rockdaddy7

had any1 figured this out yet. what i got suggested was to have sum1 loosen the e-brake so that wen i click the e-brake down one click, it will think the brakes and and it will let me use my ****. this way i wont void any warranties. sum1 else said to get a switch, but then my extended warranty for the electronics in my system goins down the toilet. what has every1 else done...?

Kaius88

dont try to access the NAV while driving. you can get into an accident! Use the voice commands instead.

rockdaddy7

wat about the DVD player. people in the back and the passenger wanna watch a DVD while i drive... in the new acura's and in the 300c its all unlocked. no manuf. restrictions!

Ingram4868

I think most of us are in agreement with you on this one. As sales increase perhaps some really sharp person will be able to figure out a solution. I know some smart Prius owners figured out a way to get around the NAV lockout but apparently the Prius configuration is very different than other models within the Toyota family.

tnfan

Good idea if the voice recognition worked. Problem is the voice recognition doesn't work half the time.

jeffofla

Use the hack for the navigation. Just search here in this forum for it. Messing with the brake is incredibly foolish.

rc83086

Try this in the following sequence

Press the Menu button on the dash.
Press the volume button on the screen.
Press the upper left corner of the screen. (Where the speaker Icon is located.)
Press the lower left corner of the screen.
Press the upper left corner of the screen again.
Press the lower left corner of the screen again.

On the screen that appears:
Press and hold the overide button until you hear a beep. The override letters turn to black in
color showing it has been deselected.
Press the back button to go to the previous screen.
Now you will be able to use all the commands while in motion.

This setting is not retained in memory so, each time you shut off the car you will have to do it again.

This worked fine on my 2007 ES350

** Don't touch any of the other features on this screen.

tnfan

That doesn't solve the problem of the voice recognition not recognizing the commands or instructions. Still having great difficulty getting the VR to translate numbers for street addresses and also cities. Dealer had the same problem when I took it in and they had no resolution. In fact, they said they have had others complain about the sensitivity of the VR. So the override above doesn't help much if you cannot get the VR to translate. Guess I will just have to live with it.

rc83086

Tnfan,

I wasn't trying to solve your voice recognition problem. I was providing a quasi solution to rockdaddy7's question about the navigation commands being available while driving!

tnfan

Excuse me.

dreyfus

The nav hack posted elsewhere for other Lexus models does not work with the ES350. I've done it without success and described it in that thread.

The software nav hack posted by rc83086 and reposted by tnfan (thanks, guys) does work with the nav functions but does nothing for the phone lockouts (such as no phone book), nor does it address the audio lockouts (such as no song details).

I just installed my VaisTech iPod unit and while I was at it I added a switch that cuts off the speed sensor to the nav unit which does what the soft button solution above does AND it allows full phone usage and enables all the audio features as well. I don't have the DVD but I assume that would work while driving too; though frankly I think that anyone who drives while watching a DVD should have their head examined (and I hope they're not driving near me).

I took step by step photos of the whole process showing the center section disassembly and the installation of the VaisTech unit and my little toggle switch. I'll post them as soon as I can assemble the photos & instructions in a user-friendly form.

savior02

Press the upper left corner of the screen. (Where the speaker Icon is located.)

I get stuck on this step. its like if theres no button on the upper left side of the screen. am I doing something wrong?

Celibon

Nevermind the button. Just press on the screen. It's all hidden procedure so there's nothing on screen for you press. Likewise you will hear no beep when you press it, just keep following the steps (upper left corner--> lower left corner --> upper left corner --> lower left corner). I do it myself and it works.

Kaius88

can this let you play DVD movies while in motion?

jeffofla

Unfortunately, no. To get the DVD video to play while in motion is not just a simple software hack, but would also require taking the head unit apart and doing some rewiring. Something I'm not willing to do. They've done it for the IS-350. I'm not sure if it is the same procedure or not, but once I found this out, I gave up.

And to those that say it's illegal in many states to play the video in motion forward of the rear seat, yeah, that is true, but it hasn't stopped people from doing it.