daryll40

I noticed that my NAV on my '04 LS430 is a few houses from being right. Someone on alt.autos.lexus posted this same problem and someone else responded that it needed to be calibrated. Is this an owner done chore or does the dealer do this? Anyone else notice this?

stanatl

I noticed that my Nav system announces that "you have arrived at your destination" a little before you actually get there. It's not much of an issue for me because it seems to be quite close (maybe the equivalent of a city block). Is it possible that this is simply the way it works and there is no calibration issue?

mer24

I took my 2004 LS430 to my dealer. My nav is off by 1/4 mile. they said yeah we've been seeing this but nothing we can do. they say its bugs in a new system. Also the software is off Street addresses are in wrong spots, major streets wuth wrong name. According to the Lexus website, Navtech makes their discs. I have this in my BMW, made by Navtec, and the addreses are pervect and the streets are labled correctly. I tried calin Lexus cutomer service to complain and after 1/2 hour onhold I gave up. Truthfully, I have a bunch of other compaints. I came out of Mercedes and BMW to Lexus and am sorry. A satellite radio ready care that does have prewiring for an antenna so the antenna goes on the trunk. Audi figured this out. GM figured this out.

Mike

twnmango

mer24,

could you share with us what kind of complaints you have on these newer LS430's? I'm close to buying one myself and I would appreciate to hear more pro's and con's about this car from actual owners....and I'm surprised I could find complaints on ClubLexus, therefore, it must be a legit one...

Tks a lot!!

daryll40

Seems we have a NAV problem here, albeit minor.

Phil

It is my understanding that the Military released the technology and satilites for commercial use, BUT they only released only so much that it won't pin point the EXACT location, like the front door of where you are going, but the "area" where you want to go. The Military doesn't want to release technology for the pin point missel systems they have, for obivious reasons, to the general public yet. There are various stages of calibrations that will bring you closer, can be released, but that is up to the Military. I don't know why, or how, the guy with the bmw says his is right on.

Hope this helps explain the issue. Phil

mer24

it's a software problem. Route 304 labeled main St. 15 Pine lane on the map position for example is 1/4 of a mile away. my BMW while not exact based on the number of satellites that civilian GPS can use, is very close and for all purposes right on.

Navtech supposedly makes both sets of software. In Theory, in any given area, the maps and the house numbers and the street levels should be correct on both. They are on BMW not on Lexus.

So I think a major softwre revision is needed for which the consumer should not pay. This is especially true since otyher manufactureres have gotten the software right.

to put it another the way, the longitude and latitude will be the same on both but at any given point the street names and house numbers do not correspond. In BMW they do in Lexus they do Mot.

mike

mer24

twnmango

I think my complaints in the big picture are minor but are more annoyances.
1. The nav system as outlines above
2. Mark Levison radio is a dud. Its missing the deep sounds and does not sound as good as what I had in my Mercedes
3. The Mercedes 430 or 500, Audi A-8 and BMW 740iL, all cares which I looked at seem to come fully equipped and I did not have to think about this package or that package. Instead I had to settle here ffor a car instock which had soom but not all the luxury feature I might have wanted. I actually had to use "On Star" in my Benz once in an emergency an Lexus doesn't offer it". The ir keys in the Mercedes were easier to carry but I couldn' get it because known were on hand. It reminds me more of buying an American car than a fully equipped luxury sedan. Go over the packages carefully
4. What most upsaets me is the satellite radio nonsense. A car which is satellite radio radio should not have to add an external antenna to make it work. Audi and other have a shark fin with antenna wires ready to go which just has to be hooked to a board. Lexus requires addind a box to your trunk lid. Just stupid as it ruins the looks of the cars/.
5. In my mercedes and BMW dealers I would sit and talk with a rep when going into service and on pickup someone would go over what was done. Not so with my dealer.

On the plus side it is a comfortable, smotth driving ca which according to reputation should be great. But if I could get out of my lease in the best of all worlds, I would get the Mercedes S430.

just my opinion.

Mike

daryll40

The NAV problem is not due to government regulation. I also have a Garmin Streetpilot 2610 that I travel with. It works perfectly! I could launch missles and hit the terrorists exactly right between the eyes with it.
They need to correct the NAV software at THEIR expense.


Daryll40

daddymalu

are you kidding about packages mercedes, bmw and audi all have several packages...... the satellite radio..... all makes other than audi have to have a kit ordered..... BMW just recieved the kits for their new 7 series which was out in 2002..... Smartaccess is way better than the BMW FOB or Mercedes Key........ the only problem is calibration on the maps.... (which can be easily fixed with a new DVD) but none of the other makes allow you to place calls to pois through the navigation only Lexus....... By far the new LS430 has beaten the competition in everything except for handling...... which BMW and Audi have mastered but I certainly would not trade in my reliablity for the handling....... check out this BMW forum and scroll down to find out what their customers have to deal with................. By the way the LS430 has the most POIs compared to any other car
http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e65/

stanatl

I had an Audi A6 4.2 with their Nav system. The Lexus system is like Star Wars compared to theirs. It is more accurate, works on a single DVD as opposed to multiple CD's, is faster, has POI's, is integrated with the Bluetooth phone, has a large screen so you can see where you are as opposed to just the single street you're on, etc., etc.

In additon, the Audi system was not more accurate. The Lexus system is off by maybe a half a block (at most) on occassion for final destinations. When it comes to turns and streets, it has been extremely accurate.

michael_m

I am using the 2003 Nav. update in my 01 LS.

Is the 04 system any different?...If yes maybe your dealer can just install a 03 version until Lexus solves the problem with the 04.

I will never own another car without a Nav. system.

mer24

Dealer tells me that it is a whole new system and they have had other complaints with now soulution.

I agree that nav systemi m is a big help. At it's price it should work

mike

ultra63

We were in Dallas for the weekend and I entered the name of our destination( Allen Premium OutletS) which the NAV had in its data base. Unfortunately the NAV directed us to an empty field 20 miles from our destination( Allen Premium Outlet). Has any one else had such an example of such major errors in the 04 DVD?

Mandingo

These systems are never 100% accurate for addresses. I have a Garmin Streetpilot also and it has been known to send me on wild goosechases through roads that don't exist that forced me to backtrack the entire route.

However, on balance, most of the time, these systems are very accurate.

Why are there errors?

For the first few seconds the system is guessing where you are based on dead reckoning since it won't have enough satellites - you often see it "pop" you from one road to a parallel one as it tries to narrow down where you are as its accuracy improves.

Once it has satellite lock it's less to do with the calibration of your position and mostly to do with the map data. The map may be out of date or a merge of two seperate databases that don't quite line up etc. Also it often doesn't know specific house numbers but does a best guess system to locate the house - don't be surprised if it's a fair way off sometimes.

If anyone is looking for a dead accurate 100% of the time GPS then you could be waiting a long time.

The Lexus system UI isn't as intuitive as it might have been (to say the least) but the basic functionality is great and a huge boon for directionally impaired drivers like myself.