[deliberate]

I am in my 5th free month of Sirius on my 2010. I decided that I would first cancel my add-on XM radio that I had in my 99 Exploder 4x4 for the last several years, because I understand that even though it's all one company ... you can not add a Siruis radio to an existing XM account.

So I tried to log on to their fancy new on-line account maintenance web-based system. Wrong! One try with the wrong password and it locked me out totally, telling me to call "Listener Assistance" at 866-635-2349. So I did, and after a long wait got connected with "Helen", who is 1) most likely in India, and 2) does "not have the tools to cancel" but wasted my time asking me questions and trying to sell me additional services.

So Helen finally transferred me to someplace else, while I waited for another 20 minutes of repetitive mealy mouthed XM/Sirius recorded crap.

Finally I got thru to someone who *could* cancel the account (and turns out was in Iowa), so I did "effective immediately". I asked for an alternative way to contact and got the 800# below. What a pain in the tail.

So here's the moral: if you need to contact Sirius, call their *IOWA* based call center at 800-998-7900 and do NOT call the 866# above.

While I like my free trial of Sirius in my F350 (and enjoyed XM before that), I have serious concerns of getting re-involved with that Sirius "assistance" tar-baby again; their "assistance" is seriously lacking and seems designed to make it very difficult to cancel (like the old AOL).

I'll probably follow-up later with a nasty note to corporate:
Sirius/XM
1221 Avenue of the Americas
NY, NY 10020 U.S.A.

Summary: call 800-998-7900, skip the Indian adventures unless you've got lots of time to kill.

HTH,
- Don

 

[Wizzard of Odds]

That's odd, I've never spent more than 5 minutes on the phone with them at the 866 number.

I let my Sirius in the truck lapse a few months ago, was going to start moving my portable from vehicle to vehicle. They sent me a letter after I let it cancel for about 2 weeks, they offered me 6 months for $19.99, no contract. All I have to do is remember to cancel before it expires.

Was well worth the $20 to not have to move the unit back and forth for now, but I've never liked the controls on the factory deck.

 

[hitchup]

You must have called on a bad day. DH forgot when his Free one expired and so was forced to call and was up and running again within 10 mins. They added to our account, so now I can check it online.

Even when they accidently renewed his 2008 that we had traded in and he had canceled (not suspended) they gave us a quick refund on CC.

 

[aquaman350]

My wife tried to transfer her remaining XM account 'balance' from her car into my Sirius account since she never used it much. They wouldn't do it.

Long story short, I let her XM and my Sirius expire. I enjoy streaming Pandora from my phone into my Sync instead. Sounds just as good if not better, and it's interactive.

Not to hijack the thread...

Consider it a $6-10/month savings that goes toward my phone data plan. I get real time traffic updates via Google Traffic which is updated far more quickly than the Travel Link thing. Gas prices via Gasbuddy. The Travel Link gas prices seem no more accurate than what's on MapQuest, and those are slow to update--often several days old

The only hassle is of course it's on my phone and not in the headunit. But aftermarket HU are catching on. Pioneer has an AppRadio that tethers a smartphone for cloud access and is supposedly shipping this month

My phone dataplan goes wherever I go; I pay for one dataplan. I don't need a separate Sirius subscription in every car I own/drive.

Sirius, your days are numbered....

 

[deliberate]

FYI: there is a Class Action Suit against SiriusXM, more info here: Client Settlement Site > Home

HTH,
- Don

 

[CountryCruizer]

Short Sirius , and make enough to pay for your system and their crappy service !

 

[Rondel]

My NAV radio stopped receiving a signal from Sirius!!

I cant figure this one out...I just purchased this 08 F350 fully loaded and when I did, Sirius was working. Probably from the previous owner. About a week or so ago, it quit working and on my display it said please call SIRIUS at 888-539-XXXX for survice. So I decited for Xmas, I'd buy a years worth and try it. I went online and purchased a package from them then "bounced" a signal to my truck. It didnt work. I then called Sirius and the tried it as well. Still no signal. :icon_mad: Got passed off to one of their tec support folks and he pinged me and still no signal. :icon_mad: He said since its an OEM radio, he couldnt help me. All I get is the touch screen is Sirius's number to call. I did try shutting the truck and radio on/off hoping for a reset, still didnt work. I'm also open with no obstructions in the sky...anyone have any ideas? Is there a way to reset the radio or know how I can get signal?

 

[MPD56]

Not sure if this will help. I had a different problem with the Sat signal and understand why Sirius can’t help with Ford 2008 OEM hardware problem. The signal is first received by a SDARS module then through a programmed interface module (Module Communications Network) and then to the radio.

You mention a touch screen so I assume you might have a NAV screen which I know nothing about.

It took my dealer over a year to finally get my radio to satellite show text after showing text for months since new.

I’m not sure if you can reset the radio yourself? I’m guessing but I believe the radio will default to the “Call Sirius” if you switch to Satellite Mode without a satellite signal, active account or connection. This leads me to think that the signal is not getting to the radio?

I’m no expert and only guessing but be fore you bring it to the dealer.
I'd verify that you have given Sirius the right ESN number.
Your antenna is working? Could it have got disconnected or damaged?

Other then that, I’m guessing that the dealer would have to test the hardware? I would believe that the radio is OK and suspect the SDARS module (under the dash behind the emergency brake pedal) antenna connection? When the dealer said they changed my SDARS module, they forgot to reprogram the steering wheel buttons.

If I had to do it all over, I’d by a portable radio from Sirius and have a dock hardwire to the truck’s OEM sound system and I still might because it would be cheaper and the Sirius portable radio has more functions then a 2008 OEM Ford radio.

Good Luck.

 

[Rondel]

Thank you! Yes its a NAV touch screen...I will look under the dash for loose connects and ensure the antenna is still hooked up. Whats funny is all other radio functions work, including the GPS, which makes me assume the connections are ok. ESNs were checked twice with Sirius yesterday, so I'm pretty sure its not that. I hate the thought of going to the dealer to get this looked at....Thanks again for your reply.

 

[MPD56]

Thank you! Yes its a NAV touch screen...I will look under the dash for loose connects and ensure the antenna is still hooked up. Whats funny is all other radio functions work, including the GPS, which makes me assume the connections are ok. ESNs were checked twice with Sirius yesterday, so I'm pretty sure its not that. I hate the thought of going to the dealer to get this looked at....Thanks again for your reply.

I believe that the NAV radio has a separate antenna for the GPS and if I’m not mistaken it is behind the NAV unit under the dash. There was a thread on this forum about a person that wanted to put a 2009 NAV SYNC model in a 2008 that had some Tech information. and also I believe a post about troubleshooting the SAT antenna? Try using the “SEARCH” function in this forum. Right now I’m trying to keep the grandkids from destroying the Christmas decorations and loosing LOL. I’ll try and help later.

 

[mattebury]

Yes, having installed the factory Satellite radio on my 2008 with the NAV radio, I can tell you that the satellite box has it's own antenna that has nothing to do with the over-the-air radio antenna or the GPS antenna.

Look for a thin silver box under the driver's side dash towards the emergency brake mechanism. There will be two plugs in it, a thicker wire harness that goes from the sat receiver to the radio. The other finer wire will be the antenna wire.

Here's a picture of mine after I finished the install. In this photo, I'm pointing to the wire harness that goes to the main radio. The antenna wire is further back and out of sight in this photo.

 

[Powerstroke2000]

My 'New To Me' 2009 F450 King Ranch came with the Sync Nav system, and since I had a LONG trip ahead of me to get home, fired up the Navigation, tried out the radio and within the settings see that there are (3) numbers, next to where it says "Sirius" so I pushed on, and instantly...there was Howard Stern foaming at the mouth with profanity!
Haven't got a clue how all this Sirius/XM works, as I only dabbled in it for a bit, as I had several CD's with MP3 format for the trip home, so those where used most of the time.

Now, obviously 'someone' has...or is paying for this enhancement to my system...so I suppose I had just better wait, and it will eventually cease to work?? It's a nice add-on, but my truck is mainly used for hauling my slide in camper, and rarely used otherwise, so it just wouldn't pay to have Sirius working full time.
I 'assume' those 1,2 & 3 after the work Sirius are 'channels', which you can then 'search' for different types of music/talk shows etc.?? I've never used Sirius or XM in the past, but may as well have a bit of an understanding while it's there....that someone has paid for in the past! Is it possible that this has been paid for for a year, or maybe a 6 month subscription? Just wondering how long it will last!

Thanks.

 

[mattebury]

I 'assume' those 1,2 & 3 after the work Sirius are 'channels', which you can then 'search' for different types of music/talk shows etc.??

No, the 1, 2, 3 is like FM 1 FM 2. It's just another set of channels you can tune to. Since there are 6 preset on SAT1 and six on SAT 2, etc you can have a total of 18 preset satellite channels.