Jeep app (Android) - missing vehicle status?

[rsouthern]

I'm not saying that some options disappeared from the app (Android), but I'm curious if maybe my expectations are too high. I've had my Gladiator X for 3 months now and have used the app to try and start or unlock it, sometimes it works, sometimes it times out (seems to work <50%), but I have never seen a way to check the status of the Gladiator. Is it locked or unlocked? Are the windows open or closed? (Window control isn't even something listed). Is the engine running? Instead I have what I assume everyone else has: start/cancel engine, turning the ventilation on, lock/unlock the doors and honk horn. But with no status for these items, it sort of makes it somewhat pointless, why would I cancel the engine if I don't know if I even successfully started the engine (or if it's still running). I get that I can send a lock command to a locked vehicle and it won't do anything, but why should I have to do all that and then wait to see if the command worked if I can see that it's already locked? Does the Gladiator lack a 2 way cellular radio?

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[Mr._Bill]

A cellular connection is used for the remote functions. The system was not designed to report vehicle status to the app. It only reports success or failure of the remote command sent to the vehicle. The remote start has a fifteen minute time-out, and can only be activated two times before you have to get in the truck and start it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm not saying that some options disappeared from the app (Android), but I'm curious if maybe my expectations are too high. I've had my Gladiator X for 3 months now and have used the app to try and start or unlock it, sometimes it works, sometimes it times out (seems to work <50%), but I have never seen a way to check the status of the Gladiator. Is it locked or unlocked? Are the windows open or closed? (Window control isn't even something listed). Is the engine running? Instead I have what I assume everyone else has: start/cancel engine, turning the ventilation on, lock/unlock the doors and honk horn. But with no status for these items, it sort of makes it somewhat pointless, why would I cancel the engine if I don't know if I even successfully started the engine (or if it's still running). I get that I can send a lock command to a locked vehicle and it won't do anything, but why should I have to do all that and then wait to see if the command worked if I can see that it's already locked? Does the Gladiator lack a 2 way cellular radio?

Like the man said - it's not lack of communication, it's lack of a system to detect status. There's nothing telling the vehicle if a window is open or closed (this minimizes door weight for removable doors) and minimizes wiring - again, removable doors. It can't report if it's locked or not because there's nothing to detect the status - yeah, door weight and complexity and wiring. it's a Jeep with removable doors and roof. It's not a Lexus so no, it will take commands and let you know if the command was received, but nothing on any status.
These don't even have auto-up windows.

 

[rsouthern]

Fair enough on the doors/windows, although the windows do (should - I haven't actually tested) have pinch control and some awareness of position (closed or not-closed based on motor load) so it would be possible to know if the window was rolled up (motor load hit peak value) or not (likely a SW thing in the computer with retention of the last value from the window motor). That would be a saved value for that system in the computer.

But shouldn't the system know if the vehicle's engine was running or the ventilation was running or the doors were locked? Those should already be monitored by the computer for safety reasons if nothing else. But perhaps, as has been pointed out, wrong market/expectations.

The reason I asked is, the commands seem to be unreliable. I don't get the requested action (unlock or remote start) to work as often as I would expect, and sometimes I end up trying multiple times. It's all a bit frustrating. The missing information on "status" makes me think this is a somewhat rushed feature and was there to feature compete with cross shoppers, more than to offer a useful function. For comparison, my wife's X7 offers the same functions in addition to the window status, and it's very reliable, failing less than 10% of the time (on the first try). I'm NOT comparing the X7 to the Gladiator, different vehicles, different price points, different markets, but this is mostly stuff in SW, so it seems like it should be do-able, if Jeep/Stellantis wanted, without adding more HW.

I guess I'm hoping that this will be improved eventually with the existing systems with better software, but I suspect that's just a pipe-dream.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

although the windows do (should - I haven't actually tested) have pinch control and some awareness of position (closed or not-closed based on motor load) so it would be possible to know if the window was rolled up (motor load hit peak value) or not (likely a SW thing in the computer with retention of the last value from the window motor).

IF they tracked that, they could run auto-up and these don't have that capability.
These aren't Grand Cherokees.
If it was "just software" - which it isn't, that would still add quite a level of complexity.

X7 BMW? Again, these are Jeep TRUCKS. Removable doors and roof. In fact, until recently, hand crank windows were standard on the Sport, etc.
This is a lifestyle vehicle and a truck - don't expect such features out of it. And a BMW of course will have those things. But you can't take a BMW of any sort where you can take these, or take off the doors or roof and so on.
These are sold for a very different audience - and that's a big part of it.
We don't really want or need those things. I'd bet even if they were there, extremely few buyers would go for them.
We are more along the lines of keep it SIMPLE.

 

[mrlooney]

Heck my jeep app still says 60 days since last health report. I’ve got the emails saying it was done but the app doesn’t reflect as so.

 

[Mr._Bill]

Fair enough on the doors/windows, although the windows do (should - I haven't actually tested) have pinch control and some awareness of position (closed or not-closed based on motor load) so it would be possible to know if the window was rolled up (motor load hit peak value) or not (likely a SW thing in the computer with retention of the last value from the window motor). That would be a saved value for that system in the computer.

But shouldn't the system know if the vehicle's engine was running or the ventilation was running or the doors were locked? Those should already be monitored by the computer for safety reasons if nothing else. But perhaps, as has been pointed out, wrong market/expectations.

The reason I asked is, the commands seem to be unreliable. I don't get the requested action (unlock or remote start) to work as often as I would expect, and sometimes I end up trying multiple times. It's all a bit frustrating. The missing information on "status" makes me think this is a somewhat rushed feature and was there to feature compete with cross shoppers, more than to offer a useful function. For comparison, my wife's X7 offers the same functions in addition to the window status, and it's very reliable, failing less than 10% of the time (on the first try). I'm NOT comparing the X7 to the Gladiator, different vehicles, different price points, different markets, but this is mostly stuff in SW, so it seems like it should be do-able, if Jeep/Stellantis wanted, without adding more HW.

I guess I'm hoping that this will be improved eventually with the existing systems with better software, but I suspect that's just a pipe-dream.

It's not real-time communication. The system is programmed with specific remote functions. The command to activate the function is sent over the cellular network to the head unit. The system goes down a list of things to do. If everything checks out, it carries out the command. It reports back the status of success or failure.

The system is managed by SiriusXM and AT&T. The commands go to the SiriusXM server and then out over the cellular network. The response comes back across the cellular network to the server, and it reports to the app. There are several variables that affect success. The internet connection from the app to the server, and the quality of the cellular connection to the vehicle.

 

[rsouthern]

I think this is likely the reason and thanks for the insight @Mr Bill!

I just did a test to see if it works as you describe, and while I think that it's actually utilizing both the SiriusXM satellites and their terrestrial repeaters, I'm pretty sure that it's the 1 way nature of this network that answers why we don't get any sort of a status of the vehicle. I tried remote starting my Mojave using the app. I live in a place in San Jose CA where we have no cellular coverage (since 3G was retired). The truck is outside with a clear view of the sky. The command was sent from my phone which only has WiFi active here. It worked but took almost a minute to happen, similar to if you've ever had to reset the radio code for an XM subscription. Then trying to send a follow-up cancel engine command took too long and I ended up using the key fob to stop the engine instead. I suspect that the Jeep app has a built in timer to allow for the command to be sent out before it can queue up any additional commands, so the commands can't arrive out of order (think of the problems that could happen with door locking getting out of order)

I'm pretty sure we don't have any terrestrial repeaters our here since we live in a valley in a low density part of rural San Jose. So the only way the signal arrived was by satellite. I will consider this question answered. It's not the lack of hardware, it's the implementation architecture that's the limit. So on the up side, you can start up your Jeep if you're out in the middle of nowhere and unlock it if you have the doors and roof on. Nice!

 

[rsouthern]

We don't really want or need those things. I'd bet even if they were there, extremely few buyers would go for them.
We are more along the lines of keep it SIMPLE.

Yes, very different applications. But since much of our Gladiator's electronics are shared with the Wrangler, I don't think my point is too far off base, it's still built alongside it's sister Wrangler, which is an SUV. Similar seating capacity and some trims of the Wrangler do seem to try and shop upmarket buyers, like the Sahara (and the 2020-2024 price increases across the board seem to back me on that point).

I would respectfully offer that there will be more buyers than you might expect that would take advantage of these functions. Think about how many "mall crawlers" there are and even packages like the Nighthawk where the tires are on-road only and the truck (or Wrangler) has the far less capable transfer case, no lockers or other hard core off-roading features. Jeep sells more than just the Mojave and Rubicon trim levels. There are many people that buy these lifestyle vehicles for the image or dream of adventure but never plan to use the capabilities - I see them all the time in San Jose! I even see people that put tire dressing on their shiny Jeeps that have never even seen a dusty road.

But I think the answer to my question was provided by Mr Bill and I believe I was able to confirm it. It's mostly a 1 way communication for these commands by utilizing the SiriusXM satellite and ground based repeaters. For other functions like SOS and valet mode, Jeep is using the cellular network but for whatever reasons, not lock/unlock, start/stop engine and ventilation. It seems like they have 2 parallel systems covering different functions. Maybe a left over from the post-Daimler days?

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