5th Gen Navigation Issue

I’ve searched the threads and can’t find anything exactly like the problem I’m experiencing. I have a 2018 SR5 Premium that is all stock with the exception of swapping out the SR5 wheels for the TRD Pro wheels. My navigation system sporadically places the vehicle hundreds of miles away from the actual location of the vehicle and will get “stuck” where the screen icon seems to just drive around in circles. When this happens, the compass on the instrument cluster also goes haywire and will say I’m driving south when I’m actually driving north, etc. This problem seemed to begin around March of this year. I immediately took it into the dealership when I first noticed it and they did a factory reset and a software update. This seemed to fix the problem for a month or so and the issue came back. Took it back for a second time and there was a Toyota service bulletin for the vehicle not showing up at all on the navigation system and they followed the steps for that repair and suggested that the problem had something to do with my iPhone being connected over Bluetooth. Again, the problem was solved for a month or so, fast forward to two weeks ago when I was on a trip to South Carolina and the navigation system started acting up again - picture attached comparing the location on my phone to the location on the nav screen. I dropped the truck off this morning at the Toyota dealership and they did yet another software update and installed a new SD chip. They didn’t seem super confident this would solve the issue and suggested I purchase a dash mount for my iPhone and use my phone navigation.... I’m still under the 3 year/36k mile warranty but can’t seem to get the dealership to do more than a software update. Has anyone else had a similar issue? If so, what was the ultimate resolution?

 

I'm sorry I can't help you. I think the Nav that is built in to the Toyotas is terrible in general. I bought my truck in South Carolina and had to travel back to NJ. I used the navigation just to try it and it took me a crazy way(which I didn't realize at first) and it took me almost 12 hours to get home. It was like it decided on its own to avoid tolls because I didn't hit a single one. If anybody knows how to customize routes,(shortest, no tolls etc.) maybe that is the problem for me but I couldn't figure out how to do that if its possible.

 

Wow. That stinks. After my recent (and first) transaction with a Toyota Service department, all I can say is good luck. If you want it fixed, it'll be a pain in the ass. LM freaking AO, "just use your phone they say." Your 4Runner's engine will blow and they'll say "just use your other car." I mean, it's not like you paid your hard-earned money for that truck expecting it to function did you!? If software updates don't solve the issue, you can make them fix it. My guess it the GPS antenna is faulty.. that may be inside the actual head-unit, or elsewhere. Good luck!

 

I want to say there was a poster here or on t4r.org with a similar issue. IIRC in his situation the antenna connection was loose or disconnected, as a result of improperly reinstalling the head unit after a dongle install. I realize you didn't remove the head unit but the symptoms are similar, might be worth pulling it and checking connections.

 

I'm just an old guy that doesn't know much, but I'd start with the service manager and work my way up the food chain until someone took interest and helped resolve the problem. Calm persistence.

Good luck.

 

Mine likes to not ever pick a route that includes toll bridges. Despite whatever I tell it in setting. Living in the Bay Area that’s fun. Also the two times I’ve used to search function to find a business it takes me to some random place that isn’t what I’m looking for. It’s like a fun little game. Manufacturers sat nav are garbage.

 

the dealer sucks for warranty issues Conflict with your Iphone can't believe it
there is update to the head unite
https://www.toyotaofdowntownla.com/manufacturer-information/how-to-update-toyota-entune/
even with update and brand new Nav SD card sounds like it loses connection and can't reconnect to the towers you might need whole new head unit sorry to say good luck

 

On my recent road trip to Florida and back, I found it was much easier to just use my cell phone and google maps for all navigation.
The Dash GPS couldn't find my Airbnb house in Cape Coral.

 

If it’s anything like my super expensive Korean train engine. That I’m running with transformer made from 1957-66. It will pick up signals out of the air, don’t know where they come from. And it has to be reset using the proper sequence.. By shorting it at the proper voltage...

 

Atleast it isn’t a BMW. My mother-in-law got a brand new one. The entire navigation systems went out and it was $2400 to fix..,,..

 

I use emails and registered letters that must be signed for. Back up on external device. You only need to buy once and use it for all uncomfortable occasions where you paid for something and did not get it, or satisfaction.
This works well when there is a medical issue and they deny you let them know.

 

Like penicillin allergy? Or them finally giving you a tetanus shot after fifty years?

 

Like continually getting pneumonia every year, and being denied the pneumonia shot because they didn't know, and you are not 65 years old.
Like not being treated or examined for difficulty breathing, and then being forced to retire because your lungs are shot. After a visit to an out of state ED, then they finally made an examination.
Like having the company they chose not delivering your oxygen supplies.
Little things like those.

 

My diagnosis, Atleast for my location, neighbors burning trash. That’s why I head to the trout stream...
Smoke doesn’t rise in a vacuum..

 

That’s why I live near a swamp so to be 3-dimensional. Good for you.

 

I have a 2020 so my system is a bit different. But as others have noted, OEM navigation and infotainment systems are usually badly designed, and among such systems Toyota's seems to be average at best. I find that the iPhone work very well, so am glad my Runner came with CarPlay. Since yours does not, I really think your best option is to buy a mount for your phone (whether Apple or Android) and use that instead. It's a shame, but that's how you'll get the best results.

My built in nav was also set by default to avoid tolls. I was experimenting with the system just to understand it, and couldn't figure out why it was giving me a 15 hr ETA when both Google Maps and Apple Maps were telling me 12. Well, the no-tolls setting was the reason. I found the setting buried deep in the poorly designed menu options and fixed it. It's dumb that no-tolls is the default.

I should say that my built in nav system may have one advantage, at least based on my experience. When I was out in areas with no cell service, it continued to function fine from GPS while my iPhone's map wouldn't because it had lost the internet connection. I'd assumed the iPhone would be fine on GPS alone, but it wasn't (maybe there's a setting for that in the phone?)

Long story short: expect the car's system to be quirky, and some things like tolls/no-tolls can be fixed in the Settings if you have the patience to dig through the menus. But your experience with the map thinking you are hundreds of miles away? That's either a Close Encounters space alien thing, or a short term GPS systems/software blip. Or a warranty repair.

Best of luck.

 

Going back to using my cell phone (Samsung Galaxy Note 10) in Florida, I frequently found that it couldn't give directions. It would find the address no problems but then would time out trying to give directions. In the that case, the truck GPS is faster. This was in busy Cape Coral, Florida. Phone was showing 5G but I think that system was overwhelmed and is not what it's cracked up to be.

I have that Gaiya App on my phone for off road navigation. The problem there is I'm pretty sure it won't work when I have no service. I could be wrong but I think I need to engage it before going off road / into areas where there is no cell service.

 

What’s needed for good navigation, especially when there’s poor or no cell service, is having pre-programmed the destination while having a data connection. Then never turning off the mapping/navigating app. I usually use Google, Waze, and Apple Maps, sometimes two or three at the same time to compare how they perform.

The on-board nav system has local maps, which you can use to navigate to an address without a data connection. But I don’t care for the user interface so I mostly use the phone apps.

Gaia doesn’t really navigate on streets like a phone app. In driving mode you have to plot a route on a map by start point and endpoint. It will map out the streets of a route to follow but you don’t get turn by turn directions. It’s great for off road travel. I don’t use it to navigate so much but to follow an existing trail or road, record my track as I travel on a trail or hike cross country, and be able to retrace the track to find the way back.

For using Gaia in the wilderness (where there’s no cell service) for recording your track you need to download the maps of the areas you will be traveling ahead of time on your phone, when you do have cell service or a WiFi connection. This pre-load mapping feature requires a subscription, which I bought. I use it a lot for wilderness travel and hiking.

Otherwise the free version needs an active data connection and limited features. The paid version give you access to loads of maps including Nat Geo maps. I recommend it.

 

Thanks so much for this! I installed a Rago dash mount, and everything worked fine for few days and then it stopped working. I opened up the head unit, and sure enough the wire came undone (guess it was loose and came off after few days of driving). After I reconnected, I had to do an entune reset to get it working again. But, thanks again for the tip!

 

No problem man. Us Marks from the (formerly) west coast need to stick together!