Navigation tips anyone? (3.5.1)

[GreenChicago]

I am having a really tough time using navigation to set destinations. There seem to be several issues, which I will try to illustrate below:

 

1. Changing states.  When I set a new destination for a different state, unless I know the zipcode of that destination, I am unable to change the state I'm in (<--lol) This renders nav completely useless. How do I override this?

 

2. N, S, E, W street names. I am having difficulty getting nav to ask me which street: "West 4th street" or "east 4th street" when I type "4th street." Also renders nav useless.

 

3. Picking house numbers. When I try to set a destination, I am first setting city, then street, then street number. But when I do this and reach the house number, the number pad is dimmed out and unavailable, leaving me only with alphabet options for house numbers! Also, useless nav!

 

4. Voice activated nav. 100% fail. I have never, ever gotten this to work! I mean, what's the point of using MFT nav if it takes 20 minutes in the garage to set a new destination? I almost exclusively rely on Google maps through my iphone 4s speaker at this point.

 

5. Selecting the best route. Before I "upgraded" to 3.5.1, I would be presented with several route options and asked to select the one I want. Now after 3.5.1, I never get to select, and the default also often puts me right in the middle of traffic jams or construction! Does nav even take traffic into consideration?

 

The only time nav works is if I select a previous destination. What the heck am I doing wrong here?

[zhackwyatt]

I am having a really tough time using navigation to set destinations. There seem to be several issues, which I will try to illustrate below:

 

1. Changing states.  When I set a new destination for a different state, unless I know the zipcode of that destination, I am unable to change the state I'm in (<--lol) This renders nav completely useless. How do I override this?

 

2. N, S, E, W street names. I am having difficulty getting nav to ask me which street: "West 4th street" or "east 4th street" when I type "4th street." Also renders nav useless.

 

3. Picking house numbers. When I try to set a destination, I am first setting city, then street, then street number. But when I do this and reach the house number, the number pad is dimmed out and unavailable, leaving me only with alphabet options for house numbers! Also, useless nav!

 

4. Voice activated nav. 100% fail. I have never, ever gotten this to work! I mean, what's the point of using MFT nav if it takes 20 minutes in the garage to set a new destination? I almost exclusively rely on Google maps through my iphone 4s speaker at this point.

 

5. Selecting the best route. Before I "upgraded" to 3.5.1, I would be presented with several route options and asked to select the one I want. Now after 3.5.1, I never get to select, and the default also often puts me right in the middle of traffic jams or construction! Does nav even take traffic into consideration?

 

The only time nav works is if I select a previous destination. What the heck am I doing wrong here?

This is really hard for me to answer because I"m not sitting in my car.

 

1) There is an option in the settings somewhere to pre-fill in your current state.  Turn that off.

 

2) In the Phoenix area it always prompts me.  When you type in 4th street, there should be a little button with > and a number next to the text box.  If you press that it doesn't give you the options?

 

3) I've seen weird quirks like that b4 3.5.1.  I haven't used Nav enough since to see if that has solved the problem.  Have you tried switching between the keyboard options?

 

4) How so?  What are you saying to it?  Where does it fail at?

 

5) I'm not sure if it takes traffic into consideration, but remember you have to have an active Sirius subscription w/ the traffic option for it to work.  There may be an option to always select one route instead of showing, shortest, fastest, and eco, but I can't remember.

 

I hope this helps some.

[JAZ]

Since figuring out how it works I've had no issues inputting addresses.  Tapping the State/Prov. tab allows me to set the 2-letter State.  Each section must be done in the proper sequence, i.e., State, then City, then Street, then Address.   At each stage a selectable number at the right of the current tab shows the possible choices with the inputted numbers/letters and the keyboard will only show active characters that are possible for what has already been selected.  For example: if there is no street name beginning with the letter 'Z' in Possum Trot, Tennessee, then that letter will not be available on the Street tab keyboard

[Jus-A-CMax]

4. Voice activated nav. 100% fail. I have never, ever gotten this to work! I mean, what's the point of using MFT nav if it takes 20 minutes in the garage to set a new destination? I almost exclusively rely on Google maps through my iphone 4s speaker at this point.

 

Have you tried:

<press right paddle on steering wheel>

Say to the microphone located on top right: Destination Street Address

 

After the acknowledgement from the MFT (ring noise), then speak the address like normal:

9999 Main Street, Glendale

 

doesn't work? :headscratch:

 

I don't use the touchscreen keyboard anymore unless its something MFT doesn't recognize in my accent and what have u.

Edited June 28, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax

[ScubaDadMiami]

I also only use voice for NAV.  I had a friend riding with me that had a significant Spanish accent, and when she tried to state the address, that is about the only time I have seen a mistake by NAV.  Sure, I have had some hiccups where it picks a wrong address, but that quickly gets corrected with voice prompts, too.

Edited June 30, 2013 by ScubaDadMiami

[salsaguy]

2) i don't have a c-max but i assume most navs work the same way.

the name of the street in your example is **4th**. the east and west part are just modifiers since the street goes a long ways in 2 directions and at the middle it changes from east to west. so always put in the street name part NOT the N,S,E,W part. just ignore that.on my nav once i get to the end it will ask me if i wanted the East or West side of that street (if there are 2 addresses that match yours but at opposite ends of town. i know many folks get this confused.

 

3) make sure you have updated maps or make sure the street is not new.hard to believe but it can take up to 3-4 YEARS for a new street to be added to the map makers databases and then make their way to the OEM or aftermarket GPS/nav makers discs for purchase/download for their customers. Also make sure your entry doesn't have any errors. do other addresses work ok or is it only one? check on navteq site that it exists since they are the ones who make the nav maps report any errors or missing roads/streets/pois to the so they are added on the next version. (remember that oem maps for cars are usually updated once a year but top of dash units like Garmin come out with updates each quarter.) sucks that the oem units cost 10 times what the Garmin units do and they are usually slower and less capable than the stock oembuilt in one's but that is life.

 

4) perhaps check out the forums over at the synch site for tips. read the list of possible commands. make a cheat sheet for the menu sequence it wants/needs to be told what to do, as others here have done. do you have a thick accent? no offense but it might not be able to recognize your inflections in your voice that make you unique and special. :)

 

5) did your free subscription to sirius run out? if it doesn't have traffic data it doesn't know not to take you around it. Also make sure you have checked the nav settings since theyprob went back to default settings which may be to not avoid traffic.or make sure you don't have a check box checked (or unchecked) that would be important like something named avoidances or avoid highways. my car can either choice all 3 route option or just the one (fastest) but you have to check a box on our off to decide which to use since not everyone wants to pick from 3 each and everytime.

 

report back with what you find out . good luck. I'm sure it's something simple.

 

I am having a really tough time using navigation to set destinations. There seem to be several issues, which I will try to illustrate below:

 

 

2. N, S, E, W street names. I am having difficulty getting nav to ask me which street: "West 4th street" or "east 4th street" when I type "4th street." Also renders nav useless.

 

3. Picking house numbers. When I try to set a destination, I am first setting city, then street, then street number. But when I do this and reach the house number, the number pad is dimmed out and unavailable, leaving me only with alphabet options for house numbers! Also, useless nav!

 

4. Voice activated nav. 100% fail. I have never, ever gotten this to work! I mean, what's the point of using MFT nav if it takes 20 minutes in the garage to set a new destination? I almost exclusively rely on Google maps through my iphone 4s speaker at this point.

 

5. Selecting the best route. Before I "upgraded" to 3.5.1, I would be presented with several route options and asked to select the one I want. Now after 3.5.1, I never get to select, and the default also often puts me right in the middle of traffic jams or construction! Does nav even take traffic into consideration?

 

The only time nav works is if I select a previous destination. What the heck am I doing wrong here?

[Edsel]

Anyone know how to mute the directions voice? There was an X before, now I have no idea how to mute.

[RachelnLa]

It's in settings in the nav. I know that's not much help but I am not near the car and cannot look. I did try voice activation to mute but didn't work. Once thd settings come up its in the right-sided column, second down. I think. Argh.

[fotomoto]

Try using map quest.com for problematic directions and have them sent to your CMax.  Use the send button on the upper right portion of the map on the mapquest page, select "car", then "sync", then enter the cell phone number assigned to your sync account.

 

Also I've had real good luck with using the live operators on the sirius travel link.  They will download the directions to the NAV unit and this is MUCH quicker and safer in heavy traffic or unknown locales.  Use the voice command paddle and say "services".

[fotomoto]

Anyone know how to mute the directions voice? There was an X before, now I have no idea how to mute.

 

It's in the setting menu but you can just turn her down while she speaks and it won't affect your entertainment volume.

[HannahWCU]

It's in the setting menu but you can just turn her down while she speaks and it won't affect your entertainment volume.

On the Nav screen, press the "menu" button in the upper tight. There you will find the option "Guidance Mute".

[GreenChicago]

This is really hard for me to answer because I"m not sitting in my car.

 

1) There is an option in the settings somewhere to pre-fill in your current state.  Turn that off.

 

2) In the Phoenix area it always prompts me.  When you type in 4th street, there should be a little button with > and a number next to the text box.  If you press that it doesn't give you the options?

 

3) I've seen weird quirks like that b4 3.5.1.  I haven't used Nav enough since to see if that has solved the problem.  Have you tried switching between the keyboard options?

 

4) How so?  What are you saying to it?  Where does it fail at?

 

5) I'm not sure if it takes traffic into consideration, but remember you have to have an active Sirius subscription w/ the traffic option for it to work.  There may be an option to always select one route instead of showing, shortest, fastest, and eco, but I can't remember.

 

I hope this helps some.

Thanks, all-- some of this helped, like turning off the autofill state in options (which I hadn't discovered until just now!) But voice lady still doesn't seem to accept any verbal destinations. I don't think I have an accent and I've tried using the "ten fifty five" as well as "one thousand fifty five" for house number, as I read elsewhere on this forum but still no dice with the verbal instruction. Honestly my nav was far more reliable before 3.5.1, and would function more as some of you who responded to this thread indicated.

 

I discovered that I don't have a traffic subscription through Sirius, so that explains why this isn't taken into account when providing route guidance.

 

I will definitely try sending google directions to my phone-- that's a really nifty work around! And I know that google knows where the traffic jams and construction sites are (pretty much everywhere here in the summer!) Thanks for the great suggestions from this forum! Will post any progress as I make it in hopes that others can benefit.

[ScubaDadMiami]

I believe that you should say "one-zero-five-five," not "ten-55."

[Laurel]

GreenChicago maybe you are speaking too slowly and enunciating too much.  I find you really have to speak at a normal --almost quick--rate giving address numbers.  I just assumed she would want it slow enough to register, but we have found you have to do it somewhat quickly.  We always say the numbers in sequence i.e. 1,0,0,0 instead of one thousand for a house number,or street number.

[Edsel]

I used the NAV a bit this weekend and said four-zero-one and was surprised when she read it back to me as four-oh-one.  Maybe that’s new?  Never heard that before the update.

[zhackwyatt]

Try using map quest.com for problematic directions and have them sent to your CMax.  Use the send button on the upper right portion of the map on the mapquest page, select "car", then "sync", then enter the cell phone number assigned to your sync account.

 

Also I've had real good luck with using the live operators on the sirius travel link.  They will download the directions to the NAV unit and this is MUCH quicker and safer in heavy traffic or unknown locales.  Use the voice command paddle and say "services".

Technically this has nothing to do with Sirius.  It's Ford Sync Services, a seperate subscription from Sirius.  I think you get 3 years free and 20 operator assisted calls free.  (Unlimited calls if you chat w/ just the computer.)  You can see your subscription information on http://syncmyride.com/

 

On the Nav screen, press the "menu" button in the upper tight. There you will find the option "Guidance Mute".

You can also change the prompts to just a ding.

[AudenHoggart]

We have an SE and don't have NAV or MFT.   I just use the Navigation function on my HTC Android phone (which I have sync'd) and send the directions to the car speakers by Bluetooth Audio.  This works just fine and also allows me to program the navigation function before I actually go out to the car.  All I have to do once I'm in the car is hold the right paddle and then say Bluetooh Audio.  I then start getting turn by turn audio directions over the car speaker.

[ScubaDadMiami]

All I have to do once I'm in the car is hold the right paddle and then say Bluetoo[t]h Audio..

Anyone who paid extra for all the bells and whistles does not have this option.  :rant2:

[RaPieR]

Thanks, all-- some of this helped, like turning off the autofill state in options (which I hadn't discovered until just now!) But voice lady still doesn't seem to accept any verbal destinations. I don't think I have an accent and I've tried using the "ten fifty five" as well as "one thousand fifty five" for house number, as I read elsewhere on this forum but still no dice with the verbal instruction. Honestly my nav was far more reliable before 3.5.1, and would function more as some of you who responded to this thread indicated.

 

I discovered that I don't have a traffic subscription through Sirius, so that explains why this isn't taken into account when providing route guidance.

 

I will definitely try sending google directions to my phone-- that's a really nifty work around! And I know that google knows where the traffic jams and construction sites are (pretty much everywhere here in the summer!) Thanks for the great suggestions from this forum! Will post any progress as I make it in hopes that others can benefit.

Like others have stated, you have to pronounce each digit for house numbers. Also if you speak just the street name and city, sync will respond cannot find address or something like that then ask for the house number. You can also omit the E, W, N, S designation of a street and when you finish speaking the address sync will prompt a list with options that match the address you spoke.

[ScubaDadMiami]

Everything in Miami is divided into quadrants of either NE, SE, SW or NW.  I say "Northwest."  Sometimes, the system gets it right the first time, and sometimes, it will wind up with the list RaPieR mentioned.  From that, I just say "line one," to select.  Seems to get it right.