I just bought a 2001 LS430 with Navigation. The navigation has terrible maps and the system doesn't seems very good.

My question is, if I update the DVD I understand the maps will be updated; is the software also updated to a better Navigation system or do I end up with the same software?

 

Define "better" as in screen resolution improvement? NO. Only the streets and POI are increased, but quality of image and functionality is not better. In some cases, upgrading to a higher version actual removes functions (i.e. override on Gen 4 nav after version 5.1).

 

The Navigation on my car seems to have bugs. for example the route stops before reaching to destination. Direction seems to ignore side streets and only take major streets! (That could be a setting that I haven't figured out yet) Also I haven't found how to get audio directions working. I wonder if that feature existed in 2001.

 

Yep, i am too very familiar with this. Very annoying, but i think this is the way our Navi was designed.

 

I have version 5.1, routing, voice instructions, POI's and streets are fine here in Los Angeles. The menu structure could be easier but I can live with it. I wonder if your nav volume setting is "off" thus no voice instructions. Also, have you tried "zooming in" to see more streets?

By the way, updating to any version newer than 2.1 will provide a much better system. (must stay with same generation Nav) My SC430 has version 7.1 and it is better than 5.1. However, I could not get the 7.1 disk from my 2002 car to work in the 2001. Some say, my disk reader in the trunk might be weak.

 

I recently bought a 2001 LS430 with Nav. & it works great. I live in Jax., Fl. It is very acurate & the voice comands work great. The people I bought it from told me it had just been updated, so, that may be the reason it works so well. I did have to turn up the volumn for the voice recognition to work properly.

 

It just depends on where you are and what kind of map data there is. I live in jersey but go to school in kansas and everything in new jersey is mapped perfectly but kansas has only a couple roads in each town that are mapped.

 

There is something called "unconfirmed roads" I think but, they are there and they may be on your map but, because they are not confirmed, if you try to nav to them, it won't find them.

It happens when I visit my friend out in PA, it will not find his road but, when I am there it shows the street name. The only way to get it to map to it is to get to his location and save as a marked point but, when I get to his area, it will not map it any more.

It really all depends on where you live and how far you are out in the middle of no where...

 

I am a newbie to ls430 navigation and already have a big headache with updating the maps to 13.1.
If you go to System on your screen, at the bottom you'll find your map version, year and release.
My maps being 01.1 were the oldest in 2/3 generation.
I'd say compared to the 3 generations Garmin we have around, and brand new head unit in my Toyota Previa, Lexus has the most accurate positioning capabilities and therefore the voice prompt