- Register with Map Update Toolbox.
- A button will show up on the menu’s left side. If there isn’t an update available right now, the button will say “Device.” A button with the label “Updates” will appear if an update is available.
- Choose UPDATES if it’s an option. (VERY IMPORTANT: Before starting this step, make sure to read the full “PLEASE NOTE” section.)
- Choose INSTALL to start the procedure.
In This Article...
How much does updating the navigation system on a Toyota system cost?
The quality of built-in navigation systems has increased recently, and they now provide more functionality for a lower price. (Nowadays, some systems just cost $500.) Factory-installed systems are better integrated into your car’s functioning and controls than portable GPS units are. They effortlessly integrate with the entertainment system, respond to voice commands, and have easy access to the contact list on your smartphone. However, maintaining those maps might be more expensive and time-consuming than updating a portable device or a smartphone.
Most built-in systems don’t automatically update themselves over the air with new roads, lanes, interchanges, businesses, or even traffic laws, such speed limits and left-turn prohibitions, unlike Google Maps on your phone. They also don’t provide regular one-click updates like the best navigation applications do.
Updates must instead be bought for a price ranging from $129 to $299 from the automaker, the dealership, or online. Additionally, there can be an additional installation fee. You could purchase a very fine portable GPS device with lifetime traffic and map updates for that amount of money. (See, for instance, the Garmin Nuvi 58LMT.)
For our recommendations for the best presents, information on the newest discounts, time-saving advice, and much more, check out Consumer Reports’ 2015 Holiday Guide. And for the best gift suggestions for everyone on your list, check out our countdown calendar.
In-car upgrades are becoming obsolete because to the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on smartphones.
TomTom, a manufacturer of navigation systems, estimates that 18% of the roads on maps require upgrading each year. You can be using really outdated maps if you haven’t updated them recently. How can I find my way to a certain location, such a restaurant? Prepare yourself to improvise. According to Navteq, their database might receive more than 230,000 new points of interest each year. Therefore, having the most recent maps on your car is beneficial, and the holidays are a good time to consider getting an upgrade.
We advise visiting Navteq’s website first because it provides links to updates for more than 30 different auto brands. Direct downloads from Navteq can be used to install some updates. Others need you to enter your vehicle’s year and model and may direct you to your car manufacturer’s website, where you may download the necessary software or schedule a map update appointment at a nearby dealer. Depending on what your automobile needs, the updated map software is available on either a DVD or an SD card. Of course, hiring a pro to conduct the installation will increase the cost.
Every 12 to 18 months, according to a Navteq spokeswoman, maps are updated for each automaker. Most drivers find it difficult to justify upgrading maps so frequently when they cost more than $100 each. But it’s wise to budget for at least one, if not two map upgrades during your ownership period if you frequently use a built-in navigator and/or depend on it for occasional trips. We have observed specials being offered on maps from several brands during the holiday season.
You probably don’t want to take a chance by traveling by car for the holidays this year if your map is more than a few years old. Additionally, upgrading maps for a family member can be a thoughtful gift because they might not know how to do it. And if your vehicle’s system cannot be easily updated because it is outdated, you may still suction-cup-mount a new portable GPS device to the touch screen.
How can I get a free update for my navigation system?
A navigation system update is frequently not free of charge. Most of the time, you have to pay for the update or sign up for a yearly subscription. However, it is not always simple to methodically put your hand back in your pocket once you have already invested in a GPS that costs a particular amount. Thankfully, there are free options to updating your smartphone GPS.
OpenSource maps: free update on TomTom and Garmin
The OpenStreetMap project lets you get maps and upload them to your system without spending any money, so you can update your GPS for nothing. A database of free maps that is updated by volunteers makes up this Open Source software. Different navigation systems are compatible with the downloaded maps. For instance, you can install the suggested formats right on your Garmin GPS. OpenStreetMap files can be converted for your TomTom assistant so that your GPS can play them. However, because a plug-in installation is necessary, the process takes longer. Discover the procedures that must be taken to accomplish this in the following two paragraphs.
Steps for a Garmin GPS
Good news if you own a GPS made by the Garmin company: you can avoid the paid updates provided via their official website. You can access any map you want for free thanks to the OpenStreetMap project. It should be emphasized that installation is very quick and simple. There are no precise computer requirements needed for it. However, you should make sure that your internal memory is adequate before you begin and, if necessary, add a larger card.
How can I free of charge update my Toyota Entune navigation?
Receive the most recent Toyota EntuneTM updates:
- Open the EntuneTM app, then establish a Bluetooth or USB connection with your car.
- You will be given the option to update “NOW” or “LATER” in a menu that will display on the screen.
- By choosing now, all of your updates will be handled instantly and automatically.
Is a subscription fee required with Toyota navigation?
All Toyota Connected Services trials are free of charge and start on the day when a new car is first bought or leased. Each trial period has an expiration date after which a paid subscription must be purchased in order to continue using the service.
Are software upgrades for cars free?
In general, software upgrades for cars are free. This holds true whether they address a warranty-covered condition, address emissions-related issues, or address safety recalls.
You must bring your vehicle to your nearby dealership if it is not equipped with OTA update capabilities. Your car’s software updates are easily installed through a basic method. You shouldn’t have to pay more for it since it’s covered under the guarantee.
But don’t wait to install these updates on your vehicle until the manufacturer’s warranty has run out. Some of these software upgrades may fall under your responsibility.
Should I upgrade the navigation system in my car?
My 2015 Ford Explorer’s factory GPS can now be updated, according to a letter I got. I thought that a factory-installed GPS would update itself automatically. Is it a scam or should I pay the $150 for the update? Thom
You are being conned, and you should probably update it. The majority of factory-installed GPS systems do not automatically update. Over-the-air updates are becoming more prevalent now, but they weren’t available when you purchased your 2015 Explorer.
And considering that the GPS system likely cost you $1,000, you’d assume that updates would be provided without charge.
Roads haven’t changed all that much since then. They usually remain put. But over time, things do shift gradually. Streets are renamed, bridges are replaced, and traffic patterns are altered as a result of road rerouting or other safety-related changes.
So, if you frequently use the navigation system and frequently drive in strange cities, it’s probably worth updating it every four to five years.
It’s time for an upgrade if, while following your navigational instructions, you find yourself unexpectedly being passed by a sailboat.
Making the update by yourself might be a pain. It’s not always easy to utilize. That’s not a bad price if your Ford dealer will install the upgrade for you for $150. We’ve witnessed far worse.
You have the choice to switch to a superior mapping system if you’re not committed to the built-in GPS; it is cost-free, unless you regard them knowing everything about your movements as money.
We’re referring to Google Maps, which is accessible and updated frequently on any smartphone. If your car has Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which displays your phone’s screen on the dashboard, it is the simplest to operate.
Even without this technology, you may still avoid taking your eyes off the road to look down at your phone by using a good phone holder that raises the phone into your line of sight while you’re driving. With a long gooseneck to raise the phone to eye level, there are some really good phone holders that clip to your air vents and others whose base rests in your cup holder.
According to our observations, Google Maps is current, simple to use, and incorporates the most precise traffic information into its navigational instructions.
You get to decide, Thom. However, it might be due for an update any way.
Hello, Car Talk!
It began to smell like gas when the engine was started about six months ago. It would fade away in ten to fifteen minutes. Although it wasn’t common, when I mentioned it to my mechanic, he claimed to have never heard of it.
It started happening again about two months ago, and it now occurs more regularly. It occurs whether or not the petrol tank is full, and the air conditioner vent is where the fumes are coming from.
There are moments when the scent is intense both inside and outside the car, as if someone is pouring gas inside. Actually, I’m worried that the car might catch fire. Naturally, the scent is gone when I return it to the mechanic, and even leaving it with them for days does not disclose anything. Can you assist? Donna
RAY: Given that it is a 2004 Trailblazer, Donna, I would probably start by lighting a match. However, if you want a less clumsy fix, you must locate a mechanic who has an antiquated emissions testing tool.
Before automobiles could test themselves and we could just hook into their computers to obtain the results, we had to shove a wand up the tailpipe of a car to measure its pollutants. Unburned hydrocarbons (such as gasoline) would be found by the wand in the exhaust, which would indicate whether or not the emissions system was functioning properly.
We continue to utilize that wand to sniff out gas leaks whenever we have a customer. It is extremely sensitive and can locate the source of a gas leak by detecting gasoline in concentrations as low as parts per million.
Because it doesn’t take much gasoline to produce a strong scent, the leak appears to be very large. It’s very doubtful that your mechanic can spot it with his naked eye if it’s just a drop or two of gas that is leaking onto the engine, evaporating immediately, and wafting in through the ventilation system. Or his bare nose, especially after that nose has been subjected to years of exposure to car-dog stink and exhaust fumes.
To get your fuel injectors and fuel rail inspected, locate a shop with an emissions wand, leave the car there overnight, and have them use the wand to sniff around. You most likely have a leaky injector or seal in that area.
Even if it’s not impossible, if the leak is that little, it is unlikely to catch fire. But if I were you, Donna, I’d drive wearing sneakers just in case.
Toyota Entune is it free?
Toyota’s Entune audio display system had a three-year grace period before owners had to start paying a membership fee when it was first introduced. So what is the price of Entune? As of right now, Entune is free to use unless you want to add a satellite radio plan.
The fact that Entune is free and useful in so many circumstances increases the value of all Toyota automobiles that make use of the program. Here are some of the highlights of Toyota’s Entune system for people who are not yet familiar.
How can I tell which Entune model I have?
Check to see if your Entune system contains tiny “SiriusXM and “HD Radio icons beneath the touchscreen to determine which Entune system you own. You have Entune Audio if these icons are not present on your Entune System. Next, look for a “MAP” button.
How do I set up the Toyota nav app?
With the brand-new Scout GPS Link app, you can experience voice-activated search, mobile phone-driven navigation, and other features on your vehicle’s multimedia display.
Numerous advantages of the technology include hands-free voice command, commuting information depending on traffic, and directions capabilities. The system, which is available on Toyota automobiles, allows users to save their preferred locations in addition to keeping track of where they have driven. The device can also link your smartphone and the cloud with the car.
To use this app on your Entune system using Bluetooth, you must have an Android or iPhone 5 smartphone that is compatible. Additionally, the smartphone must have this GPS-based app loaded and operational. This app must be installed on both your smartphone and Entune in order to be used.
To install this navigation app, adhere to following instructions:
- First, Bluetooth connection between your smartphone and the Entune system in your car is required.
- Then, whether you’re using an iPhone or an Android smartphone, download the software from the Google Play 2 store or the Apple App Store to the smartphone. Now you must launch the app on your smartphone.
- Feel the words “Let’s start by using your smartphone.
- An optional new Scout account can now be made by you. As an alternative, simply touch “Skip to allow the app to start up.
- Once the program has been initialized, the map screen or one of the other screens will appear on the smartphone.
- The touchscreen display of the car will prompt the user to update the Entune system after the app has started on the smartphone. One only needs to touch “Starting now.
- The update must be installed as soon as it has finished downloading entirely. Choose “Install so that the installation can be completed on the Entune system.
Once the installation is complete, the Scout GPS button will appear on the Apps screen. The newly installed Toyota Navigation App is now ready to be used by the driver to obtain directions.
You may learn more about the Toyota Multimedia Navigation System by visiting Stevenson Hendrick Toyota Jacksonville, a renowned Toyota dealership in Jacksonville, NC, if you reside in or around New Bern, Havelock, or Richlands.