$2,465 Nav System Not As Good As Free Phone Apps

[WC Man]

I've been writing to Lexus for years, and going to my dealer for years. The built-in $2,465 navigation system in my 2011 ES 350 has been awful. Makes a lot of mistakes, data is out of date. The first database update was very expensive to get me from 2011 to 2012, but nothing is available after 2012; in road years that is a LONG time. The blue tooth in the car has always interfered with the operation of my smart phone (iPhone 4, then iPhone 5S). Horrible situation, the very costly navigation in my Lexus is of very little value and it prevents the free systems in my smart phone from operating. Lexus has done nothing.

Today I finally found a work-around. For $30 I ordered a Noisehush wireless blue tooth receiver that clips to the visor. It does not interfere with Siri, and it allows me to use the 3 free navigation apps on my smart phone. The data on those apps is updated daily for free. So now I have the $2,465 navigation system gathering cobwebs.

[gbhrps]

WC Man,

I agree, but that Nav screen gives you a great back up camera screen!

My wife's 2011 ES Navigation system is no where as convenient to use, or as intuitive as my two year old Garmin GPS. I found the same thing with her last 04 ES330. It is what it is.

[LennyF]

I have used both the factory Nav and a cell phone Nav App at the same time and I never experience a conflict. With some features I like this cell phone App better and with other features I like the Lexus Nav better.

[WC Man]

In Maryland, the Nav always tells me to take Interstate 87 to get to Annapolis. I-97 goes there, I-87 is in upstate NY. It tells me to exit at almost every toll booth (there are no exits at toll booths). The Lexus Nav system gets really confused in NJ, maybe because the roads are close together. I was once directed to enter a highway by going up an exit ramp; almost got killed on a dark & foggy night.

My 2011 ES 350 cannot get a database update more recent than 2012. So my nav system thinks I'm driving across fields when I'm driving across the many new highways in the area. Just this past Friday I had to use the WAZE app on my smart phone because the Lexus Nav System did not recognize the road I was going to in Baltimore. The road was not a new one and there were numerous commercial buildings on the road.

The navigation system in my 2007 Lexus ES 350 was much better than this one.

[1990LS400]

My understanding is that the 2014 annual update for your generation 6 navigation system become available in November? Information is at http://www.lexusnavigation.com/

You should be able to enter your VIN at the above website and see a summary of changes that the 2014 update includes for your ES 350.

[CerealKiller]

Let's see:

My $99 TomTom GPS:

Free map updates

Choice of views

Choice of voices

Traffic camera alerts

Free firmware updates

"Realview"

Real time traffice updates

Rerouting for slow traffic

My 2011 ES350

No

No

No

No

No

No

Sometimes

No

But on the other hand, my Lexus does offer incredibly bad voice recognition. :)

[LennyF]

My understanding is that the 2014 annual update for your generation 6 navigation system become available in November?

WOW, 2014 update we'll be available November 2015. Isn't that exciting!

[KBRX330]

I use Google Maps on my Samsung Galaxy III smartphone that Verizon sold me for $.99 three years ago. It hasn't failed me in uncharted territory in NYC or Chicago yet.

[bigbill.32]

For long trips I use the on board nav but i'll periodically use my smartphone to check traffic conditions up ahead ( saves data minutes) Shorter trips i'll just use smart phone, automatically re routes around tie ups...