5th gen (2014) LE navigation problems

[geo]

We've been using the nav system a lot and are noticing several problems:

(1) The nav system often picks poor routes (both longer distance and longer time). For example, yesterday we were approaching Bakersfield, CA, and programmed a destination that was straight along our route. The nav system decided to send us off our route (divided highway 58, with little traffic and speed limit of 65 mph) and send us several miles north onto city streets that went north and then turned west (parallel to our route). Not only was it giving us a longer distance, but each time we ignored the directions and kept going straight, the nav system reduced the time to our destination by several minutes. After ignoring 3 instructions to turn north on 3 different exits, the time to the destination had decreased by 10-12 minutes. So for some reason the nav system was sending us on a route that was a longer distance and longer time to the destination.

(2) Even for the correct driving routes, the predicted driving time was often way too long compared to actual driving time (driving at the posted speed limits). Predicted times were so slow (an extra hour out of each morning or afternoon) that my wife suggested maybe the nav system was so smart it could predict how long we would stop for meals and was including our eating time in its predictions.

In contrast to these problems with the factory nav, Mapquest and Google Maps didn't send us off in a bizarre direction and usually gave an ETA that was accurate within a few minutes. Similarly, the Garmin unit I installed in our previous vehicle didn't have the problems or our factory nav.

Has anyone else noticed similar problems? It seems annoying to have to use Mapquest to check up that the factory nav isn't sending us on a bad route.

 

[Lexusbstrdchild]

Maybe the nav needs to be calibrated? There's a section in the owners manual that tells you how.

 

[Jeremy556]

Not sure on a 14, but on my JBL Nav, there is a section in the options that you select your average speed by road type, and by default they are way low. IIRC it's something like Interstate: 50, Highway: 35, Surface Streets: 20.

 

[geo]

Any more recent info?

I've also noted that the 2014 factory Nav gives much poorer routes, poorer time predictions, and much worse traffic conditions than Google maps. Does anyone know if the Nav updates include improved routing software or integrated traffic? Or is it only new maps? It seems the Nav system needs more than map updates to be competitive with Google maps and traffic.

 

[Greenamphibious]

there is definitely a learning curve with the in dash. I used a Garmin Nuvi 50lm for the last 2 years and it is far better than the 4runner's NAV.

 

[Jernik]

When in unfamiliar territory, we just use google maps on our cell phones, and use the Navi dash map to watch for the streets so we don't accidentally drive by. But then, I usually check out where I'm going on Google Maps anyway to get a feel for the area and a general idea of where I need to go prior to leaving. Plus, the wife can do all that from the passenger seat while we're on the road - can't do that with the factory Navi.

Anyway, going back to "mapquest" days, the first time I entered a simple search from our house to town - just to see how it operated - it tried to take me 16 miles out of the way for no good reason. Instead of just going East 3 miles, then south 2 miles, it had me go west 8 miles, south 1 mile, east 11 miles, then south 1 mile. I have never trusted an electronic device to choose the best way for me to get somewhere since. I will say, Google Maps has been better. Not always perfect, but not that bad.

 

[philsey]

I've read a lot on here about how the factory navi won't allow input with the car in motion. I use a Nuvi 3550lm, and that (Toyota) "feature" would be a total deal breaker for me. Stop the car to make a change? No thanks.

And updates?, poof, 5 minutes USB'd to my laptop on Garmin.com and done.

 

[bpwwer]

I've noticed the same two issues as the OP in our '15 even though we've only used it a couple of times. And I even complained about both in the survey that Toyota sent.

In my previous 4Runner I installed a Kenwood which I think uses Gamin for the nav and it was scary accurate at predicting the arrival time. I don't think it was ever more than a minute off and this was on multi-hour destinations.

 

[1engineer]

I don't see the problem...
It's always about the journey, never the destination.
I love following my navigation. What fun is going the shortest or the fastest way? Anyone can do that. Now, going through Washington DC's worst areas at 11 PM on a Friday night because my Navigation told me to go that way? Exciting to say the least.

Seriously, next time someone is talking about a recent trip listen closely. Almost every time they will talk more about getting to or coming from a place and very little about the actual place, especially if there were challenges.

Example:
"So, how was your trip to the beach last week?"

"You wouldn't believe it! We left of course at rush hour and then at the airport we couldn't find a parking spot, then the security lines were impossibly long, the gate was beside a great little bar though! The flight was full and the turbulence was rough. It was raining when we got there. The rental car we reserved was not available so we upgraded to a convertible! A sweet looking Mustang convertible. Well, traffic was good and the sun came out and we put the top down! We were hungry so we found this cool little restaurant with the best view of the sound! Right beside it there were some shops that had the best selection of gifts. We finally pulled into the hotel at 11:00 PM."

"Well, how was the beach?"

"Fine."

 

[philsey]

So Greg, which Garmin do you use?

 

[chunhagejon]

I have a problem with my 2014 limited w/navigation...
My nav lagges..my car is always behind me after I go across an intersections the car passes few seconds later so I have put my truck in for service for five times and Toyota said it's made this way. Even field tech came out and looked at my problem and said its characteristics are this way and there is nothing wrong with my nav.
I had 2011 4runner limited and i had no problem with it. What I don't understand it is over so many 2014 4runners sold and no other owners are bringing this problem since Toyota said all 4runner are made this way.
Literally my position is about 100 yards to 300 yards behind.

 

[Friggin Idiot]

The interface on the EnTune Nav is so clunky and slow I consider it just about worthless. I use Waze on my phone instead. The only time I use the factory nav is going into areas where I have no cell reception, or don't have a clear view of the sky for cell to keep a GPS signal. In these areas factory nav holds signal a little longer, but it always has that stupid disclaimer about unverified roads.

The interesting thing about Waze is hearing it give different directions than factory nav. I've followed factory nav once through St Louis and ended up sitting in traffic for 45 minutes. Now I ignore factory nav and listen to Waze if it gives me something different. Waze is more up to date with traffic than the HD traffic factory nav uses. It also makes use of user modified maps, so they're more accurate and up to date than Google or even Garmin.

I had a Kenwood in the Subaru I sold to get the 4Runner, that thing was great and never left me in doubt. Although in honesty it did get me stuck in traffic just the same, but that was before I found Waze.

Get Waze here

 

[JayceeP]

I have a problem with my 2014 limited w/navigation...
My nav lagges..my car is always behind me after I go across an intersections the car passes few seconds later so I have put my truck in for service for five times and Toyota said it's made this way. Even field tech came out and looked at my problem and said its characteristics are this way and there is nothing wrong with my nav.
I had 2011 4runner limited and i had no problem with it. What I don't understand it is over so many 2014 4runners sold and no other owners are bringing this problem since Toyota said all 4runner are made this way.
Literally my position is about 100 yards to 300 yards behind.

My NAV does not perform that way.

 

[Mikey01]

The whole damn entunes doesn't work the way it should

 

[sandcrawler]

I have a problem with my 2014 limited w/navigation...
My nav lagges..my car is always behind me after I go across an intersections the car passes few seconds later so I have put my truck in for service for five times and Toyota said it's made this way. Even field tech came out and looked at my problem and said its characteristics are this way and there is nothing wrong with my nav.
I had 2011 4runner limited and i had no problem with it. What I don't understand it is over so many 2014 4runners sold and no other owners are bringing this problem since Toyota said all 4runner are made this way.
Literally my position is about 100 yards to 300 yards behind.

if you explore in the settings, there's an option somewhere in there that allows you to adjust your vehicle's position as reported by the Nav/GPS. sorry i can't recall off the top of my head exactly where to look, but i have a '10 factory Nav and it may not be in precisely the same place anyway. good luck.

and more generally fwiw, comparing any factory Nav to a dedicated GPS or Google/Apple Maps is a useless exercise. they're just not as good. however, it's built-in and always on, and if you learn its eccentricities it can be useful.

i find voice commands to work great, you just have to "program yourself" to abide by its syntax: *hit voice command on wheel* ”Destination" > "Address" > etc.

 

[Mikey01]

I find it exciting to use when I have time to travel, it took me on the coolest "road" from lake Powell to hanksville a few weeks ago, just don't go off the washouts into the canyons.

 

[Kotrin]

I have a 2014 TEP and mine doesn't do this. It seems to now though not re-route me like it used to in traffic..ever since that update..

Otherwise it works fine.