Sirius Update today (9/26)

[Tequila Cat]

Well, Sirius did an update today adding new channels or whatever, and now my receiver has been in update mode for most of the day. After a lifetime on hold Sirius says they have no clue and call Mazda. They tried resetting, but no change. I disconnected a battery terminal to force a reset, but that didn't fix it. Now my wife's Miata is in this infinite update mode. Anyone else experiencing this or have a solution?

[CX7_Scott]

I haven't used my car today, but will find-out in the a.m. when I go to work.

[cx7mom]

Well, Sirius did an update today adding new channels or whatever, and now my receiver has been in update mode for most of the day. After a lifetime on hold Sirius says they have no clue and call Mazda. They tried resetting, but no change. I disconnected a battery terminal to force a reset, but that didn't fix it. Now my wife's Miata is in this infinite update mode. Anyone else experiencing this or have a solution?

I'm having the same problem and Sirius gave me the run around. They passed the buck and told me I need to return to the dealership. WONDERFUL! I'm glad I didn't pay for long term service with them because I'm not going to keep running back to the dealership everytime they frig up my radio. I spoke with a Mazda rep last evening who also told me they received a few calls on it as well.

[CX7_Scott]

Went to my car today (9/27) and no problems w/ Sirius. No "updating" or anything of the sort. Not sure if it was a broadcasted "glitch" that only affected units that were powered-up during that time. I dunno.

-scott

[DeanSweet]

yeah, my aftermarket Sirius tuner (dont own CX-7 so it isnt a Mazda thing) seemed to be in some sort of loop yesterday stating 'Update in progress - 20/40/60/80/XX%', I will ask the lovely Mrs today if it is still doing it. The thing still playing music so I really don't care if it updates but thanks for calling Sirius and asking.

[cx7mom]

yeah, my aftermarket Sirius tuner (dont own CX-7 so it isnt a Mazda thing) seemed to be in some sort of loop yesterday stating 'Update in progress - 20/40/60/80/XX%', I will ask the lovely Mrs today if it is still doing it. The thing still playing music so I really don't care if it updates but thanks for calling Sirius and asking.

Unfortunately, mine won't play anything either.(pissed)

[pittkol]

I called Sirius and they also told me to call Mazda who wanted me to bring the car in. I called Sirius back later and they now said that there's a known problem and it should finish updating within 48-72 hours. They were not clear on the details but I think a lot of people are having this problem.

[DeanSweet]

sorry to hear that cx7mom... :( still broke?

mine is working now... I checked on the way to football practice

[CX7_Scott]

Wow... no problem here... listened to quite a few stations during both commutes to & from work... hmmmm...

Very odd.
-scott

[cx7mom]

sorry to hear that cx7mom... :( still broke?

mine is working now... I checked on the way to football practice

Mine still isn't working. I'm going to have to run to the dealership and see if they can figure it out.

[pittkol]

I called Sirius back and now they are saying to take it to the dealership to reset it! They said I could try to reset it by disconnecting the negitive for the battery for 10 minutes. Not happy about the run around from Sirius but Howard Rules!

[Tequila Cat]

Sirius told me today that the problem will be cleared up by tomorrow morning, and they told me that no intervention would be required on my part. I wonder. Meanwhile I'm listening to CDs I haven't played in a long time.

[dhiney]

My Sirius radio also, is not working. I spent 3 1/2 hours (and 5 calls) to Sirius on Tuesday only to be finally told to contact the dealer. I've also sent 4
e-mails that they have not responded to. They are suppose to answer with in 24 hrs.

On Wednesday I took my CX-7 into the dealer. They replaced the radio, antenna & wiring harness and still it didn't work. They called MazdaUsa Tech Center, they said they were being over whelmed with service calls from dealers about the Sirius Radio problem.

On Thursday I called MazdaUSA Customer Service, they said they are aware of the problem & took down my information. They don't know if it is an equipment problem or software problem with Sirius.

They said they have reports from CX-7 owners & 2007 Mazda 3 owners.

Mazda atleast acknowledged a problem. Sirius just hides and won't answer questions or acknowledge there is a problem. Real POOR customer service.
Knowledege there is a problem and all parties are working on it is the best front the could and should put on. I'm real happy with Sirius radio but very PO with their customer service. I had XM for 2 years and wasn't near as pleased.

[bakerboy610]

I am having the same problem, 06 mazda3 Sirius told me to take to the dealer, I reset and Im waiting to turn it back on until i hear that its resolved. They said if you interupt the update it locks it up. Sirius doesnt seem to have a clue about the Mazda installed units.

[Tequila Cat]

Well, I just had a very lengthy conversation with Sirius in which they admitted or at least acknowledged that there is a problem with Mazdas and Sirius. Sirius said they are working with Mazda to get a resolution which they will have by Monday. On Monday I am to move my CX-7 to a clear area, turn everything off for 5 minutes, and then turn on the radio and Sirius and wait 7 minutes. Seriously that's what Sirius said to do. In the meanwhile my Mazda dealer is clueless and said I'm the only one complaining at this point.

Stay tuned until Monday. If there's a large mushroom cloud in East Tennessee, you'll know it hasn't been resolved.

[acesaroundagain]

I'm having the same problem with Sirius. The worst part is while the Sirius is constantly updating you can't use the Mode controls on the steering wheel. The car is at the dearler now and I haven't heard anything. My guess is they can't figure it out. This along with continual CELs (even after the new gas cap) are a real pain. The CX rides and drives great, too bad these little gotchas ruin the experience.


Well, I just had a very lengthy conversation with Sirius in which they admitted or at least acknowledged that there is a problem with Mazdas and Sirius. Sirius said they are working with Mazda to get a resolution which they will have by Monday. On Monday I am to move my CX-7 to a clear area, turn everything off for 5 minutes, and then turn on the radio and Sirius and wait 7 minutes. Seriously that's what Sirius said to do. In the meanwhile my Mazda dealer is clueless and said I'm the only one complaining at this point.

Stay tuned until Monday. If there's a large mushroom cloud in East Tennessee, you'll know it hasn't been resolved.

[CX7_Scott]

In all fairness - we don't KNOW that Sirius is at any fault here... it "could" be a hardware and/or software defect in the unit that hooks-into our stereo(s)... I don't know if it is made by Sirius or if they just liscense the technology, but it's quite possible that they (Sirius) have no fault in this - there may be nothing they can do.

(speculation... just playing devil's advocate)

[bakerboy610]

OK well I was told all the same, They there is an issue with Mazdas, they dont know how to fix it. when they do it will update itself and I should not have to do anything else just wait....I was on with them 4 times today, and saw the mechanics at the dealer and they had no clue of any known issues...

[dhiney]

Day 7 and still no Sirius Service:

I just spoke with a Sirius Representative and he said they got an e-mail yesterday saying the engineers hope to have the fix done by Friday 10/6.

The customer service from Sirius has been VERY POOR. This conversation I had was the first time someone at Sirius admitted that there was a problem.
I've sent 5 e-mails and they haven't responded to any of them. Their policy is to respond within 24hrs. I've also spent 5 1/2 hrs (6 calls) on the phone.

VERY, VERY frustrating.


Day 8 (10/3) Still no Sirius Service:

[pittkol]

I brought the car to the dealership today for the Sirius problem and a CEL and got the car back with the CEL still on and Sirius still not working and now the passenger window doesn't work along with the auto up/down feature. They want me to bring the car back tomorrow. What a pain in the butt. I don't think they will have any answers tomorrow either. Starting to think I should have bought the FX or RDX.

[Longhaul412]

I brought the car to the dealership today for the Sirius problem and a CEL and got the car back with the CEL still on and Sirius still not working and now the passenger window doesn't work along with the auto up/down feature. They want me to bring the car back tomorrow. What a pain in the butt. I don't think they will have any answers tomorrow either. Starting to think I should have bought the FX or RDX.

Sort of the same thing here. Day whatever and still no Sirius Service. No response to my emails, and after 2 phone calls on hold for 20+ min each time, finally told to take to the dealer. I tried the battery disconnect thing, and no result. At least no positive result on the radio, but now the passenger window won't respond to the driver's side control. Works fine from the passenger side. Back to the dealer I do suppose.

[Tequila Cat]

Having done the battery thing myself, I learned that the owner's manual describes how to restore the auto up-down function of the windows. No need to take it back to the dealer.

[acesaroundagain]

Still no service for me either. However, CEL is out, mechanic said he did a software update??!! I had already gotten the "new gas cap". Mechanic also said he spoke with Mazda and they were going to give him additional info on the Sirius problem today. Haven't heard anything yet. Still jammin' to CDs.


Day 7 and still no Sirius Service:

I just spoke with a Sirius Representative and he said they got an e-mail yesterday saying the engineers hope to have the fix done by Friday 10/6.

The customer service from Sirius has been VERY POOR. This conversation I had was the first time someone at Sirius admitted that there was a problem.
I've sent 5 e-mails and they haven't responded to any of them. Their policy is to respond within 24hrs. I've also spent 5 1/2 hrs (6 calls) on the phone.

VERY, VERY frustrating.


Day 8 (10/3) Still no Sirius Service:

[pittkol]

Took it back to the dealer today and they said they still do not have a fix for it yet. They did fix the other problems. I'll just have to wait and hopefully they'll find a way to fix it soon.

[cx7mom]

I just received this email (it took them a week to admit they screwed up).

Dear SIRIUS Satellite Radio Subscriber:

It has come to our attention that some subscribers have experienced
interruption of service during our latest channel update. The
interruptions occurred after a system-wide upgrade that we downloaded to all SIRIUS
receivers last week, including a revised channel line-up. And while it
affected only a small number of receivers, we know that this offers
little comfort if one of them is yours.

We are very sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. Please know
that we are working with our automotive and electronics manufacturing
partners to resolve the problem as quickly as possible and get back to
delivering you the more than 130 channels of music, sports, talk and
entertainment that you've come to expect and enjoy.

Again, we apologize for this inconvenience and ask for your patience as
we repair the problem. We will continue to keep you informed as we
learn more and will update you no later than the end of the week. Thank you
for subscribing to SIRIUS. The Best Radio On Radio.

Sincerely,

Michael Moore
VP/Customer Service

[acesaroundagain]

My industrious mechanic has called Mazda himself to find out what to do with the Sirius problems. They are telling him that Sirius told them they'd have it fixed by Friday. I'll just hold my breath, because I know Sirius wouldn't lie to me.

[dhiney]

I got the same e-mail from Sirius - after 9 days of no service. I called my dealer this morning to see if he had any additional news. He said he would call me back by the end of the week but here is what Mazda has told them.

Some units will work after they are "updating" for 15 mins. But not all units. The dealers are NOT suppose to replace any units or even do any original installs untill Sirius gets the problem fixed. Mazda did not give the dealers a time line for the fix.

You can bet if this problem effect hundreds of thousands of subscribers Sirius would be all over it and getting it repaired in hours, not days or weeks.

[Longhaul412]

I got the same e-mail from Sirius - after 9 days of no service. I called my dealer this morning to see if he had any additional news. He said he would call me back by the end of the week but here is what Mazda has told them.

Some units will work after they are "updating" for 15 mins. But not all units. The dealers are NOT suppose to replace any units or even do any original installs untill Sirius gets the problem fixed. Mazda did not give the dealers a time line for the fix.

You can bet if this problem effect hundreds of thousands of subscribers Sirius would be all over it and getting it repaired in hours, not days or weeks.


Gotta agree, finally got the email from Sirius. I still took the time to send them a nastygram. I can deal with technical issues and problems, what I can't deal with is being put off and not dealt with, and having rude customer service reps finally answer my call after more than 20 min hold times each time, and not having a single email inquiry responded to.

[dhiney]

Day 10 and still no service. Sirius better plan on giving good size credits for the lack of service.

[dhiney]

Sirius is working hard to fix their problem (day 10) My radio doesn't flash updating anymore. It flashes "channel Invalid" 000. So it's stuck on channel 000 and I can't tune to another channel. I called Sirius & Mazda and told them whatever they did, didn't fix the problem.

I did get a response today to a an e-mail I sent Sirius last thursday. The CSR said they just did a channel update and to call customer service to have a new reactivation signal sent. Obviously she didn't read my e-mail she responded too. I had done that 5 times by then.

[dhiney]

Things are getting worse. Day 11 & still no service.

With the latest fix now my whole radio is not working properly. When I turn my car off and then back on the radio is automatically off. When I turn it on all my presets are gone. Radio presets, sound presets, everything. If reset set them, turn the car off & on and the presets are all cleared out. If I set the presets and turn the radio off & on (while the car is still running) the presets are still there.

Sirius Radio now "updates" then goes to channel 184 - their free weather channel. When I try to tune to a different channel it goes to channel 000 and flashes "invalid channel" and won't let me tune to any other channel, including 184.

I didn't think they could screw things up worse but I was wrong.

[jmhumr]

Things are getting worse. Day 11 & still no service.

With the latest fix now my whole radio is not working properly. When I turn my car off and then back on the radio is automatically off. When I turn it on all my presets are gone. Radio presets, sound presets, everything. If reset set them, turn the car off & on and the presets are all cleared out. If I set the presets and turn the radio off & on (while the car is still running) the presets are still there.

Sirius Radio now "updates" then goes to channel 184 - their free weather channel. When I try to tune to a different channel it goes to channel 000 and flashes "invalid channel" and won't let me tune to any other channel, including 184.

I didn't think they could screw things up worse but I was wrong.

Well...they could always cause your car to combust from space, and that'd be even worse service. ;)

I'm just glad it is a Sirius issue, and not a Mazda issue (unless it turns out they have to replace thousands of CX-7 packages). I'm a little more optimistic because I haven't even activated mine yet. I actually discovered there was an issue when I tried to activate it and never could get past the first step: Tune to channel 184. So I'll be happy as long a I don't have to take my car to the dealership for a Sirius recall. I'd definitely be ticked if I were paying for service at the moment though. They'd better give you guys a refund!

[CX7_Scott]

I have been lucky to NOT have the issues you all are having with mine, but still... I just got an automated recording from Sirius - they phoned our home number and left an apology message for the service interruption(s). They must have cross-referrenced their database w/ all owners of vehicles that reported issues.

Even though I am on my free-trial of 6-mos... I can honestly say that there's no way I'd convert to a paying customer. Between the horrible reception to the low-percentage of staions I actually like... it'd be a collosal waste of money.

Just my opinion. :)

[Tequila Cat]

Just received from Sirius...

Dear SIRIUS Satellite Radio Subscriber:

Thank you for your continued patience as we work with Mazda to correct
the problem that has interrupted service to some SIRIUS subscribers.

We have determined that the problem is not related to the SIRIUS
broadcast system; however, Mazda and SIRIUS technical experts have
isolated the issue, which is related to select radios on the following
vehicles:

Mazda 3
Mazda 5
MX-5
CX-7

We have identified a solution, which we expect to implement no later
than next week, that should allow you to resume your Sirius service.

Once more, we apologize for this inconvenience, and we will update you
again early next week. Ensuring affected customers are satisfied will
remain our top priority.

Sincerely,

Michael Moore
VP/Customer Service

[cx7mom]

I just received the following:

Dear SIRIUS Satellite Radio Subscriber:

If you're one of the customers affected by the recent interruption in
SIRIUS radio service, we thank you again for your patience while we've
worked to resolve this issue.

This email includes important information you will need in order to get
your SIRIUS service back to normal operation.

As a reminder, the problem is not with the SIRIUS broadcast, but is a
software issue related to radios in the following vehicles:

MAZDA3
MAZDA5
Mazda MX-5
Mazda CX-7

Mazda and SIRIUS engineers have identified a way to temporarily restore
your service by sending a special update signal to your radio. This
signal will commence tomorrow morning, and your radio will receive it the
first time you turn it on after 5:00 AM, Eastern Daylight Time, on
Wednesday, October 11th.

Once we send this update signal, you will need to reset your radio in
order to restore your SIRIUS service. This can be done any time after
5:00 AM EDT, October 11th, by following the simple instructions below.

RESTORING YOUR SIRIUS SERVICE
-----------------------------
STEP 1: Make sure your vehicle is parked and has a full view of the
open sky, with no leaves, trees or other overhead blockage, so the
satellite signal can reach your radio.

STEP 2: Turn on your ignition and turn on your radio.

STEP 3: Switch your radio to SAT mode.

STEP 4: You will see the words "UPDATING" or "CH184" or "INVALID
CHANNEL" on your radio display and there will be no sound.

STEP 5: Wait 5 minutes. While you are waiting, your radio will continue
to display one of these messages. Do not change channels or switch
modes while the update is in progress.

STEP 6: Switch from SAT mode to FM for 30 seconds.

STEP 7: Switch your radio back to SAT mode. You may see the word
"UPDATING" for a few moments, but then your radio sound and satellite service
should be restored to normal operation.

If this process fails to work, turn off your radio and repeat all the
steps in order. If you continue to have difficulty, please call our
Mazda customer help line at 1-866-528-6040.


YOUR SATISFACTION IS IMPORTANT TO US
------------------------------------
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have been caused
while we worked to identify and resolve this issue. Mazda and SIRIUS are
working together on a permanent solution to this problem which will be
communicated to you shortly.

In addition, Mazda and SIRIUS want to assure you that we value your
satisfaction, and we pledge to appropriately address your concerns
regarding any loss of service you may have experienced.

If you have additional questions, please call the Mazda Customer Help
Line at 1-866-528-6040.

Thank you again for your patience.

Sincerely,

Michael Moore
Vice President, SIRIUS Customer Care

[Tequila Cat]

Woo hoo!! It worked. Sirius back online after two weeks and a day. I must say I'm not impressed with how long it took. I notice in the letter that there's no mention of credit - looks like there'll still need to be useless phone calls to get that part resolved.

[pittkol]

Yep, Back in working order. Thanks for the post!

[dhiney]

Last week when my Sirius went from "updating" to "invalid channel" my radio went to hell. The presets for channels, volume, bass, trebile, etc. would all zero out when ever I turned the power off via the ignition. If I turned off the radio with the on/off power switch it would keep the presets (untill the car was turned off)

Has anyone else had this problem?

It's at the dealer now for the 3rd CEL and the radio. I gave them the Sirius update info to restart the service.

[CX7_Scott]

Again - if you read Sirius' correspondence, you can see that they are saying it's NOT their fault - it's a software problem in the HEAD UNITS of those vehicles - or at least a certain span of units that may have a particular software version... and that is not something Sirius controls.

They liscense the technology to other vendors to produce receivers that accept their signal. If those units have issues that are not the fault of Sirius... why would they voluntarilly credit for something that is not their fault...? They did nothing wrong. (assumption)

just wanted to provide an alternate pov.

-sf

[Longhaul412]

Again - if you read Sirius' correspondence, you can see that they are saying it's NOT their fault - it's a software problem in the HEAD UNITS of those vehicles - or at least a certain span of units that may have a particular software version... and that is not something Sirius controls.

They liscense the technology to other vendors to produce receivers that accept their signal. If those units have issues that are not the fault of Sirius... why would they voluntarilly credit for something that is not their fault...? They did nothing wrong. (assumption)

just wanted to provide an alternate pov.

-sf


True enough, but even by licencing out their technology, Sirius still has the burden of responsibility. If their licencees are putting out units with problems, ultimately that comes back to Sirius in the form of lost subscribers. If I have several bad issues with a product, regarless of it is the manufacturer of the product or the service provided with that product, at some point I'll look elsewhere for service.
I don't think Sirius should come out and offer months and months of free service, but a credit for the 10+ days some of thier customers were unable to recive credit would go a long way toward restoring consumer confidence in thier company.

[dhiney]

Last week when my Sirius went from "updating" to "invalid channel" my radio went to hell. The presets for channels, volume, bass, trebile, etc. would all zero out when ever I turned the power off via the ignition. If I turned off the radio with the on/off power switch it would keep the presets (untill the car was turned off)

Has anyone else had this problem?

It's at the dealer now for the 3rd CEL and the radio. I gave them the Sirius update info to restart the service.

My dealer just called - the Sirius update worked and it solved the radio problems also. looks like a Sirius Software problem caused the radio to go to hell.

[cruzdreamer]

Ok....I was just thinking about trying Sirius.....I am a bit nervous with all these emails. Is it a matter of calling them up and how is it activated once you go online and order? Is there a bunch of stuff to do??? Are the problems worked out? I got Sirius with my car so I am assuming that the box for it is in the car somehwere...or in the radio?? I see the ESN # on back of manual. I have the regular Bose 6 cd radio...not the touch screen. Do you guys think it's worth $12.95 a month?? Please help with any info. Thanks!!

[Tequila Cat]

Well, you do get 6 months free to try it out which should give you enough time to figure out whether you like it or not. If you live in a mountain area as I do, there are some dead spots to contend with.

I'm at a point where I'm really hooked on Sirius...it sounds so much better than regular FM and there are no ads. Especially since Smooth Jazz is not available in the Knoxville area without Sirius or XM.

[cruzdreamer]

I am all hooked up to Sirius. Worked right away surprisingly. I had to call though since I did not like the fact they made me chose a plan once my 6 months of free service was up.....catch was they did not have the monthly option...only yearly and they charged me today for it! I called and they are crediting me the $142. So watch out. To me if it's free I should not pay a dime until I decide at the end of 6 months I want to continue and with what plan! Love the sound and choices...it's nice!!!

[CX7_Scott]

I am all hooked up to Sirius. Worked right away surprisingly. I had to call though since I did not like the fact they made me chose a plan once my 6 months of free service was up.....catch was they did not have the monthly option...only yearly and they charged me today for it! I called and they are crediting me the $142. So watch out. To me if it's free I should not pay a dime until I decide at the end of 6 months I want to continue and with what plan! Love the sound and choices...it's nice!!!

When I signed-up... they did not ask me for ANYTHING other than the number of the unit. They did not ask what "plan" I wanted, nor did I have to give any personal information or credit-card. They just activated it for 6-Mos.

[jmhumr]

When I signed-up... they did not ask me for ANYTHING other than the number of the unit. They did not ask what "plan" I wanted, nor did I have to give any personal information or credit-card. They just activated it for 6-Mos.

Ditto here.

[jmhumr]

I've got a question for you all about the SIRIUS service...

How sensitive is SIRIUS reception? I just got mine activated and I've been using it for about a week, and it will skip 1-3 times per song at its worst and it is getting pretty irritating. This happens to me when I'm just driving the streets in Northern Virginia. I'd understand if this happened when going under bridges or whatever, but is SIRIUS reception really THIS sensitive to tall trees/buildings???

There's no way I'd pay to continue this service if reception is really that weak during city driving. I thought one of the advantages of SIRIUS is that you could get great reception most everywhere you drove!

[cruzdreamer]

When I signed-up... they did not ask me for ANYTHING other than the number of the unit. They did not ask what "plan" I wanted, nor did I have to give any personal information or credit-card. They just activated it for 6-Mos.

I did not call I just went to their website and that's how I signed up. Hmmm....maybe they changed the format? Does anyone know how to have the info. scroll instead of having to push the buttons for the info?

[CX7_Scott]

I've got a question for you all about the SIRIUS service...

How sensitive is SIRIUS reception? ... There's no way I'd pay to continue this service if reception is really that weak during city driving. I thought one of the advantages of SIRIUS is that you could get great reception most everywhere you drove!

I am in agreement. Most of my commute is open-sky... but any bridges, overpasses, heavy tree-cover... and the signal is gone. And truthfully, not all stations sound "better" in quality than FM.

It's kinda neat to have for now (for free)... but I have no desire to sign-up once the 6-months is up. Sirius must be hurting big-time because now they're promoting 2-free-days of Sirius online (web listening). The'll do anything to get people to check it out and hopefully sign-up.

Must be hard to pay for the payroll of Howard 100 and 101. :D

-scott

[dhiney]

Just a few thoughts about Sirius........

I agree with the reception problem but I think it is the radio that is in the CX-7. I think the unit is substandard and wouldn't be surprised if it was an old model.

I've been a Sirius subscriber for a 1 1/2 years. My last car I put in a Starmate portable unit and the reception was MUCH better. Plus the radio had many more features, and it was MUCH cheaper (under $100). I may buy the new portable unit and install it in my CX-7 after the 6 mos free period.

I was one of the unlucky few who lost Sirius service for over 2 weeks. They installed a patch to bring the service back online and ever since the radio still doesn't work right.

Has anyone else noticed the same problems?

[Tequila Cat]

Both my CX-7 and my wife's Miata were affected, but since the fix both have been operating very well. Maybe it's because the leaves are mostly off the trees now, but even in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park my reception has been nearly perfect. On a trip to Williamsburg, VA it didn't miss a beat.

[TheMAN]

fix available: http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=123653571