How bad is the BMW nav system --- or do I have a flawed copy of the software

My 2011 335xi's navigation system is really pathetic.

It frequently tries to take me to a correct address but
leaves me a mile or more from the actual location.

Twice it has changed the town I entered (via bluetooth).
I found the correct addresses in my address book, selected
them, the BMW screen showed the correct towns, but when I
selected "Start Guidance" the car changed the town --- once
to the next town, once to a town 15 miles from where I was going.

Is this typical, or should I ask them to reinstall the software?

Thanks,


--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.autos.bmw...)

wrote:
>
> My 2011 335xi's navigation system is really pathetic.
>
> It frequently tries to take me to a correct address but
> leaves me a mile or more from the actual location.
>
> Twice it has changed the town I entered (via bluetooth).
> I found the correct addresses in my address book, selected
> them, the BMW screen showed the correct towns, but when I
> selected "Start Guidance" the car changed the town --- once
> to the next town, once to a town 15 miles from where I was going.
>
> Is this typical, or should I ask them to reinstall the software?
>
> Thanks,
>
>
You have a problem with your software. My NAV is dead on.

Try an engineer's reset.

On earlier models the Nav used signals from the ABS sensors to work out the
car's position and it would get confused if there was a problem with the
connection.

Check whether you are using predictive text for data entry.

> wrote in message
...
>
>
> My 2011 335xi's navigation system is really pathetic.
>
> It frequently tries to take me to a correct address but
> leaves me a mile or more from the actual location.
>
> Twice it has changed the town I entered (via bluetooth).
> I found the correct addresses in my address book, selected
> them, the BMW screen showed the correct towns, but when I
> selected "Start Guidance" the car changed the town --- once
> to the next town, once to a town 15 miles from where I was going.
>
> Is this typical, or should I ask them to reinstall the software?
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> --
> Andrew Hall
> (Now reading Usenet in alt.autos.bmw...)

"R. Mark Clayton" > writes:

> Try an engineer's reset.
>
> On earlier models the Nav used signals from the ABS sensors to work out the
> car's position and it would get confused if there was a problem with the
> connection.
>

The car shows the correct position, but it has the wrong numbers
for some streets.

> Check whether you are using predictive text for data entry.

The problem with the wrong towns was for data entered via the
address book on my bluetooth phone. Initially, when finding
the desired address in the list the town is correct, only after
doing the final "start guidance" does the system change the town
on me.

Can I do an engineer's reset?

I think I need to have the whole software system reinstalled.

Thanks.


--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.autos.bmw...)

Earl > writes:

> wrote:
>>
>> My 2011 335xi's navigation system is really pathetic.
>>
>> It frequently tries to take me to a correct address but
>> leaves me a mile or more from the actual location.
>>
>> Twice it has changed the town I entered (via bluetooth).
>> I found the correct addresses in my address book, selected
>> them, the BMW screen showed the correct towns, but when I
>> selected "Start Guidance" the car changed the town --- once
>> to the next town, once to a town 15 miles from where I was going.
>>
>> Is this typical, or should I ask them to reinstall the software?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>>
> You have a problem with your software. My NAV is dead on.

Good to hear.

Thanks,


--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.autos.bmw...)

> wrote in message
...
> "R. Mark Clayton" > writes:
>
>> Try an engineer's reset.
>>
>> On earlier models the Nav used signals from the ABS sensors to work out
>> the
>> car's position and it would get confused if there was a problem with the
>> connection.
>>
>
> The car shows the correct position, but it has the wrong numbers
> for some streets.

Wrong numbers - you mean house address? These can be out a bit, especially
where there are shops and the numbers are not shown.

>
>> Check whether you are using predictive text for data entry.
>
> The problem with the wrong towns was for data entered via the
> address book on my bluetooth phone. Initially, when finding
> the desired address in the list the town is correct, only after
> doing the final "start guidance" does the system change the town
> on me.

If I enter Manchester, Wilmslow Road 700, then once I select it it changes
the town to "M. Didsbury". This is not an error, but reflects that this
address is in Didsbury and that Wilmslow Road runs through several
localities (including some not in Manchester) in its several mile length.

>
> Can I do an engineer's reset?

This is techie speak for remove its fuse, wait several seconds and re-insert
it. This will re-initialise the software and also force a [cold] first fix
on GPS, which takes 30 minutes or so. Subsequently it will do warm fixes
based on the known time and the fact the car rarely moves with the ingnition
swictched off (but expect a wait after an overnight ferry trip).

Phones are quicker because they use the location of the nearest mast to get
an approximate location first.

>
> I think I need to have the whole software system reinstalled.

Unlikely, as it would probably crash if the program were corrupted.

You could buy a more up to date data disk.

>
> Thanks.
>
>
> --
> Andrew Hall
> (Now reading Usenet in alt.autos.bmw...)

"R. Mark Clayton" > wrote:

>This is techie speak for remove its fuse, wait several seconds and re-insert
>it. This will re-initialise the software and also force a [cold] first fix
>on GPS, which takes 30 minutes or so. Subsequently it will do warm fixes
>based on the known time and the fact the car rarely moves with the ingnition
>swictched off (but expect a wait after an overnight ferry trip).
>
>Phones are quicker because they use the location of the nearest mast to get
>an approximate location first.

Hmmm... There's no reason, other than a very poor-performing antenna,
for a GPS fix to take 30 minutes. About 1 minute should suffice.

My company makes products that have GPS receivers in them, and
typically they will pick up 7 or more satellites in the first couple
minutes. (Only 3 are needed.)

"dizzy" > wrote in message
...
> "R. Mark Clayton" > wrote:
>
>>This is techie speak for remove its fuse, wait several seconds and
>>re-insert
>>it. This will re-initialise the software and also force a [cold] first
>>fix
>>on GPS, which takes 30 minutes or so. Subsequently it will do warm fixes
>>based on the known time and the fact the car rarely moves with the
>>ingnition
>>swictched off (but expect a wait after an overnight ferry trip).
>>
>>Phones are quicker because they use the location of the nearest mast to
>>get
>>an approximate location first.
>
> Hmmm... There's no reason, other than a very poor-performing antenna,
> for a GPS fix to take 30 minutes. About 1 minute should suffice.

GPS antennas in phones are not ideal, but normally adequate to get 8
satellites in a reasonable location.
>
> My company makes products that have GPS receivers in them, and
> typically they will pick up 7 or more satellites in the first couple
> minutes. (Only 3 are needed.)
>

Three suffice if you are on the surface (typically) of the sea, four
otherwise for a full fix of x, y, z and t.

A first fix from cold (not knowing the approximate location or time) can
take up to 30 minutes.

I had a work Blackberry, which seemed not to remember where it was or use
the fairly accurate time. It could take up to ~30 minutes to get a fix, but
then would be OK as long as the nav was on.

"R. Mark Clayton" > writes:

> > wrote in message
> ...
>> "R. Mark Clayton" > writes:
>>
>>> Try an engineer's reset.
>>>
>>> On earlier models the Nav used signals from the ABS sensors to work out
>>> the
>>> car's position and it would get confused if there was a problem with the
>>> connection.
>>>
>>
>> The car shows the correct position, but it has the wrong numbers
>> for some streets.
>
> Wrong numbers - you mean house address? These can be out a bit, especially
> where there are shops and the numbers are not shown.
>

I mean it gets me to the correct street, but thinks I am at the correct
number when I am actually a full mile away. (That was the worst case,
but it is been 1/2 mile off a few times).

>>
>>> Check whether you are using predictive text for data entry.
>>
>> The problem with the wrong towns was for data entered via the
>> address book on my bluetooth phone. Initially, when finding
>> the desired address in the list the town is correct, only after
>> doing the final "start guidance" does the system change the town
>> on me.
>
> If I enter Manchester, Wilmslow Road 700, then once I select it it changes
> the town to "M. Didsbury". This is not an error, but reflects that this
> address is in Didsbury and that Wilmslow Road runs through several
> localities (including some not in Manchester) in its several mile length.
>

No, this is not that sort of case. Once it tried to take me to a town
a full 15 miles away from the actual town, with several other towns
inbetween.

>>
>> Can I do an engineer's reset?
>
> This is techie speak for remove its fuse, wait several seconds and re-insert
> it. This will re-initialise the software and also force a [cold] first fix
> on GPS, which takes 30 minutes or so. Subsequently it will do warm fixes
> based on the known time and the fact the car rarely moves with the ingnition
> swictched off (but expect a wait after an overnight ferry trip).


Sounds like something to try.

But the GPS is not inaccurate, the navigation is. The screen does show
my correct location, but the software often takes me to the wrong place.

> Phones are quicker because they use the location of the nearest mast to get
> an approximate location first.
>
>>
>> I think I need to have the whole software system reinstalled.
>
> Unlikely, as it would probably crash if the program were corrupted.
>
> You could buy a more up to date data disk.
>
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Andrew Hall
>> (Now reading Usenet in alt.autos.bmw...)


--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.autos.bmw...)

In America you need shorter roads or name changes along the urban routes, a
la UK... (he adds unhelpfully...)...

:-)
DAS
--
To reply directly replace 'nospam' with 'schmetterling'
---
> wrote in message
...
[...]
>
> I mean it gets me to the correct street, but thinks I am at the correct
> number when I am actually a full mile away. (That was the worst case,
> but it is been 1/2 mile off a few times).
[...]