Best online store for OEM supplies - and navigation map update

I tried it, the SD slot opens from the left side. slid my fingernail from left to right and the cover opened.

 

Well, I give up. 3 miles into that 40+ mile trip the map thought I'd stopped. And no amount of button pushing would wake it up. Neither would rebooting the display. I just printed the return shipping label.

As I was reading along I thought, "Why is he wasting all that time trying to get someone else to do a two-minute job?" Then I came to the last sentence.

Mine was an equal pain and then some because on the 11.6" display, it's on the bottom of the display forcing you to put your head on the Qi charger and try to peer up at it with one eye. After 3-4 times of swapping out what finally proved to be a junk card, I got so I could do it by feel.

 

I ordered and installed the Amazon navigation update for ~$35.00.

Came in an original Toyota package (or a really good fake) and looks original.

Hardest part of installation is getting dang little door open. The left side pops out with a fingernail, but the right side is tethered - I guess so you won't lose that little door. I had to stick a piece of paper behind it to pull it straight out so I wouldn't accidentally crack it.

The Micro SD card removes and installs like a typical SD card - push it in to unlatch, then pull out. Push in the new one and it latches into place. (Do this with the hybrid system off!)

Start the hybrid system and it says "new software detected - turn off the hybrid system to install". So basically you power-cycle the hybrid system and it starts updating. Took about 10 minutes to update, then kicks right into gear. The old destination I was going to was still in the system and it started giving directions without a hitch. Smooth!

I checked the map data and it shows April of 2020. This being May/June of 2021 - I don;t know if it takes Toyota a year to get the SD cards out - OR (my guess) is that this is LAST year's SD card, and that's why it's a fraction of the cost of one from a dealer. Even the online dealers are getting ~$150 for these.

Then again, no guarantee that you're gonna get a "fresh" one from the dealer.

As for what places are actually on the database - YMMV. We used the new database to navigate to a place wee KNOW moved over two tears ago - but the year-old database still took us to the old location. I also see that it says a local gas station is in a given place - and there hasn't been one there for as long as I've lived here. (Over ten years) So - don't put a lot of faith in the locations. If the roads that change overnight here in Texas are remotely correct - I'd be surprised.

At any rate, even if I got a year-old database - it's gotta be better than the 5 year old one I replaced!

 

I received and installed my map update today. Purchased mine through eBay. It installed without incident, but is not current by any means. Map Version is 05-39-50 dated 2019-04-0. It also shows an audio update of 0101A0, dated today...
So probably not "current", but definitely an update from the OEM maps from 2016. For $30.00 I'm not complaining.

 

I've found Amazon sellers to *generally* be better than eBay. Sounds like you go the "update" that's a year older than the one selling on Amazon.

In some places - like out on an established interstate - or in downtown Chicago - it probably doesn't make much of a difference. Around where I am - seems that the highways between me and Dallas change every couple of weeks.... Can't really trust any fixed "database" in that case. Google Maps is the way to go.

 

There are several on Amazon - not sure which one you are referring to. The one I got was $34.99 and is map version is April of 2020 when you look at the "Map Data" screen. Like I said - I don't know if the "latest" version is gonna say April 2020 on the screen, or if it will have a later date. If they come out around September as you're saying - then a map data of April 2020 IS the latest version.

That being the case - I'm happier than I was before!

 

I didn't record the serial number from the SD card, I do still have the packaging kicking around someplace. It DID look to be legitimate OEM - though to be fair - I've seem some pretty convincing knock-offs.

Pretty sure my dealer quoted about what you're saying - $200-ish, and I did see the online dealers asking ~$150. (Which is why I tend to be suspicious. For all we know these genuine, latest version products for only $35 - "fell off a truck" somewhere....)

For "software" - I'm very leery of eBay. I bought a copy of MicroSoft Office once - and it turned out to be a counterfeit version. Albeit a very well-done one. Ebay/PayPal were good at getting my money back, and MicroSoft even gave me a deal on a legitimate copy for reporting the fraud.

Amazon's not perfect of course, but they do have a lot more safeguards in place if you buy things that are "fulfilled by Amazon". That said, I've seen customers game the system by buying a product - then returning it saying it was defective while it wasn't. I've even seen a customer buy a genuine product - and replace it with a knock-off and return it and claim a refund.

 

They are building around our area and to the east faster than even Google Maps can keep up with. It's insane.

 

Says "IWONA Store"

Says its an "86271-OEO272"

I'm thinking the product got updated but not the description.
Says

• Release Date: 10/2019 - Map 2019-2020 Update

which doesn't make a lot of sense to me....

Here's the listing: