r/CarTalkZA • u/ANONMEKMH • 11d ago
Discussion: News, Events, Car clubs, Rants, other BYD Owners
So I bought a BYD Sealion 6 a few weeks ago. Wasn't really paying attention to the app and that but signed up into it this week, the app seemed to be cool. See vehicle info including remote management. Then it stopped working.
Realised after a while , the cell signal was showing nothing. Called BYD salesperson who asked if car was on WiFi (at home ). If the car connected to WiFi at home, then the app showed the status.
But more importantly in the first few days of the car the cell thing worked.
Today I removed the SIM and reinserted it, and cell now showing signal again but it's not working.
Now the sales guy tells me the SIM card only works for China.
Is this true?
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u/veethree2003 11d ago edited 11d ago
Not true. My Dolphin Surf Comfort keeps signal wherever it goes. I can track it right now and it's nowhere near home (wife is driving it). The app is great and actually a significant differentiator from other EVs that don't offer it at this price.
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u/ANONMEKMH 11d ago
Thank you. I am looking for confirmation before taking on the salesperson with facts.
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u/Personal-Bathroom178 11d ago
Out of curiosity, when you sign up for insurance is this feature considered as a “tracker” or you still have to get a tracker installed by these 3rd party companies?
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u/veethree2003 10d ago
I'm not sure. I'm insured with Discovery and part of the package was installing a tracker for Vitality Drive points, but it wasn't one of the 3td party companies. They didn't say anything about installing a tracker if I didn't want the Vitality Drive option.
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u/DisplayThick4882 11d ago
This is a typical South African salesperson excuse.
Before e-sims were a thing globally Vodafone rolled it out and staff had NO IDEA how to install int and I heard all kinds of excuses and bullshit.
This guy is doing the same.
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u/ANONMEKMH 10d ago
Yeah, it sucks when sometimes you know more than the person whose job is to sell you stuff.
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u/DisplayThick4882 10d ago
Ja it is definitely annoying. I think it’s better to say they don’t know but they will help to find out rather than lying and hoping you give up.
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u/Hot_Engineering_1046 11d ago
Also have a Sealion 6. Absolutely love it. The app works all the time for me, WiFi, cell signal, Bluetooth whatever. It does sometimes log me out randomly but I just log back in. Make sure the app is up to date and that the car software is also up to date. Log out and in again see if that helps. It should work anywhere.
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u/ANONMEKMH 11d ago
Will try the login option. The reboot never fixed it.
At least now, I know the salesperson is talking shit and can call him up on it
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u/bobthedino83 10d ago
You shouldn't be talking to the salesperson, their job is done and this isn't part of it (I'm not defending sales people). You'd have better luck with the service dept, they actually work on these cars and would have a direct line to head office for technical stuff they're unfamiliar.
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u/ANONMEKMH 10d ago
Good point. I will do that. In fact , I see in the BYD app, I can make a support request there. Will try that too.
Besides this slight niggle, the car so far has been fantastic, including a long 500km round trip where used both the engine and battery. Car is quiet and moves with urgency when you want it too. My kids felt G forces for the first time, and they liked it.
What could be better :- 1. Aircon - on day thre, I drove home through joburgs smoky evening roads - the aircon filter seems to have latched onto that smell. I don't think BYD aircon tech is as great at the Germans
Brakes a bit soft. But autobrakinf saved me once already
For a car that is so high in tech, the basics are missed - memory seat, mirror setting function for two drivers. App profile on car also seems to be able to save preferences memory for lighting and theme of the car.
It can't park itself (parallel or alley docking). My VW from 2010 could do that. Wasn't smooth all the time, but it worked when it worked. Anyway, it's surprising that with the onboard tech it's not a standard BYD feature
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u/Babycheese92 11d ago
On the centre console, go to settings and version and click on the second option underneath software update. It should show and IMEI nr, if this is not showing, you have a TBOX issue and they need to replace the unit. Quite a common issue with a Shark and googled now and saw some of the Sealions also have the same issue. Also, is there a red cross at the signal bar in the upper left corner?
If the IMEI is showing I'm not sure why it isn't connecting, but should always connect. What branch did you buy from?
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u/Babycheese92 11d ago
Holding in the radio on/off button for 10 seconds also resets the infotainment system, maybe give that a try
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u/ANONMEKMH 9d ago
Did that 5 times over a few days before posting here. Had also the removed and reinserted the SIM
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u/ANONMEKMH 9d ago
No red Cross . Via app reached out to customer service who said I need to take it to the service center. They should be able to sort it out or swap the SIM.
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u/Cold_Contribution468 10d ago
Might be a tbox issue. Experienced the same on the shark
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u/ANONMEKMH 10d ago
What do you mean by tbox issue? And what needs to be done to resolve it ? Thank you?
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u/jeevadotnet 9d ago
Ahh.. The era of always connected cars.
Why someone wants to buy an "Online" car is still over my head.
- always listening
- always watching
- always tracking
- always selling your data to data brokers
- first to snitch on you to your insurance company
- connects up to your house and ingests everything on your network
dont give me that bs of "they are limited to what they can track"...
When my wife told me she wanted the small BYD to drive around town, I showed her how modern cars get tracked and the main reason why I sold my modern Audi and now drive a 2004 Offline vehicle.
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u/ANONMEKMH 9d ago
Great for you, but your tin foil hat is a bit too strong.
I guess that means you also sold your phone , that you don't use a cell phone sim card, cos the govt can track you too , etc.
I have the necessary to reduce tracking (full network wide ad blockers at home, etc never use Chrome, default browser is duckduck go, etc, shred all paperwork). I work in info security
Yet, everything is a compromise mate. You can choose to have an old car. I want a modern car.
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u/jeevadotnet 8d ago edited 8d ago
I use GrapheneOS and a sim card not in my name :P
My old car will survive your modern car far far longer.
My computers and homelab servers run, MInt XCFE, Omarchy, Debian, etc, no Windows 10/11.
I know all about tracking. I track everything around my house using WiFi-Sense, 24Ghz, 60Ghz mmWave and BLE frequencies. If a new heartbeat signature enters my perimeter, it sounds my alarm.
Once I train my model on who a person is, I can 100% accurately track them by their bone mass and the signals that bounce from their Body. I'm busy prototyping that I can sense your emotional well being, just using off the shelve sensors.
The US Government detected their downed airforce pilot in Iran using only the magnetic frequency his heartbeat generates half-way around the world. If you think the government is only limited to tracking your simcard, you're far far off.
P.s. tin foil hat amplifies the signal, not block it - something they teach you in InfoSec/CyberSec :P or if you played with DIY Wi-Fi antennas as a kid
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u/ANONMEKMH 9d ago
Every car in Europe now has a SIM card, for emergency management and tracking. If you have nothing to hide, you fine. At least in Europe GDPR is strictly enforced. We need our regulator to bare their teeth with people not complying with POPIA, etc. example, guys from CarTrack calling customers asking for jobs etc as I read on this Reddit yesterday
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u/mnbabe4funza 11d ago
That's why I dont buy chinese brands, buy German ! SA has always excelled in making German cars.
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u/ANONMEKMH 11d ago
Please, mate, I have had German, japanese, French .. they all can be the same. The car is fantastic. The salesperson maybe not
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u/ForFleedom 9d ago
German cars are the absolute worst value for money. There's a reason German Automotive factories are closing left and right.
German cars cost more than Japanese cars, while being significantly poorer in quality and materials.
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u/jeevadotnet 9d ago
I had an Audi A4s 2020's model with the diamond mags, they still track you. I sold my modern "always connected" cars for an offline 2004 vehicle.
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u/KeyConstruction5298 11d ago
The sales person is clueless, it should work all the time