Navigation System Upgrade - 98 - 00 - Is July 2004 Latest Data?

zorax2 · June 9, 2006

I just got the navigation update for my '99 LS 400. I installed the hard drive and when I checked the map info the software reported the data as July 2004. The Lexus part number is PT219-F5CPX-01 2005 Lexus Hard Drive Navigation System Update . I asked the parts manager and he said this was the latest update according to his computer. I paid $260 for the update and installed it myself as it took less than 10 minutes.

Can anyone confirm that this is the latest map information? Is anyone aware whether Lexus or Denso will be updating the hard drive in the future? It would seem like they might as they required me to return the old hard drive as part of the exchange.

PIONEERSUBY · June 14, 2006

yes that is the last one from 2005. the data is always 1 year behind the year it is releaes. they keep saying it will be last UPDATE for hard drive but they keep updating it............................................................................. the new 2007 high end navs are going back to hard drive instead of dvd disc so how antiquated is the old hard dfrive system for 98 to 2000 ls400 and gs300/400? . sounds like it was the way to go all along.

zorax2 · June 14, 2006

yes that is the last one from 2005. the data is always 1 year behind the year it is releaes. they keep saying it will be last UPDATE for hard drive but they keep updating it............................................................................. the new 2007 high end navs are going back to hard drive instead of dvd disc so how antiquated is the old hard dfrive system for 98 to 2000 ls400 and gs300/400? . sounds like it was the way to go all along.

Hey - thanks for the confirmation! So do you think (or have any basis to believe) that they will continue to publish updates for the hard drive based systems?

I'll bet part of the reason they will go back to hard drives is that they can minimize or eliminate copying of the DVDs. Additionally, they can control the number of hard drives by requiring the cores be returned. I'm also guessing that the hard drive can access the data much faster than the DVD based systems.

navguy · June 23, 2006

The reasons are numerous for using hard disc drives (HDD). Greater capacity, don't have to inventory software which has a short shelf life, new media source, run features that are memory intensive, future upgrades to OS, etc. There are obviously more than this short list!

I just got the navigation update for my '99 LS 400. I installed the hard drive and when I checked the map info the software reported the data as July 2004. The Lexus part number is PT219-F5CPX-01 2005 Lexus Hard Drive Navigation System Update . I asked the parts manager and he said this was the latest update according to his computer. I paid $260 for the update and installed it myself as it took less than 10 minutes.

Can anyone confirm that this is the latest map information? Is anyone aware whether Lexus or Denso will be updating the hard drive in the future? It would seem like they might as they required me to return the old hard drive as part of the exchange.

The July 2004 update is the most current version of the HDD.