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2013 Prius v Map HDD Navigation/Firmware Update When?

Discussion in 'Prius v Audio and Electronics' started by Kurt E Sanders, Aug 27, 2013.

  1. Kurt E Sanders

    Kurt E Sanders Junior Member

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    I purchased a 2013 Prius v with the HDD navigational system in August and it has the following map & firmware release dates from the System Info Screen:

    Navi: V6673220​
    Bluetooth: 21.210​
    Gracenote Database: 05052 2012-06-01

    What I would like to know, is there a newer release of the HDD Navigational Map or software firmware that is available now that should have been flashed updated before I took delivery? From the Gracenote Database date, it appears that this release is over one year old.

    I am getting conflicting reports by the sales, service delivery & parts departments:
    1. Toyota only releases Navigational map & firmware updates every two (2) years
    2. The 2014 map update will be available by the end of 2013 and the update will be $169 to purchase a new license.
    3. Toyota service technicians can only update the Navi & Maps via a USB Key that they keep.
     
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  2. sURFNmADNESS

    sURFNmADNESS Prii Family

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  3. Kurt E Sanders

    Kurt E Sanders Junior Member

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    This Toyota service manual describes the multi-step update process, but I did not see where it stated the map version that it would bring the NAVI up to. Am I missing something? :confused:

    It appears that Toyota navigational engineers employed NSA for creating the multi-step security controls surrounding upgrading the HDD Navigational system.

    One would think that the service revenue of $169 for each navi map/firmware upgrade would be free during the first two years after purchase of a new car, as Toyota does for oil changes.

    Guess I'm back to fighting with the Toyota dealership/Toyotacare as to why I purchased a 2013 Prius in August 2013 with 2012 maps and firmware.
     
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  4. Ivan White

    Ivan White Junior Member

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    [One would think that the service revenue of $169 for each navi map/firmware upgrade would be free during the first two years after purchase of a new car, as Toyota does for oil changes.
    Guess I'm back to fighting with the Toyota dealership/Toyotacare as to why I purchased a 2013 Prius in August 2013 with 2012 maps and firmware.[/quote]

    Don't feel bad. I purchased my 2012 v Five in October 2012 and the maps are 4th Q 2010. Dealer also refuse to upgrade unless I pay $235. Toyota should be ashamed of themselves selling cars with OUTDATED maps, when updates ARE available at TIME OF SALE. Shame, shame on you Toyota!
     
  5. Kurt E Sanders

    Kurt E Sanders Junior Member

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    I agree with you! How difficult would it be to keep the NAVI firmware/map updated on the Model 5's when all the service technicians need to perform is to insert a USB and let it update. It's not as though customers are asking for lifetime maps on Model 5's (like I have on my Garmin 660), just for the firmware & maps to be current with the releases that are available at time of sale.
     
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  6. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    It would be interesting to know if there are licensing issues at play here, where Toyota doesn't actually own or control the software in the NAV/audio system. That would explain a lot, both in terms of availability of updates to specific dealers (or Toyota in general), and costs.
     
  7. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    It really grates when I can buy a new GPS with better interface and lifetime map updates for the price of a single update from a dealer. And I need one for each car. Way to kill brand loyalty.

    And they could d/l the update via the paired cell phone and it would cost them nothing in labor. Let me buy online and do it the next time I'm connected after asking me if this time is convenient.

    Said as one who spent Monday being led astray on a Raleigh to Pittsburg routing that should have been super highways but led me off on two lane roads to nowhere. None of the roads were new in the last 5 years.

    Not only expensive but bad. My 4 year old Tom-Tom that I bought for $150 knew the route.
     
  8. Bill_Kelly

    Bill_Kelly Junior Member

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    ----------
    Totally agree. Mine is constantly showing I-40 in Tennessee as under construction when it is not, and wants me to take the loooong way. Not to mention it does not even show my 10 year old development streets. Useless.
     
  9. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    From my research updates are once a year. You should be able to get a 2013 update now, if not soon. I updated our 2012 with a 2012 update. It cost me more than to go to the dealer, as I had to purchase the update USB dongle, I had to purchase an activation key elsewhere, and then a Professional level subscription to TIS. Then I had to call TIS to produce the activation code which I needed to enter to get the update to load. Dealers may not know the process because they have to look it up on TIS to figure it out. I'm not sure if the TIS website can produce the codes now or not.....

    It is interesting to note that other systems are on 2014, but Toyota seems to lag a year behind because of "road/data verification."
     
  10. rhfritz

    rhfritz Junior Member

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    But what I haven't seen mentioned is how unreliable the nav system is. We have a PIP 2012 with 2012 maps. But every time we've input a destination more than 250 miles away, i.e. a long car trip, the nav system has locked up on us at some point during the trip. Without having interacted with it for some period of time, we'll look down and notice that the map is simply frozen. So unless there's a true firmware update for the darn thing, why would I want better maps? Now whenever we go on long trips we take our old Garmin with us. And frankly, the Garmin UI for choosing the best route and looking at the route list is better ... just like my 2010 Prius with DVD nav. The only thing better about the "new" 2012 nav system is that inputting the addresses is less tedious. But overall, it's cr@pware.
     
  11. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    I'm afraid I haven't driven that far in ours so I haven't had the opportunity to input a destination that far away. Hence I have no experience of this to report.
     
  12. Lee Bridges

    Lee Bridges Junior Member

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    I hate that the Toyota updates cost so much (especially when compared to the wife's Garmin w/lifetime maps & traffic, or my phone which is regularly updated for no additional cost), but otherwise my experience has been very positive.

    I've been on several trips that exceeded 1000 miles from home, as well as using it to find a co-workers house, neither of which gave me problems. I mention the co-worker as he told me his Tom Tom (w/lifetime updates) couldn't find his house (he's lived there for 5 years). I value the system's list (although not always 100% accurate) on what's available at the next highway exit. This is on my v5 with the ATP option for reference.

    The best system for directions that I have experience with is the Nokia "Here Drive +" app on the windows phone. You can choose between online maps or download them when at a convenient wifi spot (then have them even if out of coverage areas). It consistently beats both the Garmin and Toyota system for best routing (based on me testing them on routes I know well).
     
  13. CTitanic

    CTitanic Member

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    I asked yesterday about the maps update to my dealer and he said it cost $65.
     
  14. Ivan White

    Ivan White Junior Member

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    You're on the wrong forum if your isn't a v (lowercase v for the Prius v) wagon. Please recheck that price with your dealer as I'll go there if it's only $65. I suspect you have a different NAV system in a conventional Prius that has lower update costs.
     
  15. CTitanic

    CTitanic Member

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    You are right I have a 2010 Prius III with Entune. I'll check again with service dealer.
     
  16. catgic

    catgic Mastr & Commandr Hybrid Guru

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    CTitanic - I am thinking the dealer's "he said it cost $65" quote may be only to install the Maps/GPS Database Update, but not to both purchase the Maps/GPS Database Update and install it.
     
  17. tanasit

    tanasit Member

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    I have the 2012 Prius v (lowercase v for the Prius v wagon, not an uppercase) and have been followed the similar threads for awhile and finally decided to go for it. And since I didn't want to do it myself, I ordered the CD from my local dealer which I take my car in for services for years. They told me that they don't stock the CD so I have to wait a few days and it should arrive the following Monday, so I made the appointment on Tuesday @ 7:30 am for the service. Monday came, so I called to confirm my appointment and informed the service department that my CD would be with the part department and asked if they can get the CD from the part dept. that early, which they said they could. Anyway I called the part dept. only to find out that there are no CD for my 2012 Prius V :eek: but they told me to bring the car in for USB update procedure.

    Apparently my car is the first for the dealer to do the Nav map update. After 2 hours they told me that they had to call Toyota of California only to find out that they already have the particular USB dongle but which of the 35 dongles they have on hands. When they found the right one, it took only a few minutes.

    The manager told me that since I was the first and so patient, there would be no charge. :)


    From Gracenote Database Update History:
    The version read: 05052 [2012-06-1] update date:03-25-2014
    Old version: [2011-01-1]

    I just looked at the Technical Service Bulletin that I asked from the dealer after the update.
    The part number of this so called, "USB Drive Navigation Map Update - Denso*" is TOYD-HDD07-13 which is for several Toyota from year 2012 - 2014. Revision notice date is October 3, 2013 Rev1.
     
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  18. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    What is a Gracenote and how does this relate to the navigation firmware/software and map data?

    And what of the dates tanasit relates above map to the initial firmware/software and which to the map data file.
     
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  19. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    Gracenote is a database for audio data relative to specific album titles and tracks. Has nothing to do with nav software.
     
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  20. tanasit

    tanasit Member

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    To update my Nav map, they had to start with the Gracenote Database, which indicate that, "A Gracenote update MUST be performed before a Navigation Map Update!" On the front of package, it says both Gracenote & Map update. In fact, the title of the bulletin of the part T-SB-006-13 is "Premium HDD Navigation Gracenote Database Update". However, the Naviagtion Map update is NOT required to complete the Gracenote update.
    But again, I don't know how to check if the map is the newest version so I had to go by the service manager's word who said they did both Gracenote and Map update.

    Note: Gracenote includes details information for songs i.e. Genre, Artist, Song, Title, Album Name, etc.