So, this morning I had to manually update my time, which
was no big deal. Also opted to turn off the AUTO Daylight
Savings setting.

Is there some sort of update that Acura will be offering to
fix the onboard computer so it now properly conforms to the
new Daylight Savings dates?

Thanks!

 

You beat me to it. I was just about to write the same inquiry. I guess I expected more from Acura on the DST issue. The manual adjustment was so simple. But, I realized that it was the first time I had to do it during two years of ownership. Acura, are you listening?

 

Same here. Would have been nice to at least get a response from Acura. Some type of TSB would be a nice courtesy.

 

Okay, so how do you change it? The book doesn't have time or clock listed in the back index.

 

What happens when "traditional" DST happens? Will Acura change over again in April?

 

Just turn the AUTO DST setting to OFF. That should do it.

 

It's in the Navigation System manual. I'm surprised the satellite didn't just download the update and/or adjust for the change appropriately. At the very least, I'd have expected Acura to tell us about it.

 

OK. I caught myself after I'd had a chance to think about this.....

The part about the instructions being in the navigation manual is correct.

The part about the satellite downloading the update is just flat wrong. The satellite that the navigation system in our RL's (and many other GPS's) is talking to are the government-owned and operated GPS satellites. I'm pretty sure that they only send out GMT and let the satellites all over the world figure out the appropriate time based on software rules for DST and by calculating the time zone they're in at the time. Therefore, if I'm correct (and I'm pretty sure I am) Acura needs to update the software/firmware in our navigation systems to accommodate this change or we're going to have a 3-week gap every spring and a one week gap every fall. The satellites can't do it.

 

I think this is an example of Acura not acting like a true luxury brand. A true luxury brand like Lexus or Caddy will probably inform its customers of the Daylight Saving Time problem and offer some type of solution. We'll probably never hear anything from Acura about it.

Love the RL, but falling out of love with Acura in general.

 

Okay, thanks. I didn't look in the Nav manual first time!

 

Maybe it's me but I don't see the big deal. It took all of fifteen seconds to reset my time this morning. If it changes at the old date, I'll just change it again.

LL

 

Except for the computers, cell phones, blackberries and VCRs, I have to adjust the time for everything else -- 5 wristwatches, 3 clocks, 2 microwaves, 2 house phones, 3 cars, 4 clockradios, 4 tvs ... maybe I have forgotten something else because I have not come across it yet.

So, it takes quite a few minutes to get everything in shape for spring time leap ahead. It would help if the nav clock can self adjust.

 

The DST thread in the 3rd Gen GS forum at ClubLexus.com: http://clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270097

They had to do the same adjustment we did since their clocks are set by GPS as well. The great Lexus didn't inform their customers nor offer a "solution." Apparently Lexus doesn't think that a couple of button pushes is that big of a deal for their owners. The owners don't seem that put out about it either.

 

I bet Lexus will offer something before Acura does, especially if their customers start complaining about pushing a couple of buttons. Lexus is better at coddling its customers.

 

I'm pretty sure Acura will make an update available soon. It would have been nice to have the update ahead of time, but it really is just a couple of button pushes to change it. I had to look in the manual myself to figure it out.

 

What's annoying is that this change was signed into law in 2005. Seems like this should have been updated back then. Lame.

 

Hello all,

I think I know what's going on here. As you may know we had to change the clock three weeks ahead of the supposed schedule. Most navigation units -including our beloved RL - have a different dates already programmed in earlier on to change the clock according to your location and time zone that you enter when you go for the Setup screen. I do also, think that the navigation should interact with the satellite clock and then apply that change to our vehicles. I do not know if that is possible but it should. But updating the clock was a breeze; I changed the clock while driving back from the carwash today. It took me less than a minute to update.

 

Yes, but they could have delayed the year that the new daylight savings time starts.

 

Pretty close. I only know about this because we support the Government in the NAVSTAR GPS program, and I started reading up on some of the technology.

GPS satellites have an internal atomic clock that that was synchronized to Coordinated Universal Time (UCT), which is also commonly referred to by its old name Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), back in 1980. The GPS satellite constellation runs on "GPS time" which is not continually synchronized to current UCT. The difference is that the GPS time signal is not corrected for leap seconds, etc., and over the years, GPS time diverges from UCT. However, the GPS signal includes a correction factor for the original 1980 synch, so that GPS receivers, such as a car navigation system, can take GPS time, use the correction factor to calculate UCT, and then use your position coordinates to set a local time. The point is that the GPS signal contains the baseline time data, and the GPS RECEIVER makes the calculations to convert to local time.

So our car GPS receivers are programmed for the traditional US April and October daylight savings time, and would need a software/firmware patch.

There is some talk about a patch in the works over on the TL side

http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/SN/A07030A.PDF

 

Thanks for confirming my second-chance thinking and filling in the extra details related to the GPS clock vs UCT//GMT. Very interesting.

Maybe by the time I'm due for my next service, the patch will be ready.

 

Hey, maybe we can all get a free updated navi disk out of the deal. Sorry, my wishful thinking cap was running wild this evening.

 

Yea, I wish. They will probably use the PC Card slot to do any upgrades.

 

I spoke to Acura Care on this yesterday. They explained that our clock runs off XM Radio satellite. XM is the one with the issues. I can personally vouch for this as we were XM listeners before we got this car, and our XM transportable radio does not yet show DST, so its off by one hour.
I would guess that the other car companies are in the same boat.

 

I'm not sure that makes sense. What happens if you choose not to subscribe to XM?

 

Exactly. The "Acura Care" phone rep was wrong. The Nav system manual even refers to the time zone being read from the GPS satellite. The clocks are set by the GPS satellites. It has nothing to do with XM.

 

My PC changed all by itself, and I don't even have Vista! Maybe Microsoft isn't as bad as people say.
.
.

 

me too. but then again, there was an update downloaded and installed like a weekago on my PC. maybe that was it?

 

Mac OS updated correctly... and so did my 2 WWV-controlled clocks.

 

I think the DST update patch from Microsoft for XP came out a few months ago. It wasn't a last minute thing.

 

Okay. But XM is still behind, too.

 

What XM are you referring to -- and how do you know it's behind? As far as I know, there is no XM clock.

 

I'm referring to our other XM radio. Its in the other vehicle, and also goes to the office and inside the house. It has a clock, and that clock is wrong.

 

You guys should be lucky enough to be customers of my local dealer who emailed me to come on in so they could provide their 'great customer service' and reset my clock due to daylight savings. Jeez!
Talk about desperate to get you in there to buy something.

just wish they had good service when you really need it.


email quote -

"You are a member of a special group – a valued customer!
We know you are busy so we are constantly looking for ways to make your ownership experience a superior one. As Daylight Saving Time approaches we recognize that you will need to change all your clocks, including those in your vehicles: You remember: “spring forward” and “fall back”.
Please feel free to stop in if you need help changing your clock. We are always willing to lend a hand. "


I guess it's a nice gesture, but I wonder what they charge to 'lend a hand'?
I guess I'm jaded on dealer service by now. I bet the great Lexus people would have come to wherever I am to reset my clock!
Come on Acura. step up! Roadside Clock Reset!

 

OK. Thanks for responding.

 

Maybe the recent merger between XM and Sirius, put this DST on the back burner ??
Agree with most on this thread - a "true" luxury company would have at least made an attempt to notify it's customers.

I work for a storage company and we called every customer in our region (close to 600).

 

DST change in the car has nothing to do with either XM or Sirius service. It is a GPS Receiver (i.e., the nav system) software/firmware function. Our cars are programmed for the April October change, not the new March November DST.

 

Riiiight. MS loves me, this I know, because Redmond tells me so . . .

Time Change Brings 'Nightmare' Issues with Outlook, Calendars

 

Yeah! A real luxury car company should offer this stuff.

 

Actually, Mercedes did inform their customers about the new daylight savings time and how to change the time on the clock.

 

I think we are better off to manually set the time. If they create a patch update, what else might get F****D up!!