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Wireless Cell Phone Charging Not Working

27K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  Bart77 
#1 ·
First post here as I just bought a 2016 Impala LTZ with every option on it, siren red with the tan interior.

I love the car and I am still trying to figure out all the options. My cell phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) won't charge when I place it in the wireless charging mat. I have tried to move it around and I even removed the case and still nothing. The phone has the wireless charging kit on it and it charges fine on my wireless charger at my house. (with the case on it)

I hate to bring it back to the dealer already, has anyone else seen this problem?

John
 
#2 ·
I just bought a 2016 LTZ Impala on Wednesday myself, and I can't seem to get the wireless charging to work with my phone either. I have a Nokia Lumia Icon which has integrated wireless charging but no dice. I have a wireless charger at home as well and it charges fine on that with the case on it, but I did the same as you to include removing the rubber mat and I couldn't get it to work. I was showing my car to my girlfriend earlier tonight and her iPhone 6 should have wireless charging built in as well, and she put it on the mat but it didn't seem to work either. Makes me wonder if there's an option somewhere to turn it on (though I haven't seen anything in the manual or when I've been playing with Mylink). In the next day or so I'm going to try taking my phone out of its case and see if that works...
 
#3 ·
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#4 ·
I was incorrect, I thought her iPhone supported wireless charging natively, but she apparently has a case that allows it. I don’t use her phone, so go figure. :)

As far as my phone, the chart you linked to (thank you for that) lists the Lumia 930 as compatible, which is essentially the same phone I have except that the Icon was a CDMA Verizon exclusive, and the 930 was for everywhere else with GSM radios. My phone has built-in wireless charging with the Qi standard, which is the wireless standard the other Lumias conform to as well. So if it was a Qi versus PMA issue, none of those Lumias would be on the list either.

Since there are interface standards in place for inductive/wireless charging, and since I know that function on my phone is working, I’m inclined to think it’s more likely there is an issue with the charging pad in my car (and perhaps John’s as well). It’s not like there’s any software interface or anything, it just comes down to whether the charger meets the industry standards and whether it’s functional or not, I would think…though it certainly wouldn’t be the first time I was wrong.
 
#5 ·
#6 ·
Quick question guys.... would a 2014 9th gen LTZ come with the charging pad? My in-laws have a 2014 LTZ and I've never asked them about that. I'm wondering if it has it, or if they know about it. They would like that feature. Or, was this a 2015 or 2016 addition?
 
#7 ·
Nope it wouldn't. Only the 2016 Impalas starting coming with it.
 
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#9 ·
Um, the S5 does not come from the factory with wireless charging. With the correct case, it does have that capability though.
 
#10 ·
That's why he said he has the wireless charging kit for his Galaxy S5 and why the document I linked to shows the recommended cover to have for the wireless charging to work in the 2016 Impala.
 
#12 ·
I stopped by the dealer today and they aren't sure why it isn't working. I was hoping they had a test device to do a quick check but no such luck so I made a appointment for Friday.
My Samsung Galaxy S5 does have the wireless charging kit on it and it charges fine at my house on the wireless charger so I would think it is a problem with the car. Just to be sure I am golfing with a friend on Thursday who has a Samsung Galaxy S6 that comes with the wireless charging built in so I will see if the car can charge his phone. If it does it is just a problem with my phone, if it doesn't the car is absolutely the problem.
I will keep everyone informed as I learn more.

John
 
#20 · (Edited)
Every GM dealer has a test device to see if the charging pad works. This device useage is explained in this Techlink article, http://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=7174,

As far as the Apple iPhone 8 is concerned Apple may have changed something and that change made it incompatible. There is also a maximum dimension for the wireless charging to work, if your phone is bigger it may not work as in the iPhone 8 plus. Min/Max Sizes Are: Height 120 - 144 mm and Width 60 - 73 Mm.

Sent from my KFGIWI using Tapatalk
 
#13 ·
So I have done some testing over the past few days on my car. I actually didn't end up taking the case off of my phone. But I have found that there are certain times when my phone does charge wirelessly, and other times that it doesn't. For example, last Saturday when I left for work, surprisingly, my phone charged the entire way. When I left work Sunday morning, no matter what I did, I couldn't get my phone to charge. I haven't done enough testing to say for sure, but preliminarily it seems that when I remote start my car using the OnStar app, my phone won't charge when I put it on the charging pad, no matter what I do. Also, I've noticed that once my phone is fully charged, the charging stops. Unlike most chargers, the charging never resumes to keep the phone charged after the car has realized it fully charged my phone. After the phone is charged it seems to simply turn off and allow the phone to drain. Unless I remove my phone from the charging pad and return it, it simply won't charge any more. I will say the feature is nice, when it works, but there definitely seems to be some flaws/issues.
 
#14 ·
Update 6/30/2016.
Well my friends Galaxy S6 phone charges wireless fine in my car but my Galaxy S5 still doesn't work in the car, only on my home wireless charge. The S6 comes with wireless charging built in but I had to add a small device to my phone. It is NOT a OEM Samsung device to make my phone work with a wireless charger as they want about $100 for the OEM version Samsung Wireless Charging Cover FOR Galaxy S5 Black EP CG900IBA Genuine | eBay
and I bought my device on Amazon for only $15.
Amazon.com: Ultra-thin 0.5mm Qi Standard Wireless Charging Receiver Module for Samsung Galaxy S5 G900 - Black: Cell Phones & Accessories

I figure it must be the cheap wireless charging device I bought so I will not bring it to the dealer as I think the car wireless charger is working fine in the car. As I like to use Android auto and I need to plug it in to the USB cable to work and that will charge my phone at the same time I will just use it that way.

John
 
#15 ·
Just picked up my 16 Ltz over the weekend and over the 12 hour road trip I think I got my s7 edge to charge 1 time for any period of time. Went from 30 to 78 percent. Rest of the time I spent fiddling with it trying to get it to charge. Total pain

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
 
#16 ·
My experience with iPhone 7 Plus and my '17 Premier:

Having an iPhone 7 Plus, i was sure this wireless charging pad was a complete waste of a cubby hole and 3rd 12V port on my '17 Impala Premier. I was looking into ripping it out and putting in the cubby with 12V port until I decided to try something. I bought a Mophie case for the phone like I usually do for my iPhones. You know, the ones with a built in battery? Except this time I bought the one that had wireless charging capability as well. Retails for 99.00. To my surprise - this works! Even tho it does not sit completely flat on the charging pad, it still is close enough to charge. Works like a charm.
 
#18 ·
Okay, I finally found a used OEM Samsung wireless charging back cover for my phone (Samsung Galaxy S5 ) for $50 so I bought it and the wireless charging in my 2016 Impala LTZ works great now! I had a aftermarket wireless charging cover before and although it worked great on my home charger it would not charge the phone in the car, that is resolved now with the OEM Samsung cover.

It is a neat feature and so easy to charge the phone while driving, great job GM. I just rolled past 12K miles and not one problem with the car. I did add a aftermarket painted spoiler to the car and it adds just a little to the looks, I am very happy I bought this car!

John
 
#19 ·
iphone 8 and impala 2017 wireless charger nfg

First post here as I just bought a 2016 Impala LTZ with every option on it, siren red with the tan interior.

I love the car and I am still trying to figure out all the options. My cell phone (iphone 8) and it won't charge when I place it in the wireless charging mat. I have tried to move it around and I even removed the case and rubber charging mat , still nothing. However when naked and mat removed it does charge for about 10s and then stops. The phone has the wireless charging kit built in and it charges fine on my wireless charger at my house. Having said all that the car charger works fine with my sons samsung but his samsung will not charge on my home iphone charger. Similarly my iphone will not charge on his home charger or on a duracell powermat charger. All of my 1) iphone8, 2) his samsung, 3) my home charger, 4) his home charger and and the 5) duracell power mat chargers meet the Qi protocols. Qi protocol is supposed to ensure that such interchanges will work seamlessly. Yet they are obviously not working interchangeably. I have phoned Apple, GM infotainment and each tells me that it should work. IT DOES NOT WORK! I have also been to 4 dealerships where they have all tried very helpfully but to no avail. Come on GM/Apple get your acts together.

I hate to bring it back to the dealer already, has anyone else seen this problem?

Dave M
 
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