[ember1205]

Originally Posted by Chutzpah

Agreed on all counts... (above)

Wish GM would offer an update to their software for windows up and top closed.
I’d love to hit the remote buttons like door locked once, top up 3 times in succession to fully close her up. The same is true but not as important to me as windows and top down. Pressing and holding the remote top down button is tedious and doesn’t work well at all.

You can thank your insurance carrier for this lack of functionality. No vehicle offers factory window-up control from the remote because it's viewed as a safety issue. Similar for closing the top while out of the car.

So, we have to look to aftermarket options that can cause electrical damage, void warranties, and actually break things if the people designing them aren't thinking about things correctly. I would never consider installing something like this until I knew whether it circumvented the speed governance for moving the top.

[tim32311]

I Purchased and installed one of these for my 2016 C7 vert. It is a great unit, easily customizable to your settings, and raises, lowers top and windows using your remote. As well as making the top up or top down button raise and lower without having to hold down the button. It does not alter the ability to raise or lower the top at the speed Chevrolet allows. The only real short coming I found was not in the unit, but the car's inherent ability or lack thereof to 'pick up the signal' from the remote.



Tim

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by tim32311

I Purchased and installed one of these for my 2016 C7 vert. It is a great unit, easily customizable to your settings, and raises, lowers top and windows using your remote. As well as making the top up or top down button raise and lower without having to hold down the button. It does not alter the ability to raise or lower the top at the speed Chevrolet allows. The only real short coming I found was not in the unit, but the car's inherent ability or lack thereof to 'pick up the signal' from the remote.



Tim

Are you referring to the fact that it's basically impossible to put the top down with the remote in one try? Or, something else?

[tim32311]

Exactly! Unless the moon and stars are in proper alignment, and you are downwind in perfect alignment while holding down the button on the remote - MAYBE the top will go thru the motion.


Tim

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by tim32311

Exactly! Unless the moon and stars are in proper alignment, and you are downwind in perfect alignment while holding down the button on the remote - MAYBE the top will go thru the motion.


Tim

Yep. And that all makes this a completely useless "feature" since you have to be standing right next to the car to get it to work.

[ekone]

It would definitely be worth it if this also controlled the windows.

[Chutzpah]

Originally Posted by ember1205

You can thank your insurance carrier for this lack of functionality. No vehicle offers factory window-up control from the remote because it's viewed as a safety issue. Similar for closing the top while out of the car.

So, we have to look to aftermarket options that can cause electrical damage, void warranties, and actually break things if the people designing them aren't thinking about things correctly. I would never consider installing something like this until I knew whether it circumvented the speed governance for moving the top.

Yep, I wouldn’t install an aftermarket product for this. I had my rear seat out on my last convertible SS. There’s a a decent amount of wiring / modules for the top control. This is definitely not something I’d feel comfortable with a dealer digging into to repair.

[tim32311]

Originally Posted by ekone

It would definitely be worth it if this also controlled the windows.

Don't know about the one for the Camaro, but the one for the Corvette DOES work on the windows as well. Oddly enough, I have no difficulty raising and lowering windows with the remote after installing this on my C7. Shame the top does not respond as well as the windows using remote.


Tim

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by tim32311

Don't know about the one for the Camaro, but the one for the Corvette DOES work on the windows as well. Oddly enough, I have no difficulty raising and lowering windows with the remote after installing this on my C7. Shame the top does not respond as well as the windows using remote.


Tim

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but this module doors NOT interact with windows on ANY car. Window control on certain Corvettes requires a separate module.

[tim32311]

For the C7 a separate module came with mine that controls the windows. Here is a quote from C7 Forum explaining functions:


The folks at Mods4Cars contacted me and let me know they have released updated/enhanced SmartTop firmware version v2.10 for the C7.
The update adds a "valet" mode and two programming shortcuts to the module.
(1) Valet mode is a new setting in function 2 that prevents the top from being opened.
(2) The programming shortcuts allow you to enter valet mode or disable SmartTop without entering the formal programming process:
--(a) To enter valet mode, with the top closed, press the dashboard top close button 10 times. To leave valet mode and return to your previous setting, press the top close button again 10 times.
--(b) To disable SmartTop (i.e. when you take the car in for service), press and hold the dashboard top close for about 15 seconds. To reactivate the module, press and hold the top close button again for 15 seconds.

The new firmware is available at the Mods4Cars website.

For those that don't know, SmartTop adds one-touch functionality to both the dashboard and key fob buttons to open or close both the windows and the convertible top. No more holding the button down for 30 seconds. It also means you can use the key fob to close as well as open the windows and top. Been using mine for two years and it's the best mod I've done.

Full link here:


https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c7-general-discussion/4146857-vert-owners-with-smarttop-updated-firmware-release.html


Tim

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by tim32311

For the C7 a separate module came with mine that controls the windows.

It sounds like they either used to build a module for the windows, or they were simply allowing you to buy the third-party module through them. This is not how they sell today as they tell you that you have to buy the other module from the other company. If I had to guess, they were OEM'ing it and no longer are.

[Plasar]

• Installation complete.
• Verdict: After 2 test operations, it's AWESOME, and worth $300 to me.
• I will try to remember to test if it works "at speed" per Ember's question.

[Plasar]

Originally Posted by ember1205

I'm curious why you "made a reservation" for having it installed? The instructions are about as straight-forward as possible... Unclip the top portion of the rear seat, pull seat forward, reach down, unclip existing plug, insert module, re-attach plug to module. The whole thing takes minutes to do.

As for re-programming, interesting to know that you can stand on your head, wave one arm, touch your nose with the other, and get it to change settings (often, those type of settings change processes have to be timed just right to get them to work and can sometimes be frustrating). But, they do tell you to leave a USB cable attached and accessible for firmware updates - should also be able to re-program this way, too. No?

Ember:

Between friends, I waited to respond to this, and almost don't want to. i don't know if you intended this, but your response comes across a little rough, mocking me for not installing myself, and calling this product a POS repeatedly, not just that it is not a good match to your requirements and budget.


To answer your questions:

1) Well yes, I am perfectly able to remove my back seat and do the install myself - but I had this new branch of an established auto repair shop doing a brake service today anyhow, and because it is COVID, and I want to support the great people at this shop, I will throw $70/30 mins labor their way.
1a) They just did a skip shift install for me (along with an oil service).

Skip Shift Eliminator


2) I am a 33 year career IT veteran, and I don't mind doing a couple of top up/down button clicks to re-program, if that ever becomes necessary. i prefer this over leaving USB cables dangling. V2.x firmware came Jul-2017 and last V2.x update was Nov-2019 (Camaro support) - probably won't need to update.
2a) However, for my car stereo install, I am glad to have left a USB cable available to plug into a laptop to update settings on the Helix DSP.

ZLI Vert Stereo Upgrade

[3Putt]

Well said, and you are being nice about it.