acheparev

When entering an address into the GPS and it returns multiple matches, the GPS displays that annoying window blocking the returned results letting you know there are multiple matches.

IT'S SO ANNOYING! I know there are multiple matches, they are on my screen! And the stupid message blocks your view, and you have to wait for it to disappear before you can make the final selection.

Rant over.

Argelius

And have you ever tried adding a destination using their eDestination service from their web site? There's many, many steps involved on the web, and then getting the new destination downloaded into your car is another exercise in unintuitive, unnecessary steps.

(Finding the area where "download new destinations" takes many, many steps. Then once you arrive there, the car asks you "are you sure you want to download new destinations?" as if you could have possibly landed there accidentally...)

I find Lexus' whole Nav system in desperate need of a major update/overhaul. (I had an yRX about 6 years ago and the Nav system is essentially unchanged).

acheparev

Plus, why can't they show roads with directions, like Google Maps or TomTom? I don't want to see lines, I want to see roads.

One more improvement would be Zoom based on Speed. My TomTom has it, where it zooms out when you are going 80 mph, and zooms in to street level when you slow down to take an exit or are city driving.

My friends 5 year old IS350 has the exact same GPS and my 2010 HS...

IS-Fly168

iTrader: (1)

I agree on the Lexus/toyota nav... Sucks... Its bad you have to be 100% stopped.. then the navi misses alot of "small towns" and if there is a detour in the path,, the navi brings you back to original "detoured" road.. It happened to me a few times,, once in Florida and it made me do a 5 mile loop back to the same location of the original detour!! I was so pissed.. I understand if I have a 05 or 06 Vehicle that might need updating.. but I have a 2011 Sienna.. NO EXCUSE.... My 2008 IsF was the same,, and Im pretty sure our 2010 HS250 is the same... Toyota/Lexus definitely need some kind of Major Update with their Navi units.. I feel my cheapo TomTom or Garmin is better..

orateam

haven't used the screen yet. But sounds like a scary proposition. I think i'll keep paying the $25 a month subscription to Enform service. I LOVE just being able to push a button, tell someone more or less what i'm looking for and have it automatically programmed by them.

YotaCarFan

Here are some more things that need to be fixed. Hello Toyota/Lexus, are you reading this?!

1. The zoom in/out buttons by the mouse are inoperable if the zoom (+/-) buttons are not displayed on the screen. To maximize visibility of the map, I prefer to use the "off" mode to hide all the buttons on the bottom of the screen. Related: When widgets are hidden via "off" mode, remaining visible ones don't shift towards edge of screen; they remain in original places scattered on screen, obstructing view of roads.

2. Way too few roads have names on them, unless zoomed to 700 ft mode or closer. Even major roads lack name labels.

3. No names shown for upcoming cross streets

4. Cannot get road name displayed by clicking on it (shouldn't need to do this; see #3 & 4)

5. Detour feature is weak -- need ability to avoid current street, or force route to include user specified waypoint (ie one you know will avoid traffic jam)

6. Need ability to memorize preferred routes (eg if I often need to go from point A to B, and know that the most efficient way is to take a certain road but the system's default 3 routes don't give that option)

7. Screen infuriatingly changes if system in guidance mode and user is manually clicking on screen to scroll and view other roads nearby (eg if attempting to find better route around traffic). If user has scrolled screen, system needs to suppress pop-up directions, etc.

8. Need traffic data on more roads (it's on google.com, so surely the data is out there). Also, modal dialog boxes need to go -- if system has "updated route due to new traffic data", please don't obscure entire screen w/ message - an icon blinking somewhere will be fine.

9. System is way too slow -- need to at least double the CPU speed.

10. Mouse has 3 buttons, yet only one is used (enter). The other 2 are wasted. Move "display" function off dedicated hard mouse button to one of setup menus - it's rarely used. Let user pick left or right button for "enter". Other "enter" button and "display" button should be used for other more useful things (or user definable). Ex: "Show audio display" (see #3 in telematics rant below), display a context sensitive popup menu, etc.

11. Here's a money making tip for Toyota: Have the $200 annual "Lexus enform" fee include the following: Navigation map update, and navigation feature update, and navigation bug fixes. People would actually pay for that, assuming there were substantial upgrades to the navi system.

12. System tells user to exit onto highway car is already on multiple times. Ex: I-270 in MD -- system shows 3-4 turns onto I-270 in the turn list mode when the user is driving on this highway. Also, the system has a habit on this road of saying to take a certain exit when the user is supposed to stay on the highway! This is b/c it wants the user to flip flop between the "express" and "local" lanes. Right after the user gets onto the local lane, the system stops saying to take the exit, and says to get back onto the highway. It even forces user onto (right side) express lanes when in 2 miles it will tell user to jump 4 lanes to left to take left fork of highway. This highway has not been revised in a decade. Fix the system!

And while talking about the telematics abomination:

1. They need to put in voice commands to select the USB audio mode, to turn on the stereo (you can turn it off by saying "audio", but saying that when the system is off gives error saying command not available in this mode), to select "podcasts" etc when using ipod mode, etc. Feature implementation is inconsistent: In CD mode, saying "next" gets you next song; in USB/BT mode, you get confusing "command not available in this mode" alert.

2. Pushing a temp up/down button while the climate system is "off" needs to turn it on. Since no climate info normally displayed on this car (assuming you have navigation option), user cannot readily tell if climate system is on, and can futilely hit the temp up button all day long attempting to increase the temp while the system stays off.

3. Need way to display current temp setting while displaying map by pushing no more than one button. Currently, have to hit "menu", then click on the "fan" icon. Also, need voice command for this

4. Need way to display current audio setting (song name, station, etc) while displaying map by pushing no more than one button. Currently have to hit "menu" then click "music" icon. Also need voice command for this.

5. Not being able to get "help" (list of usable voice commands) while the vehicle is moving is stupid

6. Despite Toyota's penchant for over-protective nanny system lockouts, accessing weather data requires so many clicks it's dangerous while driving: Click "menu". Click "weather". Click *exactly* on dot on map next to city label of interest. Name of city and "info" button appears on top of screen. Click "info". See data. Better idea: Click weather. Three buttons appear: Weather here, Weather at home, Weather at destination.

7. There's no haptic feedback when attempting to click on map POI icons (memory flags, traffic jam icons, weather alert icons, etc).

8. Hard to tell whether fan is in "recirculate" or "fresh" mode, unless take eyes off road to look long time at button. Need either just one light (e.g. recirc) or different colors for "fresh" and "recirc" etc. Need to put defrost buttons in prominent place (i.e., left); "auto" and "off" buttons can be combined and buried on right side etc as less critical to use. Most commonly used buttons: recirc/fresh and defrost and mirror heater. Design accordingly.

9. HUD buttons and mirror controls hidden by steering wheel

10. Wiper stalk buttons: If in "auto" (rain sensing) mode, and if user wishes to manually cycle wipers b/c system does not wipe frequently enough, user must click stalk from "auto" to "off" and to "momentary on", and then click it back down to "auto". Not efficient. Better: Have "auto on/off" selected by rotating ring on stalk. Ring positions: "manual (off)", "auto". Have click positions of stalk: "momentary on", "auto (off)", "low", and "high".

sewnsurg

Thanks for documenting the total inadequacy of this archaic and incompetent engineering marvel. I use a $50 app navigation map on my iphone in preference to the $2500 navigation system of the car. All of your other comments regarding temp control, audio commands, etc. are right on.

I have talked to Lexus in vain about this, and written them with no response. Their customer service and concern is not what it used to be.

Magellan55

but hey, it looks cool with the screen swinging up and all - isn't that really why people get the Nav in the HS?

Why does anyone buy a Nav system in a car anymore, when you can get turn-by-turn directions via your cell phone?

raptor22

well personally for me, while i could get directions via my phone like what i get off google map, it's not the same as navigation. And considering that i generally only download free apps, it's unlikely i'll have a navigation app any time soon. Besides, i feel my iphone 3g is too slow anyway.

btw Argelius, cute puppy in your avatar.

IS-Fly168

iTrader: (1)

haha,,, this is the reason I get Nav on all my cars now... the dashboard looks alot duller without it... LOL I had a IsF before this,, did any of you guys ever look into any Is Series without the Navi in it??? Car looks depressing inside... Also,, My cousin once said this to me.. Yeah,, you can get a TomTom or Garmin for $100-200... but do you know how stupid cheap your car looks with those ugly things sticking on your windshield?? its one thing if you are rocking a chevy cobalt or a dodge neon.. but cmon now.. you are in a Lexus!!! after hearing him say that,, I look around and its true... them morons in a bmw 335 with the navi stuck on the windshield just turns me off... hahaha rocking a $40-$50k car with a cheapo $100 tomtom navi.... hahahahahahaha

Magellan55

The guy that looks the coolest is the one that knows where he's going and never needs directions

Argelius

YotaCarFan: excellent, excellent summary of the Nav system deficiencies. And don't even get me started on their iPod interface...