The Nav system in the RDX and probably all Acuras is a morass of junk. I would much rather use Google or Apple Maps. Light years more accurate and useable. For a premium car company all of Acuras software sucks.

 

I just can't be bothered to plug the phone in every time I'm in the car. I only do it on longer trips or when I'm going someplace unfamiliar.

Other than traffic, I find the navigation and routing decent enough. Even the voice response isn't bad. If I'm looking for a restaurant or business in a pinch and I say "Navigate Texas Roadhouse", it comes through almost all the time.

 

I'm not surprised to hear about the battery drain.

I decided to hook my 10 amp charger up just for the heck of it while I did the update. The battery was at 12.6 volts and went to 13.7 with the charger connected. I put the car in "on mode", inserted the USB drive and started the update. I got out and checked the battery and was shocked to see the voltage at 12.2 and it dropped to 12.0 by the time the update was finished, about 45 minutes.

The car must pull a surprising amount of current in that on mode. I'm going to try it in accessory mode for next years update since that also has worked for some members. If for some reason that doesn't work, I think your idea of driving for an hour is the best idea.

 

I updated mine in Accessory Mode. No battery drain after the 40 minute install.

 

I actually like the Nav maps in the RDX. I use the phone to search and send the destination or use handwriting recognition, worked always for me.

The traffic routing is as good as google maps, in the city and most areas around where I am. I once ran both Google maps and the navi map to test them out during a heavy traffic day and both routed me through the same inner roads.

I do wish exploring the maps were a bit easier though.

I can't be bothered to connect the phone over usb everytime, if it was wireless Android auto/car play I would have tried.

 

How hard could it have possibly have been to put a status bar on the install?

 

Not hard at all. Just easier not to.

 

My first attempt at updating the map was a success. The install took about 40 minutes.

 

I’ve found that a fringe benefit of updating the navigation to 2020.10.09 is the mmi system boots up more quickly. After running several errands today I’ve noticed with my audio default USB that when I start the car the sound system, so far, is up and running in about 15 seconds. This is much quicker than previously with no “initializing” delay. My mmi is connected to a T5 ssd, 500GB, which is about half full. I can also access albums and previous selections as soon as the audio starts. I’ve found no difference in the quality of the displayed map but it also seems to boot up faster. The system appears to run with more zip.

 

We now have 3D View of buildings when in a city! Found out today when I was in downtown Norfolk. Still they couldn’t add a new road that was under construction for 2 years before this update came out. Now the road is finished. Come on HERE!

 

This has never been my experience. I have driven in both rural areas and large suburban areas and have also used a variety of Acura settings (like "fastest time" or "shortest distance"). The Acura route will never take me the way Google Maps takes me. I never use my phone for navigation, but when I pull up routes at home Google Maps seems to give a relatively straight-forward route. In other words, in general, even for long trips, it will do what most people used to do in the "paper map" era. If one road can take you 95% of the way, then you take that road. Acura seems to try to get really cute about it, where it's routing you all over side-streets. In the suburban area I was driving, when I drove to the location, it had me going down a dizzying number of streets, when I was constantly making left and right turns and hitting four-way stop signs and so on. Then, when I asked to return to my starting point afterwards, it took me in one shot to a main road that was just two minutes away from the location that I could have taken to get there. I was really upset that day. It was both a longer drive and involved a lot more stopping and turning. In the rural area, it literally tried to take me over a mountain on a logging road, an actual road that was just a rut made by logging trucks. I did that thing that you read about in news stories and actually tried following the road, thinking that it had to turn into a real road. Nope, it just became worse. Think "total off-roading." At one point, I went over a good-sized rock in the middle of the road and then said "f**k you, Acura" and turned around. I was lucky that I didn't damage my tires or suspension and get stranded there, I think. (My side mirror was damaged at some point and had to be repaired.)

The other thing that the routing does is it gets locked on a route forever. For example, it gave me a route that I didn't want. I was literally driving the opposite direction to get to a highway that would get me to my destination faster, but it was determined to take me directly there via local roads. And it kept recalculating U-turns for me at every intersection. It never got off that initial route. That made the nav system completely useless to me because if I got lost it would just tell me to make a U-turn and take me all the way back. One tip I will mention to people is that, if it gives you a route and you change the setting (from "shortest distance" to "fastest time," for example), it occasionally will give you a better route. NOT because it's changing from "shortest distance" to "fastest time," but just because something happens with the algorithm. For example, I'll change back to "shortest distance" and it won't give me the initial bad route, it will stay with the new route that's better. But this is infrequent.

I do like having the navigation system as a last-ditch backup if I'm somewhere I am completely unfamiliar with. Like in a good-sized city, I know that even if it takes me an hour longer than it should, it will get me to my destination. But if I'm in between cities, that logging road is always in the back of my mind. It can really take you to some bad places.

 

I like having a rolling map in the car, and IMO, that is all the Acura map is good for.

If I need actual guidance, I go with Carplay, and lately have been using Apple maps, since I like how they show traffic lights. Going through really complicated traffic patterns, like passing through the Baltimore/DC area, or going to JFK or Newark airports, it is Google for me. Long highway drives gets me to Waze, for their road condition/cop watch features.

There is NOTHING that Acura is better at, and you can’t even mute and unmute the talking.

 

Can anyone confirm if USB 3.0 flash drives can be used? I know the map updater mentions 2.0....

 

Yes, you can use USB 3.0.

 

I like having a map on board, especially as a back-up. I think Acura's map is mostly fine, and I use it most of the time. And for the record you can turn the voice directions to zero.

 

I downloaded the map update on a USB, when I inserted the USB in my RDX nothing happened. I am using USB port next to the cup holder. Help please and thanks.

 

Open your map to the main window (make it the primary view). Then click on the settings (the three bar icon on the upper right). Scroll to the last option (I forget what it's labelled). There's an option to allow updates. It should briefly flash a message "updating map" across the screen, but it will not remain. Then you just wait. There will be no further evidence that your map is updating until it is completed. Then will say "update complete" and you have to reset the system (turn the car off and on). If your USB stick has a light on it, then it should be flashing the whole time. If your USB stick has no light (mine doesn't), then you have no indicator at all. The update takes approximately 1 hour.

 

Mine took several minutes to detect the update on the USB. Give it a chance.

I plugged it in while the car was already running and booted up. I had just pulled out of my garage. No notification and no activity light on the drive until I was underway. Then, I saw a message on the map that it was updating. I don't recall how long it was there but it disappeared at some point. After that, the only way of knowing it was still updating was the flashing activity light on the drive.

It took 52 minutes; exactly the time it took the previous update. Others said it took about 40 minutes. Maybe mine took longer because my USB stick says it's 3.0, not 3.1.

I drove the car the entire time, never stopping. When it was done, there was another message displayed. When I got to my destination, the map was still the old version. I shut the car off, removed the USB, restarted and the map was updated.

 

I agree with NooYawkuh. Start you car without anything plugged in the USB. Once the mmi has completed booting up then plug in the USB thumb drive into the car. The install starts once the drive is recognized as not being some type of music file. If you plug the downloaded USB drive into the car before turning the car on you can get a message about “unknown file type” and the install won’t occur. That’s what I’ve found using trail and error.

 

I think as long as you have the map open as the primary "app," it will start the update. After that, you can switch to any other thing. I was forced to listen to the radio the whole time. If you start with the USB as the primary "app," it will just read "no data" or something.

 

"Congratulations, you have now left New York."

 

Ahh, someday... someday...

 

i❤️ny

 

Agree Toni. I just moved from Reno to Las Vegas (Henderson actually). In Reno, Charter had no caps and seemed to gladly advertise that. In Hendrson it's Cox and they have a 1,280GB cap with steep fees if you go over that, or choose an 'unlimited' plan. I am on the last day of my usage period and am at 1072GB....sweating. I guess streaming YouTube TV is likely the biggest eater of data...at least they send you a warning at 80% usage.

And I have to say, it sucks that apparently about the only way to kn ow about this update is through this 'blog', even though I think it is only the 2nd one in the 2 yrs. 1 mo. we have owned this car. Can't believe Acura does not inform you of updates, or there is not another way (e.g. wirelessly) to accomplish this update. While I don't know the particulars of each, my iPhone has no issue loading, downloading, uploading, using, etc. the maps on Apple, Waze or Google Maps....all over the air.
I wonder how many people with 3G RDX have no no idea a map update, or two, ever was released for this car, simply because they never found 'Acurazine' and the helpful advice, etc here? Hell, I still cannot update to 1.22 or whatever it is....filos every time ans the dealer said a 'fix' is coming....months ago.

 

While I'm certainly glad to hear about new map updates, the reality is that if I was still using my original map I don't know that it would be that different. Has anyone seen any real changes in the maps on update? I'm too lazy to really check.

 

Not far from me, there's a temporary detour where they're rebuilding an overpas over the Long Island Expressway. The detour was on the previous version of the map and, I assume, the current version, although I haven't checked. The Acura navigation system routed me around it before I knew about it. I ignored it until I ran into "ROAD CLOSED" signs. It knew better than I did.

The detour is on state DoT maps but it's not on Google maps. So, +1 for the Acura nav.

 

Yeah, but what about 25 years when the project is completed?

 

Man, am I old.

I remember when the LIE was being built, and had to walk across the construction to PS 163 to go to school. PS 163 used to be a Civil War hospital, and wasn’t all that much better as a school.

 

You were born before the LIE was constructed? Wasn't that like in the '30s? Wikipedia says it was opened in sections in the '40s.

 

You could probably still walk across today. The cars hardly ever move.

BTW, the overpass I'm talking about is Horseblock Road out in Patchogue.

 

Google maps has PS163 at W 97th street in Manhattan. Im confused how construction of the LIE has to do with that area. As far as I know, the LIE terminates into the mid town tunnel from Queens heading west.

I just updated the maps as well, took about 1 hour to get it installed, I just left my car in ACC mode and walked away. So far no noticeable differences as well neither in boot up time or maps but then again I just installed it.

 

Since we're so bored that we're discussing Madd Dog's childhood, I will note that there are different PS 163s in the five boroughs, since it's a pretty big place. There's a PS 163 in Queens that is in the area of the LIE.

 

Aha there we go makes sense now. I recall public schools having a borough suffix after the number, looks like there is one of my public school's number designations in Manhattan too. Woops

 

1950s. Along the Horace Harding.

Long Island Expressway (I-495)

 

I use the Acura Nav system so rarely, that I never even did the "first" update. I thought about doing it, then said " nah" I am happy with Google maps, and now that I have AA working 100%, I have no real reason to use the built in nav...well...maybe... I might use it for a rolling map sometime. Thanks to whoever had mentioned this good idea...except that it will not retain the zoom level, really dumb!

Question, If I never did the previous update, will I get the latest if I do the update now?

 

catbert430,

Same situation with my new 2021 (Nov.30).
Will not accept the new VIN but does for previous VIN (2020).

Can you share the results of your install...any issues ?

 

I just pulled up 2020 RDX map,downloaded, new map, Installed on my new 2021 RDX. Trick is, make sure the Flash drive is FAT32 format, NOT NTFS format

 

I've tried doing the update on my 2019 RDX. After several hours of trying on and off, the updates seem to be finished however there was no notification. The About box also still shows the map version as 2018.02.16. Anyone else run into this? Is this another one of those situations where you have to pull a fuse to reset the system?

 

You don't have to reset the system. If there is no notification, then you need to keep going. This is the frustrating part, that there is no indicator bar. I would recommend that if you do an update you leave the car on the whole time and get it in one shot. If you do it in pieces, it gets really tough. I think you can keep forcing the update, like keep going to your map app and selecting "update" every time you get in the car. That's all I can suggest.

 

Exit out of nav, then get back on it, and it will show ‘updating map’.