In our 14' GX the standard FM radio stations sound quality is really poor. We were given 3 months free XM with the purchase and it sounds great but when you switch to standard FM radio it just doesn't sound right at all. Like its not getting its full signal. It's not breaking up or anything just volume is low and sound quality is lacking. If you are listening to XM at volume 15 and switch to FM station you have to listen to that at like 26 to get the same volume level. I know XM is better sound quality but I have always been happy with standard FM radio till now.

Curious to what others are experiencing?

 

Correct, you just found out How much better sound quality you can get with satellite radio--I so wish we could have it up here in AK

 

I will have to check, I always listen to satellite radio. I hate commercials!

 

When I bought my GX several months ago I spent hours reading all the threads and recall some complaints about satellite radio quality being poor. One member blamed it on the compression rate due to so many available stations. I activated my XM and listened to it and it only due to it was new again to me ( had it years ago). After a month or so I went back to radio and ipod and I think the sound quality was about 20% better on those sources.

 

I'm using radio/iPod too and never renewed XM once free trial expired.

 

The quality of FM radio can change, depending on the technology that the radio station uses to transmit it's signal. If it is transmitted digitally (referred to as HD radio), it will be very good quality. If transmitted on an analog signal, it will not be as crisp and sharp.

 

Installed micro sd card and navigation will not turn on.
The GX is brand new. Not sure what to do. The card works in another new gx on lot.

 

hmmm, doesn't make too much sense to me but if its new then let dealer figure it out.

 

So I took my truck in for a couple issues, they said it took them 10 tries to reload the firmware but it was finally successful.

Apparently Not!

The navi is now worse than before. Before it would just randomly black screen ---> come back to frozen map ---> audio resumes ---> legal notice displays ---->back to real-time GPS on correct course.

Now it does all that, but resumes on the wrong course! I mean it shows me somewhere 1 or 2 miles off in some random direction.

Maybe they ran out of real Lexus units when they were building mine and installed some cheap no-name knock-off they ordered from K-Mart?

I wonder what the next steps are? I'd hate for them to have to tear into the dash and replace the whole thing. But this is unacceptable. Not super-impressed with Lexus' legendary quality so far.

 

Try pulling the battery cable. I've seen several IS's that had similar problems after reloading the firmware, and just pulling the neg battery cable and letting is discharge for 10 minutes or so seemed to clear it up.

 

Are you a Lexus tech?

I'm having the dealer handle this. I want a record of everything so I can lemon law if need be.

 

I'm not a tech anymore, just the Technology Specialist. I have worked with our techs on trying to solve some issues like this within the past month though. I guess I'd tell the dealer you want them to disconnect the battery to clear everything out. The tech's at my dealership gave me the "whats that gonna do" look when I suggested it, and it ended up working....

 

WOW, He's trying to help you.

 

And he wonder's why he lives alone!

Randy B

 

Do you by chance plug your phone in to the USB port?

The new IS has the same nav as the new GX, and many of us IS owners have found that the system is way more likely to crash when a phone is plugged into the USB port.