Latest Maps Version for Prado Navigation System

[JohnLynn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnLynn]

As my posts on this subject have been regularly deleted I will try again mentioning each item separately.
There is a company in Australia that says they can supply an interface to allow your own software to be displayed on the factory screen. An online version is advertised as well at a fraction of the price.

[dvlpr Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvlpr]

As you can see the maps are older than the software. Have a look at post 26 to see where the map information is in the menu.

Ah, yes, now I got the right version Mine shows Australia 2014.Q4 (150601) and Base Map 2012.03 (150528) - will talk to the dealer today to see what their best price on an update is. I also spoke to one Chinese company about the maps and they appear to have them all, but I'm a bit hesitant to put an SD card from an unknown source into a new car

Edit: spoke to the dealer again and their service department and apparently there is no update for SD card-based satnavs as of yet, so 2014.Q4 is what they say is the latest. DVD versions are updated annually, while SD card versions are updated every 3-4 years

[JohnLynn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnLynn]

Seems like owners of more recent vehicles are having to put up with poor service. Why would an SD card not be updated as frequently as a DVD version?
Toyota customer experience centre told me it takes 18 months to "integrate" the map to the vehicle. I suggested that they should immediately fire whoever they employ to do this "integration" as they are obviously not up to the job when other companies manage to provide recent maps.
As has been pointed out before Garmin and Tomtom provide free updates of up to date maps and their units do not cost much more than Toyota's out of date maps.
How do they get away with it? is it because Australian Toyota owners are daft enough to let them?

[Benlux Find all posts View Profile Close Benlux]

Hi JohnLynn would u know which company does the interface to use yr know software.
Thanks

[dvlpr Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvlpr]

I'm not losing hope - started talking to a couple more companies that provide iGO software with 2016 AU maps. Hopefully we can find a working solution. I'll post back with any results (positive or negative).

[JohnLynn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnLynn]

@Benlux I sent you a PM yesterday
@dvlpr Thanks for trying but as Toyota lock their SD cards using the CID I think there is very little chance of anyone providing an up to date map. I hope I am proved wrong though.
I think the best and only alternative to retain the factory screen is an interface, we could then display whatever software we wanted using easy to obtain and up to date maps.

I know earlier in this thread somebody posted that "this is a first world problem" and perhaps I shouldn't be moaning but I cannot see what Toyota think they are gaining by being so awkward.
They refuse to allow either Google's android auto or Apple's carplay in their vehicles, instead providing Toyota Link as a poor alternative.
I used the search feature of Toyota link to look up the address of a Masters store in Mandurah, this was found and sent to my navigator. Brilliant you might think, except it showed as being in the middle of a field as the whole business park had been constructed after the Toyota supplied map was drawn.

[dvlpr Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvlpr]

@dvlpr Thanks for trying but as Toyota lock their SD cards using the CID I think there is very little chance of anyone providing an up to date map. I hope I am proved wrong though.
I think the best and only alternative to retain the factory screen is an interface, we could then display whatever software we wanted using easy to obtain and up to date maps.

I actually have a set of 2016 maps as a set of files now I will go buy a new SD card tomorrow, because I don't want to fiddle with the stock one and see if I can make it work. Will let you the results.

I know earlier in this thread somebody posted that "this is a first world problem" and perhaps I shouldn't be moaning but I cannot see what Toyota think they are gaining by being so awkward.
They refuse to allow either Google's android auto or Apple's carplay in their vehicles, instead providing Toyota Link as a poor alternative.
I used the search feature of Toyota link to look up the address of a Masters store in Mandurah, this was found and sent to my navigator. Brilliant you might think, except it showed as being in the middle of a field as the whole business park had been constructed after the Toyota supplied map was drawn.

In a way owning a car with GPS is a first-world problem, so I also agree that if there's a feature in the car, then it should be used and used properly. One of the major roads I take to work is not in my 2016 car and the road was opened for traffic more than 6 months ago. It's in every other GPS I have, so it's just a problem with SD card-based Toyotas (and probably only limited to Australia/NZ too, as USA have up-to-date maps from my research). No point complaining to the major company though, so we need to try and make it work from the other end

[JohnLynn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnLynn]

Unfortunately a new SD card will not work as the unit reads the CID of the card, you will get an error message something like "check card"
There is probably room to add the maps to your original card, (I know you said that you don't want to do this) but this wont work either. The original maps will still show just fine and if you look in the contents menu for the maps the new ones will be listed but called "inactive map" or similar.

[dvlpr Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvlpr]

Yes, ok, tried that and they do come up as inactive. From my understanding, the problem is that the maps are tied to the license file. I've contacted the manufacturer (Naviextras) to see if an updated license can be purchased.

[dvlpr Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvlpr]

One other question (I don't want to give up, ) - does anyone know what is the model of the Eclipse (Fujitsu Ten) navigation unit in current model Prados? If it's AVN827GA or similar, then there are updates available on the official (Naviextras) site.

[dvlpr Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvlpr]

As much as I hate it, apparently there's no way around Toyota's protection. If there was a way to get into the head unit and replace software on it, then we'd be in business, but I have yet to find anyone who successfully accomplished that. Maps manufacturer refused to issue a new license, pointing instead to Toyota and saying that they must do it. Toyota is saying that they still don't have an update, but "one is coming shortly" - whatever that "shortly" means.

[SaltBoxII Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close SaltBoxII]

Somewhat relevant. Our map DVD reader unit (under the passenger seat) is being replaced under insurance in a week or so. Toyo have quoted the replacement unit along with a current SD map card. Me being the eternal pessimist doesn't think this is going to play out very well, however I could be wrong.
Will update when it's all done and dusted.

[JohnLynn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JohnLynn]

Even if Toyota's update is released "shortly" it will still be 18 months out of date and cost nearly as much as a stand alone unit with free updates. As I have said with boring regularity they only get away with this because Australian customers let them. The Japanese, American and European customers don't so why should we? it needs many people to complain and keep complaining to customer "experience" (should be mug) centre to get them to change their policy.

[dvlpr Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvlpr]

Even if Toyota's update is released "shortly" it will still be 18 months out of date and cost nearly as much as a stand alone unit with free updates. As I have said with boring regularity they only get away with this because Australian customers let them. The Japanese, American and European customers don't so why should we? it needs many people to complain and keep complaining to customer "experience" (should be mug) centre to get them to change their policy.

I'm happy to sign under any mass-action letter addressed to Toyota Australia. Of course we need more than the 2 of us to sign There's http://www.change.org that we could use - perhaps worth giving it a go?

Somewhat relevant. Our map DVD reader unit (under the passenger seat) is being replaced under insurance in a week or so. Toyo have quoted the replacement unit along with a current SD map card. Me being the eternal pessimist doesn't think this is going to play out very well, however I could be wrong.
Will update when it's all done and dusted.

It'll be interesting to see what license file and version of the maps you get.

[Corigator Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Corigator]

I think the only thing that would make them change is to say I won't but your car unless it has lifetime updates like manufacturer X does.