I am hoping to demonstrate some interest to a technically inclined sort who is interested in making some extra cash.

My biggest pet peeve with my MDX is the locked-out Navigation system while the car is driving. I would certainly pay for a software hack that disables the lock-out. Anyone else willing to purchase such an add-on? How much would you be willing to pay?

Hopefully there is enough growing interest to motivate someone more capable than me. Thanks.

 

Before I get slammed, the poll is not to hack a nag, but your nav system

 

With all the lines of code running on the audio/nav system I would be leery af a hack.. Its complicated enough for the darned thing to work properly to begin with. Why put up with almost guaranteed problems for example: yep I can input the nav now but my lane change thing is always on; oops my knee bag exploded, oops my fob is not recognized, oops my radio screen wont dim etc etc etc, forget bout it!

 

I agree. It's gonna be a huge challenge to get it working efficiently

 

Fair point but am expecting this is nothing other than finding the speed check / park sense check and ignoring it. I may be woefully wrong....

 

Doesn't coastal e tech make a lock pick for these...if so that's all u will need...no need for a hack...just plug and play.

 

Nixonride03, Thanks. Never heard of lockpick interfaces. I found coastal e tech website but not a lot of explanation available there that I saw and unfortunately nothing yet for '14 Acuras. I will keep following them, but in the meantime, what is it, generally? Thanks!

 

It is a box that goes between your wiring harness and head unit. Basically unplug your wiring harness from your head unit, plug it into the back of the Lockpick, then plug the lockpick into the head unit. In different vehicles it can do different things. On GM vehicles they made a couple different ones...basic one allowed you to watch movies and input on the nave while driving. Upscale model allowed the same but also allowed input of Ipod, Bluethooth, Rear camera, front camera, side camera's, and had switch 12V coming off...I havent looked into it yet for these but you can call them and ask them questions...they also have video tutorials on their website.

 

Someone has already tried this on this version of the Honda nav system. Not on the MDX but on another car when it first came out. Didn't work. The lockout must be built into the code somehow. A hack is not going to be trivial.

 

I'm also very displeased with the locked-out features. Maybe with enough interest an official enhancement and update could be generated to at least allow the disabled features when a passenger is present...

 

I asked CoastalEtech about this on 12/09/2013 and here is their response:
"Hello,

Thank you so much for your inquiry. Unfortunately at this time your ACURA MDX is not on the approved list of vehicles that work with the LockPick product. However, we are always adding new makes and models to the lineup. I would recommend checking back with us within a couple of months to ensure compatibility with your particular vehicle. Thanks again and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Coastal Electronics
Support@coastalEtech.com
www.CoastalEtech.com
1-800-507-2234

If enough folks ask about their products maybe they will accelerate development...

 

Just did ;-)

 

Did as well

 

I realize that I am preaching to the choir, but the fallacy of locking out the Navigation system but allowing extreme modifications of the stereo and other systems, many imbedded screens later, is hypocritical and a bit insulting.

 

Hate the locked out feature!!!!!!! Drives me nuts!!!!

 

Still not available for Acura, but the standard price for other brands is $349! Whoa...

 

What do you mean by "locked out"? My 2014 MDX tech allows nav input and changes while driving. Is it something else?

 

By locked out I mean that we can't use the dial input to change our NAV destination, for instance, while the car is in drive. To set a destination or change, we must be in park. Acura does allow for voice commands to adjust the NAV system, but not the dial. I assume you can adjust the system by using the voice commands and not the input dial.

 

The navi on my Canadian MDX-tech will allow destination changes if the new destination location is input by marking on the map using the dial knob, even when the MDX is in "Drive" and moving.

 

Interesting. Not sure if that is a US/Canadian difference. Will check my US Tech later this evening. Admittedly have never tried using the dial to pinpoint on the map. Have only tried inputting a phone number, address, or POI from dial/keyboard.

 

I had a loaner for four days and I did highlight a location using the dial and the cross hairs and the nav planned a route based on the location on the cross hairs This was done while moving if I remember
.

 

I agree. Just tried using cross-hairs for the first time. Not ideal as you need to know where to go. This just reinforces my frustration with the programming \ legal logic. The system will allow you to be driving 65mph and use the zoom and dial to focus in on a specific map location BUT inputting an address is too dangerous?!?!

 

There are several companies that make a bypass for the Nav lockout on my GT-R. I will inquire with them and see if they can make one for the MDX. I hate the lockout.

 

Absolutely agree on the danger logic here.

Operating the cross-hair must be a 2-person operation, with which one person drive, and the other playing with the navi.

It'll take more concentration from the driver to use the cross-hair than simple keying in the address, while the driver is driving the vehicle.

A big oversight by Acura.

 

I would pay a good sum of $ if this limitation can be removed. I hate that some idiot somewhere thinks that he/she needs to "think" for me and keeps me safe. I have given up on writing to Acura's customer relation because the reply that comes back would be a generic letter with legal speak that is worthless from any angles of relevance.

 

I just traveled with my husband and while in the passenger seat found that I couldn't program the navigation once we were driving. Of course I know not to distract myself while driving, but why can't a passenger program the navigation system? I hope there is an update that senses when there is a passenger to let the use the nav.

What I did instead was use my iPhone app, but then what's the point?

 

almost all the manufacturers do this and I agree it sucks! Everyone is afraid of lawsuits I'm sure and we sue like crazy in the US...

 

Interesting...I ran a pioneer head unit with Nav in my former vehicle and there was a hack/override for the warning message that had to be pressed each time you started the car/nav and a bypass for the wiring to fool the unit into thinking you were parked, so you could use video, and certain phone and Nav functions on the go.

Maybe the Acura and other OEM units are more complex software code/wiring wise or there is just not the demand for a hack given most users probably don't care nor would they even think about it - I say most users, not the fans on sites like this which I assume is a small % of MDX owners.

 

There's a little blue button for the Acuralink. press it ask ask directions and download to the vehicle. quicker than inputing.