Uconnect Radio question

[Happydad4]

I have a 500 pop that I bought just a few weeks ago. I'm getting somewhat disappointed with the radio because it doesn't do what the POS radio does well in my Toyota PriusC. All I want the UCONNECT radio to do is to start in Bluetooth mode and pick up my smartphone's music. Currently, it starts in radio mode every time even when I indicate that the radio should start in "last".

How does your radio start?

[SVAGO 1]

Your Fiat radio will not start in Bluetooth mode because the bluetooth driver is one of the last drivers to load in the startup sequence. For this same reason, you can not make a call using bluetooth either for about the first 30 seconds. Your car has a computer in it and just like your PC at home, when it starts, it has to start all of its components, they aren't just simply instantly on. The first thing to get juice is your dash panel, then your starter, then other important monitoring systems, the bluetooth receiver is one of the last things to become operational, and your radio receives power before that BT driver is loaded by the car's computer, so the radio comes on, the last thing used was BT, but the radio can't yet use the BT, so it reverts to its default, the radio.

Here's an interesting, related quirk... Normally, when you have your windshield wipers on and you put the car in reverse, your rear wiper comes on automatically and stays on as long as you are in reverse... Whatever relay panel controls that is apparently lower on the list as well, because if I do it quickly enough, I can turn the car on, turn the wipers on, put it in reverse and the rear wiper does not come on.

The reality is though, it takes less than 20-30 seconds for the computer to fully boot. Watch your EVIC and when your Blue BT indicator comes on, reach over and push the Media button.

[Happydad4]

Svago. Thank you for the explanation. I'm familiar how boot sequences work because I work with this sort of stuff (e.g.,EPROMS, drivers). Maybe I need simply accept that this is how UCONNECT works and leave it alone. The reason that I complain is that I'm used to how my old Prius's radio works. It starts with BT so I never hear the radio--it's really nice because I never listen to the radio and anymore. On rare occasions that I listen to the radio is usually through my smartphone's radio app--but that's rare. I'm actually looking for ways to replace the UCONNECT radio but I don't think that's going to be possible because it seems connected to the car's functions. The Toyota's radio has all sorts of configuration settings and start up sequences and I thought that maybe I just missed UCONNECT's or didn't hit the right button. I'm still getting to the know the car. I fiddle with everything but I can get used to it. It's just inconvenient.

What's EVIC?

Also, it sounds like you're really familar with the F500's computer and connections. Other than your experience, where can I find out more about it?

Thanks.

[SVAGO 1]

EVIC - Electronic Vehicle Information Center. (The round screen directly in front of the driver.)

An easy fix to hearing the radio is to set the channel selector to a silent frequency.

I don't really have a source for what I posted. Just the result of lots of experimenting and application of knowledge of how computers work.

[Happydad4]

Yep, that's exactly what I did. I set the radio to an FM frequency that I used to use a transmitter on. Like I said, I'm loving the car and just getting used to its quirks. Thanks.

[SVAGO 1]

They are most definitely fun cars to own. And even more fun to drive. Thus my board name and license plate.

[gdoudou]

Greetings from Greece! I am a new excited owner of a 500 1.3 Multijet that i have bought it a few week ago. I admit that i am very happy with my new car. Although I bought it for my wife, i mostly drive it. I want to ask something about the Uconnect Radio that i haven't find and that's why i need your help. I have stored the radio stations that i hear often, but when i press the up/down buttons that exist in the right place of the steering wheel, I can not move in the stored stations. For example, if I am listening the 90.0 FM radio station and i want to move to the next stored station which is the 102.0, this never happens because if i press the up or down button in the steering wheel, the FM radios station which will play, will be the 90.4 or 89.8 respectively. Is it something that I can do from the settings that i haven't found yet, or should I forget this choice?
Thank you in advance for your answer and I am sure that we will have so many things to say for our beloved 500!

[map]

Yes, that's how the US radios (at least for 2018) worked... it scans for the next (or lower) station depending on which paddle you press. If I want to choose a station, I touch the screen. To jump to the next stored station, touch the little round button in between the up and down button on the left. If I recall correctly, the round button on the right will jump to the next set of stored radio stations (FM1, FM2, AM).