Navigation disappointment

Too bad. On my 2005 there is an option in the setup to turn auto-correct on or off. I presumed there was an option in the 2006 as well.

 

Double check your nav settings and see if you have instructed it stay off freeways or something like that. I have found that the nav is pretty good unless I give it some weird menu settings.

 

I own a 2004 and find the NAV to work exceptionally well. I also have a GARMIN Quest I use when I travel. I don't think I can live without NAVI.

 

I've not had that problem with my 06 Nav system. I haven't programed it and it automatically corrects me if I decide to go off course for whatever reason. I must admit to not spending time with the manual as the Doc recommends, but it's good advice.

 

You probably need a bit of time to program that Nav correctly. However that's not to say it's the best nav around either. I did an experiment last year with my Magellan Roadmate 700 and a rented Prius' built-in nav. For the 3 trips I used both units and the Magellan was on the money every time and picked the best route (I know the area, so I know the best route anyway). The Prius nav did the same on one trip, but was not the brightest fish in the pond on the other 2 trips. Not that this is the test to beat all tests - ymmv.

 

Hey Guys,

I have an 05 with all options.
The NAV system replaced my street maps(except for homes less than 2 years old).
I have used the NAV system(4.2) that came with the car until last week. I got the 5.1 in the system now. The 5.1 is exactly the same as the 4.2 with up-dated information worth about 1 year newer than the last. It's good enough for my kind of needs here in metro Washington, DC.

I will say this though. The NAV system is near perfect(99%). How do I know??
I go to 10 to 16 different homes a week in Norther Virginia, DC and Maryland.
I choose from the three route options offered by the NAV prior to start of the guided trip. I have a pretty good feel for the local route conditions on different periods of the day and choose accordingly. It saves time and is safer since I do not have to look up on the map while in motion. I have not used any other systems so I can not tell you which is better.

Of the few disappointments, the majority ponted to the changes made to roads by the state or the county. Even the 5.1 is about 2 years old so I do not expect 100 percent accuracy. I am pretty comfortable with the PRIUS NAV system
The 5.1 up-date cost me $260.00(after the in-store $15.00 discount) :blink:

I would like to see a free inter-net based up-date program from the TOYOTA company. The initial cost of the NAV system, as compared to other after-market systems, is expensive to begin with.

Andy

 

Actually I didn't need to set it up. That was that way when I picked the car up. Whether that's the default setting or not I don't know. Someone at the dealership may have played with the controls and changed it. I know that when I had the 5,000-mile oil change done at a dealer someone had changed the temperature from 75 degrees to a rude, but amusing, 69 degrees.

 

I have been using my 2006 NAV for the last month or so.

It does auto-correct if I go off course, but sometimes the "suggested" route is really crazy. In downtown Los Angeles this weekend, it kept telling me to make several turns (like right, left, right) instead of just going straight and then making a final right. There is no possible way that it was giving me a shorter route, as this was in a small 3-4 block area.

Bottom-line, common sense, and knowledge of a particular area beats the suggested route everytime. However, yours should auto-correct (note - the only time it does not auto-correct normally is if you select the "Detour" function...and I have found no way to cancel the detour route once it is selected!)

So far the NAV has been a bonus, as it has helped me in areas I would otherwise not know.

 

I just want to add that I'm directionally challenged but have found the NAV in my '05 to be darn good. The one interesting thing that I notice is that it will sometimes route me differently getting to a location vs. returning. I'm not sure exactly what's in the programming but I can say that it appears to "protect me" from having to make left hand turns on to four lane roads. It will take me around the block, more or less, in order to avoid this. Even though I don't always agree with its choice of routes, it always seems to get me there. I'm of the same opinion as the other posters that the settings in your unit may be off. One interesting thing that happened to me was that I tried to install a NAV Mod from Coastal (which didn't work btw). As part of the process the unit was powered down and when it came back up I had lost all settings. The most important setting, for me, was my geographical region. Took me a bit to realize what had happened and that's why the system couldn't find my town...

 

I found it on page 81 of the 2005 Navigation manual. It may be somewhere near that page on the 2006. Basically, go to MENU and then SETUP. On the first page of that near the bottom is "Auto Reroute." That should be set to "On."

 

I'm looking in my 06's nav manual and don't see anything like that (on p.65 that refers to the 3 pages of setup. The 3 options on setup page 3 are auto voice guidance, pop-up message and calibration). I've never even known of a way to prevent it from automatically rerouting if you miss a turn/go off course. It's always done it automatically for me.

Perhaps the OP should check these settings:
- doesn't have multiple destinations in a route in already
- Areas to Avoid on p. 72
- Route Preference on p. 42.
- Voice recogniition guidance, Voice guidance in all modes, and auto voice guidance on p. 86-87

The last 3 settings might have something to do w/hearing nothing until reaching the destination.

For me, the nav system has generally been pretty accurate. I know there are some spots near my work that aren't right anymore, but the changes to the streets and highways in question happened well AFTER I got my my car, so it's impossible it'd know about them.

 

OK now tell us which one you prefer! Personally I think the Garmin unit is superior but ymmv. For the life of me I can't get my NAV to route me down a particular street. Even when I'm on the street and it is the most direct route to my home the unit tries to route me up to 2 miles around just to avoid using that street. It's baffling and I have used at least 8 different/other systems but this is the first system I have used that is built in the others were portable GPS's or PDA based systems. The one notable feature you get with the built in sysems is that it is tied into the car itself. So that when you lose signal or go into tunnels or onto the lower lebel of a Bridge it estimates your speed and direction and displays its best guesstimate onto the MFD until its get the signal back.

Wildkow

 

This is how I cancel the detour route: I don't follow the route it tells me to. My 2005 then reroutes and ignores that I was on Detour.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Andy Ling @ Mar 27 2006, 09:48 AM) [snapback]230795[/snapback]</div>

I have an 05 pkg#6 and my NAV has a 4.2 version. im just curious when you upgraded to 5.1 did the screen resolution changes just like one in 06 which is sharper/crisp? i'm considering to upgrade too. thanks

 

I love the NAV on my 05 Pkg 6. It is more reliable and more up-to-date than the maps on the TomTom Navigator 5 software I bought for my wife's Palm.

A couple of points:
1. Another big advantage of the built-in NAV is that it is connected to the Bluetooth system, so you can call POI numbers with a couple touches to the screen.
2. I've found that the routing will avoid roads that have different rules at different times of day (such as commuter routes which are one-way in different directions during rush hours) - I noticed this with Canal Road NW in Washington, DC. Even when you get on those roads, the rerouting tells you to turn at every opportunity.

The updates to the NAV software cannot improve the resolution of the MFD, as that is limited by the hardware. There are different versions of the DVD for the 06 model and the earlier model years. When you upgrade, make sure you get the one that is compatible with your car. The only improvements you will find are that the maps are more up-to-date and the newer maps *may* cover more area in detail than a previous version.