DuoDSG

So I made my first--and last--trip to the dealership in Salt Lake yesterday (they treated me like absolute crap, I will never be going back- but that's a story for a different thread) and I asked them to take a look at why my Navigation wasn't broadcasting or accepting voice prompts for the turn-by-turn directions, among other things. The speakers in the front do cut out as if the voice was going to play, and the music gets interrupted for voice commands when I push the buttons on the steering wheel. No sound comes out, though, and it doesn't respond to commands.

This past week I had installed a replacement CD unit in my center console, because the one that came with my TL stopped playing CDs. So I bought one from a member here on the forum for $150 since he was switching the one out of his non-navi 2006 TL.

The dealership was too lazy to actually look at it, and then I mentioned that since I had done the work myself it had come from a non-navi TL. They then said "well, the CD units might work the same, but if it comes from a non-navi TL then the navigation system isn't going to play its audio through the CD/radio unit".

I can see why this would be the case, since the non-navi CD unit wouldn't be designed to accept the navi audio input, but the connections are all the same in the back and I thought that was very...weird.

Anyone have independent confirmation of this?

Basically I have four options:

1. Leave the new CD unit in there. Downside: never hear my navi or have the ability to use the turn-by-turn directions again. Upside: I can actually listen to CDs, unlike the old unit.

2. Reinstall the old unit, which I still have. Upside:have my Navi play the voice and respond to commands again. Downside: no CD audio.

3. Allow the dealership to rip me off, charging me $400 for the unit, and another $120 in labor (if I have them put it in). Upside: fully-working unit. Downside: having to deal with this crap dealership and giving them any of my money, which they don't deserve. Not to mention driving two hours there, two hours back and waiting however long it takes in their waiting room to get it done.

4. Find a navi CD unit here on the forums somewhere for sale and install it myself. Upside: fully-functioning unit, no labor costs, much cheaper than dealer. Downside: paying however much that costs, not to mention that I would then have two CD units sitting around- one that doesn't play CDs, and another non-navi that I paid $150 for that I won't even use.


Help?

Thanks guys.

KN_TL

iTrader: (3)

When you say cd unit are you talking about the whole head unit that was replaced?

There is absolutely no difference between the navi and non-navi head units. There are wires that connect to the unit that just aren't there for non-navi equipped cars.

Voice commands are taken from the HFL unit and the audio HU output's the voice. It is possible that the navi unit is bad.

Did your problems with navi start after installing the replacement HU? It is possible that you just have some connection issues.

DuoDSG

Yeah, I replaced the entire audio head unit. It's a stock Acura ELS head unit from an 06 TL non-Navi

Well for me I have a navi unit already in the car, so if the wires are originating from the navi unit then there should be no problem. When I reconnected everything after replacing the head unit, every connection had a place- there weren't any loose wires around or empty connection slots on the head unit.

Well the navi unit isn't bad- it's worked before I replaced the unit. The navi unit has no problems on it, according to the diagnostic. Although the HFL module needs to be replaced, that never interfered with the voice navigation- only the bluetooth connection to a phone. The microphone and all that is working.

Yeah, it only started after I replaced the audio head unit.

If there really is no difference between the head units (and a non-navi head unit should be playing the navigation voice prompts) then I might just take it all apart again, hook up the old unit and see if it works. If so, then I'll put in the new unit I got and see if it works after reconnecting everything.

Anyone else know if there's a difference?

Thank you for your reply, I really do appreciate it.

KN_TL

iTrader: (3)

I've done the non navi to navi conversion, so I can tell you with 100% confidence that there is no difference. I used my original HU with the conversion.

I had some problems with the navi audio on both sides when I first connected things up, that's why I mentioned it.

DuoDSG

No worries, I really do appreciate your reply- I was just answering your questions so I could better diagnose the problem.

For sure I'll take everything apart and replace the unit to see if reconnecting everything does the trick, so that way I can have my cake and eat it too (play CDs AND the Navi voice).

Anyone else know about this?

DuoDSG

Update:

I took apart the entire center console today while I was changing some fluids, and I tested out the old unit and reinstalled the new one I got.

The old one still worked perfectly with voice commands and hearing my voice commands.

I plugged in the new one I got (the one I bought from a member here, which he just switched out from an 06 non-Navi TL) and alas- nothing. Same behavior as before- no voice feedback, didn't respond to my voice commands.

Just from this alone I am strongly inclined to believe that somehow the head units are the same, and I really doubt it has to do with the head unit being newer than the one it replaced.

Can anyone else confirm this? I am going to call Acura tomorrow and ask them but if they are anything like the dealer, they will give me a response without knowing what they are talking about (and therefore get me to buy it straight from them for $400). I'll post my results, but in the meantime I'd love feedback from you guys.

maddsiick

hey, i think i know what your problem is. WHen i was doing my non navi to navi conversion i came accross a couple of posts about this. if you have a 2004 TL and you put a 2006 radio inside, there is a difference in the way the navigation system is set up on the 2004 TLs compared to 05 and 06. It has something to do with the mute setting in the radio and HFL and the way that they interact with eachother.

another member on this forum had an 04 TL and put the 05 radio in his car during his conversion and it had the exact same problem that you had. however it required alot of wires being changed around. i do not know which ones to be exact. I can almost garuntee though that if you replace your radio unit with one from a 2004 TL it will work with absolutly no problem.

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-audio-bluetooth-electronics-navigation-94/another-non-navi-navi-mod-752108/

That is the post, el.profe had the same problem and we both did our navigation conversion thru the guy that is in the pictures.

So there is a difference between the 04 and 05+06 TL Navigation systems. Your best bet would be to just find an 04 TL radio and swap it with the one you have unless you want to get the acura TL ETM manual and try to redo the wiring yourself.

DuoDSG

Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to find that thread! That helps me know that neither the Acura techs or myself aren't crazy.

Do you know who exactly has the ETM manual, or at least the pages that describe this procedure of switching wires around? If it's not too difficult I'd totally do it myself and save myself a few hundred bucks of having to buy a new head unit. Not to mention trying to sell the 06 unit that I have installed right now...

Or, of course, I could go hunt for an 04 head unit. They will be much harder to find than an 05 or 06, so switching the wires would only be better just because if my HU dies again, I can switch in a newer unit and not have to hunt for another 2004 unit.

Thank you so much! I can't describe to you how grateful I am for you letting me know about this.