Uconnect WiFi Hotspot Not Working? – Learn How to Fix

If you have a Uconnect WiFi hotspot not working problem, don’t worry. We know it can be frustrating, but you can do something about it. Luckily, we know the solution.

We’ve had this particular issue before in one of our cars and it’s incredibly frustrating to not be able to connect to the internet while you’re traveling.

The good news is that we’ve resolved the error and sharing with you the steps we took to fix it.

Don’t know how to fix this problem? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. 

Fixing your not working Uconnect hotspot is easy. Simply restart your car to refresh the connection. If this doesn’t work, identify the precise issue and perform the best solution.

Soft reset Uconnect to amend minor WiFi hotspot issues. If this doesn’t work, try a hard reset.

Before we proceed to the actual steps of the solutions, here is a quick overview of the causes of your Uconnect hotspot not working. 

Top Reasons Why Uconnect Hotspot Not Working

In this article, we will show you how to solve the typical issues you may face while using the Uconnect hotspot.

But, first, here are the most common reasons your Uconnect hotspot is not working. 

✅ Outdated software

Outdated versions of Uconnect may contain bugs and glitches. Sometimes, your 4G WiFi hotspot fails because you have not updated your Uconnect app. 

✅ Update file not extracted

The files are not extracted or installed. Either the unpacking or installation procedure stops before the files are saved on the system.

✅ Overheating

You just had a long day trip. This can make the Uconnect system quickly overheat, which then causes the hotspot to malfunction. 

✅ Too many connections

Too many devices are connected on the vehicle. Another possible reason is you enabled Bluetooth on your smartphone. 

✅ Compatibility issues

The Uconnect app will not connect through WiFi if your car is not compatible with a 4G WiFi hotspot. Your vehicle must have 4G WiFi hotspot functionality to use the service. 

These are the possible reasons your Uconnect WiFi hotspot is not working. Now, let’s proceed to the solutions. 

Easy Ways to Fix Uconnect WiFi Hotspot Not Working

Before we proceed to more precise solutions, try restarting your car to fix the Uconnect WiFi hotspot not working problem. 

To restart your car, turn off your vehicle engine. Then, start it again within two minutes. 

If this doesn’t solve the issue, we suggest you try more advanced troubleshooting methods that will help you resolve your Uconnect WiFi connection error. 

Solution #1: Soft Restart the Uconnect System

Since the Uconnect system is embedded into your car, restarting it can be quite tricky. It’s not like a phone where you only need to press the Power button down for a few seconds, and the entire system restarts.

In the case of Uconnect, you also can’t just restart your car, since that can take time and may not resolve the issue.

What you need to do is perform a software reboot on your car’s entertainment system which will clear up any temporary software issues preventing your WiFi to stop working.

Here’s how to perform a soft restart on your Uconnect:

1. Pull your vehicle over in a safe spot and set it to park.
2. Don’t turn off your vehicle’s engine.
3. Press the Volume Up and Down buttons together with the tuner knob.
4. Hold all the buttons for about 20 seconds.
5. Your car’s screen should go dark and light up with your car’s logo.

Note: After a successful restart, you're going to need to reconnect your devices to your car’s Uconnect WiFi to check if you can connect to the internet.

Solution #2: Cool Down the System by Turning Your Car Off

It’s not just your car engine that can overheat. Other components of your car can also overheat, like your Uconnect system, and can cause it to lose some of its functions.

The WiFi modules can get particularly hot especially if they can’t get a stable mobile signal so they can connect to the internet.

To resolve the overheating issue, you’re going to need to cool down it down by turning your car off.

This will cut any power to your Uconnect system and cause it to shut down completely.

Here’s how to cool down your car’s Uconnect system:

1. Find a safe place to park and pull over.
2. Set your vehicle to Park.
3. Turn off your car’s engine.
4. Wait for at least 10 minutes before turning it on again.

Note: After turning your car off, you’ll need to find a place where your Uconnect can get a stable 4G connection with your carrier to stop it from overheating.

Solution #3: Disable Apple CarPlay or Android Auto

If you can’t afford to shut your car’s engine for a few minutes, don’t worry.

There’s an alternative that will allow your car to stop using its Mobile Data and WiFi modules to give them a chance to cool down while you’re traveling.

You’re going to need to disable your phone’s Apple CarPlay or Android Auto so it stops sharing information with your car.

Doing this will give your car’s Uconnect a breather so it cools down.

Here’s how to disable Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on your phone:

Apple CarPlay:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
2. Select General.
3. Go to CarPlay.
4. Tap on the vehicle connected to your phone.
5. Choose Forget this Car.

Android Auto:

1. Go to your phone’s Settings app.
2. Navigate to Apps and Notifications.
3. Choose See All Apps.
4. Select Android Auto.
5. Tap Disable to turn it Off.

Tip: You’re also going to need to switch off WiFi on all devices connected to your car and leave them disconnected for 30 minutes.

Solution #4: Extract the Uconnect Update File Correctly

Your car’s Uconnect system also gets regular updates to improve its operation.

If you’ve just recently updated it and your WiFi suddenly stops working, it’s possible that the issue is connected to your latest update.

There are a lot of instances where the update process can be disrupted and cause your entire Uconnect system to malfunction. You want to update your vehicle’s Uconnect to restore its operations to normal.

Here’s how to correctly extract the update file into your Uconnect:

Download the latest Uconnect software:

1. Go to the Uconnect update page at DriveUconnect.com/software-update.
2. Enter your 17-digit VIN number.
3. Plug your USB into your computer.
4. Download the latest version of Uconnect for your car.
5. Use the Akamai NetSession Interface to download.

Extract the update file to your USB:

1. Double-click the file to extract the update to your USB.
2. Take your USB to your vehicle to install the updates.
3. Park your vehicle in a safe spot and keep it running.
4. Insert your USB into your car and tap on Yes to start the update.
5. Wait for a few seconds and your Uconnect system to reset.

Note: Don’t turn off your car while your Uconnect system is updating.

Solution #5: Perform a Hard Reset on Your Uconnect System

Another solution to get your Uconnect WiFi to work again is to perform a hard reset.

You can think of it as a factory reset which will clear out any software bugs and malfunctions that are affecting your Uconnect system.

Here’s how to hard reset your vehicle’s Uconnect:

1. Locate the Hot and Cold buttons on your car.
2. Press the two buttons simultaneously for at least 5 to 10 seconds.
3. On the menu that shows up, go to the Reset factory defaults option.
4. Select it and wait for about 30 seconds while your Uconnect reboots.

Solution #6: Pull the F76 Fuse on Your Car to Reset Uconnect

When your Uconnect stops working as expected, it’s usually a software or electronics issue.

In most of the solutions above, we’ve tackled how to fix software-related problems.

However, when the cause is an electrical one, the fix can get quite tricky if you don’t have any knowledge of car electronics.

However, it can be as simple as resetting a fuse that’s connected to your Uconnect system.

On most cars with Uconnect, this is the F76 fuse. All you need is to pull it and check if it’s damaged. Even if it’s not, you just need to put it back for it to work.

Here’s how to pull or replace the F76 fuse on your car to resolve your Uconnect WiFi error:

1. Pop the hood open of your car to locate the fuse box.
2. The fuse box is located near the battery.
3. Open the fuse box and locate the F76 fuse.
4. Pull the F76 fuse and check for damage.
5. If it’s damaged, replace it with a new one.

Tip: Your car’s manual will have a fuse placement diagram that you can use to locate the F76 fuse.

These proven solutions should help you restore your Uconnect hotspot to working condition.

If you still run into issues with it, we suggest contacting your nearest service center so they can have a closer look at the issue.

Bottom Line

Now that you know the different causes and fixes to your Uconnect WiFi hotspot not working, all you need to do is follow these solutions closely to get it online again.

You can say goodbye to boring drives since you’re always going to be connected to the internet with Uconnect.

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