Navigation Map A5

[LEM]

I think Ford should provide free maps updates at least for one year after you bought the car.

What happens if I buy a new car and one month later A5 comes out? I don't think it's fair. You bought a brand new car

with already outdated maps.

[jeff_h]

I think Ford should provide free maps updates at least for one year after you bought the car.

What happens if I buy a new car and one month later A5 comes out? I don't think it's fair. You bought a brand new car

with already outdated maps.

 

Or set up a server where owners can download map updates as they do with Sync, and as I also do with my Garmin to update via my PC. Probably some technical and bandwidth issues involved, but you're right that Joe Blow spends $35k on a car with limited capability for paid updates and NO capability for free updates - but the Garmin Nuvi that I bought for $149 a couple years ago allows me to update to current map data for free.

[Easy Rider]

I think Ford should provide free maps updates at least for one year after you bought the car.

What happens if I buy a new car and one month later A5 comes out? I don't think it's fair. You bought a brand new car

with already outdated maps.

 

Exactly what happened to me. Well, it was TWO months but still.

And to make matters worse, my salesman told me that updates were free.

 

I never would have asked for built-in NAV but more or less had to get it for some other stuff that I did want.

 

I think it's a big ripoff. BIG.

 

And consider this:

Sometime after your warranty expires, the display screen goes bad.

You lose: Entertainment system control, climate control control, GPS nav functionality, control of Bluetooth features and devices and ability to change "system" features. And I'm just guessing but the screen probably is not available as a piece part so you have to replace the whole Sync Touch in-dash unit.......at a cost of ???? maybe $2000 ???

 

And one of these days when I'm at the dealership, I'm going to ask about a replacement for that little plastic piece at the back of the driver's door handle that hides the keyhole. I'll give REALLY good odds against that being available by itself too.

 

P.S. That rant isn't aimed just at Ford though. ALL of the auto makers are screwing us in the same manner and there isn't much we can do about it.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Easy Rider

[Waldo]

 

And one of these days when I'm at the dealership, I'm going to ask about a replacement for that little plastic piece at the back of the driver's door handle that hides the keyhole. I'll give REALLY good odds against that being available by itself too.

 

 

I'll take those odds. Actually it's $32, though you have to have it painted.

And the screens are just a screen, nothing wrong with just replacing it by itself. Plenty of parts available on ebay in the $300-400 range.

 

And why do people always assume the screen is going to fail? Just because it's the part you see and touch doesn't make it any more or less likely to fail than any other electronic component in the vehicle.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Waldo

[hybridbear]

I never would have asked for built-in NAV but more or less had to get it for some other stuff that I did want.

What options did you want that were tied in to Navigation? I was under the impression that the Navigation System was a stand-alone option and that no other options require you to purchase Navigation to get them. This is in stark contrast to many other automakers who bundle Navigation into a package. And is in contrast to other Ford cars like the C-Max where Navigation is bundled in a package.

[Easy Rider]

 

Plenty of parts available on ebay in the $300-400 range.

 

And why do people always assume the screen is going to fail?

 

And how many owners do you think would be able to change the screen themselves.......or be able to find an independent electronics shop to do it for them ??

 

It was just an example.

We still don't know what Ford's "standard" fix would be for a failed screen.

I'm pretty sure that out of the thousands of cars that they make, a few have failed along the way........maybe hit by a beer bottle. :)

[Easy Rider]

Deleted.

Do over.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Easy Rider

[Easy Rider]

What options did you want that were tied in to Navigation?

 

Sorry worded poorly.

 

I wanted a car "off the lot" with pretty much everything but NAV.

Nobody had one without NAV.

 

It kind of frosts me that it doesn't have electrically adjustable steering wheel positioning though.

I expect that on an "upscale" loaded model.

 

 

 

[Bryan Burch]

I think Ford should provide free maps updates at least for one year after you bought the car.

What happens if I buy a new car and one month later A5 comes out? I don't think it's fair. You bought a brand new car

with already outdated maps.

I second this. Purchased late Feb.

[hermans]

I just returned for a trip to Nuagra Falls, Ont. and then on to West of Cleveland and return to the Philly area. I purchased at A5 card and put it in the MKZh. The only trouble was on 420 from Nigra Falls to the US border. The navigation, for about 5 miles, wanted me to turn right and left onto nonexistent streets. After 5 miles it straightened up and there were no issues the rest of the trip.

 

Gas mileage was great, when you factor in the PA and NY mountains I got 44.7 for the trip. That's 3 tenths under the EPA estimate. That's the best mileage I've ever gotten in this car. The AC was used for a total of 300 miles; didn't need it the rest of the trip.

Edited June 4, 2014 by hermans

[GrySql]

Since I had the Dashboard and entire center Console removed for the HVAC replacement I didn't check everything before I left the Dealer and two items will need fixing soon.

Tonight my wife asked why the little " i " (info) icon on the MFT next to the Home icon was yellow.

Yellow! Yellow is bad, always bad.

 

When we parked, with motor running, I pushed the yellow Info button and a window opened stating that "The Navigation SD Card has a fault"

Well, remember a few months ago when some of us bought new Sync A5 Nav cards from Ebay? I thought that the A5 card had failed.

 

I opened the Console lid and happily noticed the SD Nav card was not fully inserted, so I pushed it all the way in.

After restarting the car the Yellow icon was normal again - happy days!

[md13ffhguy]

I had the same thing occur recently after I dropped my keys into the center console. Seems a key poked the card just enough for it to pop out. Had me bummed out for a few minutes, until I realized the easy fix...

[acdii]

Mine did that too the other day, though it was fully seated. I popped it out and back in and its fine now.

[SteveB_TX]

I just checked the "official" Ford and Lincoln navigation map sites for this update. It still shows our cars as being up-to-date with the A4 card. What a useless site that is! :zombi:

[ethermion]

As I noted above, I bought an A5 card so I could have the latest updates on map data.

 

I checked a specific road on the map today and was disappointed.

 

In northern VA, the Fairfax County Parkway changed from VA Rt 7100 to VA Rt 286 in August 2012 -- looked on the map today with the A5 card in there, still shows it as Rt 7100 despite the numbering being changed almost 2 years ago.

That is contrary to my experience. Our ffh is the wife's car, so my data is limited and late, but north of 123, the parkway is 286 all the way up to the Dulles toll road. A5 card from eBay, and zero issues. Happy with our nav purchase, and happy with the map upgrade.

[jeff_h]

That is contrary to my experience. Our ffh is the wife's car, so my data is limited and late, but north of 123, the parkway is 286 all the way up to the Dulles toll road. A5 card from eBay, and zero issues. Happy with our nav purchase, and happy with the map upgrade.

 

Interesting - mine still shows Route 7100 and 7900 for the two roads on my drive that were renumbered. Will have to get a pic.

[larrylwill]

I snagged a A5 card on ebay for $55 they have 2 left 12 sold and 100% and 655 sales feedback. They advertise $60 or best offer. I offered $55 and it was accepted right away. You might try $50. Its packaged so I think its legit.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161483449754

Edited November 15, 2014 by larrylwill

[Howie411]

Picked up 2 A5 SD cards on Ebay this weekend for $55 each (they haven't arrived yet) but the seller had a 100% rating and it said they were factory OEM ones. I really didn't even want to pay that much for something that should be free, but if I'm going to, I will definitely give my money to someone other then Ford and it sure as heck won't be $150 a map disc.

[ethermion]

That is contrary to my experience. Our ffh is the wife's car, so my data is limited and late, but north of 123, the parkway is 286 all the way up to the Dulles toll road. A5 card from eBay, and zero issues. Happy with our nav purchase, and happy with the map upgrade.

Old thread, but I have new data. Lovely wife's car, so I have limited opportunities to fuss withe the nav.

 

Heading west on Braddock road at the intersection with the parkway. Was 7100, is now for a few years 286. Looked at the map, saw 7100, which then scrolled off. Looked back, it said 286. Fiddling with zoom, it said 286 on the north side, 7100 on the south. Zoom out, it swaps. Strange.

 

So, to jeff_h, it may be that we are both correct. And I will start surfing ebay for an affordable A6 card to show up.

[Easy Rider]

I hope I will have some time next month to contact the map makers for a couple of serious discussions.

This thing has a couple (at least) of VERY annoying "habits:

1) Going through Atlanta either north or south on I75/I85, it tells you all the way through town to "keep right" and that is exactly wrong. There are no exits on the left and the proper place for through traffic to be is on the LEFT. Even the lane guidance insert that comes up is wrong.

 

2) It treats some toll booths like a "navigation decision" point, telling you to "keep left" when there really is no choice, routing wise and the left lanes are the ones for express transponders. This mistake could get you into trouble.......if you are a bit dense.

 

3) There are some (many?) roads that have been upgraded to 4 lanes recently (some look like maybe 10 years ago) and the thing thinks that every new "left turn lane to nowhere" is a routing decision point and is constantly telling you to "stay on the current road" or some such nonsense. THAT gets annoying REAL quickly when they come 4 times a mile for about 5 miles or more.

 

We have a rep. here from Ford mechanical and an electronic rep. or two but neither can help with nav. problem it seems.

It sure would be nice if one of those forum monitors could work on getting us someone from the Nav company to look in once in a while.