Turning Off the Radio?

[AlamedaSparky]

Hi, Everyone,

Just had my new Spark for a week now and loving it. One question (or, perhaps, the first). Anyone know how to turn off the radio? It seems it stays on even while you are in other menu items on the Infotainment system. I've just taken to turning the volume all the way down. There must be a way to turn it off, isn't there?

Thanks!

 

[fengshui]

Just had my new Spark for a week now and loving it. One question (or, perhaps, the first). Anyone know how to turn off the radio? It seems it stays on even while you are in other menu items on the Infotainment system. I've just taken to turning the volume all the way down. There must be a way to turn it off, isn't there?

There are a few ways:

• 1) Turn off the infotainment system by long-touching the power spot underneath the screen.
  2) Mute the system by using the mute button that appears when you change the volume, or push the mute button on the steering wheel.
  3) Switch to a local source of audio (USB, iPhone) and hit pause.

 

[AlamedaSparky]

Thanks! Will try those. Still strange the radio just doesn't have an 'off' button!

 

[Zeke]

I've had my Black Granite Spark EV for less than a week and have been going crazy trying to figure out how to turn off the radio while still leaving on the screen for bluetooth and other things.

I read the manual just about all the way through twice trying to find a clue, nothing. Found this post and it looks like I'm not the only one.

This is crazy right? Why wouldn't they make it so we can turn it off?

Still, I love the car!

 

[MysteriousJ]

I've had my Black Granite Spark EV for less than a week and have been going crazy trying to figure out how to turn off the radio while still leaving on the screen for bluetooth and other things.

I read the manual just about all the way through twice trying to find a clue, nothing. Found this post and it looks like I'm not the only one.

This is crazy right? Why wouldn't they make it so we can turn it off?

Still, I love the car!

Yea, this is pretty bad. My 3 year old pioneer head unit lets me turn off everything but still leave bluetooth connected on my other car. If I recieve a phone call, my head unit will then 'turn on'.

 

[StevesWeb]

There are a few ways:

• 1) Turn off the infotainment system by long-touching the power spot underneath the screen.
  2) Mute the system by using the mute button that appears when you change the volume, or push the mute button on the steering wheel.
  3) Switch to a local source of audio (USB, iPhone) and hit pause.

This is all correct. Of course the downside of (1) turning off the multimedia unit is that you lose control of climate and many other features.
The downside of (2) is that if the car wants to say something you will not hear it, nor will any bluetooth paired phone work.
I find that (3) is the only option that does not enrage me.

This car requires a STFU button for the entertainment system and the entertainment system only. It's the stupidest thing about an otherwise excellent car.

 

[jsca72]

I agree. For such a perfect little car, the radio is a conundrum. Sometimes one just wants to hit an "off" button. I love this car so much, though, I forgive it for such idiosyncrasies.

 

[fengshui]

There are a few ways:

• 1) Turn off the infotainment system by long-touching the power spot underneath the screen.
  2) Mute the system by using the mute button that appears when you change the volume, or push the mute button on the steering wheel.
  3) Switch to a local source of audio (USB, iPhone) and hit pause.

This is all correct. Of course the downside of (1) turning off the multimedia unit is that you lose control of climate and many other features.
The downside of (2) is that if the car wants to say something you will not hear it, nor will any bluetooth paired phone work.
I find that (3) is the only option that does not enrage me.

This car requires a STFU button for the entertainment system and the entertainment system only. It's the stupidest thing about an otherwise excellent car.

I've come up with one more option. Is setting the radio volume to 0 different than mute? That might allow bluetooth pairing to work while not sounding the radio.

 

[Zeke]

If they wanted to put it in a software update, I'd be fine if I could just select the source as "Off". How hard could it be for them to add that?

 

[tigger19687]

Out of curiosity, when you turn it all the way down (not off) can you still hear the radio slightly ?

 

[AlamedaSparky]

I've resorted to simply leaving the radio at 0 volume and that seems to do it. If you mute it, it un-mutes when the system is next turned on. Bizarre, but as others have said, a minor flaw in an otherwise great car. Oh, one other thing: Went I plug in my iPhone with the USB cable it automatically starts playing a song from iTunes, no matter what mode you're in. You then have to push another few buttons to get the song to stop. Anyone else experience that?

 

[scknogas]

I have the same problem when I plug in my iPhone/iPod when the car is turned on. If it's turned off, then it won't switch to that new input and start playing.

But, it ALWAYS plays the same song. I mean I know I put that one song on there but does it HAVE to be that one EVERY time?

 

[Zeke]

I took my Spark up to a lake at the top of a nearby mountain and had my wife in the car with me.

As an experiment I asked her to call my cell phone even though I had the radio/screen thing turned off from the "O" button on the dash.

Turns out... the bluetooth WORKS even with the audio system turned off!

In case what I'm saying is confusing, turn on the car. Turn off the stereo by hitting the "O" power button under the screen (not on the screen). If you get a phone call, the car bluetooth will turn on the stereo and let you answer the call.

It will not let you make a call using the call button on the steering wheel unfortunately. But at least you can turn your car on without music playing and still get answer calls.

Not ideal implementation, but not quite as terrible as I had originally thought.

You can also hit the leafshapped icon button to see that page on the screen even if the system is set to off by the "O" button.