For those of you who are unhappy with the performance of the VR system (myself included), you will be happy to hear that a software upgrade is in the works, and should be available soon. It will be installed at the dealer, and will pare down the list of commands from 170 to around 130, but they will work.

Good news for everyone who seems to think Cadillac has forgotten you. :)

Very good news. Is it safe to assume the dealer will contact the owners/customers? If it is a good system it will go a long way to upgrading a very nice automobile's shortcomings. Thanks for the info.

Please post when anyone has this upgrade completed--definitely needed!

I doubt they will notify owners, as the units equipped with Nav/VR make up a very small percentage of the mix. Most likely there will be a bulletin, advising dealers that if a customer comes in with this complaint, install this software.

I will post here when we recieve the software update so you guys (gals?) can visit your dealer.

I doubt they will notify owners, as the units equipped with Nav/VR make up a very small percentage of the mix. Most likely there will be a bulletin, advising dealers that if a customer comes in with this complaint, install this software.

I will post here when we recieve the software update so you guys (gals?) can visit your dealer.

Great , good new's.

By the way, how is "Dawn" ???

The next fix should be the remote start seat heating hopefully before winter.

That actually works perfectly. The temperature has to be very low, however. I'll check tomorrow and see what the cutoff is, but it does work.

When I record NAMETAGs and the STS plays back what I said, it sounds very noisy to me even though everything is off and it is quiet.
Could this be part of the problem, a bad mike?

Well Wooo-hooooooooooo, I am so sick of giving it one command and having it reply to another, I ask it to open windows...it turns on the heat. My husband says its like having another wife who also doesn't listen to you. LOL

That actually works perfectly. The temperature has to be very low, however. I'll check tomorrow and see what the cutoff is, but it does work.

Well I can tell you it gets pretty cold in NJ and mine never worked. Seems to me any temperature below freezing, 32 F should be enough.:hmm:

Hey!!! Another New Jersey STS owner here, pleased to meet you Malcomd.

Brought my car in today for the upgrade, drove off and thought I would try it. The simple stuff first, windows down etc. Car went French on me. Radio next, as in volume, car shut A/C down. I am so impressed that I cannot believe it. Called dealer and will bring it in again.

Brought my car in today for the upgrade, drove off and thought I would try it. The simple stuff first, windows down etc. Car went French on me. Radio next, as in volume, car shut A/C down. I am so impressed that I cannot believe it. Called dealer and will bring it in again.

That's interesting ... it was my understanding the upgrade wouldn't be available until August or September. :hmm:

I ve been monitoring this forum and web site since I bought my car in September. At first I thought, and so did the dealer, I was crazy for having all these problems with my car. mic, navigation, breaks locking up etc etc. if you are having a problem with the car, so are others. Just check out these forums. but we need to get Cadillac to listen to all of us, one they will just ignore like they have with my last three contacts with complaints. I m thinking about suing cadillac in a class action!

They have been listening and are in the process of coming out with a complete software update for the nav system, as my first post described.

And of course you'll find others with problems on the forums. That's what internet car forums are mostly used for: Mass complaining and blowing problems out of proportion. The large percentage of owners are driving their cars happily, oblivious to the existence of this place, while those who do post here motor along happily until something goes wrong and *bang!*, another "I'm suing GM" post appears.

Go to www.rx8club.com and search for "gas mileage", "flash" or "transmission" and you'll find hundreds of posts claiming it's the biggest pile of garbage, but my RX-8 was one of the most trouble free cars I've ever owned (besides my STS). Just because all internet car forums are about 70% negative does not mean 70% of all the owners are unhappy.

Well said Tony. I haven't had one thing wrong with my STS. I think the car is

sweet man.

Wow now i know i'm not the only with this problem! I just started a new post re: the VR system! SORRY! Glad to here a fix is in the works . I'll call my Dealer!!

I asked the car to lower the windows the other day and it switched over to Italian! Funny but I will be happy when/if they get this fixed as well. I would be happy with a couple of dozen commands that worked rather than 170 that don't.

so whats the latest on this update since i recently just purchased an STS and the voice recognition will understand like 1 command..its really inaccurate. So hopefully this update will be completed soon so i can pay the dealer a visit

Can't fix VR soon enuf!! I just said "phone dial name" and VR replied "navigation ski resort" . This VR is a total joke but I am not laughing. My car listed for over 64k and they really should have this right at that price.

I went to three different Cad dealers in the Charlotte area. none knew of any problems with VR on the 05 STS.This is a joke

I had the microphone changed today and there is no change in the way VR works. It is truly a joke and my only true big disappointment with the STS.

The speaker-independent VR requires a reduction of commands to the ones that are really necessary to use while driving. Less commands means a greater probability of word recognition. I don't need a voice command to turn down the window or change the temperature, the buttons are next to me. I do need phone dialing and navigation commands because I am not allowed to use the Bluetooth phone screen or the Navigation system while driving.

I will be contacting Cadillac to tell them that they need to get a software change ASAP (I heard one is coming soon but I am not holding my breath). They cannot claim a capability and have it perform the way VR works. That is not acceptable.

We Cadillac STS owners have to get together and speak with one voice so they get our attention.

Moderator, please start a poll or a list of people that have the VR problem so we can petition Cadillac to fix the problem. Thanks

P.S. Some people have claimed that they have had their STS VR fixed. Please tell us in detail what was done. Thanks

This was all mentioned in the initial posting. There's no reason to contact Cadillac via phone or petition, they already are aware that it's not performing as planned, and the ugrade is in the works.

The list of commands will be reduced, thus enabling greater recognition, as I mentioned in my first post. Designing a VR system that will not only recognize a broad range of voice types, but integrate into the existing software without causing the car's computer to lock up or crash (see Mercedes 7 series) is undoubtedly a time consuming process.

Instead of dwelling on one negative aspect, I'd forget it and enjoy the rest of the car. The fix will come in due time, once it's right. Imagine how pissed everyone would be if they released a half-baked upgrade that wasn't much better.

This was all mentioned in the initial posting. There's no reason to contact Cadillac via phone or petition, they already are aware that it's not performing as planned, and the ugrade is in the works.

The list of commands will be reduced, thus enabling greater recognition, as I mentioned in my first post. Designing a VR system that will not only recognize a broad range of voice types, but integrate into the existing software without causing the car's computer to lock up or crash (see Mercedes 7 series) is undoubtedly a time consuming process.

Instead of dwelling on one negative aspect, I'd forget it and enjoy the rest of the car. The fix will come in due time, once it's right. Imagine how pissed everyone would be if they released a half-baked upgrade that wasn't much better.

My rant was instigated by the fact that the post above mine mentioned Cadillac dealers like mine that have no clue that there is a problem with VR.

If Cadillac was working on a fix instead of releasing tenth-bake VR software, they should notify the dealers that they are working on the problem and I will then keep quiet until they release it.

Your comment that developing speaker-independent VR software that will not crash the computer is time consuming, shows naivete about the software development process. I am in my 37th year as a software and system engineer and if we released software that worked like the VR we would be laughed out of the industry. The time consuming part of the development should have been undertaken prior to the release not post release. We are unwitting beta testers for some pretty buggy software. Writing software that does not crash is what "writing software" is all about.

I also understand that other Cadillacs have VR software that works quite well. Porting that software from those Cadillacs to the STS should not have been a time-consuming task.

As far as enjoying the car, I am. JD Powers has sent me a form asking me about my experiences with my Cadillac. I could not find anything wrong with my car except for the Navigation computer which processes the voice commands and stated so in my response. It was the only bad experience with the car and I admit that this is pretty good for a new car.

Well, the people who developed Mercedes' info-tainment center have yet to be "laughed out of the business".

Most dealers probably aren't aware that the STS team is working on an upgrade. My information is based on a private conversation I had with a member of the team who was in Florida to inspect a celebrity's STS before delivery. They usually don't tell dealers when they're working on a fix, because then they tell customers and those people call every day to ask if it's available yet, then complain incessantly that it isn't coming fast enough.

I originally posted it just to assuage people's fears that Cadillac was unaware of it, but apparently, all it has accomplished is changing the complaining from, "Why don't they fix it?" to, "Why isn't that fix out yet?"

My dealer is aware with of the many complaints about the VR on the STS. He did not mention when a fix would be available but he did say that GM/Bose were working on the issues. BTW this VR is better than the VR in the SRX.

Well, the people who developed Mercedes' info-tainment center have yet to be "laughed out of the business".

Most dealers probably aren't aware that the STS team is working on an upgrade. My information is based on a private conversation I had with a member of the team who was in Florida to inspect a celebrity's STS before delivery. They usually don't tell dealers when they're working on a fix, because then they tell customers and those people call every day to ask if it's available yet, then complain incessantly that it isn't coming fast enough.

I originally posted it just to assuage people's fears that Cadillac was unaware of it, but apparently, all it has accomplished is changing the complaining from, "Why don't they fix it?" to, "Why isn't that fix out yet?"

Thanks for the informationand please keep us posted.

You're quite welcome, and I will.

This was all mentioned in the initial posting. There's no reason to contact Cadillac via phone or petition, they already are aware that it's not performing as planned, and the ugrade is in the works.

The list of commands will be reduced, thus enabling greater recognition, as I mentioned in my first post. Designing a VR system that will not only recognize a broad range of voice types, but integrate into the existing software without causing the car's computer to lock up or crash (see Mercedes 7 series) is undoubtedly a time consuming process.

Instead of dwelling on one negative aspect, I'd forget it and enjoy the rest of the car. The fix will come in due time, once it's right. Imagine how pissed everyone would be if they released a half-baked upgrade that wasn't much better.

Hey Tony,
OK, it's now December and my dealer has heard nothing about an upgrade for VR. He was going to change the mirror and had someone in tech support tell him not to bother as the microphone change will not cure the problem. He was told that there were to many commands, so that tracks with what you're hearing about pairing down the numbers.
I am one that would prefer to be told what is happening than left in the dark.
It really seems that the dealers should be kept in the loop as it relates to issues such as this.
Thanks for all your input.
-john

A few weeks ago Robert MacNeil was driving a new BMW to interview persons for a PBS program on language. He was shown giving voice commands to the car, none of which was understood by the BMW. It seems STS owners aren’t the only ones frustrated with VR.

There has been no information on the forum about VR for over six months. We're into a new model year and still no fix for the 05 STS VR. I paid for this, and I want it. GM should either provide or give us a refund. I think this situation is outrageous. Do we have to have a class-action suit to get this done?

There has been no information on the forum about VR for over six months. We're into a new model year and still no fix for the 05 STS VR. I paid for this, and I want it. GM should either provide or give us a refund. I think this situation is outrageous. Do we have to have a class-action suit to get this done?

I agree. I occasionally will give it a try and the results are so ridiculous, that I get angry.

I am also tired of GM not doing anything about VR. Who do we need to contact about this. My dealer said he cant do anything about it.:rant2: