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General The SatNav is so bad .....

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General The SatNav is so bad .....

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kingchris

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Parked in the garage
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I picked up my brand new X yesterday.

Major road disruption on the M5 so decided to stop in Gloucester on the way back. To visit the Nike outlet.

Voice recognition was a bit hit and miss so typed the name.

The system warned about restricted access on the route but have no option to recalculate.

Followed the route, it ended at a pedestrian bridge, so had to turn in the road and find another route.

The funny part is there was no other cars down this road apart from a green 500x also turning in the road to avoid the restriction! ?


Factory fresh brand new X has 2015 version of the maps loaded on it.

Sticking to Google maps on my phone in future, the SatNav is the worst part of a great car.

Side question why does it keep saying please? Over and over with each direction.
 
If you have the smaller 5inch screen you get 1 free map upgrade I think within 90 days of registration. First check that the operating system is up to date and once that is done check to see if there is a newer map available. If there is you can download it onto a SD card or memory stick from your computer and then install it on the Uconnect.

If you have the 6.5 inch screen you can only check that the operating is up to date, map updates have to be done at the dealers and you are entitled to 1 a year for 3 years. There is a Uconnect website, you enter your cars details and it will say if an update is available.

There is a fairly recent update for the 6.5 and my car will go in for its first service in a couple of weeks and the map update.

On the whole I have found the nav system OK and never been mis-routed. Don't forget there are 2 ways of operating it, without using a mobile phone and the app or using the phone with app connected. The first way works by getting info from a radio station (classic I think) and is a bit slow to update on traffic, or the second way connects to TomTom and gets more reliable info.

Anyway that is how I see it after fiddling with it for a year and looking at the comments and advice from this forum.
 
I've got a map version dated July 2015 on my 2016 Alfa Giulietta. I do occasionally get 'Restricted Access on Route' but not run into any major problems yet, sometimes there's no visible access restriction at all - I've used the nav on a variety of routes including in and around London, where I would expect issues if they were going to be regular. I'm almost certain it won't be as accurate as Google Maps but it's better than I was expecting given the frequent comments about UConnect.

I have the 6.5" UConnect unit so certain things might behave slightly differently, but apart from lack of traffic updates (the 6.5" version should include TMC information) mine is behaving without obvious fault and I would expect newer versions to be better still.

I do get the 'Please' before every direction. I quite liked it because it got my attention so I was ready to listen for the direction, however the amount of times she repeats the instruction did get on my nerves. If you find it annoying you can switch off voice guidance and just use the screen - I can have a look & remind myself how I switched off the voice if you like?
 
I haven't had too much trouble but then I'm old and still don't trust the things so don't fully rely on them. You would think they would do at least enough updates in the warranty to make it last that long. having a sat/nav and using your phone sort of defeats the point of it really lol
 
Going for a Brodit Clip.



Opening wireless charger adding magnets and a few in my phones case.

Glue the charger to the Brodit clip and everything is awesome.

= Wireless magnetic phone holder in arms reach.

When the phone detects the car's bluetooth it will automatically launch Android Auto.


:D

Will post again when I've put it all together.
 
Ages ago (2015) I complained to Fiat that their 90 day free map upgrade was a total disgrace, laughable and not good for the Fiat brand when for little more than the cost of a chargeable update from Tom Tom you can buy a Garmin, even Tom Tom unit with life long free map updates.

They did seem to take note? in that now Mopar offer free map updates for quite a few Fiat/Alfa/Jeep models BUT NOT the 500X.

Thankfully I have a nice Garmin with lifetime full EU mapping. For me now the uConnect system is a backup/backstop convenience for the UK. I don't use or rely on Sat Nav but do appreciate it when I need it especially in the EU.

One problem people are finding in replacing the uConnect system with other units, is I believe, the fact the uConnect has other vehicle menu control functions that are not available on the vehicles dash setup menus.

I'm not sure anyone has been brave enough to remove uConnect unit, replace it with another unit (say Pioneer), done the PROXI alignment and checked/seen if all those vehicles settings that were on the uConnect now appear on the vehicle dash menus?

Has anyone done this? Can confirm/deny/state what happens to the uConnect vehicle settings?

If they were all transferred/enabled on the dash control menu then this opens up a big alternative options for 500X owners.
 
Last edited:
s130 said:
Ages ago (2015) I complained to Fiat that their 90 day free map upgrade was a total disgrace, laughable and not good for the Fiat brand when for little more than the cost of a chargeable update from Tom Tom you can buy a Garmin, even Tom Tom unit with life long free map updates.

They did seem to take note? in that now Mopar offer free map updates for quite a few Fiat/Alfa/Jeep models BUT NOT the 500X.

Thankfully I have a nice Garmin with lifetime full EU mapping. For me now the uConnect system is a backup/backstop convenience for the UK. I don't use or rely on Sat Nav but do appreciate it when I need it especially in the EU.

One problem people are finding in replacing the uConnect system with other units, is I believe, the fact the uConnect has other vehicle menu control functions that are not available on the vehicles dash setup menus.

I'm not sure anyone has been brave enough to remove uConnect unit, replace it with another unit (say Pioneer), done the PROXI alignment and checked/seen if all those vehicles settings that were on the uConnect now appear on the vehicle dash menus?

Has anyone done this? Can confirm/deny/state what happens to the uConnect vehicle settings?

If they were all transferred/enabled on the dash control menu then this opens up a big alternative options for 500X owners.
Click to expand...



I remember seeing on another post somewhere that there is a gizmo available that connects up all the uConnect menu settings to the new, branded, unit, thus maintaining 100% functionality.

I can't remember exactly where I saw it but will look for it if you're seriously interested
 
s130 said:
Ages ago (2015) I complained to Fiat that their 90 day free map upgrade was a total disgrace, laughable and not good for the Fiat brand when for little more than the cost of a chargeable update from Tom Tom you can buy a Garmin, even Tom Tom unit with life long free map updates.

They did seem to take note? in that now Mopar offer free map updates for quite a few Fiat/Alfa/Jeep models BUT NOT the 500X.


I'm not sure anyone has been brave enough to remove uConnect unit, replace it with another unit (say Pioneer), done the PROXI alignment and checked/seen if all those vehicles settings that were on the uConnect now appear on the vehicle dash menus?

Has anyone done this? Can confirm/deny/state what happens to the uConnect vehicle settings?

If they were all transferred/enabled on the dash control menu then this opens up a big alternative options for 500X owners.
Click to expand...


This is the piece of kit I was thinking of but I have done ZERO research into it, but it might be a viable starting point

http://www.connects2.com/Product/ProductItem/CTKFT13
 
Like s130 I have a perfectly functional Garmin with a Lifetime Maps guarantee and a human voice to warn me of speed cameras and not a dozen or so very annoying beeps. I like the rest of the uConnect unit I just can't see any justification in making us drive around with 3 year old maps. I might just put the Garmin in the corner of the screen and see how I get on. Much cheaper than changing the head unit.
 
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