I have my 2012 GS with the 3LT package. Love the car. Starting to hate the navigation system. I must need to change some option in it that I have yet to find.

Here's the deal. While driving to my brother's the other day I talked to him on the phone and he wanted us to meet at an outlet mall. We looked up the address on the iPhone and then tried to enter it in the destination page of the nav unit.

But everything is disabled but previous destinations. So the wife checked and said we had to pull off the interstate and put the car in park to use the unit! I couldn't believe it but we did so and were able to use it.

But when it is in gear, the unit is just about useless? Is this just poor programming/software or is there some way that I can enter data while in gear? After all, this is a two-seater and the passenger is capable of working the unit so the driver isn't "distracted" by doing so.

Also "looking around" by panning the screen is awful. Almost impossible to start panning the map (no joystick like other cars I have nav units on have). The unit just doesn't seem to read finger swipes very well (once or twice in many many tries did the unit go into panning mode).

So how do I enter a destination without pulling over and putting it in park?

 

There's a 4 or 5 year old thread somewhere in this forum that supposedly tells you how to override the NAV requirement to only input destinations while you're stopped.

I've only had a C6 with the NAV option for the last 5 months and I never use it, so I don't know the "secret" process. But if someone doesn't chime in soon with the solution for you, I'll try to find that thread.

I'm sure the GM lawyers insisted on having the NAV set up that way.

 

Go to this link and it will tell you how to allow destination changes while on the move:

"This modification allows the driver or passenger to enter navigation information such as destination or other points of interest anytime, whether or not the vehicle is moving."

http://www.kawal.net/navigation.htm

I really like the nav unit now that I took the time to set it up and learn all the functions available. Vastly prefer it now to any of the Garmin portable units and the built-in Kenwood/Garmin and Alpine nav units I have had previously.

 

And I just found a Corvette Forum thread by the same author.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-z...ight-like.html

BTW, there is a C6 FAQ thread and the link to it is in the next to last sticky on the main title page of this forum.

 

IMHO after reading the huge user manual (Talon, thank you!) several times while the GM Navi was sitting on my bench...powered up...the GM Navi is the worst unit I've ever used...it is 2004 technology...and the updates are $$...any Garmin Nuvi blows it away...

Don't get me wrong, it looks nice in the dash...but that is it.

It has few redeeming values...

IMHO

 

Black Friday sale at Best Buy and picked up a Garmin Nuvi 40LM for $85. Lifetime free map updates at 4/year. I have an older Garmin that needed a map update(four years since I last updated it) but it was $50 for a one timer and $90 for a life time map update. Saved $5 and bought a new 40LM with a larger screen, with more features. How can anyone justify $200 every year to buy new CD updates for their factory NAV?

I wish now that I had saved the $1750 I paid for the factory NAV as I would have that money in my bank account plus I would have the 6 disc CD player instead of the single disc player standard with the factory NAV.

 

My 06 does not need to be in "Park", but I need to be stopped... I can program at a stop light... Has never been a real problem.

 

As mentioned, you don't need to be in Park, just be stopped.
We have two other navs from other car companies and they both have the same issue. Blame the lawyers.

 

I've got two Garmins, including one Nuvi; and two "other car company" systems, and prefer the factory nav in our C6 to all the others.

None of them are perfect, you just pick what works best for your needs.

 

I did drive the 2012 Dodge Charger SRT. The navi unit was great. We were just on a test drive so we didn't try to enter a destination but the wife could look up restaurants and even see movies at the local theaters. Real time data like movies can't be DVD based. I asked the salesman about the navi DVD updates and he told me it doesn't use DVDs.

I assume there is some sort of satellite based updates like with my DirectTV unit.

With OnStar capability, there should be no reason for DVD updates. Updates could be downloaded (automatically) to GM cars with OnStar (enabled or disabled).

 

Thanks. I searched the C6 forum for "navigation" but didn't see anything promising.

I sure hate having to go through so much trouble for something that is in every car I have owned that has a navi system.

I also miss having a joystick for quick&easy panning. It makes finding an alternative route easy to do (say when the traffic comes to a stop due to construction or something else). Zooming out loses too much detail and with the stick (and the cross hairs that display in pan mode) it is so easy to search and click something to get info (exit info and miles to the exit etc.)

I think the GM guys need a bit of UI help.

 

I didn't try it while stopped at a light. I'll check it the next time I'm out in the car (raining today).

However the interstates don't have stop lights. No reason GM needed to do what they did here. Other car manufacturers don't have this restriction so why does GM?

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1579333313-post2.html

 

Did you read post #8?
Other car manufacturers do have this restriction.
I have not yet met a built-in nav that doesn't lock out destination entries while moving, although there are probably some that allow it.

The C6 nav will allow you to use the first page of Previous Destinations while moving, I've used other systems which don't even allow that.

 

As I posted earlier just go to this link and you will be able to do everything even while moving on the interstate:

http://www.kawal.net/navigation.htm

 

Unfortunately we live in a sue happy society so GM took the precaution that many manufacturers also take. Other car's NAV discs are expensive to replace also.

Aftermarket units are nice as I used a Garmin for years but it looks severely out of place in a $50k car. You always have to put it away when you are away from the car and then bring it back out again.

Built in aftermarket units are better but none adjust the stereo's volume automatically when you get on/off an interstate.

The HUD feature on the stock NAV is fantastic. I find it relatively easy to use especially after reading Talon90's tutorial about it.

Most aftermarket NAVs do have a NAV traffic feature but from what I have seen most are unreliable also. NAVTEC, XM, MSN they are all pretty much guaranteed to tell you just the opposite of what is right. XM is by far the worst.

 

have a 2010 GS and I have to totally agree with you. I find the user interface totally non intuitive. Functionality is also lacking. Trying to pan across the screen typically results in adding a waypoint where I didn't want one. Their options for picking the ideal route should be as simple as choosing 'highway' and 'streets'. Instead you have an option of toll roads as I recall? What is that? Who would want that selection? Who designed this system? I expected better and only use it when I am forced to but it is always a painful experience. My opinion.

 

From the time that they were first available, I had always wanted a car with built-in NAV. Two years ago when I was Corvette hunting, I crossed a LOT of cars off my list that didn't have it.

Once I started using it, I was quite disappointed (like many others).

And if we think its disappointing now, five years from now it will be awful compared to the latest Garmin units.

It would be great if the built-in GPS was an easily replaceable plug-in module, with several competing manufacturers to choose from. And without loss of HUD integration.

I have tried using a Garmin GPS with a cup-holder mount in my Corvette, but it looked too tacky.

So I have resigned myself to putting up with it as-is. And it was quite handy 2 nights ago in very thick fog. I knew where I was going but could barely see the road. The NAV prevented me from missing turns.

 

The factory nav isn't worth the money, but there's one thing about it that I like: the directions appear on your HUD.

In a convertible the nav screen is hard to read in bright sunlight, but the HUD directions are always clear.

 

In my GLK when I am moving and want to enter a destination I just use voice commands. No problem no distractions.