Nissan Altima Hybrid Navigation System Questions

emgremgr Member Posts: 109
edited March 2014 in Nissan
Does the Navigation system announce the street names turn by turn? The manual says the following:

"The announcement of the street name during
route guidance is available only when English is
set as the language for the system. Street names
are not announced if French is set for the
system."

On another site, it said that it does not give street names except on the map. This is nuts if true. My 2 year old Garmen I stick on my dash can do that. I would expect a factory NAV to have greater capability.

Comments

  • tomscot2tomscot2 Member Posts: 33
    It announces the names of major highways but does not seem to announce the names of local streets. The one thing that your Garmin does not do is use inertial navigation when the satellites are our of view. This system is remarkably accurate regardless of satellite view becuase it uses speed and turning inputs from the vehicle. It is fun to watch the arrow when you are inside a multi-story parking structure going round and round.
  • emgremgr Member Posts: 109
    Thanks for the reply. I was afraid of that and really don't understand why it can't announce names of streets that it wants you to turn. Maybe I am a dunce and can't visualize 200 feet or so.
  • tomscot2tomscot2 Member Posts: 33
    I don't find it a problem. For example, we went to a party on Saturday in a neighborhood that I was unfamiliar with. While the nav system had the street names displayed the voice prompts let me know when I needed to turn in enough time to move to the turning lane and then notice that the street it was referring to was the next street I was coming up to. While I confirmed the street name with the visual listing, I think as I get used to the system I will just trust that it is telling me to turn on the correct street and not worry about confirming the name of the street (it gives you much better warning when to turn than having to spot the street sign name).

    Knowing the name of the street to turn on is a habit from reading maps and is no longer necessary, just follow the arrows and voice prompts.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Knowing the name of the street to turn on is a habit from reading maps and is no longer necessary, just follow the arrows and voice prompts.


    Maybe it's because I'm getting old, but that sounds like you don't need to know where you are or where you're going. :P

    (I don't have or use a cell phone either!)
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Just because I linked back to this discussion from it... thought I'd let you know that you can now blog from your CarSpace page. My blog happens to be titled Alternate Route and here's my latest blog entry dealing with nav systems:
    Dead Reckoning

    If you have any questions about the blogs or need help getting yours going (it's really easy!), just pop an email to me or any other host here in the forums and we'll be happy to give you a hand!
  • hiwaymanhiwayman Member Posts: 98
    I've noticed that my NAV system always announces freeways and main roads, but not city-street level names. Occasionally, it will say, "Take the next right on 'Main' St" but not often. I *think* this is due to the fact that, while voice systems are very good, the algorithms for pronunciation are complex. Only those street names that have obvious pronunciations are actually announced. For instance, I live on Via Herbosa, which is just off Carbe Arboleda. Care to pronounce those? ;)
    As one of the other posters said, the difference between Garmin and the Nissan nav system is the Inertial Navigation System, making the Nissan system far superior (even if it can't pronounce names). The INS uses gyros in the car to sense what the car is doing, even if satellites can't be "seen" by the nav system. When you're in a city with tall buildings, or in deep mountain valleys, normal GPS systems can lose their satelite locks, leaving you high and dry when you're looking for say, a Starbucks in downtown San Francisco (yeah, now THAT'S hard to find...). With the INS, the car still knows where it is even if the view of the sky (and the satelites) is blocked and will get you to your latte without a hiccup.
  • gripperdongripperdon Member Posts: 17
    Poor recognition.
    Limited Vocab
    Don't do the features shown on the help list.

    POOR POOR POOR :mad:
  • langjielangjie Member Posts: 250
    poor instruction manual
  • phantomaaphantomaa Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone know how to override the built in safety on the Nissan Navigation system so I can access all the features on the move.
    Steve
  • langjielangjie Member Posts: 250
    yes...you have to cut a wire and add a switch though
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "yes...you have to cut a wire and add a switch though"

    And thus void at least part of the warranty. Remember that a hybrid is partially electric; changing anything electrical could be construed as interfering with the propulsion system if anything were to go wrong.

    "cut a wire and install a switch"... let's see here ...
    In practice it might only void the warranty on the Navigation system, but who knows what a company will do when presented with a major repair and an obvious modification?
  • langjielangjie Member Posts: 250
    it's not that major and easily repairable.

    the 244V hybrid portion of the car is a complete different system then the standard 12V. yes, a dealership can say you did this, you did that, but if you do it cleanly and use common sense, it shouldn't be a problem.

    cutting the speed sense wire and bridging it with a switch is not that difficult for anyone who has any electrical experience. if your Navi ever had any issues, remove the switch you installed and patch the wire

    i know a website with step by step instructions if anyone is interested

    oh yeah, btw, this is a do at your own risk project
  • webbhogwebbhog Member Posts: 1
    Can you pass on the site address?

    Thanks
  • hiwaymanhiwayman Member Posts: 98
    Circling back to the voice guidance for street names, it would be nice, but the Nissan system definitely doesn't do it. HOWEVER, after using the nav system for about 4 month now, it actually might be OK. You can set your nav system up so that it pops up a second window beside the main window as you approach an intersection you need to turn at. Within that window is a progress bar, that gets smaller and smaller as you get close to the intersection, so there's not really any doubt if you're going to turn onto the right street. Up here in rural country north of San Francisco, there are very poorly-lit neighborhoods. At night, if you try to read the #&%($% street signs, because your nav system tells you to take a right on some street, it can be an excercise in frustration (I have a "talking" garmin for my motorcycle). I actually kind of like the progress bar, and it works well for me. It would be nice if hte system did BOTH, but hey, it ain't bad...

    By the way, for those that are pouring through their owner's manuals like lawyers to find the truth of the systems operations, you're going to find a lot of places in the manual that refer to other places that don't even exist. You'll also find places where the manual is just plain wrong. Let's hope Nissan's quality control is better on their cars than it is on their owner's manuals... ;)
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    "it's not that major and easily repairable.

    the 244V hybrid portion of the car is a complete different system then the standard 12V. yes, a dealership can say you did this, you did that, but if you do it cleanly and use common sense, it shouldn't be a problem.

    cutting the speed sense wire and bridging it with a switch is not that difficult for anyone who has any electrical experience. if your Navi ever had any issues, remove the switch you installed and patch the wire "

    I didn't say it was hard, I said it might void your warranty. Hybrids use electricity as part of the propulsion system, and any unauthorized modifications by the user allows the manufacturer the opening to deny a warranty claim. The hybrid electric propulsion system is very complex.
  • langjielangjie Member Posts: 250
    well I'll say your mileage may vary on that one. if there was an issue with your entire hybrid electric system, I would find it very curious for them to remove your navigation system. and if you are worried, you can always patch those wires.

    of course, depending on the dealership, they could say that if affected your car (but the 12V system is completely separate from the 244V system), so it really is a do this at your own risk.

    for what it's worth, I had my navigation system replaced due to a faulty sensor, so I'm not sure how robust these navigation systems are.
  • goat706goat706 Member Posts: 1
    Would this alteration be the same on a non-hybrid altima? and what is the website to do so?
  • barrys1318barrys1318 Member Posts: 2
    Hi,
    My 2008 Altima Coupe is 3 weeks old. The navigation would chime when approaching
    a turn. That stopped after 1 week. Went through all settings and spent 5 hours at the dealer who can't figure out why it stopped. Any help or numbers available out there to call. Nissan tech support says it sounds like hardware. Dealer thinks its a setting. Still no one has answer. Thanks.
  • insearch1insearch1 Member Posts: 6
    Now what? Any other problems? How is your altima coupe now?
  • barrys1318barrys1318 Member Posts: 2
    The service manager is researching the problem. Can;t find a thing Googling it. Othewise car is great. Fully loaded to the max but can't straighten nav out. Have a feeling it's hardware and nothing to do with settings. He should know tomorrow.
  • tazdoctazdoc Member Posts: 6
    I have a question. I used to own Hondas and Acuras and I am very used to the Honda Navigation system. The address book including the Home address always require a PIN to access. This is to deter someone who is not legit to use the go home function to get to your house and use the homelink to open the garage and get straight access into the house. This is the first car I own who uses the Nissan Navigation system and I cannot find a way to enter a PIN. Does anyone know whether one can be entered? I will delete my home address until I find a way to secure the system.
  • kalekale Member Posts: 15
    I have owned a 09 Altima Hybrid with Navigation system version 6.7 build in 2007
    I have not yet figured out how to activate the NAVTEQ traffic? How do you do that? do you ahve to call navteq for activation? Help! I live in Hartford and it is included in teh coverage area per navteq.com :cry:
  • tomscot2tomscot2 Member Posts: 33
    The Traffic data is delivered via the XM Satellite. See navtraffic pricing for details.

    Tom Scott
    07 NAH with Tech Package.
  • kalekale Member Posts: 15
    Thank you. Does that mean I do not get the Free trial? My XM radio is still working under 3 month free trial
  • tomscot2tomscot2 Member Posts: 33
    I don't know. Call them and find out.
  • kalekale Member Posts: 15
    I plan to do that tonight
    will update the forum :mad:
This discussion has been closed.