SaulSch

I hope someone can assist with question below:

It relates to a just purchased 2013 Lexus ES350 with Navigation.

In selecting XM stations for the 36 radio presets, the only information that appears on each individual XM satelite station "button" is the XM channel number. What is missing is the station "label" ex. -- "CNN", "ESPN". If I set up more than a handful of buttons for XM stations, without the label appearing on the button, it is hard to identify the stations just by the XM number. It is only AFTER actually selecting a channel that the label information appears.

On other cars that I've owned (Acura, Buick), the XM satellite radio displayed this information on the screen buttons but with the Lexus, I cannot find any guide as to how to make the station names appear on the station buttons.

Thanks,

SaulSch

bc6152

Your complaint is another valid issue with the Lexus satellite radio/navigation system. I find it cumbersome at best, and dangerous at the worst, to change or select radio stations or satellite stations. Give me the pushbuttons and show me the radio/satellite channel on screen.

ElliotB

Changing stations is easy - simply push the up or down button on the steering wheel. What could be easier?

As far as the info appearing, all the station's information as well as song details appears next to any 'button' selected. As you change stations, the current station/current song information appears at the top of the Nav screen. I don't have a great memory but I can keep track of the few stations I listen to regularly by number.

I am not saying it is a great system but it does work OK.

wasjr

What could be easier is my Acura MDX. I just push the talk button and say "XM Channel 26" (or I can just push a button). I don't drive the 300h often, so I am still learning, but all I get is "Pardon" when I try to change stations this way.

JerryKK

There of course many issues with the navigation system and the radio. It's easy if you want to go up and down to a couple of preset stations that are within a few presets away; however, if you're on preset #10 and you want to get to preset #25 - then you have but two choices: hit the up/down button on the steering wheel and maybe 20 seconds later you'll get to your station or on the navigation screen hit the radio button and go to different pages until you see the right preset - this entails keeping your left eye on the road and your right eye on the screen. Lexus wasn't thinking safety when they came up with this!

bc6152

I couldn't agree more with your post. I fully expect to see a major change for this setup due to the safety issues associated with the whole process.

ElliotB

Again, I am not saying the system is anything better than OK and certainly not 'Lexuslike', but you can hit the up/down button repeatedly and quickly to change any number of presets in a matter of a second or so to rapidly scroll through the presets.

Also, you can quickly scroll through the presets by pressing the radio button once and then pressing the up or down button next to the 'mouse' controller. This enables you to scroll through the entire list of presets quickly.

JerryKK

You keep defending the system but it's my main complaint with the car and the system installed has various safety issues. Yes, you can quickly go through the presets but unless you are lucky and stop at the station you were searching for it entails looking at the screen to see how close you are - and if you are not then you have to slowly push the up/down button until you get the station (while keeping an eye on the screen). And to your second point: that requires constant viewing of the screen - so as you crash into the car in front of you - you explain "sorry, I was searching for a preset station on my radio". I love the car but hate the radio setup,

bc6152

I have resolved to NOT tune the radio while driving. I find that, other than driving on an open highway, one must wait until you come to a red light or other situation where the car is stopped for changing or seeking another station. It is simply too dangerous to be looking at the LCD screen while the car is moving. I traded a 2006 Avalon with a JBL stereo system for this ES 350. I wish I had the radio with pushbuttons back. I am very disappointed with this system.

ElliotB

JerryKK, I am not defending the system. I have clearly stated it is only OK. But it is what is is and I doubt it will be changing, at least certainly not anytime soon. I don't even know if it is possible for them to upgrade the software in the future. I would guess it is not.

You need to make the best of it. We all do.

Whether you want to change the stations while you are driving or not is up to you. I don't use the main screen while I am driving. I have my favorites programmed together so I am never more than a few clicks of the up or down button from what I want to listen to. As each station on XM has pretty much its own unique sound, I usually know what station I am listening to anyway so I don't need to look.

I tested the car before I bought it and was aware of the radio issues. And accepted it as part of the package. I assume you did the same thing.

JerryKK

I did and you're right: it is what it is!

dochusar

I have had many high end cars, there is easy solution. I wish that they had provided the 12.5 inch screen for the nav unit in the ES. The split screen helps by displaying the station and song. It is one of the reasons that a did not buy the ES for my second car (wife) to use.

ElliotB

Dochusar, the ES does offer a split screen option for displaying the station and song along with the navigation map..

For some reason, Lexus and other high end manufacturers seem to feel drivers want the radio hidden and have removed most radio functions from view and have hidden them within menus, with some options deep within the menus, so making the simplest change often takes several steps. I much prefer direct buttons myself.

I suppose if anyone wants to bypass the built-in satellite radio, you can get a stand alone XM radio that works through the FM. Channel selection would be independent of the car's controls and some of the XM radios offer excellent, informative displays.

wasjr

When we were testing the 300h I did not go through all of the technology. I have not owned a Lexus since I had an LS400 in the past, but the assumption was that the Lexus technology would be at least equal to, and probably more advanced, than that on my Acura MDX. Had I known it was not, it still would not have been a deal breaker as the 300h is my wife’s daily driver and she does not listen to music that often. But it is a major annoyance to me when I do drive the car. An annoyance that I obviously will have to, as my wife says, “rise above it and get over it”.

In a couple of weeks I am going to take the 300h and have one of the dealership’s technical team train me on the nuances of the nav and voice systems, but so far I am surprised that it appears I cannot 1) as noted in this thread change source or specific stations/channels through one touch voice or button (there are about 5 XM stations I rotate through depending on song being played, as well as 2 local FM sports talk show channels, and the hard drive where my CDs have been loaded), 2) toggle from nav screen to audio screen via one easy to reach button, and 3) there is no hard drive for music storage (the MDX also has MP3, WMA, & USB inputs with Apple integration). The technical guys at the dealer can set me straight as to the capabilities of the 300h’s systems and I will just live with it the limited times I drive the car.

jollick

I believe the addition of the USB port negates the need for a hard drive and enables the owner to have a unlimited supply of music. IMHO