Volvo Integrated App: Does Not Connect to Pandora

[Finchfry]

Same issue.  2019 Volvo S60.  Data plan works (Spotify works fine).  Pandora does not.  Logs in and shows playlist, but stays on "connecting" when trying to play a song.

Moderator Edit: Changing title for clarity

[bfoles16]

Hello I could use help. Like the other posters said, my stations show but I have a never ending “Connecting…” message. Is there anything we can do to fix it? It apparently has been discussed for a while. I have a 2021 XC90. Thanks. 

[2222Manuday]

I'm having the same issue with my Volvo 2018 S90  I have Pandora and the only app do not working is this is frustrating.  Has a solution been found?

Moderator Edit: Format

[GWG]

I've tried to use Pandora on my Volvo recently, and it still doesn't work. Same symptoms, no music!

George

++

I’ve tried to use Pandora on my Volvo recently, and it still doesn’t work.

Same symptoms, no music!

Nobody at Pandora or Volvo seems to care!

Moderator Edit: Merged posts & format

[GWG]

I’ve tried to use Pandora on my Volvo recently, and it still doesn’t work.

Same symptoms, no music!

Nobody at Pandora or Volvo seems to care!

Moderator Edit: Merged posts & format

[TannerPandora]

Hi @2222Manuday and @GWG - welcome to community! 👋

I'm happy to pass this along to our engineering team for further investigation.

In the meantime, I'd like to remove the connection between your Volvo vehicles and your Pandora accounts, then have you log back in to see if there is any change.

If you're up for this, let me know and I'll get started.

[GWG]

Sure.  Do whatever you think might help. Thanks.George Gawrys

[TannerPandora]

Sounds good, @GWG!

I've gone ahead and removed the connection with your Volvo and your Pandora account. When this takes affect, you'll automatically be logged out. It may not happen immediately, so best to give it a little time.

Once logged out, try and log back into Pandora. Let me know how it goes.

[GWG]

It doesn't look like you have removed the connection between my Volvo and the Pandora app.

Don't you need some information identifying my car or my Pandora account?

I tried signing out, and signing back in, and nothing changed.  It's still saying Connecting, Connecting, Connecting....forever.

[TannerPandora]

Hey @GWG 

Checking your account today, I see a new connection from 10/27/22 to a Volvo vehicle.

Unfortunately, based on your reply, the app appears to be stuck trying to connect and load. I've gone ahead and passed this along to our engineering team for further investigation. 

In the the meantime, while not ideal, if you would like to listen to Pandora in the car, I would recommend connecting a mobile device via Bluetooth to your vehicles infotainment system.

Sorry for any inconvenience and thanks for your patience.

Use your mobile device only when conditions allow and as permitted by applicable law.

[GWG]

Yes, I have listened to Pandora using the app on my phone via USB.

But, why doesn't the built in app in the Volvo work?

My car is a 2022 model, and Pandora has never worked in it, and something
like this should be fixed - right?



George





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[karen22]

Good morning, George
I have a 2019 XC40, it keeps crashing , Volvo and Pandora needs to figure out the issue   It has been going 
on now for a  year. 

[bluegas68]

Hello to all. Adding my name to the list. Im coming from a 2016 XC90 to a 2020 XC90. The 2016 also had phantom Pandora issues that would come and go and eventually resolve themselves. Dealt with that for all 4 years we owned that vehicle. Looking forward to having to fight with this one as well [insert sarcasm].

All jokes aside, I did have Pandora working in the XC90 for about 3-4 hours after discovering a connectivity issue with T-Mobile data plan (different story, but TLDR, T-Mobile doesnt support data plans for Volvo, so don't waste your time). But, when they "fixed" the account, the onboard weather app received data AND Pandora started to play. The next day when the data acct was kicked off the network again, I lost Pandora. Back on AT&T and have weather, but still no Pandora. Currently using Android Auto as a workaround, but detest having my phone physically connected to the vehicle. 

@TannerPandora would like to try to disassociate my acct to Volvo as well and see if that works for me. LMK when you've effected this change. thank you!! FYSA, you might see 2 different Volvos because we traded in the 2016 about 3 weeks ago.

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @bluegas68. 👋

Thanks for your message. I've gone ahead and removed that Volvo association from your Pandora account. Please let us know how it goes, and if the issue persists, I'll need to report this over to our engineering team. 

I'm sorry for any inconvenience this has caused. 🎧

++

Hey, @karen22. 👋

Thanks for your reply. We've gone ahead and opened an email case as your issue is a bit different then what other folks are experiencing on this thread. Please keep an eye out for their email soon. 📬

[bluegas68]

No difference on my end. Some further observations:

1. My account loads. I can see all my stations and change between stations
2. When selecting a station, initially, I only see "Connecting....", but if I select "Now Playing from the menu on the left, the window expands and I see generic "Pandora" album art and the Play button is available. Hit that Play button and song loads onto the screen along with Album art, and Thumb Up / Thumb Down history. The song length displays as well, but they song never starts playing. 
3. Hitting the Play button again goes back to the generic Pandora album art and an available play button.
4. Hitting the Play button AGAIN, goes back to the previously loaded song that still does not play. 
5. I am able to skip to another song, which does not play and can repeat all the previous steps above with generic album art. 
6. I can hit my skip limit if I keep skipping (6 songs / hour )
7. I can switch to a different station and repeat everything above. 

This was attempted on Low / High quality Stream as well as with and without "explicit content" allowed.

Let me know if you'd like pictures please.

[GWG]

I HAHVE EXACTLY THE SAME BEHAVIOR ON MY VOLVO WIITH PANDORA.

IT'S BEEN CONSISTENT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN JULY 0F 2021.

NEITHER PANDORA NOR VOLVO SEEM TO CARE ENOUGH TO FIX THIS.



George





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[bluegas68]

Wondering if this has anything to do with the rollout of the Google system (Android Auto) versus Sensus Connect and maybe the way the data feed is being processed. Is Pandora aware there are now two different infotainment systems in the post 2018 vehicles? Anyone reading this have a 2022+ with the same issue?

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi, @bluegas68 @GWG. 👋

Thank you for providing that additional info. I've added this to the internal ticket we have open and passed this along to the appropriate parties for further investigation. We'll follow up with you if we need any further details. Unfortunately, I do not have an ETA or timeline for a fix. Any updates we receive will be posted on this thread. 

Thanks for your patience in the meantime! 🎧

[bluegas68]

Additional insights (I keep screwing with things). I no longer believe that Pandora has anything to do with fixing this issue. My XC90 has the ability to connect to an internet source that is not the onboard modem. I fired up my mobile hotspot and connected my vehicle to my phone for internet access and Pandora works flawlessly. Switching back to onboard modem (while Pandora is playing) will play as long as the amount of data the buffer holds and then its back to "Connecting..." and no music, but album art is available. 

What I've learned is that "Premium" data streaming gets blocked if a data subscription isn't purchased by the time the AT&T Free Trial ends (3-6 months depending). After that, you are still able to access the internet for what is essentially free internet for things like Weather, Traffic updates, Google Search, but anything with higher bitrates are blocked: Pandora and TuneIn radio. I do not have a Spotify account to test that one, but reading on some forums that service is not included in Blocked Data, but you also have to subscribe to Spotify to use it in the Volvo unlike Pandora where you can stream for free (with ads). 

So, I haven't fully figured out who to speak to sort this out, but Volvo On Call (VOC) is going to be my first attempt. It's also worth noting that these vehicles have 2 SIM cards: One for VOC and OTA updates (factory sealed in a module) and the other Sim card in a owner accessible location (Mine is AT&T). 

Another observation that makes me think this is right is that when I attempted using T-Mobile for vehicle data, Pandora worked for about 1/2 day until the SIM was kicked off the network because they arent allowed to work in anything besides VW and BMW.

I'll update as I learn more.

Happy Holidays!

[Dpcunningham2]

Same issue in a 2020 volvo xc60

[Kreigz]

I have the exact same symptoms.  Any word on a solution?

I’m thinking we all need to end our accounts with Pandora.

Moderator Edit: Merged posts

[billshoff2]

My 2020 XC60 Momentum has the same problem. Any news on a fix?