I don't why so many people on these forums bash the factory installed navigation system on the FEH. I just got a 2007 FEH fully loaded on Friday and so far I love the Navigation system. We already own a Toyota Prius Hybrid and we have the factory installed Navigation system that it came with. We love the Navigation system on the Prius especially because it is touch screen, but it does not have as many options as the Navigation system on the FEH. On the FEH nav, system you can get detour directions and you can get directions by taking streets only or by Freeway only, those options are not available on our prius Navigation system. I mean I'm not necessarily happy that the FEH Navigation system requires a CD to operate, but at least you can update it because of that. I'm also not in love with the fact that I can't just type in my home address and set in under the home key, but every system has it's faults. I guess what I'm getting at is that the Navigation system on the FEH is not as bad and ancient as some people on here would have you believe.

 

Speaking only for myself, it gets lost, or believes I am somewhere else often enough to cause me troubles. If it is a few hundred yards off it can completely misdirect you to your destination (I've had to abandon its directions in the past).

I would be satisfied if it were simply accurate. My initial reaction was the same as yours.

 

Well, for me I'm happy with the factory Nav for 90% of what I need it for.

But I also used the Lexus NAV, and really like the touch screen, large screen, DVD (instead of CD...i think). A few times when going out with some friends, we tried looking for point of interests, the DVD system seems to contain more update info on businesses that the Ford factory Nave doesnt (maybe because DVD can store more info?). The Lexus NAV also seems to be faster when updating maps. It seems to be more user friendly and intuitive (subjective here) for inputing address, finding POI, panning, zooming, graphics features (eg 3d view), etc. I have a handheld one as well, that seems to be more user-friendly.

But after only a few days with the FEH/MMH Nav I have grown very used to it, so the user-friendlyness becomes a non-issue. So I'm satisfied with it. It's direction is accurate so far for me, so no gripes for me there (knock on wood?).

So you see, there are "better" system out there, and most gripes is that if the other car company can, why not Ford's? It may seem, to user who has experience other NAV systems, that Ford could have just put a "better" Nav and raised the price of the entire car just a bit.

(yes...yes...I'm comparing Lexus...but the Mercury Mariner Hybrid has the same stock NAV).

 

I have the Lexus unit installed in my 05 FEH. It says Eclipse on it, but Eclipse is owned by Toyota/Lexus & it is the EXACT SAME unit that Lexus charges almost 4K for(I paid under $1000 for it)

http://www.pbase.com/jmorton10/image/66287539

This unit plays DVD movies along with MP3 disc's & is Serius capable, it also has a high power internal AMP & holds the entire USA maps on one DVD.

~John

 

The gripe I have with the NAV is that the when I try to do a lookup of the POI while Im driving in traffic and it keeps telling me that I cant enter the location so I wait until the next light and then drill a bit farther into the POI screen until eventually I find it and select what I want, Then the whole NAV reboots and I get the Hybrid logo page and have to start all over again. If I stop completely and enter the whole thing from scratch it will work ok but if I get interrupted by the safety lockout while Im driving then the whole NAV unit will reboot when I select the final location. A bit buggy eh?


I also find the POI system makes it hard to find anything but perhaps you have to use it more so that you know how they categorize things better. Most of the time I cant find what Im looking for in POI

 

To set the home key, just sit in your drive way and hold it for a few seconds. it will let you know when it had the location marked. i like that, so when i go out of town, i can always get back to my hotel or wherever i am staying.

Now i have never had navigation until now, but there are some things that bug me. the cd is a non issue cuz i dont need more than the washington state disc in, and i have never had it not know exactly where i was, but it doesnt seem to have roads that have been around for several (3 +) years. i have friends who have been living in there home for almost 5 years and my navigation does not reconize the street address, or when it cant find a resturant cuz it is in a shopping center (i dont know shopping center names at all) that makes it seem very outdated. other than that, i think that its good, i use it mostly to read my average mpg display, and it does that just fine.

 

The issue I have with the Nav system (that I don't have in either of my cars) is that the software is kind of low end. I have the same software in a PDA version and I have the same gripes with it. Of course it only ran my company a couple hundred bucks and if I want to use it in another car, I just take it with me. I haven't heard anyone mention it but the Navteq software I have in the PDA also has an almanac (sunrise, sunset, moon phase etc) and also gives satellite data and elevation. I have the entire eastern U.S. on a 1 gig SD card that is a piece of cake to update.

My biggest gripe is that you have to buy the Nav to get the more advanced hybrid gauges. They have to unbundle that!

JMO of course.

 

Since everybody else is puting in their gripe about the factory Nav...

I wish it had:

1. Line-by-line direction (instead of just map only - which is hard to see the entire route cuz the screen is too small), so I know which route it's taking.
2. More precise compass and elevation info.
3. Better/updated data about current businesses
4. At least one upgrade (I check the website and -- no map upgades...not even offered for a fee - maybe I didnt look hard enough).

Yes, I really do like the "Home" key feature.

And, yes it wont allow the "passenger" to play with the NAV if the car's moving (although I think all newer Nav is like that now).

Other than that, I fine with it as it is.

 

Hi All

Ford needs to make a change in the Navi in the '08 model for sure. Lets see if they improve the next model Nav that is separate from the energy screen. They used the other screens to sell the unit for a high price, but Scangauge and other's are going to beat their xxx if they don't separate it now!

Honda HCH11 wants $1800 for just the navi and they are not selling either. I know because I'm helping my daughter buy a HCH11 now.

Given all this knowledge, the 8 track stereo in my '67 GT 500 was worth it's weight in gold. Same thing for the Navi in my '05 FEH some day I hope. The FEH Nav sys is out of date now, so Ford needs to get with the program IMO!

GaryG

 

I guess I am guilty as one of the FEH Nav bashers.

I did not get the Nav and would have overpaid to get the hybrid system indicators....but alas the option was not there.

I really am rooting for the domestic car makers in their competition with foreign manufacturers but, just stating the facts makes me sound like a "basher" ........Virtually every detailed complaint/wish in this thread about the OEM Nav ......was solved five years ago on the Nav unit made by Alpine and included for $2000 in my 2001 Acura. If you live with that unit for just a month of driving.....you just have to shake your head when judging the unit in the FEH. And for 2006, the Honda/Acura units do many functions via voice (recognition) command. [For 2006, Ford put Pioneer Nav units in the six "mass-production" models that offered Nav as an option (incl. Freestyle and Explorer)]

Its hard to support the underdog when their efforts don't even come close.

As an engineer, I am really proud of Ford. The powertrain design and PCM programming on the FEH are amazing in their sophistication and the truck never ceases to please me. However, the bundling of the Nav/Hybrid unit, the bundling of other options in the premium package, and how Ford allowed the dealers to charge unlimited premiums on the FEH in 2004/2005 almost prevented me from buying the FEH.

Get the Nav unit for the Hybrid displays and don't ask for too much from the Nav portion.