[Frank G]

I have a 2020 Traverse LT that I am attempting to hook up an external CD player to. Connecting it to either of the front USP ports and waiting for the prescribed time does not get the player to operate. Nothing on the audio screen shows the addition of the player or a button for USB. Videos on the internet do not apply to this car - can anyone direct me to what I need to be doing?

Thanks. This forum looks to be a very good one with many knowledgeable folks here.

I sure appreciate the consideration.

Frank G.

 

[snobrdrdan]

If it's thru the USB, you might have to hit/toggle thru the radio to see it as a source.

If it's not working thru the USB though.....I can't remember, but is there a AUX (headphone) jack you could use instead?

 

[Frank G]

Thanks. Toggling through the radio, the USB icon does not show up. We connected a different device and the same happens - nothing shows or is being recognized.

The car features show as having "Auxiliary Audio Input" - I think that they all show this - which I assume means the USB should be connected. We do not have a headphone jack.

I am thinking that there must be a connection problem in the USB or the radio, so we are taking this to the dealer Monday to see what they say.

Thanks again,

Frank

 

[greentraverse]

If you haven't already, try reading the Owners Manual.

 

[snobrdrdan]

Thanks. Toggling through the radio, the USB icon does not show up. We connected a different device and the same happens - nothing shows or is being recognized.

The car features show as having "Auxiliary Audio Input" - I think that they all show this - which I assume means the USB should be connected. We do not have a headphone jack.

I am thinking that there must be a connection problem in the USB or the radio, so we are taking this to the dealer Monday to see what they say.

Thanks again,

Frank

Hmmmm....my 2022 LT has the headphone jack by the USB port

And looking at pictures of a 2020 LT, I saw a headphone jack as well:

Pic from this 2020 LT, which is the same vehicle you have:

https://www.kbb.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml/?listingId=646741112&listingTypes=USED&makeCodeList=CHEV&modelCodeList=TRAVERSE&city=Livonia&state=MI&zip=48150&location=&dma=&searchRadius=50&isNewSearch=false&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fused%2Fchevrolet%2Ftraverse%2Flivonia-mi-48150%3F&clickType=alpha

And even looking at a LS trim, they have it too!

https://www.kbb.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml/?listingId=652959216&listingTypes=USED&makeCodeList=CHEV&modelCodeList=TRAVERSE&city=Livonia&state=MI&zip=48150&location=&dma=&searchRadius=50&isNewSearch=false&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fused%2Fchevrolet%2Ftraverse%2Flivonia-mi-48150%3F&clickType=listing

 

[RandyMan]

"The car features show as having "Auxiliary Audio Input" - I think that they all show this - which I assume means the USB should be connected."

The auxillary audio input is not the USB, it is the 1/8" audio jack next to the USB in the front console lower dash area. Like the pictures posted show. I'm pretty sure the device input here is not controllable by the head unit, except you switch to auxiliary input, then play the music/audio through the device and it'll play audio to speakers.

 

[Frank G]

Thanks for all of your attention to this. I do have an audio jack between the two USB ports - I went and looked - faulty memory....

In looking through the manual as well as the separate Infotainment System booklet, under Portable Audio Devices it says: "An iPod, iPhone, MP3 Player, a USB flash drive or a portable USB hard drive can be connected to a USB data port located at the front of the center console or inside the center console storage compartment. To play a device, touch Audio on the infotainment screen; and then touch USB from the Source list or touch More to view the USB option." Scrolling through does not get me to USB on the Source tab by the way.

It is not noted as being an optional feature, so it would seem that this is in this car. The device that I am attempting to use is run off of a USB plug, thus my assumption that the car would play through this player, as well as Amazon stating that this unit would work in this car. In the booklet, there is no mention of the audio plug, so I did not realize that this was an input plug, which the device that I am trying to use does not have.

So, I am confused as to what the booklet says and what is happening, or not happening, here. I am going to the dealer Monday for this as well as a suspected suspension problem, so I will ask them about all of this. If the audio plug turns out to be the only way to go, then one of those players using those is a hundred bucks cheaper, so maybe there is a silver lining in all of this.

Thanks again for everyone's time on helping me with my problem here.

 

[greentraverse]

Go to the Chevy website and download the brochure. Then check the radio options against the version you bought. Not all trim levels get the same infotainment/radio systems, and the owners manuals aren't always clear on whether you might have it or might not. "Usually" somewhere in the manual it will say "if so equipped," but I wouldn't bet my life on it.

 

[Frank G]

Thanks, Greentraverse. I downloaded the manuals, there are two. It advises that I plug in the USB, then select Media and look for the USB icon. I do not see a Media prompt but under Audio, the four things that show are AM, FM, Sirius and the cellphone whether USB is plugged in or not. Swiping either way does not move to find USB icon or anything else. All things I have tried before. The manual says that These vehicles are equipped with two USB ports in the center console. These ports are for data and charging. It does not say, might or might not be equipped. So, I am still stumped.

I am surprised that no one else seems to show here or non the internet having this problem. So, maybe there is something wrong that the dealer can find.

Thanks for the consideration. I will report what I learn from the dealer next week.

Frank

 

[greentraverse]

Not sure you understood what I said. You said you downloaded "the manuals." I said you should download the BROCHURE and see what radio version your trim level comes with. Just because the owners manuals discuss it doesn't mean you have it.

 

[superdave]

Maybe your USB CD drive is not compatible. Did you try using a USB drive to test?

 

[Frank G]

From the Chevrolet brochure for all trim levels for the 2020 Traverse it says: "Media: Two USB ports (7) in front row, auxiliary input jack in front center stack storage area, and two charge-only USB ports (7) in second row and in third row". The (7) footnote says: "Not compatible with all devices." From looking at all of the trim levels, this is essentially the same description. We have tried two different devices, an MP3 player and a CD drive, and neither would work or the USB icon to be able to be found doing the search for inputs. I wonder why we are unable to get a USB icon to come up as I think that it should once something is plugged in. We don't have anything else that works with a USB to test with.

Thanks both of you for your suggestions.

 

[RandyMan]

I was curious, so I went and took a look at my radio...

If I unplug my USB thumb drive then I go to audio, I only see an option for bluetooth if I press the Media icon. If I plug the thumbdrive back in then I can cycle through to the USB input.

I kept pressing the "media" icon (next to radio icon) and it cycled from USB to bluetooth in my case.

Here is pic (please ignore the dust/dirt on screen).
I have a 2019 Premiere.

 

[snobrdrdan]

The device that I am attempting to use is run off of a USB plug, thus my assumption that the car would play through this player, as well as Amazon stating that this unit would work in this car. In the booklet, there is no mention of the audio plug, so I did not realize that this was an input plug, which the device that I am trying to use does not have.

Can you post a link to this "device"/CD Player you're trying to use?
That'd be super helpful too, for us

 

[Frank G]

Sure, here is a link to what I have: Amazon.com: Automotive Integrated Electronics OE Integrated Vehicle CD Player via USB radio connection (USBCDPLAY2) – (See Vehicle Fit Chart PDF) : Electronics

The application chart shows that unit works in the Traverse.

I left our Traverse at Chevrolet yesterday. Hopefully they can tell me something useful. I am surprised that there has not been input from one of the owners here who have connected a CD unit like this to the car - it looks like this happens all of the time.

I don't have a thumb drive to connect like RandyMan did, but I have never been able to find a USB icon on the screen. Also, my wife tried connecting a Bluetooth MP3 player and it would not pair.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[RandyMan]

I left our Traverse at Chevrolet yesterday. Hopefully they can tell me something useful.

Let us know what they find. Now I'm curious. I haven't used CDs in a while, so never thought of buying a USB CD player (no disrespect intended to CD users). I actually think it would be cool if it works. I did notice from the link that it does not support MP3 CDs. That is kind of weird. (I've heard of people who had a CD full of their spouse's favorites so their spouse just had to select the built in CD player to listen to what they liked and didn't have to fumble through thumbdrive folders etc.)

A few other notes I noticed from the link is that the player had to have a CD in it, and you had to wait until it indexed until it was selectable. I assume you also saw that and did the same.

-RandyMan

 

[greentraverse]

Assume you followed the instructions for having a CD in the player and waiting for it to "index?"
It might not show you the USB until it's done indexing.

 

[Frank G]

Yes, I did wait for indexing to happen, but it never did.

Just got back from the dealer. The service guy was basically stumped, tried to offer why the USB didn't work. Said it was probably so that Apple Play, etc. would work. Had no answer when I pointed out that the manuals and all say that the front USB ports are for MP3s, CD players and more. So, I am returning the CD player, going to test the Auxiliary plug to see if a MP3 player will work through that as soon as I get a double ended 1/8" audio wire. I told him I wondered why I am the only guy that can't make the USB work as described by the factory. Nothing shows up here or on the Internet. Maybe nobody is adding external CD drives anymore, but I plan to try and find somebody higher up at Chevrolet to give me some answers as to the purpose of the forward USB ports.

Thanks again for the input and when I find out something, and I will, I will report it here.

Frank

 

[RandyMan]

Said it was probably so that Apple Play, etc. would work.

Pretty sure it is not this, unless they changed something. My 2019 allows both USB thumb drive and phone connection for either Android Auto or Apple Car Play.

Maybe I'll play around with mine some more and see if it recognizes an external hard drive and phones together.

-RandyMan

 

[greentraverse]

Put your CD's on a thumbdrive and play through the USB. That's what I did on my 2016 Silverado.