[1RiverMan1]

I have posted issues with the nav system in the past. Here is the latest issue. I was travelling to a shopping centre in a nearby municipality that I had never visited before. I put the address in the nav system. It correctly took me onto a major three lane highway. While travelling at 100 km/h (60 mph) with a concrete barrier separating me from oncoming traffic, it suddenly told me, "Turn left". Not only is it impossible to turn left at any point in the next 500 km on this highway, there was no intersecting road for almost 2km. When I obviously did not turn left, I heard, "When possible, make a legal U turn."

OK, at 100 km/h on a 3 lane highway with a concrete barrier, I am going to make a U turn. All along, the display showed me the name of the road at which I was to exit. I wasn' t there yet. When I finally approached that road, it gave me exiting directions as if nothing had happened.

In a recent call to Garmin to get assistance in updating my portable GPS unit, I was told that they use the same maps that GM uses. I can only conclude that GM uses different software to interpret those maps.

And if anyone at GM is reading this, "Your software sucks!" It makes this already overly-expensive option a waste of money. Maybe Garmin, or TomTom, or another GPS company that knows what they are doing will lease their software to you. What you have now is a disgrace.

 

[Jamaicaman]

Sorry you are having trouble with the Nav System. If you are willing to spend the time.. It is possible to help correct some of these Navigation errors. if you go to http://mapreporter.navteq.com/ you can create an account and report your issues. It is unfortunate that the large data base they use... have some errors. I have both a Garmin and a TomTom and have notice some errors with their data bases too.

 

[ronk]

Yes, if they only used Garmin or Tom Tom, the Nav would have been a lot better

 

[Ralph7]

Yes, the Nav is my only disappointment for the 2013 Chevy Volt. We like the functionality, look and feel of the display, but the problem is that it often tries to take us in the wrong direction (only the routing is a problem). Took the Volt on its first trip yesterday, down to the University of Illinois from the Northern Chicago surburbs. It was odd that when we got on I57, the Nav system wanted to take us off the freeway every 20 miles to get on local roads. Maybe there is a setting to only use major highways that I haven't been able to find. There is some construction at various points, so we turned off the Traffic to see if that would help, but it still tried to take us off I57. Hopefully, there will be an update available in the future to improve that Nav.

 

[Fulgerite]

I have owned & used them all... Garmin, TomTom and Magellan and none of them are perfect. Google Maps is about the best. You always need to look at the route that the GPS is suggesting BEFORE you start driving and make sure it's not suggesting madness.

The other issue with ALL built in GPS system that come with the car... It's extremely expensive to update the maps. (Like $200-$400.) If you want up to date maps... Buy a Garmin unit with free lifetime map upgrades... Or get a smartphone with Google Maps.

Built in navigation systems are always over priced and flawed. (No matter what brand of car they come in.)

 

[DonC]

The NAV in the Volt is the best of the four I've had. One from Acura, one from BMW, and one from Nissan. Last week we used the Nissan NAV to find a friend's house. We couldn't find the house on the street so we called them. Turns out the NAV had us turn one street too soon, something which they said "happens all the time" to people trying to find their house.

On the other hand, from what I understand all of these are better than what you'd find on the iPhone 5. Basically I don't think you're going to find perfection, and having to do a U-turn at the next intersection doesn't strike me as the end of the world. Maybe I'm just overly mellow.

If you want to get a laugh, have the Volt NAV pronounce Spanish names.

 

[Ralph7]

Oops. My bad. The route setting was on shortest route (accessed from Dest.) - we were trying to change settings from Nav settings. New user error We'll give it another try now that we know to look in Dest for route settings.

 

[AZ EV Driver]

If you want to get a laugh, have the Volt NAV pronounce Spanish names.

+1

Some are so bad you can't even begin to figure out what it is saying.

VIN # B0985

 

[boatnut]

Is it just me or doesn't the OnStar directions kinda make the nav redundant? My smart phone can find gas stations etc when needed and is constantly updated for free.........

 

[Logical_Thinker]

Just use your Android phone with Google Nav (definitely the best nav I've ever used)

Or get fancy: put a big screen in for nav: Google Nexus 7 and just before you leave your home WiFi zone download the area of Google maps you need for your route (or don't, just tether the Nexus to your phone for data), OR, use any of a number of good free Nav apps with their maps, on the Nexus.

EDIT: wait a few days: a newer better lower priced Nexus 7 is being released with cellular data connectivity.
https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_32gb_hspa

http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/google-nexus-7-32gb/4505-3126_7-35516550.html

 

[BillD]

I've yet to see a navigation system without some errors or quirks. I have a log cabin on a narrow trail, but it does have a "street" address. Neither my previous Infiniti or Acura could locate that address, but the Volt can. However, it places my cabin on the wrong side of Yellowwood Trail. Not a problem, though, as the cabin is clearly visible when the announcement is made that I've arrived.

The Acura once led me on a merry chase when i went to pick up friends from overseas who had dropped off a rental car in a nearby town. I entered the address of the rental car agency into the Nav system, and kept getting the "you have arrived" notice some distance away from the actual location. As a test, I entered that address into the Volt's Nav system and it took me straight there.

On balance, I'm pleased with the Volt's navigation feature, and prefer having the built in system to a portable gadget.