Toyota Smart Connect Plus Spring 2024 Map Database update

[SteveFR]

Having been lead to believe that map updates for 2023 and later Corollas would be OTA, a couple of days ago I found the following product in the Toyota estore available for purchase at zero cost: TOYOTA SMART CONNECT Plus (EU) Spring 2024 Map Database update. I did so and have successfully downloaded a 22GB file which I'm guessing is a full set of maps for Europe.

Has anyone else also found this and successfully installed in to their car? Given issues reported here and elsewhere when trying to update Smart Connect base maps database on various Toyota models I'm keen to get as much information as I can before attempting an install. One issue reported in another thread and also mentioned by my Dealership is that OTA map updates have not been happening because of a bug in the Head Unit software which is (still) awaiting a fix. While this probabably won't affect update from a USB stick it would be good to get clarification and although I don't hold out much hope for an answer I will contact my Dealership on Monday. Another issue reported is that the parameters chosen to format the USB drive are critical, eg certain file allocation sizes cause an issue (although that should not be the case).

Any information or help on this would be much appreciated.

[bigblock]

Just checked on 'My Toyota' website and I also noticed this map update. But like you I am not risking an install yet. Interesting that it has appeared as a manual install and not via OTA. This is the first map update I have seen since I got my Corolla back in June 2023. More info needed. The map update is not showing that it's available via OTA in the car so I am holding back for now.

[panmat]

Any news on this?

[SteveFR]

You may want to check on this topic which has also been opened recently:

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/223543-2024-map-update/

 

[panmat]

3 hours ago, SteveFR said:

You may want to check on this topic which has also been opened recently:

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/223543-2024-map-update/

 

Thanks for that

[forkingabout]

Installed fine yesterday afternoon on my 2022 C-HR.

Its the second time I've updated mapping on Smart Connect, last one was dated Autumn 2022. 

 

[panmat]

I’ve tried the update but it seems to get stuck at a minute to go…..

Any ideas welcome.

[panmat]

Unfortunately that’s broke the satnav, with the message contact dealer with the error code. No mapping at all now. Back to Waze for now, with up to date mapping.

[RabButler]

1 hour ago, panmat said:

Unfortunately that’s broke the satnav, with the message contact dealer with the error code. No mapping at all now. Back to Waze for now, with up to date mapping.

Ditto. Everything went according to the download instructions. Car was happy with the Licence key. Update  began, but stalled with the progress bar about a third of the way (20 mins remaining!). I have emailed Toyota multimedia support and await their response.

[panmat]

4 hours ago, RabButler said:

Ditto. Everything went according to the download instructions. Car was happy with the Licence key. Update  began, but stalled with the progress bar about a third of the way (20 mins remaining!). I have emailed Toyota multimedia support and await their response.

Update…..as a last resort I tried another usb stick, which was a lot slower to upload the data too.

Plugged this in and started the car, hey presto the update commenced, the progress bar picked up at around 20 mins left and went down steadily to the dreaded 1 min left…..at this point I let it run the course. Approximately 25 mins later got the message " map update successful ".

This is all after going to the local dealer and being told that the car would have to go in to be updated. But in fairness the mechanic did say sometimes you have to wait quite a long time for the update to complete.

Hope this helps.😀

[FreddoChoc]

My maps update experience this weekend which went well.

• 1 hour 10 mins download time
• about 3 hours to extract to USB -C stick
• 25 mins to install in Corolla

Initially downloaded and extracted to a USB drive but then the penny dropped and needed a USB-C drive with the smaller connector.

Don't forget to jot down the license key when downloading the maps update, this is needed to type in prior to installing the update.

I turned the ventilation OFF, (the far right hand switch) whilst doing the maps update to try and save the engine switching on., which it did for 3 minutes during the update and increased the Battery from 3 bars to 4 before the engine then turned off. 

[RabButler]

Sadly, my upgrade has not responded to a change of USB stick. Looks like a trip to the dealer is coming up, unless anyone knows a way to do a system reset.

[panmat]

What I did was to put the new stick in before I turned the car on (perhaps you already did this ?)

The other suggestion is make sure the new stick is formatted fat32, some of the newer bigger sticks don’t allow this.

[panmat]

To be quite honest the new update doesn’t appear to have any of the road changes that have been made in the last 2 years+. That’s in my region anyway!

[panmat]

2 hours ago, FreddoChoc said:

 

• 1 hour 10 mins download time
• about 3 hours to extract to USB -C stick
• 25 mins to install

In my case it took about 45 minutes to install from the second stick

[SteveFR]

Panmat, pleased to hear that you finally had success - I will maybe try later today wheh I should have some time.

As a side issue, when you booked with your dealer was anything said about updating the smart connect head unit firmware? My understanding is there is a newer version but again for whatever reason this is no getting OTA delivery, certainly for Corolla's. Perhaps dealers are able to do it?

[panmat]

No nothing like that was said only that it needed to be looked at which would require me to book the car in.

[SteveFR]

I finally took the plunge and it all wnt very smoothly taking about 35 mins for the actual install. This included using my old Type-A USB drive (used to update my previous Corolla and Auris's before that) via a converter to type-C. Given previous experience I'm not sure how much will have changed. I think also that being a couple of years out of date compared to actual road layouts is about as optimistic as you could expect.

[panmat]

Glad it’s sorted

[D.L.]

Hoping for some help…

I have the update downloaded and extracted to a 32GB Fat32 USB stick. When I plug the stick in, the car can see it exists (e.g. it appears as a potential source in the music menu), but seems unable to see there is a map on it. Can someone who has success tell me what was is in the root directory on the USB - mine is a folder “map update”. 
 

thanks for any tips, Darren

[D.L.]

35 minutes ago, D.L. said:

Hoping for some help…

I have the update downloaded and extracted to a 32GB Fat32 USB stick. When I plug the stick in, the car can see it exists (e.g. it appears as a potential source in the music menu), but seems unable to see there is a map on it. Can someone who has success tell me what was is in the root directory on the USB - mine is a folder “map update”. 
 

thanks for any tips, Darren

Solved it - I thought I had read the satnav will pop up with the map update process automatically, but I went into the settings menu to manually click the update map button, and it got it started (it’s currently running, and going slower than the predicted time on screen!)

[bigblock]

I took the plunge and updated the map successfully. Map process said 30 minutes but it actually took 45 minutes approx. At the start the process was stuck on 29 minutes to go for some time then 28 minutes as well. I thought it was going to fail but I just stayed patient and it did get going quicker after a while. So 45 minutes to complete in total.

[D.L.]

3 hours ago, bigblock said:

I took the plunge and updated the map successfully. Map process said 30 minutes but it actually took 45 minutes approx. At the start the process was stuck on 29 minutes to go for some time then 28 minutes as well. I thought it was going to fail but I just stayed patient and it did get going quicker after a while. So 45 minutes to complete in total.

That’s what happened for me too - including stuck on 29 and 28.

[Basil-BarryC]

Strange took my ‘23 Corolla TS for its first 12 month service yesterday after not receiving any OTA updates and was informed by the dealer that no updates were available ?

Interestingly overheard a techie saying that any Toyota OTA updates were released in block phases so as not to overload their system?

[SteveFR]

32 minutes ago, Basil-BarryC said:

Strange took my ‘23 Corolla TS for its first 12 month service yesterday after not receiving any OTA updates and was informed by the dealer that no updates were available ?

Interestingly overheard a techie saying that any Toyota OTA updates were released in block phases so as not to overload their system?

I've also not seen any OTA updates in just over a year since my 23 Corolla was delivered. In particular in other posts on this forum it is reported that Software Version 1.23.136 for Smart Connect was released in March this year so I have booked my car in to ask why it hasn't been delivered OTA & can they do it instead?

A second point, I had a letter from Toyota saying there was a 'recall' for my car, something about using the My Toyota app to turn on Climate Control remotely which I don't think I would ever use, and the fix would be delivered OTA but 'there will be no notification on your vehicle' that it has happened. Given that I have not seen any other OTA updates at all, I'm expected to believe that?

There is also mention on this forum that a bug in our current software version is preventing OTA updates so I think it is important to get it updated even if it has to be done by the dealer. Maybe this would also allow OTA map updates to commence and prevent the hassle of manual updates highlighted in the above posts.