Nav system override with images

Ok, here is an update on this subject.

A number of months ago I had created a thread indicating I had spoken with a Regional Manager for Toyota. I had shared with him the issue about the lack of functionality for a product we paid for. He, of course, provided me the typical "legal" reasons why they would never knowingly disclose the information used to by-pass the GPS/BT problem.

I was just told that Toyota Corporate has finally received the information we need but are keeping it at Toyota Headquarters. They will not even release it to their service techs unless they can document why they need it. Seems Toyota USA didn't even have it and had to go to Danso, the manufacturer of the GPS/BT hardware/software. Bottom line is unless it is leaked we are not gonna find out.

That led me to do the modification Efusco shared above. However, I added one little twist. I went to Radio Shack and purschased two magnetic reed switches. They are the devices used in a house alarm system which tells the alarm box that a door is open. I cut the two purple wires and ran them to the two magnetic reed switches. I then taped the switches to the back of the vent cover.

The next job was to come up with a handy little magnet that I could attach to the dash. All I had to do is go to the kitchen refrigerator and I found a nice little magnet I got from Disney World. I attached the Disney Magnet to the outside of the vent just over where the magnetic reed switches are located. Once this is done the Prius works again as normal. If I want to use the GPS or Bluetooth phone functions while the car is moving all I have to do is remove my Disney Magnet. The reed switches break the connection and the car thinks it is not moving anymore. The best thing is I didn't have to make a hole in the dash.

So what did I attach the Disney Magnet with to the dash? There is a really wonderful product called "PolyLock" which is like an industrial grade velcro. It is expense ($25 for 10 feet) but I have used it simply for everything to mount things in the car. For example, radar detector, cellphone and radio scanner. I get it at my hardware store.

So, that is it. This mod works for the 2006 Prius. The Coastal mod does not work for the 2006 because it provides 2004/2005 sequences only.

Hope this helps someone who might want to do this and just doesn't want to drill any holes in their dash. By the way the exact mod I did was the one at the bottom of the thread Efusco provided a link to. The actual description came from brosnan. It is the one which you only have to take the vent cover off.

Cheers

 

So now what we do is wait for someone to leak it.

Maybe we could brainstorm a good legitimite reason for a tech to request it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Manksgloob @ May 25 2006, 12:42 AM) [snapback]260780[/snapback]</div>

Anyone try this yet :
http://www.coastaletech.com/nav_kit.htm

navigation override

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(compchat57 @ May 25 2006, 01:08 AM) [snapback]260789[/snapback]</div>

Those are only for the 2004, 2005 models.

Toyota changed/removed the sequence to override it in the 2006 model.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(compchat57 @ May 24 2006, 11:08 PM) [snapback]260789[/snapback]</div>

Yes, I have it and it works well. The problem is that I have a 2005 and this will NOT work with a 2006 as the kit does the NAV override sequence mentioned at the top of this thread. Since that doesn't work on a 2006, the Coastal kit won't either.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Three60guy @ May 24 2006, 05:00 PM) [snapback]260616[/snapback]</div>

An excellent idea. The reed switch is invisible but it does the job perfectly.

If I recall correctly, doesn't the nav mod prevent the Consumption display from updating? (It thinks you're stopped.) Or does it not matter---you're only "stopping" the motion signal for a minute or so anyway.

 

Great idea three60guy - how about a pic?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ May 25 2006, 07:18 AM) [snapback]260872[/snapback]</div>

IIRC it doesn't update as it thinks you're stopped, but resumes after you go back. On Darell's site he mentions that if it's a short time it doesn't matter. I'm planning to do this this weekend, but will use a push-on/push-off button.

I wonder how the Coastal mod works. It connects behind the MFD and I understand it gives you a 30 second window. It must disconnect that wire and then starts a timer.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vortx21 @ May 25 2006, 10:33 AM) [snapback]260895[/snapback]</div>

There was a great pic with the thread. I will merely post the same pic here for ya:



Hope that helps


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ May 25 2006, 09:18 AM) [snapback]260872[/snapback]</div>

Exactly. The bars do stop the creation of the 5 minute bars but ask me if I care. The mode to activate the Nav functions and/or bluetooth functions is only being used for short periods of time. When I am done using the functions I merely put my Disney Magnet back into place and the consumption screen goes back to normal. Works for me.

One last thing. This is obviously something you need to do while in the passenger seat or if you are absolutely sure it is safe. Don't take chances. Know it is safe. Don't be a dead hero. But having said this, taking a trip anywhere now is so much more pleasant. Even my wife knows how to use the GPS now because she understands the benefits. But before the modification we were both frustated we couldn't use the technology we had paid for.

Cheers.

 

Obvious question: Has anyone asked a service tech at the dealership?

 

Yes, I did at two different dealerships before escalating this to the regional manager for customer service. The last time I did this was 3 weeks ago. Toyota has not published this info in their online library either. We looked.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(YBLee @ May 25 2006, 12:57 PM) [snapback]260929[/snapback]</div>

I put in an inquiry yesterday with a personally well-known service director who oversees three Toyota dealerships. Haven't gotten a reply yet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(AnOldHouse @ May 25 2006, 10:03 AM) [snapback]260931[/snapback]</div>

Do we even know for sure that there IS an override on the 2006's? They've been out over 6 or 7 months (I think) and it's amazing that NO ONE in all that time has come up with a fix (I mean a software one, I know there's a hardware hack).

If there is one, all it takes is one tiny leak of the info (or a hint) to make it generally available. Any security person will tell you that "security through obscurity" is doomed. So each day that passes without a leak adds to the evidence that there is nothing to leak (much as I hate the thought of that...)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kimgh @ May 26 2006, 03:38 PM) [snapback]261509[/snapback]</div>

Well, the one for the 2004-2005 didn't become public until July 2005, so it may take some more time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Miss_Taz @ May 24 2006, 03:29 PM) [snapback]260506[/snapback]</div>

Let me get this straight.... will the costal pakage override the nav lockout?

Otherwise, can you use voice commands on motion? What about the BT? How in the world do you make a call?

I was pretty excited after driving the demo car today, If I can't work around these issues I'll have to rethink a few things.

 

Hostage46

As it has been stated before (in this thread) the Coastal overide package will ONLY work on the 2004 or 2005 Prius. It does NOT work on the 2006 Prius.

Bluetooth issue is the same. You can make a phone call by using voice recognition technology. At least Toyota feels that is a workable alternative. I personally disagree.

Don't let this one item scare you away from the Prius. This vehicle has a ton of other positive things to consider. And with a half hour of easy work you can eliminate that one negative one too. It is all documented above in this thread.

Cheers

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(kimgh @ May 26 2006, 06:38 PM) [snapback]261509[/snapback]</div>

In all likelihood, I would say that the Service menu is hidden somewhere, considering the many other functions on that Service menu. But, it's also entirely possible that the Override function no longer exists on that menu.

As I recall, the key sequence for the nav override became common knowledge sometime last summer. That was a year and a half after the 2nd generation Prius was already on the road.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ May 26 2006, 06:40 PM) [snapback]261578[/snapback]</div>

I just did the BT mod today (I have a 2005 with Coastal's NAV kit, so I didn't need to do the other). I used a hidden Push-On/Push-Off button, as 99.99% of my calls can be handled by either the 18 "One-Touch" or using the "Info" button on the POI icons of the NAV system. You can see how it looks here and here.

This brings to mind something that's on Coastal's site. They have a video showing how the NAV kit works. Please note that it is NOTHING like what the kit really does. The demonstration (the date displayed is 11/04) shows the Destination screen go from ghosted to active in about a second, NOT doing the override dance mentioned above. My guess is that the original plan was to have a plug in that electronically disconnected the NAV wire. There may have been problems with a design that would be easy to install, so they went with the other method. Pity, if I'm right it would've worked with a 2006.

Part of my guess is based on the fact that their BT override mounts to the back of the MFD (where the BT wire is). As I understand it, pressing the phone button gives a 30-second window. If that's the case it must electronically disconnect the wire and re-connect after 30 seconds.

 

The Grand Challenge!

The stealthy ability to override the 2006 Nav Lockout (so passengers can make full use of the Nav system, and Bluetooth, while the driver is driving) should be considered as a Grand Challenge to the Prius community.

It HAS to be there. I can't believe for a moment that there isn't some obscure hidden way to accomplish this without hardware mods.

(Now for the rallying cry

All you folks with access to the various tech manuals, to those knowledgeable Toyota techs, and perhaps to the Nav's system's manufacturer,

Let's Beat This Challenge!!