prius GPS navigation sucks

Not finding an address is usually the result of inputting too much information. Just as with a google search, you want to start general and get more specific only if the results are too broad. Unfortunately, the order of the address fields in the Toyota NAV system encourages people to enter from the specific to the general, which is backward from what you normally want to do. Try skipping to the second screen and entering the state, then city. Pop back to the first screen and do the street, then number. When you enter the street, don't use any qualifiers, such as N, North, St, Street, Circle or any of that stuff. The system will pop up a list and you can select the correct street from that. If you input "West Anystreet Blvd" and the database has it as "W Anystreet Blvd", you aren't going to find it. Stay general and pick from the list.

Of course it's also possible that an address is not in the database. Different GPS venders use different databases, and they are not all equal.

Tom

 

My sentiments exactly. Why are we able to change radio stations or adjust the climate control when the car is in motion or program a radio station? A simple message warning drivers to use the Navigation system when the car is stopped would suffice....Toyota dropped the ball on choosing the Navigation system and then rendering it useless when the car is moving. Terry

hack your Toyota Prius GPS Navigation System -- NaviGadget

 

But having it tied to the headlights is a superior approach. On gloomy days where it feels dark before sunset, or in similar situations the Prius wins.

 

... but not if you like to leave your headlights on all the time (pseudo-DRL).

 

had the same problem when I first tried ours. put in number and street and it would list all towns that had that sreet, except my town. However if I entered the City in there, it would locate the address. If you live in a small town, that might be what is happening.

 

1. Don't do that.
2. Even if you do that, the Prius GPS will have the daytime colors even with headlights if your instrumentation brightness dial is turned all the way up.

 

Actually, Toyota does beat that - in some parts of the world, like Canada. Here, we don't get HID headlights, but rather Auto headlights instead. The auto headlights are driven off a light sensor, so they come on whenever necessary.

... and when the headlights come on the Nav system switches to night mode. So, in effect, this is better than knowing the expected sunrise/sunsets, as it even applies to driving through a medium to long tunnel.

Interestingly, even if you turn the headlights on manually during the day, the auto day/night for Nav will still stay in Day mode. Very smart.

 

Only in Canada, though. Today I was driving in the rain and by law had to turn on my headlights. It was still fairly bright outside, so when the headlights went on the map screen went virtually black. Of course I can use the thumbwheel to turn the dash lights up, but I shouldn't have to. I wish I could live in Canada.

 

Yeah, it is only on Canadian Prius (and perhaps other areas of the world with the same configuration). I have grown quite accustomed to the Auto headlights, I am not sure I would trade them for the HID's, at least with the additional cost factored in. Furthermore, I like that the light sensor is actually two separate stages; as dusk approaches, first the headlights come on, then maybe 20 or 30 minutes later as it gets darker the Nav switches to night mode. Vice versa at dawn. So, it is not just on or off, there is a middle ground level out lighting where headlights are on, yet the screen is still in day mode.

Along the same lines, the Auto lights are not so responsive that they flicker on or off on a whim, such as driving though shadows or underpasses. You have to drive (or be stopped) in a dark tunnel for ~ 10 seconds or so before the headlights react. Again, some thought clearly went into this design.

The end result is the only time I ever touch the headlight switch is to compensate for inclement weather.

Anyway... getting back on the Nav topic, from a Canadian perspective, I wonder why the text to speech pronounces all the US Interstates by their number, yet in Canada, everything is a generic "freeway". Why wasn't it programmed to say "highway xxx", as it does with Interstates? For that matter, as demonstrated by the "Address" command, it clearly has a Text-to-Speech engine to read streets and city names, why don't they add the feature to announce turns by name like many aftermarket units? Seems the programming is already there, just execute the routines..........

Just some thoughts, not complaints. I am actually quite satisfied with the functionality of my Nav. It's all a matter of what you are used to.

 

I think the irony is you really don't need the name of the Interstate highway called out. Signs are plastered everywhere. What you need is the name of a street you are turning on, especially at night or when the street is poorly marked. So the NAV system speaks where you are when you don't need to know it and can't tell you where you are when you need it.

 

Why do you need the name of the street? The NAV system tells you when to turn, regardless of the street name. You get an upcoming warning, the turning instruction, then the nice little "ping, ping" sound to tell you this is the turn. It works fine for me.

Tom

 

Toyota Prius Features

strider5,

Go the the link and look at the Toyota Demo on the Navigation Unit.

 

Assuming the NAV system always tells you the right place to turn, maybe you don't. Of course it doesn't. Also, the "ping" doesn't always sound at the right time. And when there are two streets close together you certainly need it. When I was in St. Louis last weekend it gave me the wrong turn and I had to go some distance before I realized I was on the wrong street. Yeah, I could have used an announcement MANY times. But I'm glad you're happy.

 

Your argument is inconsistent. If the NAV system doesn't know when to ping for the turn, it won't know when to announce the name of the street. It's not going to work for you under those circumstances.

If, on the other hand, it does know where it is, then the ping will be correct and you won't need to know the street name.

Tom

 

Anyone complaining about the Prius navigation system has clearly never tried the stock GM Nav. I've used that one many times and it is far far worse. The Prius calculates better routes and allows you to do alot more. Sit through 5 times of the stupid thing saying "Recalculating" and you'll want the toyota Nav.

As for comparing it to Garmin, well garmin specializes in GPS, so they are experts. Toyota builds cars and thats where thier expertise lies. Maybe some of the car dealers should start teaming up and using the garmin interface for thier Navs.

 

Seems to me, the Nav system in cars is grossly overpriced compared to portable Nav systems. Probably just a device to pad the car price. I have one of those Tom-Toms I paid 80 bucks for.

 

Not inconsistent at all. As I said, the ping doesn't always come on at the right street or at the right time. If it could tell me the street I'm supposed to be turning on, I might have time to double check it. A "ping" means very little to me if it's turning me onto the wrong street.

 

For all of the numerous complaints and compliments I have posted about the 2008 Toyota Navigation system I have to say it was a pleasure having the Toyota Nav system on my recent trip to Wisconsin. Besides the display being nice and large the directions were accurate, the exits were clearly displayed with the highlighted areas of when to turn, and curves ahead clearly displayed.
I will always have a problem with the so-call safety features. I don't like the programable read-outs turning grey when the vehicle moves. With that being said, I planed the trips ahead of time while we were parked. I haven't mastered the voice command yet. Had I master it I think I could have changed my destinations on the fly.
Learning the Navigation system has been bitter sweet. I think it is somewhat complicated a times but I found the accuracy of the system excellent such as the number of miles left to go to your destination and the ETA. Both were on the mark! I also appreciated the split screen, with the on the screen on the right showing you which road to take while the voice command guides you and the beep occurs as you approach the fork in the road.
I understand Garmen users loyalty to their Nuvi's, I have one, but this system is so much friendlier in many respects, other than portability.

 

If you have to double check the street, you don't need a NAV system. You already know where you are going.

Tom

 

Wish that were true. With my NAV system I don't always know where I'm going. YMMV of course.