Privacy message on screen - new Golf 8

[JBR999]

We have this warning message appearing on our screen every day and have no idea what to do about it.

The message on the infotainment screen says:
"Privacy settings Digital Manual
Your privacy setting is set to 'Maximum privacy'. Please change your setting."

I have looked in the handbook in the section on privacy, but I can find no mention of how to make changes.
I'm afraid I haven't a clue what this means and neither does Mr Google.
I'd be very grateful if someone can explain what I need to do here.

[johnsimcox]

In the Users option there is a Privacy option which allows you change the setting for each user. The default on creating the user is Maximum Privacy but to use the full functionality (when it actually works!) you need to set it to its lowest level

[iMZee]

Each user has their own privacy settings. Check that youre logged in as your user and not guest, then change the privacy setting to what ever you fancy

[JBR999]

Thank you both. The wife is out in the car at the moment so I'll try this when she's back.

[JBR999]

I'm very grateful for the advice given on here, but I'm afraid both myself and my wife have been banging our heads on the wall for over a couple of hours so far trying to connect our phones to the car.
I have fitted the attachment underneath the steering column. We have both downloaded Android Auto and We Connect (and We Connect Go) and followed all the setting up and logging in procedures, but have both found it impossible to pair our phones to the car.
We have followed everything in the handbook to the letter and still are getting nowhere. I think the only course of action now is to contact the showroom where we bought it and ask them to do it for us. After all the money we paid for it, surely they should agree to sort out this problem.
One thing we have definitely learnt: next time, don't buy a VW!

[johnsimcox]

One of the challenges of the contactless handover we have to currently endure. In normal circumstances the dealer would have connected the phone for you. Can’t speak for Android phones but with an iPhone the important bit to realise is that you need to accept the connection on the phone and not just on the car. Hopefully the dealer will sort you out quickly.

What is it that you have fitted under the steering column? Not aware anything needs fitting to connect a phone


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[JBR999]

One of the challenges of the contactless handover we have to currently endure. In normal circumstances the dealer would have connected the phone for you. Can’t speak for Android phones but with an iPhone the important bit to realise is that you need to accept the connection on the phone and not just on the car. Hopefully the dealer will sort you out quickly.

What is it that you have fitted under the steering column? Not aware anything needs fitting to connect a phone

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Thanks for coming back to me.

Yes, of course I understand the problems we have with the contactless handover due to Covid. I think perhaps we'll have one more go at doing this ourselves following the handbook instructions to the letter. I've even copied them and printed them out in order to make them easier to read! If we still have problems, I'll politely ask the showroom people if they can help. If necessary, we may have to wait until the lockdown has been relaxed, hopefully in the not-too-distant future.

The device is called the VW Connect Data Plug and I believe it is to connect using We Connect rather than the phone. It was included with the car at no cost.

[johnsimcox]

I think that may be your problem. As far as I recall the we connect module is not needed in the golf as all the functionality is built in. I suggest you unplug the module and focus on getting your phones connected to the car. The we connect plug needs a Bluetooth connection to your phone and I suspect it is getting your phone confused.

Be worth asking what functionality the dealer thinks the module is adding to what is already provided by the car and the we connect app


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[Pinocchio]

The VW data plug isn't needed on the golf 8, this functionallity is built into the car so disconnect it.

[JBR999]

Thank you both.

Firstly, I'm pleased to say that my wife, who has been fiddling about with it whilst I was attending a hospital appointment, has managed to connect successfully.
My turn next!
We still receive one message, though: "Media streaming unavailable. Please establish a WiFi connection first." I can only assume that this requires us to connect our mobile phones with WiFi turned on, as the car itself doesn't include WiFi. We'll try to limit that, though, as it becomes quite expensive using PAYG.

As for the Data Plug, would WeConnect work without it being attached then? If so, I'll remove it if it isn't really needed and if it is interfering with other connections. I suppose they just include it as a routine thing.

Slightly off-topic, there's one slight disappointment with the new infotainment screen map. I believe the only way to zoom in/enlarge the area is by touching and separating finger and thumb. This works with care when stationary, but when moving it's so easy to inadvertently rotate the map or move it off-centre, and that's doing it from the front passenger seat. That's one drawback to the new 'knobless' screen. On the Mk7, the right-hand knob worked much better at zooming in/out. Perhaps some knobs will be back on the Mk9!