[JayEM]

Has anyone else downloaded/installed the Solterra Connect app? It is now available in Google Play (I haven't checked the Apple App Store). The app is published by Toyota Motor North America Inc. (well, the NA-market version anyway).

Not much can be done until a car is actually received - a car gets added to the app by scanning a QR code on the multimedia screen.

On a quasi-related note (car is getting closer to reality), my insurance agent (State Farm) was able to give me a 6-month insurance quote, using the VIN of an identically-spec'd model listed at one of the dealerships now showing Solterras "in transit".

I see both of these as signs of progress (but actual news from either SOA or Toyota would be good too).

 

[FelineFreddie]

I downloaded it a while back on my iPhone, but other than creating a login name and password, there isn’t anything I can actually do with it…

At least it looks nice…

 

[JayEM]

Got my Apple Music account linked to it.... Now, just need that car!

 

[Whoabear]

Got my Apple Music account linked to it.... Now, just need that car!

After I linked Apple Music I was able to go into settings, then configuration, then check the box to agree to the terms. Then if you enter the discount code "BZ4X20" you can choose upgrades. Got my Solterra configured with 450 mile range and 10 minute DC fast charging. Pretty sure Subaru does NOT want you to know about this. Pro tip, if you subscribe to Amazon Prime you should be able to link that account in Solterra Connect, then after watching a Rings of Power trailer you can get the Solterra delivered with next day prime shipping.

 

[442]

In case it's of any interest to newer members, I previously posted these threads about the Solterra Connect system.

Subaru Solterra Connect - Terms of Use & Cost
Digital Key
User Profile Fail

 

[md.]

Does anyone here have a VIN for a Solterra? With a Toyota vehicle, you can log in to https://www.toyota.com/owners/login and enter your VIN there and it doesn't require the QR code. My Solterra Connect username/password logs me in there (Solterra Connect uses Toyota's system, not Subaru's), so I would think it would accept a Solterra VIN, but I don't have a VIN to enter to test. I'd be interested if you can get any information in the app if you add your VIN to the account.

 

[JayEM]

Does anyone here have a VIN for a Solterra? With a Toyota vehicle, you can log in to https://www.toyota.com/owners/login and enter your VIN there and it doesn't require the QR code. My Solterra Connect username/password logs me in there (Solterra Connect uses Toyota's system, not Subaru's), so I would think it would accept a Solterra VIN, but I don't have a VIN to enter to test. I'd be interested if you can get any information in the app if you add your VIN to the account.

There are Solterra VINs out there (see cars.com) but those mostly belong to loaner-demo units I suspect.

 

[md.]

I registered the VIN for a RAV4 Prime that was coming in to my dealer once (not for me) and I'm still getting emails when the car's trials are expiring, etc., so I'll wait until I have my own coming in this time.

Edit for type-o.

 

[jon]

App mostly works very well, you can see the charge state, previous trips (it's dropped a few), pre-condition air-con/heating (used 3 times so far to good effect). Also it's last known location. It shows up abnormal breaking / acceleration events overlaid on the trip maps - too many in my view I was just driving normally.

 

[HogarthH]

I’ve been using the app for a day now. While I was on the app quite a bit yesterday, I was surprised to see it chewed up 37% of my battery drain for the day. I had location services set to ’always on’. I’ve switched today to ‘only while using’ app. Having set to this mode, the app while operating in the background appears to be completely active and my iPhone looks as though I am actively using the maps app/directions. When I tap on the blue highlighted time, it opens the Solterra connect app. Not ideal as this is going to drain things real fast as well.

I’ve also set a timer for the car to warm up tomorrow morning. If I completely close the app and swipe up to prevent from operating in the background, the blue circle goes away, but I also suspect that my scheduled climate control will not turn on tomorrow morning.

I guess the blue indication could be useful for when you are preparing to go somewhere and you want a quick reference as to whether or not the app is open and operating in the background so the digital key will work. then just close it when not anticipating using the car.

Will continue to play with it.

 

[JayEM]

I’ve been using the app for a day now. While I was on the app quite a bit yesterday, I was surprised to see it chewed up 37% of my battery drain for the day. I had location services set to ’always on’. I’ve switched today to ‘only while using’ app. Having set to this mode, the app while operating in the background appears to be completely active and my iPhone looks as though I am actively using the maps app/directions. When I tap on the blue highlighted time, it opens the Solterra connect app. Not ideal as this is going to drain things real fast as well.

I’ve also set a timer for the car to warm up tomorrow morning. If I completely close the app and swipe up to prevent from operating in the background, the blue circle goes away, but I also suspect that my scheduled climate control will not turn on tomorrow morning.

I guess the blue indication could be useful for when you are preparing to go somewhere and you want a quick reference as to whether or not the app is open and operating in the background so the digital key will work. then just close it when not anticipating using the car.

Will continue to play with it.

View attachment 1317

Cool, thanks for the updates!

I SUSPECT that when you set the timer for the car to warm up tomorrow (I hope you'll have the car plugged in at the time), the app sent that info directly to the car, so even if the app isn't currently running (in background) it SHOULD be OK. At least that's how I HOPE they have that functionality programmed (that's how MyBMW works).

At least this is something you'll be able to test pretty easily!

 

[HogarthH]

Here are some more photos of the app in use:

Cool, thanks for the updates!

I SUSPECT that when you set the timer for the car to warm up tomorrow (I hope you'll have the car plugged in at the time), the app sent that info directly to the car, so even if the app isn't currently running (in background) it SHOULD be OK. At least that's how I HOPE they have that functionality programmed (that's how MyBMW works).

At least this is something you'll be able to test pretty easily!

I don’t plan on having the car plugged in while it wakes up and warms up for me. Is this a problem you think other than the obvious range drain?

As right now I do not have a L2 charger at home and can charge for free at work. Will be charging for my full 7 hr shift once I arrive tomorrow AM.

 

[CTValleySubaruGuy]

Here are some more photos of the app in use:

I don’t plan on having the car plugged in while it wakes up and warms up for me. Is this a problem you think other than the obvious range drain?

As right now I do not have a L2 charger at home and can charge for free at work. Will be charging for my full 7 hr shift once I arrive tomorrow AM.

I'm pretty sure that the car needs to be plugged in to a Level 2 power supply for the "preconditioning" features to work. They don't want you sucking your battery dry if you forget about it.

 

[JayEM]

I'm pretty sure that the car needs to be plugged in to a Level 2 power supply for the "preconditioning" features to work. They don't want you sucking your battery dry if you forget about it.

It probably doesn't NEED to be plugged in (I've used pre-conditioning in summer to pre-cool my car when it wasn't anywhere near a charger) but doing it without plugging in WILL drain some usable range, depending on how long you pre-condition for. If the car is plugged into a 120v it will still likely deplete the range some. For me, in summer, it was always just to get the car cool enough to get into without baking (parking in the shade, if there is any, helps too).

 

[JayEM]

Here are some more photos of the app in use:

View attachment 1319
View attachment 1321
View attachment 1320
View attachment 1322
View attachment 1318


I don’t plan on having the car plugged in while it wakes up and warms up for me. Is this a problem you think other than the obvious range drain?

As right now I do not have a L2 charger at home and can charge for free at work. Will be charging for my full 7 hr shift once I arrive tomorrow AM.

OK, I didn't realize you weren't going to be charging at home (why would you with free L2 charging at work???). An L1 (120v) EVSE would allow you to pre-condition will less range loss, but not required.

Will your car be in an enclosed garage while pre-conditioning in the AM? That would reduce how much range you lose (but note that pre-conditioning also warms the battery pack which by itself INCREASES usable range).

So long as it's not super-cold outside (below 0 F aka about -20 C), and you don't have a very long trip to work you should be fine. I would definitely plan to pre-condition before you leave work, where your car will be plugged in and the preconditioning will be "free".

TBH, I don't have much experience with winter preconditioning - my car is parked in a heated garage, and (for the past almost 3 years) I haven't been driving to work - or anywhere on a regular schedule, for that matter.

 

[CTValleySubaruGuy]

It probably doesn't NEED to be plugged in (I've used pre-conditioning in summer to pre-cool my car when it wasn't anywhere near a charger) but doing it without plugging in WILL drain some usable range, depending on how long you pre-condition for. If the car is plugged into a 120v it will still likely deplete the range some. For me, in summer, it was always just to get the car cool enough to get into without baking (parking in the shade, if there is any, helps too).

I can't find the reference now, but I'm sure I read somewhere that it does need to be plug jn, although perhaps not to a L2 EVSE.

 

[HogarthH]

OK, I didn't realize you weren't going to be charging at home (why would you with free L2 charging at work???). An L1 (120v) EVSE would allow you to pre-condition will less range loss, but not required.

Will your car be in an enclosed garage while pre-conditioning in the AM? That would reduce how much range you lose (but note that pre-conditioning also warms the battery pack which by itself INCREASES usable range).

So long as it's not super-cold outside (below 0 F aka about -20 C), and you don't have a very long trip to work you should be fine. I would definitely plan to pre-condition before you leave work, where your car will be plugged in and the preconditioning will be "free".

TBH, I don't have much experience with winter preconditioning - my car is parked in a heated garage, and (for the past almost 3 years) I haven't been driving to work - or anywhere on a regular schedule, for that matter.

It will be parked in a garage but it isn’t heated. I set the timer for this morning but it did not work. So perhaps it does need to be plugged in? Will try again tomorrow.

I did figure out that in order to connect to the car with wireless CarPlay, you have to hit “allow“ on the subaru connect app notification on your phone each time you enter the car.

I also subscribed to the Drive Connect to see how that was. So far I’m not finding the value but it’s only been a day.

 

[JayEM]

It will be parked in a garage but it isn’t heated. I set the timer for this morning but it did not work. So perhaps it does need to be plugged in? Will try again tomorrow.

There might be a distinction between "precondition for departure" (which in BMW-speak is a function that can be added to an active/scheduled charging session, implicitly requiring the car to be plugged in) and "climatize" (which in BMW-ese is an action that can be initiated from the app at any time and happens immediately, regardless of whether the car is plugged in or not).

So, if you just want your car to be warm when you get into it in the AM but you weren't charging the car overnight, you would need to activate "climatization" or whatever Subaru calls it about 20 minutes before you'll be ready to leave. Assuming the Solterra handles this the same way the i3 does, which is quite likely.

On the other hand, if you want your car to warm up automatically on a predetermined schedule, it sounds like you'll need to plug the car in before going to bed. A 120v EVSE would probably be sufficient. But.... If you want the car to not charge while it's plugged in, while you're sleeping, you'll need to do set the appropriate charging schedule to make sure that happens.

In my i3, when I set an AM departure time and check the box for "precondition for departure", if the time I tell the car to start charging is too late for the car to be fully charged* by my chosen departure time, it will ignore that start time and instead begin charging when the car figures it needs to start. I'd like to think the Solterra doesn't have that limitation, given that this is 2022 and not 2013, but I haven't read enough of the manual yet to know if that's the case.

* to the chosen % SOC, which for my i3 is 100% and cannot be changed, as it can be with the Solterra

Given that you're in Atlantic time, 2 hours ahead of me (in Central time), you're probably already asleep by now, hoping your Solterra will get it right this time.

Keep us posted on how this goes!

 

[HogarthH]

It worked this morning. There is no indication on the app that it is working though so I actually tried to “start” the car remotely at which point the app told me that the remote start had failed because the car was ‘in use’.

 

[JayEM]

It worked this morning. There is no indication on the app that it is working though so I actually tried to “start” the car remotely at which point the app told me that the remote start had failed because the car was ‘in use’.

That's good news! Luckily, apps are relatively easily updated.

So to clarify, the car was NOT plugged in at the time? And the preconditioning was per schedule?