Navigation system (uconnect?)

[Stacey Power]

So I just had to take a trip half way across the country and back, 3000+ miles. I was relying on the navigation system in my truck to get me to places I needed to go. This is what I observed......

Most of the speed limits were wrong! Truck system said speed limit was 75, road signs said 80.
Going through some cities it would tell me to take some weird freaking route off the freeway I was on and I knew I needed to stay on the freeway! Then it would give me directions to an address I put in and get me to a spot and say you have arrived and there was nothing there. WTF!!
I ended up having to use google maps on my phone which has never done any of the above issues.

I checked my system and it says my software is up to date.

Is there anything I can do to get it to work better? Or am I stuck using Android Auto and burning data?

 

[bhonshell37]

Has your navigation been calibrated recently?

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[stimpy433]

They only do map updates every 2 or 3 years if I remember correctly. Calibrating it, won’t change the wrong speed limit problem.

 

[Stacey Power]

how do you calibrate it? But I agree, don't think it will fix all the issues.

 

[bhonshell37]

how do you calibrate it? But I agree, don't think it will fix all the issues.

In an open area, drive your Ram in a counter clockwise direction. Under five miles per hour for five to eight circles

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[Jerseybob175]

2017 crew cab, Laramie, hemi.
We had the same issue last year driving cross country. An update assured us that it was correct. Last week the mapping told us to go strait. Tough to do at a "T" intersection with no paved road ahead. Let me know if you find a work around. Thanks to all for the great forum posts.

 

[RamCares]

So I just had to take a trip half way across the country and back, 3000+ miles. I was relying on the navigation system in my truck to get me to places I needed to go. This is what I observed......

Most of the speed limits were wrong! Truck system said speed limit was 75, road signs said 80.
Going through some cities it would tell me to take some weird freaking route off the freeway I was on and I knew I needed to stay on the freeway! Then it would give me directions to an address I put in and get me to a spot and say you have arrived and there was nothing there. WTF!!
I ended up having to use google maps on my phone which has never done any of the above issues.

I checked my system and it says my software is up to date.

Is there anything I can do to get it to work better? Or am I stuck using Android Auto and burning data?

Hi, I'm sorry to hear this. Please let me know if you plan on visiting a dealership for this concern. I would be happy to open a case for you.

Alison
RamCares

 

[Stacey Power]

Hi, I'm sorry to hear this. Please let me know if you plan on visiting a dealership for this concern. I would be happy to open a case for you.

Alison
RamCares

What can the dealer do for this issue if there are no updates available?

 

[Tach_tech]

What can the dealer do for this issue if there are no updates available?

Dealer won’t be able to do anything to help. If there are no updates then you basically have to wait for an update and hope your issues are fixed. As others said, map updates aren’t done on a regular basis, also they are not cheap.

As for the calibration, that’s only to calibrate the compass, will have nothing to do with your issues.

 

[mtnrider]

What can the dealer do for this issue if there are no updates available?

Exactly! It's getting ridiculous the "Ram Cares" people commenting in this forum. 99% of the time they have no clue what they are taking about. And the "take it to the dealer" is going to go nowhere and/or cost you money.

With that said, there is no replacement for using your phone for Nav. Built in system are always at least a year behind (usually more like 2 or 3). They simply take longer to put together and release updates (which you have to pay for)

.

 

[SitKneelBend]

What can the dealer do for this issue if there are no updates available?

What year is your truck? You can upgrade to an Android Auto/Apple CarPlay radio which can use all of the popular (up to date for free) navigation apps. Then turn around and sell your old radio to offset the cost. I got lucky and found my radio for $300 in perfect condition.

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[kurek]

I appreciate that Ram has representatives here, I could say some really mean things about FCA (and often do) but I think it's a step in the right direction that they're paying attention and trying to offer people help so I'm not going to be negative about the Ram Cares presence here.

Regarding the navigation, I bought that on a previous Jeep (2015) and it was pretty underwhelming to put it as kindly as I possibly can. It got updated by the dealer before I took possession of it, so as of that time it had the latest version and it was buggy, tried to send me to Quebec when I was trying to navigate around Portland, made me spend endless time talking to support who were as confused as I was... the nav system completely refused to accept that Klamath Falls exists which is a shame considering how amazing the veg pizza is at Rodeo's. Voice control refused to recognize that there are roads called Cactus and wanted to send me to Kansas... I'd rather rely on reading tea leaves or goat bones than Uconnect nav.

When I ditched that vehicle for the Ram I have now, I just got the base model audio and installed a standalone Garmin nav unit with a dashcam. Lifetime maps and traffic, doesn't use my phone data, connects wirelessly to a reversing camera installed in the factory location, works on voice command, works in Canada and Mexico and all the places where there's no cell service, never need to worry about it draining my phone battery or plugging it in or turning it on because it just turns on and off with the truck - and easy to replace if for some reason it stops being useful to me. The speed limit info on it seems to be correct 100% of the time too, I can't remember ever being frustrated by it. Best nav investment ever if you ask me.

 

[indept]

Sometimes it's the settings. I put in a destination. I checked the route and knowing that I needed to head west over a toll bridge then about 20 miles south, was surprised that it had me go 50 miles north, then west over a non toll bridge and then 70 miles south. I checked preferences and it had defaulted to "Avoid Toll Roads". So rather than go 5 miles west, pay a $5 bridge toll then 20 miles south it had me going about 100 miles out of my way to avoid a $5 toll. Once I unchecked the avoid tolls, it gave me the shorter route.

It reminded me of my mother in law, driving 20 some miles round trip to walmart to save 5 cents a gallon on gas.

 

[Big Terry]

Guys, I'm a truck driver, and use 4 modes of navigation all the time. I have a rand mcnally atlas- that let's me plot my main route. Then I have my garmin truck gps- it does a pretty good job routing me along that route, and avoiding low overpasses, bridges that have weight limits, no truck routes, and the like. Then I have Google maps and satellite view- this I use for final mile stuff. Let's me get a bird's-eye view of the area, helps me see what driveway I need to use to get into a facility, should I approach from the left or right for ease of entry, etc. Lastly, I use the phone- no better way to get in or out of somewhere than to talk to a local.

People, you can't rely on any single navigation source. You only get what they believed to be accurate when they published it. Speed limits, routes, all of it is subject to change literally on a whim. Do your due diligence when route planning, and even when you think you've done the best you can, always be prepared to make last minute changes.

It wasn't all that long ago when our only options to help navigate were those foldable gas station maps and pay phones [emoji16]

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[Jrod]

I haven’t used my nav ever since someone turned me on to WAZE.

 

[tanktop]

Just use Apple car play or android auto and use google maps. You can download maps for areas that do not have data covers and the GPS in your phone will still work.

In vehicle nav is usually 2 years out of date whereas google maps is updated daily.


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[genosguy]

So I just had to take a trip half way across the country and back, 3000+ miles. I was relying on the navigation system in my truck to get me to places I needed to go. This is what I observed......

Most of the speed limits were wrong! Truck system said speed limit was 75, road signs said 80.
Going through some cities it would tell me to take some weird freaking route off the freeway I was on and I knew I needed to stay on the freeway! Then it would give me directions to an address I put in and get me to a spot and say you have arrived and there was nothing there. WTF!!
I ended up having to use google maps on my phone which has never done any of the above issues.

I checked my system and it says my software is up to date.

Is there anything I can do to get it to work better? Or am I stuck using Android Auto and burning data?

you probably know this----You can select all highways or you can select the shortest or the quickest----if you haven't checked lately your system may be ons shortest and that may take you on back roads or even dirt roads---check it out, it may be your problem.
Mine hasn't been updated in 3 years ---I get many roads 5 miles slower than the road signs say--I like it. I've paid way too many tickets in Virginia---these cops forgot they can give WARNING and always give tickets. I never got a ticket until I moved to Virginia..

 

[denfireguy]

As mentioned already, make sure your settings are correct. As for speed limits, many states have increased theres in the past few years. South Dakota and Montana are two of them.
Warning about Google Maps and Waze (both owned by Alphabet BTW) they only work when you have cell phone coverage. For 90% of the US, this is okay. But in my state (Colorado) and Montana, coverage is not close to 90%. In Google maps you can plot your trip and save it to your phone so if there is no cell tower it will still work.
In my case after a lack of cell phone coverage in Montana and nearly running out of gas with no exact idea of where I was, I bought a used 8.4AN RA4 that had navigation built in and turned on and also had HD radio that I also wanted. I have had no regrets about my purchase. In fast growing Colorado, the navigation does get surprised by new roads or new routings of old roads but is very reliable.
Craig

 

[tanktop]

As mentioned already, make sure your settings are correct. As for speed limits, many states have increased theres in the past few years. South Dakota and Montana are two of them.
Warning about Google Maps and Waze (both owned by Alphabet BTW) they only work when you have cell phone coverage. For 90% of the US, this is okay. But in my state (Colorado) and Montana, coverage is not close to 90%. In Google maps you can plot your trip and save it to your phone so if there is no cell tower it will still work.
In my case after a lack of cell phone coverage in Montana and nearly running out of gas with no exact idea of where I was, I bought a used 8.4AN RA4 that had navigation built in and turned on and also had HD radio that I also wanted. I have had no regrets about my purchase. In fast growing Colorado, the navigation does get surprised by new roads or new routings of old roads but is very reliable.
Craig

As I already said you can download offline maps in Google Maps. I used it all the time deep in the Colorado mountains.


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[Atcer2018]

I have 2 vehicles with factory navigation, one Ford and one Hyundai, neither can compare to maps using CarPlay in my 2018 Ram. Always up to date, voice guidance and customizable. Just the cost of a factory map update will buy a lot of cellular data.