The remote is garbage and the volume control is a UI disaster.

Try disconnecting it and then repairing. If that doesn't help try replacing checking the battery. If that doesn't work try factory resetting your shield. If that doesn't work contact Nvidia for a warranty claim.

Have the old one and it works a lot better than the IRC IR Remote I programmed to work with the shield. Never had an issue with adjusting sound or waking from sleep. The button presses are much more fluid and faster than my IR remote. Most likely you have a bad remote. I can see how it would be frustrating. Nvidia may send you a replacement.

I had the same problem. The problem was interference. Seems like the Bluetooth receiver on the box itself is susceptible to RF interference. I have my in a drawer full of other boxes, power cables, router, etc. I put some aluminum foil under the box and slightly coming up from the back (to kinda redirect signals back to the back) and isolate the receiver. Works perfectly now and it in a drawer so I don't care about the foil.

Mine is the same, and the range is just a few feet. When I tried to update its firmware it kept failing until I did it with the remote sitting right on the main box. I figured I just got a crappy one.

I'm right there with you. I filled out a form to have them push test software to my device

I had the same problems with the old remote and old shield. The remote would go into a sleep mode if not used. It would take about a minute to wake. If you spammed a button, it would stop responding. I just returned it and use my firestick remote.

I have the same (or similar issues) and it drives me crazy sometimes. They obviously put the remote into some sort of sleep mode to save battery, but it doesn't wake up properly.

It was a little wonky yesterday but it may because the Shield was busy writing to my 1 Tb drive. A restart fixed it.