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Replacing your old Volvo Cars app phone with a new one? Here's How

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20K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  ColoradoNative  
#1 ·
Like most smartphone owners who replace their phones whenever a new version is released, I ended up replacing mine. With some trepidation, I began by extracting the following info from various writeups in my quest to transfer my Administrator (Owner) profile to my new phone. They worked for me the first time I tried, so here they are in the hopes of cutting down on potential horrors. Important: You must delete the currently paired mobile phone under its own VC app before setting up the new phone as described below, so don't get rid of the old phone yet! Also, as you have already dealt with all the data-sharing requirements when originally setting up your old phone's paring, no such issues are incurred with the new phone's setup.
  • Gather all the keys that you got for the car (usually 3 keys).
  • Open the car's door to ensure the modem's LTE signal is present, and that Bluetooth is on too.
  • Exit the car, but remain in the range of the Bluetooth signal.
  • With your current mobile phone, log into the phone's Volvo Cars app.
  • Under the Connected Cars tab on your phone, Disconnect (Delete) the mobile phone that is to be replaced (you will need Bluetooth/car's LTE modem connection before this can be accomplished). Apple devices incur an additional step here in their device's Settings - delete the phone there too.
  • On your new mobile device, download and install the latest Volvo Cars app, and Open it.
  • Sign In to the Volvo Cars app using your Volvo ID credentials related to e-mail, password, and the car's VIN.
  • The phone will display a message offering to pair the phone with the car?
  • Before accepting pairing, collect all your keys and head over to the car.
  • When seated in the car, accept the phone's Pairing offer.
  • Follow the ensuing instructions on the car's center screen to pair the phone - a couple of minutes later, Voila, Done!
 
#2 ·
  • Under the Connected Cars tab on your phone, Disconnect (Delete) the mobile phone that is to be replaced (you will need Bluetooth/car's LTE modem connection before this can be accomplished). Apple devices incur an additional step here in their device's Settings - delete the phone there too.

I understand the first part of the bullet, but not the second. Can you expand on deleting the phone in Settings.

As I have posted in other threads, I didn't need to do any of this; I just swapped my old sim into the new phone, did a phone to phone transfer, and everything worked. Glad I avoided any issues, but others weren't so lucky.

Thanks for this comprehensive set of instructions to make the switch without running into any issues.
 
#4 ·
If the phone's VC app is not seeing the LTE signal from the car (via the cloud), the VC app seems to not want to delete any mobile phone from the list and gives you the option to not do the deletion at that time. Bluetooth connectivity is required for the phone and key functions as usual.
 
#8 ·
Actually, on further thought - the Apple restore/transfer process does NOT transfer your Apple Pay credit cards - nor your fingerprint/FaceID biometrics - to a new phone. These must all be set up again on each new phone.

Perhaps your virtual “car keys” fall into the same category? If so, then this thread will be very important when you get a new phone - especially given how fragile & error-prone the VC pairing process seems to be.
 
#6 ·
I assume this procedure is for a completely new phone, eg starting over. If you're just upgrading your iPhone to a newer model - and use Apple's migration tools (restore from iTunes or iCloud backup, or direct Quick Start transfer) - then all your app settings & data should just come over to the new phone automatically. Including the VC app - right? Or am I missing something?
 
#7 ·
From other users it worked for one but not for another. But yes in an ideal world that would work perfectly.

I would imagine though they it matters how Volvo implemented security. What unique identifiers they used. The fact that you can only have 1 Apple device synched to one account on the car makes me wonder….

Of course the fact voc is buggy makes it hard to tell what causes a failure on a new phone …
 
#9 ·
I just went through the setup of a new device, and wanted to let everyone know that the transfer moved all Volvo credentials without issue. I was gearing up for an involved process having read Volvo’s documentation and this post, but I didn’t need to do anything except repair Bluetooth for music and calls. Volvo app loads the car status correctly, and let’s me control it (lock/unlock the doors was my test).

New device setup method was to put both devices close together and let them transfer between themselves. Other methods may require the previously outlined steps.
 
#10 ·
New device setup method was to put both devices close together and let them transfer between themselves. Other methods may require the previously outlined steps.
Good to hear. With Apple phones, I would expect if you use one of Apple's approved "transfer/upgrade" methods then your Volvo credentials should just come over the new phone automatically. This includes Quick Start (new phone next to old phone, wireless) and iTunes backup/restore.

If you set the new phone up from scratch, then you probably should "un-pair" the car from the Volvo Cars app on the OLD phone before pairing it on the NEW phone.
 
#11 ·
I also got a new iPhone (replacing an older model). I did know about about deleting the profile via the old one. I'm not able to get the new phone set up properly. I can add the phone's Bluetooth to the car with no problem (and remove it). But the Volvo App doesn't show the car. When I try to add the car, it gets to a screen about "Start Pairing", with two different sets of instructions. I with the phone unpaired, but from that screen, it doesn't let the phone do its part of the process (the car is with me), and there's no "skip". The layers of security are baffling to me, and I'm a techie. Any suggestions?
 
#23 ·
That sounds right.

Factory reset (which is actually a trivial operation and not like it sounds)

Then install as if the world is new and shiney.

I had to do this and it was way easier than I thought. And yes I waited a month or two to do it :)
 
#25 ·
It‘s no problem, as long as it‘s separate car user (profile) and separate VolvoID. Different keys are tied to different profiles, so that the right profile is selected depending on who unlocks the car. I set this up long ago but I don‘t remember it being complicated - just followed the manual. It’s probably not possible for two phones to control a single VolvoID…
 
#27 ·
It's been a year since I did it, but I setup three different profiles under the same Volvo ID - I wanted to use the Volvo App from two different Android tablets as well as my phone. I recall having all the keys with me in the car, then in sequence creating a new profile, then pairing the next device. Worked fine.

My key is assigned to the first profile, so that's what is enabled when I unlock the car. No keys are assigned to the other profiles. If you share the key with your spouse, they will have to manually switch to the their profile after unlocking the car.