SOS Button

Faults and Technical chat for the Volvo XC40
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squint
Posts: 185
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 9:55 pm

Post by squint »

Just some further thoughts I’ve been pondering:

I now wonder if someone was “compromised” due to the SOS button problems and they wanted to take legal action who would be liable? - the dealership, finance company if financed or Volvo? I also wonder if now that my dealership knows that my car is not the only affected car if they have a legal obligation to try and find out which of their sold cars may be potentially affected and take necessary action.
I work in the medical profession - I have a duty, and there is a procedure, for me to report any new side effects from medication. I also receive reports, and have to take necessary action, when a new “problem” arises. I wonder if there is a similar procedure in the motor industry?
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DarrenF
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Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 4:50 pm

Post by DarrenF »

Hello Squint - I feel you are thinking too deeply into this.

Your button is greyed out - could you not turn your phone off/on (reset) to free the call?

There is a lot more that goes into dialling 999 than you think - the number that actually gets forwarded contains your phone number (even if you try to block it) and routing data for the call location so you get to the local emergency service centre. There are numerous reason this could be failing so its not always a simple fault. Also your sample set is 2 people? We know from previous posts other people have used the service without problem.

We have cases where people get routed to the wrong emergency services area because they try to 'share' services - 100% their own fault - sorry cannot go into details. The point is miss routed calls do happen a lot more than you think. It is not right but it is not unusual. It sounds like when it fails you still get through to the emergency services operator (or at least the one in this tread did).

The most likely reason for the delay with your car - they are busy and short staffed and want to get paying jobs through the workshop before warranty jobs. Your car has a few unusual faults so my keep getting slipped down the list.

I am not making light of your issues and the SOS button should always work. just trying to add a different perspective to the discussion.
XC40 T5 R-Design Pro in Bursting Blue with Convenience, Intellisafe Pro, Winter Plus and Xenium Packs and a few other bits. Ordered July'19 picked up end of Nov'19.
squint
Posts: 185
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 9:55 pm

Post by squint »

Hello DarrenF

Thank you for your input.

1) "Your button is greyed out - could you not turn your phone off/on (reset) to free the call?" - maybe I could.
However, if someone was in such a bad accident, would they be mentally alert to do such an operation? - what if their glasses had come off and they couldn't see the screen?
If they had not even been told about the possibility that this may happen, would they even be in a fit state for such reasoning?


2) "Also your sample set is 2 people? We know from previous posts other people have used the service without problem" - I absolutely agree. However, although the dealership has had my car since 11/5/2020, I first reported the fault a few weeks prior to this. Maybe prior to the first time I tried it the network was working properly.
As far as I am concerned, 2 people have tried it and both failed. I have repeatedly asked for the SOS button to be pressed on another car as a test - always been refused. I would have thought that if it had worked the way it should since my problems Volvo would have told me so.

3) "It sounds like when it fails you still get through to the emergency services operator (or at least the one in this tread did)." - in my case it got through BUT after about 45 minutes - but during this time I was not able to end the call or make a call on my phone.

4) "The most likely reason for the delay with your car - they are busy and short staffed and want to get paying jobs". I disagree - according to the app, my car has not moved since 18/5/20. Dealership keep telling me they are waiting instructions from Volvo.
Furthermore, I have had negligible feedback from neither the dealership nor Volvo - it is always me having to contact them - although apparently they are in fairly constant contact with each other.I still consider this a major safety problem - especially now someone else has the same problem. Irrespective of how busy the dealership is, tomorrow will be 28 days that they have had my car - how would you feel?
Regretfully rejected R Design, Glacier Silver, T4 Auto FWD Convenience Pack, Front Park Assist,Power Glass Tilt & Slide,Smartphone Integration,Winter Pack, Mudflaps
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Notsure
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Post by Notsure »

Although there are only 2 people (on this forum) thus far that have experienced this problem and that statistically 2 is a very poor 'sample', it is 2 too many.

For an emergency call button, why is there not a robust safety check incorporated into the PDI rather than just 'hoping it's going to work when needed'


For me, it does not really matter what the technical reasons behind the failure are, it should not fail.
There are many many checks that happen every time we turn our ignitions on, and please excuse my naive approach here, but could the SOS system not incorporated as part the software to be checked every time ?
I, for one, do not want to hear again 'you have dialled an incorrect number, please check and try again' if I ever have to press the SOS button for the wrong reasons.
T4 R Design, Auto, Crystal White, Convenience Pack, Winter Pack, Rear Camera, Front Park Assist, Smartphone Integration, Tempa spare wheel and jack.
DarrenF
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Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 4:50 pm

Post by DarrenF »

Notsure wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:37 pm There are many many checks that happen every time we turn our ignitions on, and please excuse my naive approach here, but could the SOS system not incorporated as part the software to be checked every time ?
Simply not possible without getting blocked/fined.

I did write long response to Squint but it seems to have disappeared or failed to post for some reason.

Squint - ask them what number the SOS in the car is dialling 112 or 999? As you car had other issues I wounder if it is set to 112 (EU) which should work in the UK but is handled differently. They should be able to answer this question very quickly. Also which network provider is you SIM on?
XC40 T5 R-Design Pro in Bursting Blue with Convenience, Intellisafe Pro, Winter Plus and Xenium Packs and a few other bits. Ordered July'19 picked up end of Nov'19.
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Notsure
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Post by Notsure »

Again, please excuse my ignorance but is it not possible to 'mimic' the use of the SOS button on an ignition check as opposed to actually dialling 999.

When I made the original call to VOC to ask about the testing of the SOS button I was told that the call goes to them and they prioritise. not so sure now based on what your'e saying DarrenF
T4 R Design, Auto, Crystal White, Convenience Pack, Winter Pack, Rear Camera, Front Park Assist, Smartphone Integration, Tempa spare wheel and jack.
squint
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Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 9:55 pm

Post by squint »

DarrenF wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:51 pm
Notsure wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:37 pm There are many many checks that happen every time we turn our ignitions on, and please excuse my naive approach here, but could the SOS system not incorporated as part the software to be checked every time ?
Simply not possible without getting blocked/fined.

I did write long response to Squint but it seems to have disappeared or failed to post for some reason.

Squint - ask them what number the SOS in the car is dialling 112 or 999? As you car had other issues I wounder if it is set to 112 (EU) which should work in the UK but is handled differently. They should be able to answer this question very quickly. Also which network provider is you SIM on?
Hi DarrenF
I have been told it is not 999 - and I am 99% sure that when I was eventually put through to the SOS it was not answered the same way as a 999.

I have just called VOC from my phone using the app - I asked the operator if when the SOS button was pressed does the call get put through to VOC or a separate call centre/operator. At first she repeatedly said she was believed it was - I had to be quite emphatic because she did not sound too confident and I just wanted a "yes" or "no". Eventually she said "yes" and it shows up as an SOS call on the screen - she was slightly hesitant to answer my questions - mmm??
I then asked what number the car dials to be put through to SOS - she said it was 0800777116 - I was not convinced she understood the question. I repeated asking if it was 999 - she repeated it was the number she had originally quoted. She also told me the operators are located in the UK - dealership told me they were not(!!!!). The number my phone dialled to get through to VOC was +448456419702.

My personal phone is on O2. I have no idea which network provider the car uses. The internet SIM card is Vodafone.

My business premises insurance states I have to have an annual alarm check. When the engineer does so, the system is put into "test" mode so that any sensors triggered will not notify the monitoring station. Similarly, if for any reason the monitoring station loses the signal from my premises they are alerted - surely something like this could be incorporated into the car checking system on turning engine on?
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Notsure
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Post by Notsure »

When I made my call to VOC the very helpful guy there told me that the operators work from home, but not sure if that is because of the current climate, and there were some 13 of them in operation, all based in the UK. That was Saturday afternoon.
T4 R Design, Auto, Crystal White, Convenience Pack, Winter Pack, Rear Camera, Front Park Assist, Smartphone Integration, Tempa spare wheel and jack.
squint
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Post by squint »

Notsure wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 9:59 pm When I made my call to VOC the very helpful guy there told me that the operators work from home, but not sure if that is because of the current climate, and there were some 13 of them in operation, all based in the UK. That was Saturday afternoon.
I asked the same question - same answer. Under normal circumstances I was told they work out of one office in the UK.
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DarrenF
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Post by DarrenF »

squint wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 8:59 pm
DarrenF wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:51 pm
Notsure wrote: Sun Jun 07, 2020 4:37 pm There are many many checks that happen every time we turn our ignitions on, and please excuse my naive approach here, but could the SOS system not incorporated as part the software to be checked every time ?

I then asked what number the car dials to be put through to SOS - she said it was 0800777116 - I was not convinced she understood the question. I repeated asking if it was 999 - she repeated it was the number she had originally quoted. She also told me the operators are located in the UK - dealership told me they were not(!!!!). The number my phone dialled to get through to VOC was +448456419702.

My personal phone is on O2. I have no idea which network provider the car uses. The internet SIM card is Vodafone.
Thanks Squint, that is not what I was told by the dealership either but I believe your information a whole load more. Having the number is very helpful, I will see what I can find out.

As the SOS button is not calling 112/999 then there certainly could be a start up test but they would have to invest in some equipment their end. The only way to truly test a phone call is to make a phone call - the companies that benchmark the mobile networks do just that. The reason why they most likely do not
test now is the cost. No idea how many Volvo cars have but say 50,000 with trips to and from work plus a lunch time trip that is say 200k calls a day (post Covid) they would have to pay for (if you do not connect a phone).
XC40 T5 R-Design Pro in Bursting Blue with Convenience, Intellisafe Pro, Winter Plus and Xenium Packs and a few other bits. Ordered July'19 picked up end of Nov'19.
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