Just this weekend, I traded my my Lexus GX470 on a new TL. One of the things I noticed in comparing the two vehicles is the accuracy of the navi systems. On the GX470, the navi system was always right on the money. You could actually be watching the navi and see streets pass by and you would be right where the pointer on the navi said you were. This was a great feature when you wanted to use the navi to recon your way out of an area or look for a short cut.

In the TL, the pointer on the navi always seems to be a little "off" from where the car actually is. I've tried adjusting the pointer, but it seems to get off a little after a short time. Any suggestions on how to make the navi more accurately display my position?

 

I haven't run into that problem. Maybe its the maping for your specific area? When I have , say gas stations displayed, it shows up exactly at the point I am passing it. Also the streets seem bang on. I actually was very impressed with how accurate it was but this is my first navi system so I have nothing to compare it too.

 

You don't have a metallic tint on the back window do you?

 

Some areas (the unverified areas) can be off by up to a couple of hundred meters. That is the case with my house, for example. On all highways and other "mayor" roads it is right on the money. If yours is off by more than 50 meters on any mayor, verified route, there might be a defect. If you swapped your wheels and they don't match the standard wheel diameter accurately your inertial guidance portion of the navigation system will not work right either.

 

It should be accurate up to 10 ft except in unverified areas.

 

I have noticed this "delay" as well up here in Toronto as well. Also I have noticed that the street numbers on certain streets are off as well. However, this I think, is the problems in the map software from NAVTECH which I had seen also on my iPAQ GPS software which uses the NAVTECH maps as well. Incidentally, there was "delay" on the iPAQ as well on the position. The best that I have seen personally is the GARMIN StreetPilot which as very fast and accurate positioning.

 

I'd say it could be caused by the software... No matter what car's Navi is, I guess they all share with the same group of GPS satellites. The software to decipher would make the data different.

Also, in the Diagnosis Screen of Navi, there are some technical adjustment would help you set better. Your dealer may be able to do something for you. (I don't want to do that 'cause most of my map is accurate)

In some areas, my car sometimes cannot display very accurately. While I've approached to the intersection, Navi still points my car 10-20 feets behind that intersection. I guess it's normal... its software should be the main factor.

And, if I start my Navi in my basement garage, it will map my car somewhere 10 blocks away. I have to keep driving a couple of streets to have itself reset.

Whatever it is, I think 04TL's Navi is still the best in the market so far....

 

Are there any military bases nearby? In sensitive areas, the navi is purposely off target in order to prevent hijinks. Otherwise, your area may be just unverified, as otheres here have said.

My navi is right on target every time locally--the Cleveland area, and especially the city itself, is built out, with little change from year to year except in outlying areas.

 

U are right, most of major cities have the data correct.

bear1 seemed to have no problem with his old Navi in GX470... that's why we wonder if GS model gets the better equipment 'cause it's costly?

I'd say it's about the decoding/reading software...

 

Vtechbrain,

My house is also in an unverified area, and not accurately displayed in the navigation system. (The system thinks I live several hundred feet from where I do.)

I thought I could just change my "home" location when I was at home, using the "set by position" function, (or something named something like that.) But when I do that, it maps the position correctly, but changes my street address to something that is incorrect.

Obviously I can live with this, since I know where I live, but if you have figured out some way to work around this problem, I'd love to hear it.

Take care.
Andy

 

I had a TL-S and MDX, both with Navi. In Chicago and New York the close proximity of streets combined with tall buildings made the navi misplace the car's position pretty frequently. It always kept flip-flopping between expressways and the parallel access roads that ran next to them. The Volvo system I have now seems much more accurate in tracking the car's position.

 

I never owned Navi before. So, when seeing this issue above, I thought it's normal for all Navi... I was wrong... this system kind of mess up now...

BTW, do other Navigations display so many yellow-page info as 04TL's?

Thanks.

 

I live in a suburb of Dallas, so I am pretty sure the street data is all verified information in the navi system. And no, there are no military bases near me, unless it's a secret base! Also, there are no tall buildings near me. I love all of the new gadgets coming in the cars lately and it's a little frustrating to see my car appear half a block away from an intersection on the navi when the nose if the car is hanging over the cross walk stripes... As for the GX having a more accurate system than the TL, they both listed the navi for $2K, so I should be getting comparable systems in my mind.

I would love to avoid having to take my car in to the dealer to adjust the navi. Is there any way I can get into the diagnostic section of the navi system?

 

LOL! Thank you for making me chuckle.

Seriously, there is a way to get into the navi diagnostics. This is the way listed for the TSX. Can't be much different for the TL. Got it from A-TSX.com, haven't tried it myself, use at your own risk, etc.

 

I'd not suggest to play around with that funciton. Some of them are interesting. But others are crucial, except you're familiar with what they are...

 

I have no problems with mine, and least not yet. I've been driving in California, mostly in the San Francisco bay area (between SF and the Silicon Valley). The NAV is right on the money. It advises me of each and every turn perfectly and everything is mapped correctly down to the last foot. I love it! :worship:

 

I just noticed this today too.. when I come up to a intersection, the pointer is not yet at the intersection.. after ive driven through the intersection, the pointer reaches it shortly afterwards.. Same thing with bridges going over rivers, I can be just past the river but the pointer is showing I am just about reaching it... has anyone taken their car in for this and if so, what did they tell you/ or what did they have to do to fix it? Thanks..

 

I have/use 3 different automobile navigation systems and my '05 TL is the only one that has this delay or "latency" in its vehicle position tracking.

 

Yeah that's just what mine seems to be doing... strange

 

same here.....I noticed that if I physically pass by a street, it will not show my actual position on the screen. Its a little behind.....

very odd.

 

There is a simple explanation for this. The navi antenna in located under your rear package shelf so the pointer on your screen shows the location of the rear window. When your rear window is in the intersection your arrow on the screen will be right on the map. Try it. It is true!

 

Welcome to two years ago.