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What are you referring to - the circle in the middle of the screen? If so, I've never seen it and it hasn't been reported here since before the SH-AWD arrived in 2014. I'd get the unit replaced under warranty. Very strange glitch, indeed!
What are you referring to - the circle in the middle of the screen? If so, I've never seen it and it hasn't been reported here since before the SH-AWD arrived in 2014. I'd get the unit replaced under warranty. Very strange glitch, indeed!
Oh Im sorry, I was referring to the grey line. I just added yellow circle to emphasize.
Here's the original image:
I have a 2014 SH Advance and I have had a few glitches. I am going in for the second regular service [B1 6] this week My odometer reads 19,500 and will see what the techs say.
My issue is that several times the top screen is blank. Turning the car off and back on does resolve the issue. Secondly, the bottom screen dims intermittently. If I touch the screen it comes up to full brightness but on a sunny day, it is almost impossible to read when it dims. The touch screen issue only started after I loaded the 2016 brown disc nav system update. I would guess it is a software glitch which hopefully is easy to fix with updated software but the infotainment system wasn't created by Acura so who knows how simple the fix will be.
I have a 16 tech and the upper screen has blanked twice. Like Malibu I turned the car off, waited a couple of minutes and when restarting the screen was back. Since it has only happened twice in 14,000 miles I'm inclined to just live with it.
The bottom screen is a pain. Again like Malibu it's so dim as to be unreadable on bright days. Hopefully an update is pending.
If I touch the screen it comes up to full brightness but on a sunny day, it is almost impossible to read when it dims. The touch screen issue only started after I loaded the 2016 brown disc nav system update. I would guess it is a software glitch which hopefully is easy to fix with updated software but the infotainment system wasn't created by Acura so who knows how simple the fix will be.
Perhaps the update altered your Customized Settings? I have my lower screen on Max Brightness all the time. I had to fiddle with the Customized Settings. The screen brightness alone does not control the brightness / dimness. There is also a Synch feature with synchs to the gauge cluster brightness (day vs night illumination). To further complicate things there is a selection to synch the gauge cluster to the auto wiper feature (meaning if auto wipers or parking lights turn on, the gauge cluster switches to night brightness). Getting these to work the way I wanted took some trial and error.
Basically my customizations are:
1) Turn OFF Multi Screen (lower screen) Synch.
2) Turn up lower screen Brightness to MAX
3) Turn Gauge Brightness to MAX (beeps)
1 & 2 is done via the SETTINGS Menu. 3 is done via the brightness buttons on the gauge panel.
1 & 2 Pathway: Settings > System Settings > Display > Synch Display Brightness (OFF) and then > Brightness (set to max) NOTE: Synch ON is the default setting, so you have to manually turn it off to cancel the screen brightness synching.
3 Pathway: Press the + button to max, or beeps. This prevents the guage brightness dimming when parking lights alone are turned on. I think this is what triggers the lower screen to also dim, or reset the customized settings.
Perhaps the update altered your Customized Settings? I have my lower screen on Max Brightness all the time. I had to fiddle with the Customized Settings. The screen brightness alone does not control the brightness / dimness. There is also a Synch feature with synchs to the gauge cluster brightness (day vs night illumination). To further complicate things there is a selection to synch the gauge cluster to the auto wiper feature (meaning if auto wipers or parking lights turn on, the gauge cluster switches to night brightness). Getting these to work the way I wanted took some trial and error.
Basically my customizations are:
1) Turn OFF Multi Screen (lower screen) Synch.
2) Turn up lower screen Brightness to MAX
3) Turn Gauge Brightness to MAX (beeps)
1 & 2 is done via the SETTINGS Menu. 3 is done via the brightness buttons on the gauge panel.
1 & 2 Pathway: Settings > System Settings > Display > Synch Display Brightness (OFF) and then > Brightness (set to max) NOTE: Synch ON is the default setting, so you have to manually turn it off to cancel the screen brightness synching.
3 Pathway: Press the + button to max, or beeps. This prevents the guage brightness dimming when parking lights alone are turned on. I think this is what triggers the lower screen to also dim, or reset the customized settings.
Thanks Tampa.....
i will check my settings in the morning. I think you may be correct since I did mess around with the settings right after I loaded the new Brown Nav disc. I probably did change the settings which may have caused the dimming.
Damn! I just can't reproduce the problem I originally mentioned. (LOL)
I can't bring my car to the dealer if there's no problem to show them...
Oh well, I will wait and see...
The picture you took should be enough for the service technician to investigate whether the problem has been reported before and if there is a known fix.
Does it appear only on THAT screen (iPod interface)? If it does not appear on other screens, FM, XM, Pandora, etc. I do not think it is a screen / hardware / infotainment software issue. I have read a lot of iPhone and iPods having issues with lines in the screens. It may be possible that the line is being communicated from the iPod along with song / album / track data and the screen is just presenting what data it is receiving. Does it appear / disappear by song (song data corrupted), or with shuffle / repeat selected? If it were the screen itself, the line would run the full screen, and like damaged pixels on LCDs, would be visible on anything presented on the screen.
Does it appear only on THAT screen (iPod interface)? If it does not appear on other screens, FM, XM, Pandora, etc. I do not think it is a screen / hardware / infotainment software issue. I have read a lot of iPhone and iPods having issues with lines in the screens. It may be possible that the line is being communicated from the iPod along with song / album / track data and the screen is just presenting what data it is receiving. Does it appear / disappear by song (song data corrupted), or with shuffle / repeat selected? If it were the screen itself, the line would run the full screen, and like damaged pixels on LCDs, would be visible on anything presented on the screen.
That's true. Usually I only use iPod Classic, so I will try FM/SX and etc to see if I have same problem.
Oh my... while I was testing and switching from my iPod, iPhone, FM, XM, and etc, it just get worse this morning.
On top screen still shows Navi Map and says "Loading..." but there's NOTHING on the bottom screen. (AC still works, but I have no idea the setting because I can't see.)
I made an appointment at my local Acura Dealer today
Reboots are sometimes needed when interfaces lock up. We have actually discussed the need for a Reboot / Restart Button for the infotainment system that would not require the car itself be restarted.
FWIW I have had the lower screen lock up when switching from an AcuraLink call to HFL. But I discovered it was the Bluetooth stack of my Galaxy Note 4 as I had similar lock ups with Bluetooth connections to my laptop, headset and speakers. To clear it I had to shut down the Bluetooth on the phone AND reboot the phone to clear it. Restarting the car alone did not clear it and that confirmed the lock up was caused by the phone. It occurs when switching between functions and the Bluetooth would freeze. I am not an Apple user, but I think it is safe to say, integrations between the car and peripherals is not 100% robust. Auto audio systems are not as agile as smart phones and like devices. There is no way the head unit manufacturer can keep up with the options, updates and feature advancements of all devices / brands / OSs consumers use. There are bound to be gaps that affect the functionality in some combination / scenario you create that was not anticipated by the head unit engineers.
Reboots are sometimes needed when interfaces lock up. We have actually discussed the need for a Reboot / Restart Button for the infotainment system that would not require the car itself be restarted.
FWIW I have had the lower screen lock up when switching from an AcuraLink call to HFL. But I discovered it was the Bluetooth stack of my Galaxy Note 4 as I had similar lock ups with Bluetooth connections to my laptop, headset and speakers. To clear it I had to shut down the Bluetooth on the phone AND reboot the phone to clear it. Restarting the car alone did not clear it and that confirmed the lock up was caused by the phone. It occurs when switching between functions and the Bluetooth would freeze. I am not an Apple user, but I think it is safe to say, integrations between the car and peripherals is not 100% robust. Auto audio systems are not as agile as smart phones and like devices. There is no way the head unit manufacturer can keep up with the options, updates and feature advancements of all devices / brands / OSs consumers use. There are bound to be gaps that affect the functionality in some combination / scenario you create that was not anticipated by the head unit engineers.
Reboots are sometimes needed when interfaces lock up. We have actually discussed the need for a Reboot / Restart Button for the infotainment system that would not require the car itself be restarted.
There is no way the head unit manufacturer can keep up with the options, updates and feature advancements of all devices / brands / OSs consumers use. There are bound to be gaps that affect the functionality in some combination / scenario you create that was not anticipated by the head unit engineers.
Tampa while I agree with your point about the continual changes from a vast number of various operating systems, I feel that the auto companies need to step up their game [or the third party companies which actually supply the hardware/software we find in our cars]. Specifically, there should be a way to update the car's software "over the air". In addition, the hardware needs to be beefed up to be able to anticipate future advancements which will happen during the cars' life.This would help deal with the problem of developing systems for cars which are 2-3 years old by the time the car actually gets to consumers. Cars are only going to get more dependent on high tech features and there has to be a better way than Acura/Honda's current model of dealing with the changing technological environment. Both Apple and Tesla have created a model on how to handle the ever changing need to make subtle changes in software to keep their hardware running smoothly. Most auto companies are great at the traditional mechanics of autos but are behind the curve in dealing with the new wave of technology which is only growing in importance. Our cars are becoming mobile computers.
I agree. But the current automotive conception to release model cannot keep pace with the technology device model. Further, auto manufacturers are bound by supply contracts, sometimes forcing them to use outdated components until the contract is satisfied. Auto life cycles from conception to production have been as short as 3 years, but typically 6-8 years. Electronic device technology life cycle is 6 months to one year, outpacing auto life cycle.
I believe the current hard coded auto head units will become a thing of the past. The car's system will simply be an audio and visual integration to the car of your smart device. The interim steps to getting there are first interfaces like Apple Play and Android Auto. I would not be surprised if Apple, Android and perhaps Windows develop head units for auto manufacturers until that stage is reached. But if they do not offer shared platforms or a convertibility, the owner is locked to that platform with the smart device. If not, you would be able to buy a car and the appropriate head unit would be installed by the owner's preference. The auto will just be designed with a screen, interface controls and some licensing agreement between OS providers. In effect the car is just a docking station for your personal smart device.
Apple is not an auto manufacturer and it can keep better pace with market demands (and typically setting them). But even Apple has newer products that are not backward compatible or older devices unable to be upgraded to current technologies.
Tesla is not the typical automotive industry model. That they are electric alone separates them from others. Musk broke from the auto industry model (well entrenched globally) and not only decided to build a different vehicle but also a different conception to production model. Further, they created the iPad like interface to be wireless-ly updated and upgrade-able. Sounds much more agile, but we do not yet know long term reliability for security or software release management.
As long as the market is driven by consumer demand, the homogenization of the auto infotainment & telematics will be delayed. There is simply no 'one size fits all' product out there. Manufacturers respond to the demands of the market they target (or wish to attract) and as we are being a consumer based market, there will likely never be total consensus.
First, before we start getting over-the-air updates to our NAV/Entertainment units that will allow this faster product cycle, the car makers are going to have to take security more seriously. They are going to have to start building their systems (including their subcontractors' systems) from the ground up with security as a first priority. In particular, they are going to have to learn to really isolate the driving functions from the connectivity functions. I do not want my SH-AWD hacked while I am driving. It is not a Jeep.
Second, as much as I agree that Apple or Google make much better user interfaces than the car makers, I personally want to be able to drive my car, listen to the radio, and navigate somewhere without relying on my phone. I think that some of these functions are important enough to the driving experience that they should not have to rely on a smartphone and a strong cell connection being present. I have trouble seeing how a car maker can release a modern car that requires a smartphone to fully operate. Adding a smartphone-based system as an alternative choice would/will be amazing; but I think it should not be a required alternative to get at least the basic functionality of these systems. Note: I am not a Luddite, I just play one on Acurazine!
[QUOTE=fsmith;15814400.. I personally want to be able to drive my car, listen to the radio, and navigate somewhere without relying on my phone. I think that some of these functions are important enough to the driving experience that they should not have to rely on a smartphone and a strong cell connection being present. I have trouble seeing how a car maker can release a modern car that requires a smartphone to fully operate. Adding a smartphone-based system as an alternative choice would/will be amazing; but I think it should not be a required alternative to get at least the basic functionality of these systems... [/QUOTE]
I would agree here also. I would expect a generic auto system to be offered as an alternative to a smart device interface. I have read that the complexity and variations of auto infotainment systems is driving manufacturers to consider a brand common unit. Essentially the 'box behind the dash' that can be used in all models of the brand, with perhaps scalable features to delineate the high end models from the entry level models. Then each model can have uniquely styled dashes with screen and interface controls. This is the model mostly exercised by Fiat Chrysler with the UConnect system. And most brands have been evolving that way. (where is get odd is when sister brands like Honda and Acura offer like systems or in some cases the junior brand leapfrogging the senior). I believe there is a lot of research being done by each brand to find the sweet spot of features to package,
This all hurts my head and reminds me of a recent family duty. I recently purchased a new(er) car for Mom. She became tired of her 13 year old Camry with 7500 miles on it. So off I took her shopping a replacement, Initially I took her looking at new cars. The number ONE feature that finally drove her decision was a car that had the LEAST technology in it. Power windows and mirrors are OK, cruise control never used. But she wanted a KEY (she never used the Camry fob), and no beeps, bleeps or unexpected flashy things in her car. Definitely no distracting screens or NAVI - not even a backup camera she would permit. I did not realize how difficult it was to find a 'Jitterbug' car for seniors (don't even get me started on her clamshell style cell phone). So what did she decide on? A CPO last generation Corolla in the same color combo as the Camry (rental car beige over beige). It just was a shrunken Camry. So I purchased the car and off she went - unassumingly happy. A few weeks later the topic arose at Sunday family dinner and she seemed much less enthused. I asked what the issue was, assuming she was struggling with some unwanted feature of the car. Nope, I asked why she wanted to replace the Camry (pristine as it was), And what did she tell me? She told me she really just was tired of the color!
Please shoot me.
Last edited by TampaRLX-SH; 07-30-2016 at 03:08 PM.
I would agree here also. I would expect a generic auto system to be offered as an alternative to a smart device interface.
I would not mind, necessarily, if we were offered the option of saving money on our cars with a configuration that required CarPlay to operate a NAV system on a big screen.
But if we're going to have a native NAV system, I think it should certainly operate a little better than the ones we have in our cars. It's okay...but just okay. Nothing stands out as excellent, and anyone whom you ask is going to have his short list of irritations.
07-19-2016, 08:14 AM
