Useless Sat Nav on new X5

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue May 24, 2011 9:19 am

Just checked my local area where a whole new bypass about 10 miles long has been built - and it's not there!!

Sometimes I think that owners should be able to choose their map source as long as it meets a particular operating system type - same as you can with Windows, or MacOS or Linux etc. I'm not 100% sure what the BMW OS is these days, but I think it's QNX - which is a 'microkernel' system (very small sized main system or 'kernel') and certainly was able to fit on a single 1.44MB floppy at one point. Compare it to Windows Vista which has a 4GB core!! Windows 7 is better at 25MB.

acideraser · Post by **acideraser** » Tue May 24, 2011 12:34 pm

MJim, this map is java based so you might need to try to use different browser. Internet explorer should work though...
Does your satnav not allow to input full postcode at all or just for certain postcodes? I am pretty sure I first was disappointed it with this but found a way later and can input full postcode now.

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Tue May 24, 2011 1:14 pm

acideraser, just some postcodes. I tried to input my parents address (don't worry - I know where they live - just testing the system!) and having input the first 5 characters it offered me 3 letters for the last one, none of which was correct. The service engineer tried to put his home postcode in and that didn't work either. I'm waiting to hear back, but so far I'm being told that it is operating as it should i.e. there's nothing that technically needs fixing, albeit the system clearly is clearly rubbish. I love the car don't get me wrong, but can't believe a Â£2300 option is so cr* p and that my Â£100 TomTom is so much better. The engineer did say they get a lot of people saying that. Maybe I'll need to keep the TomTom in the glove box, but sticking it to the windscreen on such a premium car is very naff....

acideraser · Post by **acideraser** » Tue May 24, 2011 1:52 pm

this is sad. in the meantime I tried NAVTEQ Map Coverage viewer - works ok. I am using Firefox 4.0.1 and have Java 6 installed on my pc, OS - Windows XP but doubt OS makes any difference. You can download Java from http://www.java.com/en/ and it's free

Map shows UK, navigation is very quick, zoom in and out works etc...
I suggest you try to input addresses/postcodes in question there to figure out if it's database problem or something wrong in your car - not just relying on what BMW engineer says

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Tue May 24, 2011 2:41 pm

Many thanks for that - I'll give it a go when I get a spare moment. Appreciate it!

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue May 24, 2011 4:05 pm

Historically I think that the issue has been caused by the UK's use of a 7 character postcode. Most of the rest of the world that BMW sells cars to uses a 5 character system. There has been a problem with postcodes on BMW with OEM Nav disks for a very long time. I have seen it noted that non-OEM discs have fully functioning 7-character codes.

It's not even as if the UK suddenly decided to go 7-digit is it? We've been using them for decades!!

Right, here's an option - just tried it on my 2011 E71 with Pro Nav..........

Enter Destination and put the Postcode into the 'City' Box - two letter, switch to numbers, three numbers, back to letters and enter last two characters. Worked perfectly and even Streetview was correct.

Found the info on the 5er F10 owners site. Give it a go, unless you have already......

Richard

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Tue May 24, 2011 4:13 pm

X5Sport - many thanks for the suggestion - something else to try - when I get my car back! Haven't heard from them today ...

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Tue May 24, 2011 4:23 pm

[quote=""MJim""]X5Sport - many thanks for the suggestion - something else to try - when I get my car back! Haven't heard from them today ...[/quote]

Just edited it - tried it as shown and it works

Richard

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Tue May 24, 2011 7:31 pm

Many thanks. I'll give the dealer a call and see where they've got to, and try and get my car back - look forward to trying your suggestion (can't remember whether I was inputting the postcode in the city box or not) and also look forward to looking at the NavTeq map coverage viewer. Still stuck in the office this evening

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Tue May 24, 2011 11:57 pm

Just installed the latest version of Java and also Firefox, and have now been able to check out the NavTeq map coverage viewer. All the postcodes and address that were failing in the car are there, so that's progress in that I know they have the underlying data. Now need to figure if it's a case of inputting the postcode in the city box, or if something is just not working as it should ... Many thanks for the help - much appreciated !

acideraser · Post by **acideraser** » Wed May 25, 2011 4:32 pm

Enter Destination and put the Postcode into the 'City' Box - two letter, switch to numbers, three numbers, back to letters and enter last two characters. Worked perfectly and even Streetview was correct.

That's the way I was doing it from the start... thought that's the only way to do it - maybe because I came from CRV where you can enter full postcode...
I recall I could find a way to enter full postcode on 2009 3 series ...

Anyway good luck MJim, hope you can sort out this issue and enjoy BMW at full extend

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:45 pm

Just thought I'd provide an update on my SatNav issue in case in helps anyone else.
I'm still loving the car (40d M Sport) but the one gripe is that the satnav is utterly utterly cr*p! It often doesn't allow me to put in valid postcodes, and when providing directions I often find there's a lag hence you follow the directions per the screen to be followed immediately by "please make a legal U turn".
Anyway, I carried on taking the issue up with BMW who have admitted there is a problem, and tell me they have also been getting more complaints. BMW are working with Navteq on the matter, and as things stand they are not sure if the problem is down to the maps or the system software. They suspect the latter but will be keeping me posted. They have committed to giving me free updates of the software / maps until the matter is resolved.

MJim · Post by **MJim** » Sat May 05, 2012 7:18 pm

I've just had my maps updated on the house by BMW, however it still doesn't recognise a number of old addresses I've put in. Frustrating thing is that these are addresses that are recognised on the Navteq website. BMW suggest that I notify them of the addresses such that these can be provided to Navteq for incorporation. Can't see the point of this when they have them on their own database. Has BMW got a discounted inferior package from Navteq I wonder?

I also asked as to whether rtti will be retrofitted and bad news is still that it won't. They are now retrofitting the apps add on but only for cars made march 2011 onwards.

Apart from the cr*p SatNav still loving the car!

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sat May 05, 2012 7:58 pm

Don't try going to France as it will not route via the tunnel either

ianmaney · Post by **ianmaney** » Sat May 05, 2012 8:05 pm

Buy a Tom Tom, much superior ! I hate built in Sat-Nav's as I haven't yet found one that works properly.

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Useless Sat Nav on new X5

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Useless Sat Nav on new X5