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Getting "Vehicle phone requires service message"

162K views 248 replies 96 participants last post by  Raelyce1 
#1 ·
I have a one month old 2014 Grand Cherokee Overland. Starting two days ago, I get "Vehicle phone requires service. Please contact your dealer" when I start the car. Has anyone else got this message? Is there a quick fix? Thank you.
 
#39 ·
I got my Overland in the middle of April, I'm pushing 11,000 miles and I have been getting the same message since late June. Took it in for an oil change at 8,000 miles and they couldn't find anything wrong. Then took it back again for a steering wheel swap (the stitching was unraveling) and they were able to recognize the issue then. Had a new radio put in 2 weeks ago which seemed to fix everything until this past week when everything in the dash went blank and then lit up like a Christmas tree (Service air suspension, parking brake light, traction control light, check engine light, abs light, air bag light, and to top it off no speedometer - they're telling me I need a new instrument cluster now) and now the phantom phone message is back again.

I really love this Jeep so hopefully they can come up with a solution because as much as I love going to the dealership every week I'm sure they are just about as tired of seeing me as I am them! Other than that it's been perfect!
 
#41 ·
I might push them a little on that since there is a recall for dash going blank, etc coming out and most people seem to have had the issue resolved to this point with an ABS module replacement...

Just a thought, I wouldnt want them tearing into my dash if it was a software/recall thing.
 
#40 ·
rb332001- interesting that your dealer's approach to the christmas tree is a new instrument cluster. I had the same thing a couple weeks ago. After 13 days in the shop, they gave me the car back with a replaced ABS module. Also, when I first got the phone message, they did a software update. It went away for a while, only to return on my way home from the dealer after they replaced the ABS module. Odd such differnt approaches to what seems to be the same problems.
 
#42 ·
Had the same issue with my 2014 Overland. Took it to the dealer today and they found a software update just released in the past few days. Also had an issue with the vr voice button on the steering wheel not always working. Will be picking it up tomorrow. Hopefully it's fixed.
 
#59 ·
This isn't exactly true. When I got my Jeep it had 13.10 software and I never got the Phone Service issue, 13.19 is when it started. Now that I have 13.38, I haven't had the problem since. Dealers aren't just going to swap out a radio for those 2 reason, they are going to contact UConnect or Chrysler to see what the next steps are.
 
#46 ·
I am on my third radio and have three different download "updates" installed by my dealer due to the message. The last download was on Monday, took 1.5 hours, and the message came back on the next day. I am very frustrated, called the dealership today and they are going to contact Chrysler again!
 
#47 ·
I applied the newest software update about 3 weeks ago and my radio has been spotless so far. No more phone requires service etc. It has rebooted only 1-2 times since then, but I thought maybe/hopefully it was them doing some kind of update. But in general the update has fixed everything for me.
 
#48 ·
Can you please post what version software you are running? I'm running 13.29.8 and just started noticing the "Phone Requires Service" notification on my 14' Limited.

*** Can everyone please post their software version, and if the problem is solved *** Maybe we can download and flash the software ourselves ???

Thanks.
 
#49 ·
Welcome to the forum! Latest is 13.38.52. If you do a search, all the info is already available on the forum.
 
#53 ·
#55 ·
Bill, your new signature pic is freaking me out! :eek:
But then, that was probably the idea. :rolleyes:
 
#57 ·
Just picked up my 2014 Jeep GC Summit a week ago. I saw this once after a couple of days. Now it happens once every time I am in the car. "Vehicle phone requires service message" The light on the mirror also comes on. However the light will go off within a minute or two. I have the latest software version of 13.38.52. So I guess this version does not fix the issue.
 
#61 ·
Adding my experience. I started getting the message one day, frequency was completely erratic, sometimes it was every startup, sometimes every few start ups, sometimes after 20 minutes, sometimes right away. I didn't see any trend other than it seems more guaranteed in an area with bad cell reception, but even that wasn't a guarantee.

I brought it in for the recall and mentioned the message just wanting it logged and an upgrade to 13.38. They ended up working with the Jeep engineers, it had set a code for weak signal or something like that (I have actual code in the paper work). They disassembled the antenna and ran some tests and reassembled, after reassembly the message has not come back (at 4 days now including 4 hours of driving today).

They theorized that everything may not have been seated properly at the factory and a clean signal wasn't always getting from antenna to radio. Afterwards it occurred to me that I had the rear side window replaced which looks like it required a lot of disassembly of the back of the truck, the first time I saw the message was shortly after that. I'm guessing something got unseated, however it could be a situation where connections are not fully staffed for others.
 
#63 · (Edited)
Don't worry about it unless it starts happening frequently, and the mirror light is red. I've had it happen twice in nine months, and everything is working fine.
 
#65 ·
I've had my Limited in the shop 5x now for this error message. They've run 3 updates and I'm now on my third radio.

Jeeps Enhanced Customer Service department is now telling me that it is a weak cell phone signal strength that's causing the problem. If that's the case why wouldn't it happen every time I drive through a dead spot.

With 11,500 miles on my Jeep I'm wondering if I have a case to get a replacement under the lemon laws or is this not a significant enough issue.

Jeep is currently getting new radio and I'll post what software version and build I have once I get my Jeep back.
 
#67 ·
Had mine in for service- initial assessment was a bad connection with an antenna. The invoice indicates dealer was "unable to duplicate conditions that caused cell phone section of radio to become inop at this time."

RRT 13-071 was previously performed- does anyone know the actual issue that causes this, or should I just ask for a new radio?
 
#68 ·
Had mine in for service- initial assessment was a bad connection with an antenna. The invoice indicates dealer was "unable to duplicate conditions that caused cell phone section of radio to become inop at this time." RRT 13-071 was previously performed- does anyone know the actual issue that causes this, or should I just ask for a new radio?
I think that's part of the problem, I've read of a new radio, new antenna, and reseating connections as being a fix (independent of one another, not all replaced). I also personally think it freaks out if it has bad or no service for too long. I can't quite nail down a pattern but I feel like mine is most likely to display when I sit in areas that I know have poor reception in general. But mine also pops up only so often.
 
#69 ·
I've been strugeling with this issue and still cannot figure out the root problem ( nor I think Chrysler can).

So far after upgrade to the new uconnect software around 3-4 weeks ago I have not seen that message once since that time. Keeping my fingers crossed!
 
#70 ·
I would agree that Jeep doesn't quite know definitively how to address this just yet, that's why I am not burning anymore dealer time on it until there is a TSB or definitive fix. While I agree it should work, for something that pops up for 2 seconds on occasion its not worth the time burn at this point.
 
#80 ·
I was receiving the same phone error message. While having other service performed two weeks ago, I asked the dealer to check this. They installed the latest updates. That solved the phone issue but now the damn thing periodically reboots itself, going blank and then coming back on, which is really irritating if you are using your phone on Bluetooth or relying on the navigation. I guess I'll be back at the dealer sometime sooner and hopefully it will happen then.
 
#81 · (Edited)
There is a button on the front that causes the screen to go out I hit that accidentally before.

Otherwise, I would simply redo the update. If you let the dealer do this you are covered in the event the problem is made worse by attempting to do the update.

If you feel comfortable downloading an update to a "USB Flash Drive" (A Capacity of at least 4GB is required), then you can download the update from Chrysler's Website: https://rsur.extra.chrysler.com/rsur/Uconnect.do

If that link doesn't work, go here: Uconnect | Support | Jeep and click System Updates.

Be patient when installing the Update, it takes quite a while and may even seem stuck at times. I start the update and leave my car for 1 hour. Follow the instructions carefully, you do not need to stay with the car during the update, if you stop the update in the middle you can cause serious problems.

I should add, in general the base Operating System in the Uconnect System is almost "bullet proof". If the update has been applied correctly, I would wonder if there was a hardware problem in the unit. Unlike a Microsoft or Apple machine I would never expect a Uconnect Device to ever reboot itself.
 
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