their servers but they seem to be clueless about fixing it. Their telematics technical people really suck based on this and the many other HondaLink problems people have reported.

 

[Tronron]

Mine hasn't worked since I bought the car new over 18 months ago. I've spend almost a day in total on the phone with tech support and it's been 5 times at the dealer. I've given up. Driven Honda's all my life. Won't ever buy another.

 

[4sallypat]

I have been getting daily pop up banners from the app showing when the charge has finished so I thought all was good.

But when I get into the app, it's very outdated - still shows Maintenance Minder alert even though I had taken her to Honda for service a week ago.

The charge status, range, location and maps are working but not the odometer & maintenance....

 

[Vinoh]

Finally back to where I started when I called to check on when the issue regarding sending destinations to the car would work. At least this kind of feels like progress even though there has been exactly none. :sad:

--Dave

 

[2002]

A couple of people have gotten send to map to work and they say it is absolutely not worth it even when it works. It requires bluetooth connection in the car, it doesn't work over the cellular network. So you have to sit in your car while it is sending and the whole process is extremely slow, they say it takes much longer to use the app than simply punching it in yourself on the screen. I use Google Maps with Android Auto so it's a moot point for me anyway, I can enter a destination on my phone and when I get in the car and plug it in the destination pops right up in Google Maps without me doing anything.

For me the app works very reliably for the two main things that I regularly use it for, scheduled charging and remote climate. Scheduled charging is important for me because I have a discount rate from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am and I try and schedule all of my charging during that time, and it's much more convenient to do that in the house using my phone when I need to change the schedule. I also use it to check charging status, that is always reliable also. However notifications for me is unreliable as it is for most people so I don't use notifications.

By remote climate I am not talking about at home I mean when I am out somewhere and the car has been sitting for a long time getting hot, as it gets closer to when I am about to leave I use the app to start AC. It is very rare that it doesn't work, and I assume that is due to cell phone coverage where the car is located. Preconditioning at home doesn't work for me, I can't even get it to launch. Some people it works for. But my car is in a garage so I don't really need it.

Find my car has worked every time that I have tried it and comes in handy.

 

[Vinoh]

A couple of people have gotten send to map to work and they say it is absolutely not worth it even when it works. It requires bluetooth connection in the car, it doesn't work over the cellular network....

This feature used to work remotely, sending the destination from outside the car so that it's available as soon as you get in. It stopped working about 6 months or so ago and I was told a few months ago that Honda is working on a fix. I'm starting to doubt that though based on my experience with Honda support of late.

--Dave

 

[Vinoh]

As a final bit of nonsense from Honda, the rep just informed me that the telematics team told her that, indeed, sending a destination doesn't work until you are connected via bluetooth. It won't work until they "release an update", whatever that means. They obviously knew this when I first called to check the status of the problem. All my wasted time was either due to an unbelievable level of incompetence or some sadistic attempt to deny they broke an advertised feature.

 

[4sallypat]

Update:
My Honda link app started working again - updated the iOS to 12.3.1 on the iPhone helped....

 

[ukemike]

Honda makes great cars, and poor apps. The other day I opened hondalink to check on my charge status and my thumb must have brushed "stop charging". I could not get it to restart. Eventually I gave up and walked back to the car (10 min or so) and picked it up w/ 3/4 battery. I'm not sure I'll pay for the app after my 3 free months are up.

 

[4sallypat]

Um pay for the app ???

I thought the app was free ?

 

[ukemike]

Um pay for the app ???

I thought the app was free ?

The dealer told me that after 3 months there was a $100/year subscription fee for Hondalink. Maybe I heard wrong.

 

[4sallypat]

I heard if you are in Canada, there is a cost after the first year.

But I could almost confirm USA owners get the app and data for lifetime at no cost...

 

[Tronron]

I dont know why anyone would pay for the app. It doesnt work. Never did. I've owned my Clarity 18 months, been on the phone with tech support over 8 hours, and its been at the dealer more than 4 times. They cant make it work correctly!

Even the few updates they did to the app, made it worse. Honda needs to get out of the telematics business, or hire a company that knows what they are doing to build their hardware and software...

 

[jimmyd]

Mine recently stopped working on sep 5. I can't locate vehicle, connect to turn on air or heat, or see charge status. Haven't called yet. Maybe tomorrow... From the sound of it, it doesn't seem like it is worth it.

 

[2002]

Mine recently stopped working on sep 5. I can't locate vehicle, connect to turn on air or heat, or see charge status. Haven't called yet. Maybe tomorrow... From the sound of it, it doesn't seem like it is worth it.

A number of people have experienced the same problem starting on the same day, September 5th, so apparently there is some type of problem on Honda's end. Interestingly it still works for some people so it could be account related.

By the time most people realized that it was not a short term glitch it was already the weekend, so I expect on Monday morning HondaLink tech support will be getting an earful from a lot of people, so hopefully they will get it fixed relatively quickly.

 

[4sallypat]

Yes, my HondaLink app is working perfectly ever since!

 

[2002]

The problem with the app not connecting for charge status etc. that many people experienced starting on September 5th was solved today (September 9th) as people who were affected by the problem say that is now working again.

 

[jimmyd]

Works for me today too! They must have known I was going to call them! crazy