Navigation System Woes

[Abeyance]

First off, apologies if this has been covered before, but I've searched and am not finding anything like the problem I'm having.

One day the navigation system in our 2002 RX300 stopped working, instead displaying a disc read error and directing us to check the disc. I did, it looks fine, but none of my computers can read the disc either. I always get a read error part way through the main data file.

So, thinking it odd that the disc would just go bad, but hoping that was all that happened, I snagged an upgrade DVD off eBay. It is an upgrade disc, includes the little warning at the bottom about DATA 2000 ver.1, which our old disc was. When I put in the "new" disc, a tan box appears in the display that say "Program disk is inserted."

That's it, nothing else ever happens, no matter how long you wait. Does anyone know what the problem is? Any help appreciated.

[Rx330driver]

well, all i know is that you have to be very careful about the discs with these cars...they have some sort of computer that upgrades when a new disc is put in and you can never go back to the old version, but seeing how this is the same version...

Also, your computers will not be able to read the disc because it is duel layer, or something complex, so only specific drives, like the one in your car, can read it. Sorry i dont have any more info, but theres my two, well one cent. :D

[mehullica]

You have the GEN 3 nav system. Only updated for GEN 3 will work.

[Abeyance]

You have the GEN 3 nav system. Only updated for GEN 3 will work.

I'm using a Gen 3 disc:

86271-33032

464210-0372

DATA ver.03.1

[Abeyance]

Wow, I've posted this message on 3 different sites and so far have received basically no response. Is this really something no one knows about or is there perhaps a better place for me to have posted this? Thanks.

[Rx330driver]

i can give a few reasons why nobody has answered your question.

1) we dont play with the navigation dvds in the trunk

2) 50% or more of us do not own that model (part of the reason)

3) Its never happened to us (most important the reason why)

[Abeyance]

i can give a few reasons why nobody has answered your question.

1) we dont play with the navigation dvds in the trunk

2) 50% or more of us do not own that model (part of the reason)

3) Its never happened to us (most important the reason why)

Fair enough, but I'm not "playing with the navigation DVD", I'm just trying to deal with a problem that arose without any intervention on my part. I'm just finding it hard to believe no one else has ever had a nav DVD suddenly decide it's no good and it seems improbably that no one else has ever seen the error message I received when trying to replace the disc with a newer one. Also, I would think this would apply to anyone with a 3rd generation nav system, but I couldn't find an appropriate forum that spanned the models so I had to put my message here, which may mean not many people are seeing it.

[COZ]

Here is what I recommend. Get a DVD cleaning kit and try cleaning the GPS DVD player in the trunk. I don't think the problem is totally the disk. I think the GPS DVD Player lens may be dirty. If things still don't work I suspect the problem may be elsewhere in the system and will require some troubleshooting to isolate.

As far as copying the disk. I have made a copy of my disc and keep the original in my fire safe. The copy is in the GPS DVD player and works great. You have to burn it on a Dual Layer DVD. My 4 year old Dell laptop DVD player was able to read the entire original Version 3.1 Dual Layer DVD (same as the one described by Abeyance) with no problems, however, it can't open any of them because they are meant for the Nav system and not my computer. When I spend over $200 for the 5.1 update off Ebay you better believe I'm going to copy it, store it in the firesafe and run that copy in my car too.

How did I make a personal back-up of my GPS DVD Disc?

Equipment:

- Computer with 10 Gb free HD space and USB 2.0 (I have USB 1.0 and things went real slow)

- DVD Decrypter software (Goolge it, its free but not made anymore)

- A Dual layer DVD burner made by BenQ, LG, Lit-on, Nu tech and Ricoh (so you can set Book Type (I used LG GSA-2166D from Best buy))

- A DVD +R DL disc ( I used Verbatim)

The process:

- Insert disc to be copied into DVD burner

- Open DVD decrypter

-- Set MODE to ISO Read R

--Copy disc to HD

-Once copying is complete

--Remove orignal disc and insert the blank DVD+R DL disc

--Select burner

--Set MODE to ISO Write W

--Set Book Type to DVD-ROM. Follow directions on this page Setting Booktype

-Click picture of HD->Disc and start burning

-Once above steps are complete you will have a working copy of you GPS DVD disc. Save the original in a safe place and put the copy in your car.

Finally do a site search for "navigation". There is a lot of info out there and you will have to sort through the junk to get to the good stuff.

[normr]

Have you had any luck?

[COZ]

Just curious how this turned out.

[Abeyance]

Just curious how this turned out.

New navigation ECU (the entire drive unit in the rear). Cost for the factory serviced (ie. rebuilt) unit was a little over $2300. A brand new one would have been north of $5000.

[RX_4_surfin]

Thanks for posting this issue and the cost of the remedy, Abeyance. I'm still suspicious of the nav systems on cars, and this is why. They seem expensive to replace, not easily repaired, and relatively fragile in most cases. But then, I still use a Thomas guide. :)

[flash14]

Thanks for posting this issue and the cost of the remedy, Abeyance. I'm still suspicious of the nav systems on cars, and this is why. They seem expensive to replace, not easily repaired, and relatively fragile in most cases. But then, I still use a Thomas guide. :)

Where is the ECU computer located?

[Abeyance]

Thanks for posting this issue and the cost of the remedy, Abeyance. I'm still suspicious of the nav systems on cars, and this is why. They seem expensive to replace, not easily repaired, and relatively fragile in most cases. But then, I still use a Thomas guide. :)

Where is the ECU computer located?

Open rear hatch.

Lift flooring to expose spare tire.

To the right of the spare tire is a tray containing some tools, etc. Lift this tray out.

Look to the right, under the floor and you should see the jack.

Directly behind the jack is a black box, this is the DVD drive and ECU unit.

[COZ]

Did you try to hard reset the NAV ECU? Can't break it much more by trying it.

The procedure is found here?

Navigation Error: Incorrect Program Disk, Be careful of the buttons you push...

[RX300_01]

Thanks for posting this issue and the cost of the remedy, Abeyance. I'm still suspicious of the nav systems on cars, and this is why. They seem expensive to replace, not easily repaired, and relatively fragile in most cases. But then, I still use a Thomas guide. :)

Where is the ECU computer located?

Open rear hatch.

Lift flooring to expose spare tire.

To the right of the spare tire is a tray containing some tools, etc. Lift this tray out.

Look to the right, under the floor and you should see the jack.

Directly behind the jack is a black box, this is the DVD drive and ECU unit.

Thanks for the help, I installed an oem system in my 2001, the only real problem I had was figuring out where the computer went, it turns out that the plastic moulding is different when the nav computer is installed, I found a second part number in the parts catalogue. Is there any way you could send me a picture of the RH panel installed? I may try to modify mine.....

[RX300_01]

Does anything else work on the display? If it does, press the audio switch that has the radio preset stations diplayed, while it is up, press the dislplay button, to the left of the 1 and 3 stations inside the rectangle, alternate 1 and 3, but not on the stations but directly next to them, not visible switches..... a service screen should appear...... Select "Service Check Mode" and see if there are any service codes showing, write them down and then Clear them and then Recheck..... not sure if it will help, but it is worth the try. I have a 2001 Service Manual with some testing procedures.....

[RX300_01]

Does anything else work on the display? If it does, press the audio switch that has the radio preset stations diplayed, while it is up, press the dislplay button, to the left of the 1 and 3 stations inside the rectangle, alternate 1 and 3, but not on the stations but directly next to them, not visible switches..... a service screen should appear...... Select "Service Check Mode" and see if there are any service codes showing, write them down and then Clear them and then Recheck..... not sure if it will help, but it is worth the try. I have a 2001 Service Manual with some testing procedures..... I cannot PM anyone, not sure why yet, no responce from the moderators, I took a picture of the procedure but do not have enough space left to post it here...... 7.31K, when I shrunk it to 7.81K, it was useless to post it, even a magnifying glass wouldn't help.... :)