MyLink screens gone dark, and radio buttons inactive

pvanderlugt · August 16, 2018

I parked my truck on Wednesday, and everything was working fine. I started my truck on Thursday, and the MyLink screen has gone dark. It will VERY occasionally display the splash page, but goes no further. The hardware radio buttons below, are all inactive. The STEERING WHEEL buttons, still function correctly, and the small screen in front of the steering wheel, displays the radio station. So obviously, the screen CAN work, because it occasionally will display the splash page. The radio DOES work, because it functions through the steering wheel. But the MyLink interface is inactive, as are the buttons below the screen itself.

I've heard from one person with this problem, who was sent a fix by Onstar. The Customer Rep I spoke too, refused to help.

US Dashworks · August 16, 2018

3 hours ago, pvanderlugt said:

I parked my truck on Wednesday, and everything was working fine. I started my truck on Thursday, and the MyLink screen has gone dark. It will VERY occasionally display the splash page, but goes no further. The hardware radio buttons below, are all inactive. The STEERING WHEEL buttons, still function correctly, and the small screen in front of the steering wheel, displays the radio station. So obviously, the screen CAN work, because it occasionally will display the splash page. The radio DOES work, because it functions through the steering wheel. But the MyLink interface is inactive, as are the buttons below the screen itself.

I've heard from one person with this problem, who was sent a fix by Onstar. The Customer Rep I spoke too, refused to help.

when you put the truck into reverse does the camera image come onto the screen? is the truck still under warranty? could be a possible bad HMI module, or LCD screen, but id sway to a bad hmi module.

pvanderlugt · August 17, 2018

No, the back up camera no longer comes on. However, occasionally, only occasionally, the MyLink splash page will still show up when I start the truck. So the screen would seem to be ok. And the screen is still lit up, it's just dark.

pvanderlugt · August 17, 2018

Is there a way to "reboot" the HMI?

The truck was parked one evening, working perfectly.

Started it the next day, and the software on the MyLink just doesn't ever seem to completely initiate. I can get the MyLink splash page, but nothing afterwards, but there is backlighting on in the monitor.

But no back up camera either.

Loco Diablo · August 17, 2018

Is there a way to "reboot" the HMI?

The truck was parked one evening, working perfectly.
Started it the next day, and the software on the MyLink just doesn't ever seem to completely initiate. I can get the MyLink splash page, but nothing afterwards, but there is backlighting on in the monitor.

But no back up camera either.

Disconnect the battery for a while. This should reset the HMI.

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pvanderlugt · August 17, 2018

I went through that process yesterday. I unplugged both positive terminals for two hours. During that time, I read on the Internet, of someone who had had a similar problem, and Onstar was able to send a fix to the radio. But when I told the Onstar rep that I had unplugged the batteries, he completely shut down on me and told me to take it to the dealer. He said that unplugging the batteries, would put the radio in "theft" mode, and make any help from him useless. However, unplugging the battery, absolutely did nothing to change the symptoms of my problem. The radio still works, so I fail to see how it is in "theft" mode.

Short story though, is that I had read the same suggestion with the battery, and tried it, with no positive effects.

Loco-diablo · August 17, 2018

6 minutes ago, pvanderlugt said:

I went through that process yesterday. I unplugged both positive terminals for two hours. During that time, I read on the Internet, of someone who had had a similar problem, and Onstar was able to send a fix to the radio. But when I told the Onstar rep that I had unplugged the batteries, he completely shut down on me and told me to take it to the dealer. He said that unplugging the batteries, would put the radio in "theft" mode, and make any help from him useless. However, unplugging the battery, absolutely did nothing to change the symptoms of my problem. The radio still works, so I fail to see how it is in "theft" mode.

Short story though, is that I had read the same suggestion with the battery, and tried it, with no positive effects.

Time to bring it in to the dealer I'd say. Could very well be a hardware failure. I assume you're still under warranty?

pvanderlugt · August 17, 2018

Yes, still under warranty. But looking at how often this has happened to others, is concerning me. Warranty will be gone soon enough, and do these HMI units just not last?

Someone mentioned buying one of the units from MVI, it looks like they customize units. But I don't know if they are of any better quality.

I love the truck. But spending this much money, you hope for something that is operational for a long period of time. This episode has put some doubt in my mind.

Thanks for your help though.

Loco-diablo · August 17, 2018

26 minutes ago, pvanderlugt said:

Yes, still under warranty. But looking at how often this has happened to others, is concerning me. Warranty will be gone soon enough, and do these HMI units just not last?

Someone mentioned buying one of the units from MVI, it looks like they customize units. But I don't know if they are of any better quality.

I love the truck. But spending this much money, you hope for something that is operational for a long period of time. This episode has put some doubt in my mind.

Thanks for your help though.

If it's any consolation, I'm definitely not seeing this as a common problem with these trucks.

I wouldn't be too concerned. You may have just gotten a bad one, or perhaps even something less critical like it just needs to be reprogrammed for some reason..

MVI just programs/customizes OEM ones. They don't have different, or off brand ones.

newdude · August 17, 2018

Plenty of HMI's changed at work, no matter the car. Couple data cables, only a couple radios as well. Mostly HMI going bad.

Edited August 17, 2018 by newdude

DEV1ST8R · August 18, 2018

6 hours ago, newdude said:

Plenty of HMI's changed at work, no matter the car. Couple data cables, only a couple radios as well. Mostly HMI going bad.

Might be a dumb question, but what is an HMI?

Loco Diablo · August 18, 2018

Might be a dumb question, but what is an HMI?

Human Machine Interface

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redwngr · August 18, 2018

As newdude points out some fail and they get replaced --

---but it's not like they ALL fail.

Take it in and make use of the warranty you already paid for.

FWIW, I own or have owned 5 or 6 GM's with touchscreen style HMI and have never had one fail.

Also don't know anyone else that has had a failure (I guess that doesn't mean much).

Point is just because one fails, or some fail, doesn't mean they are all junk or that they should all be changed out.

Same with many others failures that get posted on the web.

Of course it's never nice when it's a vehicle you own that has a failure.

Edited August 18, 2018 by redwngr

gearheadesw · August 21, 2018

On my '16 WT, I had the screen go dark a coulee of times. Called an Onstar rep, they told me to turn it off for like 5 min, supposedly they sent something to it. It came back to life, but occasionally would be nothing on it. It would come back on it's own in the next start up.

Paulismydog · January 14, 2019

I once had mine go out after changing cabin filter. Went back in behind glove box and jiggled the big harness that kind of blocks where cabin filter sits. Unit came back on. Truck was only a month old.