VW car satnav has anyone had any problems ?

[Beachball]

I knew the route from home we always went up the A1 my wife auntie use to live in Newcastle upon Tyne and we been up to Morpeth some years ago So for a change i wanted to try the car satnav so i put in the postcode of the Morrison Morpeth in my car satnav fast route on the way here after 65 miles on the A1 it suddenly went very cloudy and then things started to go weird on my car satnav it kept saying take the next turn off all the way. but i ignored it
So i would appreciate any input on this matter.

 

[Jcloughie]

To be really technical, it sounds like it's knackered.

John

 

[otherclive]

Have you got it set to a specific mode such as fastest route, or shortest route. The latter can try and take you in a direction that you may not want to follow. Clearly you have your tried and tested routes but it may not be the one(s) that a satnav would take you. Going cloudy is a puzzle. Do you mean the screen appeared fogged?

 

[RogerL]

The "best" route going north/south past Newcastle can vary according to traffic conditions - the A1 Western By-Pass does get badly congested at times, satnavs which respond to traffic conditions, as my VW Touareg does, may well divert you onto the A19 and through the Tyne Tunnels - or even the A184 over the Tyne Bridges.

If the screen is cloudy, then the unit is faulty.

 

[Woodentop]

It would help to know what sort of or which sat nav/which vehicle, model and year, and if you have updated the maps?
On mine (Discover Media in a 2018 Passat Estate) if there are traffic holdups it puts a thickish red line alone the carriageway affected - could the OPs be failing to show a hold up ahead and is trying to get you off the main road?
Map updating is free, you download the maps from a specific VW site.

 

[Mel]

When did you last update the maps? There is a lower section of the A1 that is newer than our last map update( we don’t bother to update the car sat nav). When we are on that section the sat nav constantly tells us to take a turning and shows the car on a grey background ( but not cloudy.
Have to agree with others, cloudy sounds like faulty sat nav.
Mel

 

[RogerL]

It would help to know what sort of or which sat nav/which vehicle, model and year, and if you have updated the maps?
On mine (Discover Media in a 2018 Passat Estate) if there are traffic holdups it puts a thickish red line alone the carriageway affected - could the OPs be failing to show a hold up ahead and is trying to get you off the main road?
Map updating is free, you download the maps from a specific VW site.

Map updates aren't free for all VW models - they aren't for Touaregs up to 2018 !!!

 

[Beachball]

Have you got it set to a specific mode such as fastest route, or shortest route. The latter can try and take you in a direction that you may not want to follow. Clearly you have your tried and tested routes but it may not be the one(s) that a satnav would take you. Going cloudy is a puzzle. Do you mean the screen appeared fogged?

When we left yesterday 10.20 am it was set on the fastest route as we were travelling the weather outside change it went very dull and the car satnav went weird every turn on the A1 it wanted me go back , good job i knew the route we arrived at Morrison (Morpeth ) 12.50 apart from that i average 50 mpg .

 

[otherclive]

Could it be you had an unwitting “ waypoint” set up. But what about the clouding of the screen? I assume the screen isn’t just dedicated to the car’s satnav. So was it cloudy for other uses such as radio, phone etc.

 

[Beachball]

When did you last update the maps? There is a lower section of the A1 that is newer than our last map update( we don’t bother to update the car sat nav). When we are on that section the sat nav constantly tells us to take a turning and shows the car on a grey background ( but not cloudy.
Have to agree with others, cloudy sounds like faulty sat nav.
Mel

The car got new software early this year and the dealer said the maps were up to date .( Lucky i have my old Nuri 57LM Garmin as backup)

 

[Beachball]

Could it be you had an unwitting “ waypoint” set up. But what about the clouding of the screen? I assume the screen isn’t just dedicated to the car’s satnav. So was it cloudy for other uses such as radio, phone etc.

Hi Clive the screen on the car was not cloudy it was outside (it went really black and dull and then we had a rain shower ) Today my wife wanted to go shopping in Newcastle upon Tyne is about 24 miles from us ,So we gave the car satnav another try we tried the three routes came up we put the shortest route in and we got to our destination in 1hr .on the way back we will try the economical route that was 50 mins .
Did not want to try the fast route .once was enough from yesterday

 

[otherclive]

Hi Clive the screen on the car was not cloudy it was outside (it went really black and dull and then we had a rain shower ) Today my wife wanted to go shopping in Newcastle upon Tyne is about 24 miles from us ,So we gave the car satnav another try we tried the three routes came up we put the shortest route in and we got to our destination in 1hr .on the way back we will try the economical route that was 50 mins .
Did not want to try the fast route .once was enough from yesterday

Sounds as if it’s working okay. When was it last updated?

 

[Peanut]

Depending on your model and age of your car, it may have Android auto or Car play software built in, if it has you can use your phone as your sat nav, it just comes up on your dash screen, but this is standard on some newer cars as manufactures don't need put in extra navigation software, its just a simple "Piggy back" system.

 

[Beachball]

It would help to know what sort of or which sat nav/which vehicle, model and year, and if you have updated the maps?
On mine (Discover Media in a 2018 Passat Estate) if there are traffic holdups it puts a thickish red line alone the carriageway affected - could the OPs be failing to show a hold up ahead and is trying to get you off the main road?
Map updating is free, you download the maps from a specific VW site.

Hi my car is same year as yours the one thing i wanted to ask you does your map move when you are travelling for some reason my wife has to move it gets stuck

 

[Beachball]

To be really technical, it sounds like it's knackered.

John

Hi John i still think it got a fault but when we get home i am booking it in at my dealer and have it check .

 

[Beachball]

Sounds as if it’s working okay. When was it last updated?

Early this year it kept saying it need updating so i drop of at my VW dealer and they said it has been done .

 

[Jcloughie]

Hi John i still think it got a fault but when we get home i am booking it in at my dealer and have it check .

When I first replied I thought your original post said the screen had fogged up. Hence my knackered remark!

I don't know about VW SatNavs. But if it is anything like Volvo, in my opinion, they are poor. At least Volvo updates are now free, but they are few and far between, and no system for reminders.

As Peanut says, If your car allows for it, switch to Apple or Android for a better experience.

John

 

[Raywood]

I do wonder if it was affected by the weather but otherwise it sounds like a blip if it is working now. If it is just the fastest route that is a problem I would try that again on a route you know and see what happens.

 

[Sam Vimes]

This month there's supposed to be an alignment of True North, Magnetic North and Grid North. Maybe the satellites are repositioning so that they can tell which way their armpits or elbows are pointed.

Could also be a Scot's ploy for independence and the border is being moved south.

 

[Woodentop]

Hi my car is same year as yours the one thing i wanted to ask you does your map move when you are travelling for some reason my wife has to move it gets stuck

Simple mistake. Look at the direction ball in the top right corner of the map screen. If the icon below that is a bit like a vertical crossroads sign the map will not move. Touch the icon and it will change (can't for the life of me think what to) and the map will move by itself once more.

As you car is the same as mine, extract the SD card that does NOT have music on it (usually SD2 on the right) and it will have a VW label on it. Put it into your PC/laptop and copy the contents onto a memory stick of at least the same capacity as your VW card (it may be 16GB or 32GB). Before you remove the card go to the full settings menu, go to the last option and one item that is presented is the satnav version number info. Write down all of that info so you can compare it with the post-update result. The SD card will also show on the label the version of maps that you have - ISTR mine was 6 - it is now something like 14. You can buy up to date map cards from eBay for a reasonable price - at least half or more LESS than from a dealer. New maps are issued twice a year around Easter and Halloween. The card part number will be nxx919866 - something like 5NA919866 possible with a letter on the end. If you do buy from eBay make sure that the 919866 is present - the other characters don't mind. Skoda use a different version of the same unit as the DM but their maps are different so don't be tempted........

Download the map update (search discover media), follow the process through as instructed and write the new map file onto the original VW card. Note that it will NOT work if you write the file to a new SD card - I think there is some hidden hard code on the original which means only that type can be used.

 

[Woodentop]

This month there's supposed to be an alignment of True North, Magnetic North and Grid North. Maybe the satellites are repositioning so that they can tell which way their armpits or elbows are pointed.

Could also be a Scot's ploy for independence and the border is being moved south.

It was in alignment - on 1st November!

 

[RogerL]

It was in alignment - on 1st November!

The three-way alignment is only true at one point, which is moving north from Langton Matravers in Dorset to Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire over the next 4 years

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/newsroom/blog/magnetic-true-grid-north-align-over-great-britain

 

[Beachball]

Simple mistake. Look at the direction ball in the top right corner of the map screen. If the icon below that is a bit like a vertical crossroads sign the map will not move. Touch the icon and it will change (can't for the life of me think what to) and the map will move by itself once more.

As you car is the same as mine, extract the SD card that does NOT have music on it (usually SD2 on the right) and it will have a VW label on it. Put it into your PC/laptop and copy the contents onto a memory stick of at least the same capacity as your VW card (it may be 16GB or 32GB). Before you remove the card go to the full settings menu, go to the last option and one item that is presented is the satnav version number info. Write down all of that info so you can compare it with the post-update result. The SD card will also show on the label the version of maps that you have - ISTR mine was 6 - it is now something like 14. You can buy up to date map cards from eBay for a reasonable price - at least half or more LESS than from a dealer. New maps are issued twice a year around Easter and Halloween. The card part number will be nxx919866 - something like 5NA919866 possible with a letter on the end. If you do buy from eBay make sure that the 919866 is present - the other characters don't mind. Skoda use a different version of the same unit as the DM but their maps are different so don't be tempted........

Download the map update (search discover media), follow the process through as instructed and write the new map file onto the original VW card. Note that it will NOT work if you write the file to a new SD card - I think there is some hidden hard code on the original which means only that type can be used.

Thanks for the information i hope it sorts it

 

[Beachball]

Latest update we went to Seahouses and Alnwick yesterday we had a lovely day and the car satnav it was okay

 

[Dustydog]

Having burnt my fingers years ago following Sat Nav We always check the road atlas first , carry it in the car and use the sat nav as a secondary unit. Not sure if you can buy a VW caravan friendly update?