I recently contacted Volvo customer service about a problem I was experiencing in updating my navigation maps.

My 2015.5 V60 nav system can be updated by downloading the new file to a memory stick. In the past (and I have done this several times) inserting the memory stick in the USB port triggers the updating program.

My most recent attempt to do this failed. I was able to download the new file and the download program confirmed that a complete readable file was on the memory stick but inserting the memory stick did not trigger the update program.

I contacted Volvo customer service about this and they recommended that I speak to the dealer. I did contact the dealer who usually services my car and they had no explanation nor recommendation. They had not heard of this problem.

I made another call to Volvo customer service. They denied any knowledge of the problem but suggested that I speak to another dealer. I did so and was told that they had indeed seen this problem, Volvo was aware of it and had told the dealer that it was being “worked on.”

Two things are different from the last time I updated the maps. There was a problem at one point with the Sensus download program running on the latest Mac operating system. That has now been corrected. The new file is larger than 32G, requiring a 64 G memory stick. I strongly suspect that between the changes necessary to accommodate the latest Mac operating system and the format of the update files, Volvo “broke” the system. In all probability the number of cars with this particular system whose owners routinely update the map files is small making it a low priority issue.

I decided to revisit Volvo customer service to see if they would even acknowledge the problem. Unfortunately it would appear (based on a thorough Internet search) that the telephone line to Volvo customer service no longer exists!

I suppose that cutting off telephone access is one way to avoid the need to lie to owners.

 

Who is lying?

Customer service is customer service- not technical support. So they referred you to a dealership.

Calling a dealer will result in someone other than a technician answering the phone. Maybe it's a service advisor. Maybe that advisor has seen the issue. Maybe not.

If they have, it was from one of the few customers who actually updates the maps. As you said, it isn't likely many do. So if a small amount of them do and some of them (or even all of them) have a problem, you have to call the dealer they took it to and speak with the advisor they had.