What Is The Latest Satnav Version?

[Cocomango]

I recently bought an approved used gen III prius (2009) from a main Toyota dealer who said that the satnav maps were updated to the latest available version. However, if I look at the map version it gives the following information: Data 2008-2009 ver 1, Gracenote (CDDB) Ver 01029. Does this mean that I actually have the 2008-2009 maps instead of 2012, or am I missing something?

Many thanks.

[stompe]

This might help, Cocomango http://www.toyota-mapupdates.eu/Shop/Index

[raywhalley]

Ditto to your comments, i am a new member, having done and found the same result as you cocomango.

I will try link by stompe.

[raywhalley]

Already identified the detail shown in the link, thanks stompe.

All it says is that you call your dealer for info.

I also know that this work is done by a company employed by Toyota and is not cheap.

[inspiredron]

I recently bought an approved used gen III prius (2009) from a main Toyota dealer who said that the satnav maps were updated to the latest available version. However, if I look at the map version it gives the following information: Data 2008-2009 ver 1, Gracenote (CDDB) Ver 01029. Does this mean that I actually have the 2008-2009 maps instead of 2012, or am I missing something?

Many thanks.

On my October 2009 Series 3 my Map data is now: Data 2009-10 ver 1, Gracenote (CDDB) 01727.

When the car was delivered it had the 2008-2009 data but I complained vociferously to Toyota CS, sending screenshots of the maps compared with those from my Garmin at the time of my delvery and it was updated. Sadly your main dealer is either telling porkies or has misunderstood you!

In 2010 the cost of updating was £175 + VAT. You can buy a Garmin with all Europe and lifetime map updates for half that! The only drawback to the Garmin route is that traffic data on the built-in satnav has far more reliable reception.

[stompe]

I recently bought an approved used gen III prius (2009) from a main Toyota dealer who said that the satnav maps were updated to the latest available version. However, if I look at the map version it gives the following information: Data 2008-2009 ver 1, Gracenote (CDDB) Ver 01029. Does this mean that I actually have the 2008-2009 maps instead of 2012, or am I missing something?

Many thanks.

On my October 2009 Series 3 my Map data is now: Data 2009-10 ver 1, Gracenote (CDDB) 01727.

When the car was delivered it had the 2008-2009 data but I complained vociferously to Toyota CS, sending screenshots of the maps compared with those from my Garmin at the time of my delvery and it was updated. Sadly your main dealer is either telling porkies or has misunderstood you!

In 2010 the cost of updating was £175 + VAT. You can buy a Garmin with all Europe and lifetime map updates for half that! The only drawback to the Garmin route is that traffic data on the built-in satnav has far more reliable reception.

It is true what inspiredron says, to me it is a !Removed! liberty £175 + vat. I have had ructions with ToyotaGB over this, eventually I had my Satnav updated free of charge but had to fix a date to have the Area Manager do it. Even then the maps were grossly out of date and still are. I can see now on the latest Prius they have junked those maps but what irks me now is you have to have a smartphone I understand to have the Satnav working and updated on the new Prius.

Stompe

[cuius]

At last - something positive to say about the TNS 410 - only £30 for 4 quarterly updates

[Ancient Nerd]

If Toyota charged £30pa for the hard drive system on the Gen III Prius, then I'd happily have the annual update. At £175 a go, I won't buy any.

[raywhalley]

Looks like an interesting project to get into.

Thanks for all comments, I will us them in my journey to resolve this issue and keep you all advised.

I guess looking at it from a distance, the cost of satnav in the spirit when new was +£1k, so percentage wise the £175+vat for update is probably the same as £40 for a TomTom GO.

(Not easy to accept when you buy the car second hand).

If Toyota were to provide an update that was equivalent in accuracy to,say, TomTom then would the cost be acceptable???

There should be no reason why the software should not be the same as for all systems??

Where does Tweddle.com fit into the puzzle .

[Cocomango]

Well, the dealer I bought the car from has accepted that the software is not the latest version, but I would have to drive 4 hours to get the car back to the dealership and get the update, which is obviously not gonna happen. He's been in touch with my local dealership, so hopefully he can persuade them to do the update...if they don't, I'm calling Toyota to complain.

[Bibsy]

I first had in car satnav in 1997, and had it ever since, mostly on various Toyota models. In those days it was a real wow and there was nothing to beat it.

But these days, even after taking into account the extra pain of cradles and wires and so forth, I'd not pay the premium for in car satnav any more. It's frankly rubbish compared with even a basic standalone unit, the features like traffic and price lookups are all available for not much elsewhere, and the updates are murderously expensive and a load of hassle.

I think its day is done, for me. Even now, I don't really bother with the satnav in the car. It sits there but I don't program it up or anything. I just use TomTom on the iPhone, or Waze, or my old hundred quid Garmin, or Google maps with traffic, or.... and it's, as it were, streets ahead in every field.

[Dave R.]

I can see now on the latest Prius they have junked those maps but what irks me now is you have to have a smartphone I understand to have the Satnav working and updated on the new Prius.

Stompe

Not quite true re the new Prius / Satnav - you don't need a smartphone to update the new maps, just an 8GB USB stick.

Also (neat feature) if you have a nice big USB drive (32 or 64GB) you can load it up with all of your iTunes library and play through the stereo.... so actually a better bet than the old hard disk drive in the original Gen III.

[raywhalley]

I have requested info from 2 Toyota dealers I have done business with, via email, early this week re. satnav update.

No reply yet - it is christmas after all - I wait with interest to hear the official line on this subject.

I also sent the same request to Tweddle.com(Toyota) who replied within hours explaining that they could not provide an update service direct to the customer and that I should contact my local Toyota dealer - all predictable and expected.

I dont think there are other ways to do the update with safety other than the official route!?

Happy holidays to all.

[Dave5118]

I know my Father paid for the update several years back on an older prius, can't remember which gen or year. It was 'sold' as a DVD navigation system, so when he got the update, it was merely a DVD, which he replaced in the main unit under the front passenger seat. I do remember he regretted the update, as although it updated the maps a little( still some 6 months out of date), the navigation was never the same and brought up some strange routes where it didn't before. Gets his new Prius+ t4 with Satnav(extra) on Saturday, so it'll be interesting how it compares to the old system.

He had a tiny garmin streetpilot years ago, which he says is still the best one he's ever had

[raywhalley]

I had a reply from 1 of the toyota showrooms re. satnav update.

a) A 2009 tspirit uses TNS510 system with DVD update media.

B) Updates are issued for sale every October.

c) Should be as simple as feeding the disc into the audio player drive and following prompts on screen.

d) Cost : £128.00 plus vat.

e) Can be installed free at the showroom with the 12 month content warranty ? This would not be available if you loaded it yourself.

So, maybe this will be a new year present for myself ? £153.60 ????

[timberwolf]

Erm, I hope your dealer has not given you information for the older model 2nd Generation model (NHW20) and not the new 3rd Generation model (ZVW30?)?

The Gen 2 has a 6-Disc CD changer below the central touch screen colour display - the Sat Nav is under one of the front seats and takes a DVD that contains the software and maps.

My understanding was that the early Gen 3s have a Sat Nav where the maps are pre-installed on a hard disk drive and the maps could not be upgraded by the owner.

[Dave R.]

Erm, I hope your dealer has not given you information for the older model 2nd Generation model (NHW20) and not the new 3rd Generation model (ZVW30?)?

The Gen 2 has a 6-Disc CD changer below the central touch screen colour display - the Sat Nav is under one of the front seats and takes a DVD that contains the software and maps.

My understanding was that the early Gen 3s have a Sat Nav where the maps are pre-installed on a hard disk drive and the maps could not be upgraded by the owner.

Yes - as Timberwolf says, the Gen 3 T-Spirit had a hard disk drive with the maps stored on it. It took Toyota over a year to work out how to install updates - it needed "special equipment" (i.e. a firewire cable and a laptop) for the dealer to install map updates (and then they were about a year out of date).

The 2011 GenIII is a great improvement - the map update is a (huge - over 4GB) download and user-installable via a USB.

[johalareewi]

I had a reply from 1 of the toyota showrooms re. satnav update.

a) A 2009 tspirit uses TNS510 system with DVD update media.

2009 was the year that the gen2 prius stopped and the gen3 took over so as Timberwolf said, double check with the dealer which generation of tspirit they are on about. The mention of a DVD sounds like they are talking gen2.