I just realized that I should be hearing the nav system giving me audible turn notifications. And I haven't been getting them.

1. I have a destination entered, and am in the middle of being guided.
2. Having the audio system on/off makes no difference
3. I have the voice guides turned on (via Menu screen)
4. I have the voice volume set at 7 (via Menu screen)
5. Turning the speed-adaptive volume on/off makes no difference (via Menu screen)
6. I am on what seems to be the original DVD disc (v3.0?) that came with the car
7. I have what appears to be a dealer/aftermarket installed rear entertainment system (not OEM)

So:

1. Does the nav system audio have it's own speaker and dedicated channel in the ML amplifier? Or perhaps it's own amplifier and speaker?
2. Anyone heard of an aftermarket RES being wired into the ML system? I thought they went to the headphone jacks only. You can probably tell I've never used it...

Thanks.
Chip H.

 

It's been awhile since i've used my nav system, but iIm pretty sure it just broadcasts from the drivers side door speaker along with the audio system... Kinda odd in that it doesn't turn the radio down when it talks also.... It's like it's trying to have a normal conversation with you during a Metallica concert

 

@chiph9
pm me your email. Will send you the troubleshooting method.

 

PM sent.

Chip H.

 

Mine lowers the audio when the navigation speaks.

 

Hmmm... maybe something is amiss on mine... or It's just been along time, so I'll have to play with it again!

 

Still no voice, but I did discover that the PO has the rear seat entertainment being run through a FM radio RF adapter. You tune to 89.1 and you can hear the DVD playing through the car speakers. It doesn't look like they hacked into the stereo wires - just tapped into some power.

Next step is to run the audio diagnostics.

Chip H.

 

I wouldn't trust the GX voice navigation.

 

There's no doubt that an online service (Apple maps, Google maps etc) is going to be more current than offline maps (TomTom, Nokia Drive, the Lexus maps), especially in a fast-growing region like Austin.

But it doesn't work, and it should, and I want it to.


Chip H.

 

Understand. Good luck with it.

 

Our ML audio system has 14 speakers and I have seemed to blow the only one that transmits the navigation voice.....the bottom drivers side door speaker. I figured I could live with 13 speakers seeing my first car had 4. So I unplugged the white plug from the speaker and the music sounded great again until I was trying to use my Nav and there was no lovely female voice guiding me home. Anybody with experience on this matter please chime in. Is that the only speaker that transmits NAV voice? Or is it a loop that I disconnected? Finally can I replace that speaker with aftermarket? Thanks

 

Updating this ...

As ROSCOGX470 says - the nav voice ONLY comes out of the large 6x9 speaker on the bottom of the driver's door. The PO had cut the wire going to that speaker since it had blown (rather than just unplug it ... 2" away).

There are replacement kits for the foam surround, they're about $28. A new speaker is in the $250-275 range.

Chip H.

 

Do you still have access to these. I lost my voice too.

 

The troubleshooting instructions were pretty basic - just get some music playing then use the balance & fader controls to move it from door to door, and listen to see if you can hear it from there.

Since the nav voice ONLY comes from the 6x9 speaker in the lower driver's door, play some bass-heavy music and move the fader/balance controls to that door and see if you can hear it from that speaker. If you can't, either the speaker is blown (most likely cause) or the amplifier channel has died (which happens, but not nearly as often).

Chip H.

 

Sounds good, thanks.