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Infiniti M35/M45 Navigation System

24

Comments

  • pete_l_ppete_l_p Member Posts: 322
    I feel pretty sure that the resolution of our nav screen will be fine for this purpose. (re: iPod menus on the display)

    Pete
  • wootangawootanga Member Posts: 3
    I'd be definitely interested in a plug in module. I hope some manufacturer sees this thread and comes out with something.
  • stixpixxstixpixx Member Posts: 17
    I have an M35 Sport with Tech Package. I purchased it last June and have 15000 miles on it. Yesterday I was listening to the radio and the sound went out. I then noticed that the whole center console, including temperature,cd,dvd,nav,voice control was not responding. I called my dealer and took it in today. They said the Clarion navigation system which controls everything has a manufacturer defect and needs to be replaced. It is going to take a week to get the upgraded unit from Clarion to resolve this issue. For now I will have to suffer for at least a week without using the stereo, nav, bluetooth, temp. This really sucks. I would recommend you call your dealer to get it replaced before before it goes out on you.

    Rafael
  • orlandom35orlandom35 Member Posts: 6
    Does anyone know if disabling the Vehicle Speed Sensor" wire (the VSS) allows the DVD video to playback while the car is in motion? I already had a toggle switch added to bypass the emergency brake needing to be engaged in order for playback. That works fine but as soon as car moves, monitor switched to navigation. Also, where can the Vehicle Speed Sensor" wire (the VSS) be located? What color is the wire? I doubt my local car audio shop knows of the VSS so any feedback will be awesome.
  • jshattnerjshattner Member Posts: 32
    Yes. You need to a) ground the parking brake wire (which it seems you've already done) and b) break the VSS wire. This is the green wire (pin 66) on the Nav DVD unit. BTW, disabling VSS will also give you full menu control while in motion (Phone, Destinations, "keypad", etc.). However, it will also cause the Nav to lose its location and will require either a slowdown, full stop, or possibly a power down (engine off) to re-find itself once VSS is re-enabled, depending on how far you've driven with it off.

    Most folks have combined the two wiring breaks with a single dpdt switch (you can tap the parking brake signal via the pink wire - pin 64 - on the same DVD harness).
  • orlandom35orlandom35 Member Posts: 6
    Thank you for the answer, it is much appreciated....

    You said by cutting the VSS......
    will also cause the Nav to lose its location and will require either a slowdown, full stop, or possibly a power down (engine off) to re-find itself once VSS is re-enabled, depending on how far you've driven with it off.

    So If another toggle is added to bypass or trick the VSS, I would have to do one of the actions above in order for the NAV to reset itself. That sounds pretty scary and may be a problem. So, my new question is this ...... How long of a slow down, stop or power down is required? Is it really worth it? I would really like to have the DVD option but at what cost?
  • jshattnerjshattner Member Posts: 32
    Hard to answer that. If you're on the highway and leave the "hack" on for a long time (e.g., watch a good part of a DVD) you'll likely need to wait 'til you come to a full stop and/or kill the engine for the sat to recalibrate itself. It's no big deal if you just drive a bit (for example to scroll through some menus that are normally greyed out while in motion) but long intervals will confuse it. Basically, if you want to watch a movie on the highway, forget about navigation aid while you're watching. Pull over when you need nav and it'll "find" itself again.

    I don't normally use it for DVD's, but for menu uses, so I have not had extensive experience. If you're driving around town with DVD on, you'll probably find that stop/go driving allows the nav to keep reasonably close.
  • pete_l_ppete_l_p Member Posts: 322
    Just want to chime in to say that I find the Nav Fix totally worth while, and agree with your description of how it works. However, I've never had to turn off the engine, even after leaving it off for a long while. But I agree that it might be necessary in some circumstances. Most of the time, when using the switch for entering some commands, it usually is OK after about 10 seconds, and rarely takes more than minute to come back. Stopping and starting (with the engine still on), as stated, will usually bring it back fairly quickly.

    Net/Net It really is convenient to have.

    Pete
  • varixvarix Member Posts: 72
    As a physician who happens to be married to a rehabilitation physician specializing in spinal cord injury I cannot believe the discussions on this forum about driving while watching a DVD or fiddling with the telemetrics that are purposely grayed out in this car. Ask my wife's quadriplegics about that one moment when they did something stupid (like watching a DVD while driving) and they all want it back. Think Ben Rothlisberger will think twice about wearing a helmet next time? And he got very lucky, he'll probably have a next time. I agree it is a hassle that my wife can't alter the nav system while I drive but i suspect most of those doing the nav hack are those who will in all truthfulness be doing it to allow themselves to access it while driving at speed down the highway. Lord knows I hope I or my loved ones are not on the same highway with you as you watch your movie at 80 mph or change your destination to Mooselookmeguntic, Maine (I've been there) with the input dial. I know many of you think those lock outs are in there to appease lawyers and as a doc i have no desire to please the lawyers BUT that said they may actually be trying to keep you from killing yourself and others. I wonder if any lawyer out there can tell me what the legal ramifications are for those who purposely disable safety lock outs in the telemetrics and then injure or kill someone while watching a movie or inputting nav requests, or adding people to their car's address book etc while driving. I can't imagine Infiniti is gonna be liable here. I know all the expert drivers out there are going to post back and say they can fully concentrate on the road and do all this other multitasking while driving and I've heard that story over and over ad nauseum from the injured rehab patients who thought they were in complete control and besides it always happens to "the other guy", anyway, so I don't buy it. There are better ways to do this. The new Mercedes S550 has the best nav screen implementation in that it's screen rotates or pivots. When facing the passenger, and out of view of the driver, it is fully accessible. When facing the driver it is on lock out. Very clever design. All car screens should do this but since we don't have it on our M's yet I can't support bypassing the lock outs. Would you really want your daughter driving next to someone on the Interstate who is watching a movie? Isn't it illegal anyway? A little common sense here.. :confuse:
  • raizelgsraizelgs Member Posts: 84
    Thank you varix for saying what I was thinking, but saying it in a way that makes the point better than I would have.
  • jiddojiddo Member Posts: 9
    I say amen to watching a dvd while driving, it is bad enough using a phone in a car even though it is bluetooth, there is still some distraction from driving. Even using the Nav. there is a amount of distraction viewing the nav screen when looking for a location.
  • purplem46purplem46 Member Posts: 54
    Bravo and Amen.
  • orlandom35orlandom35 Member Posts: 6
    Considering there are so may distractions out there (radios, cell phones, the hot chick jogging, etc.), I can appreciate how you wouldn't want to add another and possibly encounter someone who is watching a movie instead of the road. But fortunately for me this is a forum regarding the M and problem solving and not for morales or safety concerns. Maybe "Good Parenting" has a forum you can preach on. So, you keep up your defensive driving skills (remember not to exceed the speed limit in your new 280 hp M) while I tinker with the features of my car and enjoy it to the fullest without restrictions. Let the chips fall where they may.
  • james27james27 Member Posts: 433
    When you injure yourself or others while doing dumb things, you also affect my insurance rates, and probably start using up SS federal money, so doing dumb things is everyones concern.
  • orlandom35orlandom35 Member Posts: 6
    Take it easy guys, it's not like I'm looking to add Nitro to the car and go through the neighborhood at high speeds. I just want to indulge in a little porn while I drive the kids to school. Relax, no need to bring up the nations deficit on this board. It's all about the M.
  • varixvarix Member Posts: 72
    My comments are about the M too. As we discuss bypassing safety features, on the M, I think the other point of view should be heard before others go blithely away chopping up the nav/DVD lock outs, on the M. It's, I believe, a justifiable use of the forum. Anyway I never mentioned the deficit once!
    One other issue; unrelated. I keep getting chips in the plastic(?) front air dam and the touch up paint won't stick. How do u guys repair these paint chips and dings?

    OOOPS, I forgot this is the nav forum now, never mind...
  • jshattnerjshattner Member Posts: 32
    I have done the hack and never watch a DVD while in motion, but at least now it's my choice. Watching a DVD while stopped in Park (even with engine off) without the chance of leaving the parking brake on and driving off is not an option in the M without the hack. Changing a destination or retrieving a stored phone number, which both require the hack, are no less distracting than dialing a cell phone, and although this is also a questionable practice, it doesn't meet with the invective offered here. The M allows you to do stuff via voice commands, and that sometimes means looking at the list on the screen. If provides the screen for other info, and that means you look at it. It happens that here in Canada destinations are not enterable by voice command, so even the VR is more limiting. All this to say, at least with the hack you have the option of using the car's features. If you're stupid enough to drive a cycle helmetless, or street race, or deliberately kill yourself, or watch a movie on a portable player, there's no law against that in most places. I wouldn't put using the hack in with those activities, and it's time we stopped trying to impose our individual protection standards on everyone else in the world.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    The problem is that driving distracted ... for any reason ... doesn't just put the driver at risk, it puts everyone around him/her at risk, also.
  • pete_l_ppete_l_p Member Posts: 322
    Many cars permit you to enter all nav commands while driving. So IMO the Nav fix is absolutely fine.

    On another point, however: You CAN actually watch a DVD on the Nav screen when the car is parked, and without the Nav Fix. Just make sure the parking break is engaged.

    Pete
  • varixvarix Member Posts: 72
    Pat; I wholeheartedly concur. I am not so concerned if you bypass the safety features of a car or fail to wear a motorcycle helmet and kill or maim yourself in the process; however if you take me and/or my family out with you I have a really big problem. You could say another passenger is a distraction, the radio can even be a distraction so i know we cannot make the driving environment distraction free. But purposefully altering safety features to allow watching DVDs while driving seems way over the top when it comes to distractions. If I am preaching then I am preaching some common sense. Additionally I'll bet one puts their insurance liability coverage in jeopardy when they bypass safety features such as the lock out in the M's nav system. The insurance company bases their rates on a car's known safety features and record. If you consciously defeat those features, say disabling air bags or nav lock outs, why should the insurance company cover you if you hurt or kill another in an accident with such an altered vehicle. Any insurance people out there that can comment on this? :confuse:
  • jshattnerjshattner Member Posts: 32
    C'mon get real! Using any device in a car requires some degree of common sense and personal responsibility for our actions, and there are many of us at one time or another who fail to deliver in this area, especially in the cell phone arena. Being able to scroll through menus on a screen which was designed to be seen while driving (or else there'd be zero information available thereon) is pretty low on the list of irresponsibilities. Watching a movie, I agree, is 'way up there, but it just so happens you get tha ability to do "b" if you do "a", so I guess you've just got to exhibit some degree of responsibility, don't you. Will your insurance company cancel you if you watch a portable player while driving? No. Are you stupid? Yes.

    In my case, especially with no VR for Canadian destinations, it just might be that I'd like my wife to find a nearby restaurant or alter a destination or look up a phone number while I'm driving. Sorry if that offends anyone as terrible behavior, but I don't equate it with engrossing cell phone conversations, let alone movie watching.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    it just might be that I'd like my wife to find a nearby restaurant or alter a destination or look up a phone number while I'm driving. Sorry if that offends anyone as terrible behavior, but I don't equate it with engrossing cell phone conversations, let alone movie watching.

    It's not the same thing if the passenger is doing whatever, you are correct, of course, and no one would argue that with you.

    How 'bout we all just move on at this point ...
  • varixvarix Member Posts: 72
    One feature that really had me looking at the Acura RL a yr ago when i purchased my M was the real time traffic feature in the nav system. I see that the '07 M will probably have this option. Does anyone know if it would be possible to upgrade? It would seem easy as we are just talking computers and or software right?
  • jshattnerjshattner Member Posts: 32
    From what I've read, a) the system doesn't work as well as keeping current on am or fm, and b) it definitely won't be available on the '07 M (only the new G sedan).
  • indemandindemand Member Posts: 14
    I would like to know if anyone knows how to keep the nav from giving constant reminders to stay on the road you are already on. For example, on 495 in Mass for a 20 minute stretch it will twice remind me in each voice to stay on the road I am already on as I pass certain exits. Thanks.
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    Almost all navigation systems will give you directions whenever two major roads split...and that's probably why you are getting reminders on 495 at major exits.

    Some give you reminders when the name of the road splits. I remember coming down route 7 from Danbury ct to Norwalk ct and being told to continue straight about 10 times in my Acura TL.

    No way to fix this....navigation is trying to help you.
  • pete_l_ppete_l_p Member Posts: 322
    Nav systems typically do that when an exit can be perceived as a fork. The intent is to avoid the situation where you end up in the wrong lane or end up taking the wrong fork accidentally.

    Pete
  • rlejr66rlejr66 Member Posts: 44
    So who is the M navigation hack master in North Carolina? To be considered a master you have to have done this hack cleanly on your own car (every feature/function of the car operates as when purchased, except for the nav sys of course) and have the proof that you did it!
  • trcox57trcox57 Member Posts: 4
    I have searched the manual as well as several forums for this answer...so maybe it's my 49 year old eyes/brain that can't seem to find the answer so I decided to try here.
    On my M35 Nav System it appears that circles show up on busy roads ...this appears to vary with the amount of traffic on the road but I'm not entirely sure. Does anyone know what these circles are and how the system actually gets the data if indeed the circles are an indicator of how much traffic is on the road.
    Thanks
    TC
  • pete_l_ppete_l_p Member Posts: 322
    The circles are showing your car's recent path. The M calls this "Stored Tracking". Some other systems call this "bread crumbs".

    It's a convenient feature that lets you retrace your path if you're exploring and just want to get back to where you were. I also find it useful for quickly seeing how close I am to my next turn on my frequently traveled routes, without having to bother to enter any destination. It's just there, ready and waiting.

    You can turn it off or on again by going to:

    Settings > Navigation > Address_book > Stored_tracking > Current Route

    Here's a more advanced use for this feature:

    You can save your current tracking and do that several times, to save multiple sets of Stored Tracking data. You can rename each of them, and have them permanently displayed on your map (or turn them on and off).

    Imagine that you very frequently go to a certain tricky route, that you know how to get to the beginning of it but can't remember how to do the whole thing, and assume you only go to that area for that one destination. If you save that tracking when you get there, then rename it and display it on your map, you can follow those circles whenever you go there without even having to bring up a destination. They'll always be there on the map when you get to that vicinity.

    Pete
  • trcox57trcox57 Member Posts: 4
    Pete thank you.
    A very useful feature.
    TonyC
  • navboynavboy Member Posts: 32
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The 2007 G35 seems to have a significantly upgraded nav-system. It is hard-drive base, and includes traffic monitoring and voice-recognition control of the navigation, radio, and climate systems. It also tells you which precise lane to be in for freeway navigation.

    Is the navigation system in the 2007 G35 more advanced (and have more features) then the system on the 2007 M35/M45?

    Below is a description of the 2007 G35 nav system from someone's review: "The Navigation Package consists of a GPS-based system employing a 30GB hard disc drive (which displaces the in-dash, six-CD changer to the trunk and contains a 9.5GB partition for user-recorded audio tracks); MP3-capable compact flash media slot (also used to copy audio to the HDD and update the map database); lane guidance, which preps a driver for a left or right exit ramp from a freeway; voice recognition for climate control, audio and navigation; and a three-month trial subscription to Sirius or XM satellite radio, the latter including real-time traffic information where available."
  • pete_l_ppete_l_p Member Posts: 322
    It definitely seems to be. Infiniti has been make significant NAV improvements on every new generation car. The 2003 Q was the best Nav I had ever used, and the M was a good step beyond the Q, with Voice commands for street destinations, multi sorts on candidate lists (for streets and other things), much improved graphics and more. Looks like the G adds nice improvements for lane indications, Nav traffic, further enhanced graphics (and I thought I saw touch screen in a press release?). Unfortunately Infiniti often delays on adding such updates to their other cars when new models come out.

    Pete
  • allagarooallagaroo Member Posts: 88
    I understand the logic of not wanting the distraction of inputting destinations when moving. but what about passenger. My son-in-laws A8 asks if you are passenger in order to remove penalties for Mfg. if used by driver when moving.
    What if you had inputed final destination in M, and you wanted to find rest stop, gas stop etc. en route using voice activation? Would you be able to do it????????????
  • james27james27 Member Posts: 433
    As I understand it, you can access essentially everything on the M's nav system via voice...might take you longer, but it's there.
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    There are some things that are not accessable by voice when moving or even when stopped...for example, you can't input a destination intersection by voice...only using the panel input.
  • kfhmailkfhmail Member Posts: 199
    Does anyone know how I can report errors or omissions in NAV data to Infiniti, or whomever is appropriate?

    I have found several addresses where data and directions are not available due to incomplete data. Hopefully there is a way to report this so that it may be corrected in future versions.

    Thanks.
  • shermanlshermanl Member Posts: 9
    I don't have an M yet, but I have had Garmin GPS in my cars for some time. I have not, as frustrating as it is, found an effective way to report an incorrect routing on the GPS.

    I understand that it is the individual municipality who turned in the bad information in the first place, but it sure will be nice when there is a painless way to report errors.
  • james27james27 Member Posts: 433
    WRT Garmin, if you go to their cartography page, there is a page that enables you to report errors.
  • vgrafxvgrafx Member Posts: 1
    I live in NJ, My M35 navigation voice recognition will not recognize any NJ highways. Infiniti is aware of the problem, so is my Dealer, They made me wait 6 months b/4 telling me they had no plans to fix or address the situation. This is not a good way to treat a customer. Any one else aware of this problem, any suggestions
  • poorprofpoorprof Member Posts: 124
    I got my M35 about a month or so ago. I was showing my friend how the DVD works. We were stopped at a red light and I pressed the emergency break and the video came on. Then I took off and the video went off. Next thing I know, LAPD is pulling me over. After they made sure that the DVD ONLY plays in Park, they explanied to me that of someone is caught watching something on a front mounted screen, they can get a citation for a fine of upto $1,200 and they can get nasty from there. Just so you guys know!

    p.s., he let me go with a warning, even though I hadn't done anything wrong!!!!
  • towermantowerman Member Posts: 12
    Does anybody know how to prioritize the GPS Voice over the radio -- if the radio is playing I can't hear the GPS turn instrctions?
  • ghstudioghstudio Member Posts: 972
    when the GPS is speaking to you turn up the volume using the radio volume knob :) Seriously...that will fix the problem. That knob adjusts the volume of the radio when the radio is playing but it adjusts the volume of the GPS voice when it is playing. The easiest way to adjust it is to press the voice button and start to give instructions to the navigation...use the volume to increase the volume of the instructions.
  • tayl0rdtayl0rd Member Posts: 1,926
    You should be able to adjust the Nav volume in it's setup menu. Aside from that, if you have a destination programmed, there should be some icons on the screen. One of them should be a speaker. Highlight it and press ENTER. It will tell you information about your next maneuver. As she is speaking, turn up the volume.
  • blov8rblov8r Member Posts: 567
    This has been a recurring theme on the M thread. You can adjust the volume of the voice-over but it doesn't turn down the audio volume as much as my wife's Lexus' nav system does. Insofar as functionality is concerned, however, the M's nav system beats the bejeebers out of the Lexus system. Bart :shades:
  • rwells3rwells3 Member Posts: 4
    I am the proud owner of a '06 M45 with the Advanced Tech package (5.1 speaker system). My problem is that although I have the v7.0 Map Data DVD (with maps of North America), there are no maps of Hawaii included!! :mad: Our one and only one Infinity Dealer has given up trying to obtain something that will work in my system here in Honolulu.

    I contacted Zenrin USA, Inc. (the company that produces Navi software for Infiniti) and they confirm that although Hawaii map data is available, they have no plans to include them in Infiniti's DVD.

    If I understand the Zenrin web site correctly, it does indicate that Honolulu, HI is covered in Nissan's MCA 10 (an upgrade CD) with detailed coverage of Honolulu. Will this CD work in the M's DVD system? :confuse:

    Navigation systems in Audi, Acura, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc all come with Hawaii maps so it seems Infiniti alone is not aware that Hawaii is part of the US. Does anyone know if any other brand of data DVD will work in the M? Can anyone suggest another solution?

    Many thanks for any help with this problem.

    Aloha,
    Richard Wells
  • blov8rblov8r Member Posts: 567
    Aloha right back at you. One question, Richard; where do the Interstate Hiways go in Hawaii? Bart :shades:
  • rwells3rwells3 Member Posts: 4
    Hi Bart,

    Yah, you have a good point. Local residents always have a laugh when our freeways are labeled "H1 Interstate or H2 Interstate". They are so named via Federal Requirements and the drive to California is not only long but very damp.

    Aloha............RW
  • blov8rblov8r Member Posts: 567
    RW: It's actually part of the interstate hiway act initiated by Eisenhower to provide not only a set of hiways, but a set of hiways that by design can be used as emergency runways for military aircraft in a national emergency. I don't know the specific requirements, but every so many miles of interstate must have a finite amount of roadway that's straight and can be converted into military landing strips.

    Greetings from AZ .... 108 today.

    Bart :shades:
  • mmoreno1978mmoreno1978 Member Posts: 106
    The system is the best on the market, next to Acura's Navigation System.

    Germany is about 10 years behind Japan in this department.
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