All, I had the new OEM iPod interface installed in my 2010 V last week and keep experiencing a slight issue. Therefore, I wanted to reach out to you owner's of this unit to see if you are experiencing the same thing. I have an 80GB Video iPod (I guess it is referred to as classic) and when I turn the car off, then get back in it at a later time, my USB tab on my screen is "grayed" out. I then look at my iPod and notice that it is turned on but not recognized with the system. I have to unplug it, plug it back in, then it connects and I am off and running. This is happening at least 50% of the time. Is anyone else experiencing this issue? Scott
I'm pretty sure that this is a known and well-documented issue with the interface. Kinda stupid, if you ask me.
Interesting as the previous 3 interfaces that I had on my last 3 cars didn't do this at all. Oh well, I guess that I will have to just live with it as I don't see a way they will be able to "software patch" an interface kit. Another annoying thing is that if I am listening to a particular song and I decide to scroll through the artists, it does this a page at a time, which is fine with me. However, when you aren't quick enough in your continued scrolling to get to the artist you wish to listen to, it will stop at the first artist on the current page and begin to play a song. Scroll up or down another page and sit there while you read your choices.... again, it will start to play the current highlighted artist! Really annoying!!!!
Yep. That is another known and ridiculous issue. These two things are the main reasons that I didn't get the interface. Judging by your user name, I assume that you're an Apple fan. I am too. I LOVE the iPod, but I really think that Toyota dropped the ball with the interface. I upgraded the stereo in my previous car to a Kenwood that had a very lovely iPod interface... so there was no way I was gonna downgrade and torture myself with Toyota's. I've just been controlling the music directly from the iPod so far. It's not too bad, but I'd rather be able to use steering wheel controls and the touchscreen. I really wanted to keep the stock equipment and look in my new Prius, but I have a strong feeling that eventually I'm gonna want to upgrade to a new stereo with a better iPod interface. (just as long as I'll be able to keep the reverse cam and voice-controlled navigation, which I do like.)
Is this the ipod interface only, or the USB/ipod interface (does it have a USB/Aux port inside the console, where the Aux port used to be?)
Please keep us posted if you find out what stereo make/model you can use to do this and keep the other features you mentioned.
Most decent touchscreens nowadays have an at least decent iPod interface and are also reverse cam ready. As for the voice-controlled navigation, I'm not sure what aftermarket stereos offer that. In my previous car I had a Kenwood Excelon DNX8120. It was EXCELLENT. It had a wonderful iPod interface that showed album artwork, maintained all the features of the iPod, could view by artist/album/song/genre/playlist/etc, DVD player, reverse cam ready, built in bluetooth, satellite radio ready, had a separate USB input, and many more features. It had built in Garmin navi that was also excellent, but was not able to be controlled by voice. However, an easy bypass of the parking brake sensor let you input destinations by hand as you were moving. I'll never settle for having to be parked to input a new destination, but I wouldn't mind (too much) going back to navigation that isn't controlled by voice, if it meant that I had a decent iPod interface. I have way too many albums on my iPod to fumble around with an inconvenient and slow interface. If Toyota somehow improves it, I'll be the first in line to get it.
So this added a combination AUX/USB port inside your center console where there was just the AUX jack before? Just wanting to be sure. The performance of the interface sounds so terrible, I'm on the fence about getting it (but could see it useful for set-it-and-forget-it operation, which is how I'm using the iPod most of the time now). If it's dropping the iPod link half the time on startup, that's enough checks in the "minus" column to forget about it entirely.
I recently came across ipod integration units made by Vais. Apparently they are working on a unit for the Gen III Prius. Some of the reviews for Vais are quite good. They specialize in products for Lexus and Toyota I would be interested in information about the Vais line of products.
