kawal

Yes, the factory Nav definitely takes some time and effort to learn to use it. My wife and I have used it a lot on an 8500 mile road trip and we've got over 14K miles on the Vette now. And I'm STILL learning some of the Nav's features. So don't give up on it, because it really is a nice unit that is very useful and well integrated into the overall Vette electronics, including the HUD.

I've found it helps to go through the user's manual a few times as you play with this thing, and even after you've used it a number of times. One of the features I like it the fact that you can program up to 100 memory points even before your trip, so getting to them while you are driving is really quick and simple.

One other thing I've learned is to use Google Earth on your home computer and find an exact place you might want to stop at on your planned trip. On Google Earth, that location provides an exact latitude and longitude. Write those down, then before your trip, create a memory point (which you can name) using that latitude and longitude. While you are driving, select that memory point as your destination, and your Nav will take you right to it.

Ray

jan eric

I did this modification 4 months ago. It works fine. Sometimes my passenger (wife) does not get all the change in before it resets,which it does after some time (I have not timed it) . When this happens you turn it off then back on and continue. The previously entered data is not lost.When it "freezes" like this there is no warning of this fact -you just can not input any more data until you "re-toggle". Frequently used modification-thank you.

C6SUMMER

Great Mod! Have had in for sometime now. Works as advertised!

pwoolford

Now I just need to find a similar fix for the wife's Sequoia!

TapOut

And before I begin writing this...please note that I am not crazy or imagining things.

However I recently purchased my 06 Z06 used a couple months ago....and one thing I noticed right off the bat was that I was able to reprogram my NAV anytime while driving without any mods (that I was aware of).

Remember I bought the car used, so I had no idea that the feature I was using was NOT standard. I always thought to myself, wow....this GM NAV is awesome...I acknowledge the safety warning and that's it.

Then about a week ago I ran into the famous battery dying issue...and the car was completely dead. After the battery was charged and program reflashed from the dealer....on my way home I realized I no longer had this cool feature. And that is what brings me to this thread. I was trying to figure out how the owner before me had done this "soft" NAV upgrade. It HAS to be by setting a special feature somewhere in the NAV unit itself...or setting some other program somewhere that is lost when the system is cycled due to a power loss??

Please tell me if anyone else has ever seen this, and how can I get it back without doing a hardware modification??

Hawkeye2

Interesting question. It is probably possible to program it out,
since you can with the skip shift as well.

Also, there was some talk about the circuit to the parking brake
when "on" it allows programming, much like the auto exit on the
power seat function.

I'd like to see some replies as well.

TapOut

Well it was done on mine, and I know it used to work before the battery died. Just the other day my girlfriend asked why she couldn't reprogram it anymore while we were driving. I had to STOP on the fricken side of the freeway to program the stupid thing because I didn't know if I was heading the right way.

Someone on here HAS to know how it was done. I rather not do the hard wire modification if possible....but if no one knows, I may be forced to do it???

kawal

Well, that's interesting TapOut.

If you learn anything, please post the answer. I have never heard of any other solution besides taking away the speed sensor input.

If you do get sick of having to stop every time to input your destinations, the switch isn't hard to add:

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

Ray

siffert

I wound up putting my switch back to stock and using my Garmin 260
only-it took all of one minute to figure it out and can edit that easily on the fly. I still like the "looks" of my Nav unit, but for me, its $1,700 useless, not to mention the voice command is a no workee either.

jerseydrew

i was thinking of doing this but isn't there place that allows for easier access to the wire? that seems like a lot of work there!

vette-oholic

did the voice command stop working or just doesnt work wll for you?
i was pleeasntly surprised how well it works (considering you dont have to train it).. but ill admit it works like ****e if the radio is on or windows are open.

siffert

It never worked well for me. Maybe it was the slight noise of my Corsa
Sports exhaust and Kooks headers!

kawal

I've just updated the website at:

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

to show some new alternatives for accomplishing this Navigation modification.

Ray

siffert

Very, very nice write-up. I like that new Sunset Nav Commander setup, albeit apparently with a wee bit of work setting it up.

Maxx Schlick

I found the miracle fix that cures everything that sucks about the factory nav unit. A $70 TomTom unit from PepBoys. It blows away the $1000 GM pos. The smooth factory nav screen makes a perfect mounting plate for the TomToms suction cup.

siffert

actually it's a $1700 pos. My miracle fix is a Garmin 265 mounted on a spray paint can top inside my cupholder, but your pic is food for thought!

bass mechanic

or better yet buy a kenwood DNX 8120 or 9140 i go the 9140. not only can you program everything by voice control, i also got rear backup camera, bluetooth, XM, ipod connector, plays MP3's via flash drive or card reader or disk, DVD player with full video while driving in 5.1 surround sound! and i can still use the factory steering wheel controls!

ALL WHILE DRIVING! the only thing you loose is the turn by turn directions in the HUD and who cares! seen right onthe nav screen!
you also get a 7" wide screen and it even shows your current speed as well as posted speed limits along the road your traveling. the actual speed turns red when you exceed the posted limit, kinda handy!
has built in calculator
can even dial the phone number right out of your cell when locating resturants, hotels ect...
you can get one for about 1200 bucks online

and i think it looks like factory install more than the factory unit does!

Maxx Schlick

Dang son, is that what I paid for that junk? It's been about 3 years ago, so I must have forgotten the pain.
That would mean it costs 24.286 times as much as the superior TomTom unit.
What a Bug in your Beer.

charlie-vette

Ray, you have great instructions, as I just installed the switch in place of the lighter in my 2007 at the same time I installed a factory Nav unit. Works great! Thank you for this idea and pictured instructions.

kawal

You're welcome. It's a pretty easy modification to make if you don't mind removing the center console. Without the mod, it's pretty aggravating to being unable to input destinations while the car is moving, especially if you have a passenger riding with you.

I know there are aftermarket alternatives for a complete new Nav unit, but personally, I like the HUD display and the complete factory look of the original Nav radios. Plus they work great with a GM PAL as an iPod or smartphone interface.

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


Ray