"Connected Built-In Navigation" Expiring

[Groovicles]

My 3 year trial expires Jan 2025 and I'm still not certain about how accurate the connected Nav is. There have been times where it worked out just great, but other times I just don't know what's going on. For example, the family and I were up north the other weekend and the local Beer store (I'm in Canada) closed down. I searched for directions to a Beer store I know did not close in a nearby town but the connected nav did not list it when I searched for it (though it did show up in previous searches last year). When I search for it in Google maps through AA the location is listed. I thought it might not be listed because the store might have been closed by the time I would have got there, but I've never seen connect nav do something like that either. Personally, I'd rather have the connected nav as my primary nav and AA as secondary, but if accuracy is spotty why would anyone bother?

Sponsored

 

[RickBullotta]

Whether its worth it or not, depends on how you use the truck and if you already have a Garmin or not.

Daily driver with an infrequent road trip? Anything on the phone will do, just fine.

Towing across the country, to unfamiliar places? Good to have in your back pocket.

On our current, 4K+ mile trip, where cell signal is good, we're using RV Trip Wizard through the Android Auto apps section and much prefer it to anything else I've seen but cell service isn't always good.

In Northern Nevada, Ford's Nav impressed some locals on its ability and detail, of a bunch of Forest Service trails. 100s of miles, in the week we were there. Android wouldn't even load. but still insisted on trying.

Cell service was spotty in the Grand Tetons too. Android based products would drop out and leave you hanging. Used Ford Nav almost exclusively while there.

If I already had a Garmin? Probably wouldn't fool with it but so long as we are travelling, I'll keep up my subscription. (Edit) Not sure if they are bundled or not but I'll keep the built in Hot Spot too.

Don't use the RV Trip Wizard as a nav app if you can avoid it. It has routed us a hundred miles off course, into closed roads, and onto sketchy roads. I deleted it. Forever. It's OK for planning routes, but awful for real-time navigation.

 

[Atlee]

FWIW, mine expires soon, and I'm definitely popping for the $80. The trailer aware navigation and the weather overlays are worth it. I tried the weather radar app for Carplay and it is AWFUL.

My Garmin 660 is an RV model. The 660 asks me for the total length, width, and height. It will route me away from low bridges, narrow roads, etc when in RV mode.

 

[Davexxxx]

Don't use the RV Trip Wizard as a nav app if you can avoid it. It has routed us a hundred miles off course, into closed roads, and onto sketchy roads. I deleted it. Forever. It's OK for planning routes, but awful for real-time navigation.

Where was this and how long ago?

We're about 3Kmiles in on a 4K trip and when it has reliable signal, it is my preferred. They all get glitchy once in a while and there are similar horror stories about Google / Android.

At some time or another on this trip, we've used RV Trip Wizard, Google maps, on my Wife's phone, and Ford's Nav.

If something doesn't make sense, we checked it against another.

 

[RickBullotta]

Where was this and how long ago?

We're about 3Kmiles in on a 4K trip and when it has reliable signal, it is my preferred. They all get glitchy once in a while and there are similar horror stories about Google / Android.

At some time or another on this trip, we've used RV Trip Wizard, Google maps, on my Wife's phone, and Ford's Nav.

If something doesn't make sense, we checked it against another.

Last year. It routed us into a 4 hour delay (that Google and Waze would not have), routed us onto the GW Bridge (never, ever again), routed us onto a rutted single lane farm road, routed us to a gas station that was almost 100 miles off our intended path. It sucks.

 

[RickBullotta]

Where was this and how long ago?

We're about 3Kmiles in on a 4K trip and when it has reliable signal, it is my preferred. They all get glitchy once in a while and there are similar horror stories about Google / Android.

At some time or another on this trip, we've used RV Trip Wizard, Google maps, on my Wife's phone, and Ford's Nav.

If something doesn't make sense, we checked it against another.

I just downloaded it again and it most definitely does not have real-time traffic data or dynamic routing based on traffic. That's an absolute "must have".

 

[Davexxxx]

I just downloaded it again and it most definitely does not have real-time traffic data or dynamic routing based on traffic. That's an absolute "must have".

What do you use?

What is a must have for me, is trailer safe routing.

G Maps doesn't have it. AA doesn't have it unless via extension of RVTW or the like.

Ford Nav has it and Garmin can have it but I don't want another monitor for Garmin.

Not sure if any of them, other than Ford or Google has real time.

 

[RickBullotta]

What do you use?

What is a must have for me, is trailer safe routing.

G Maps doesn't have it. AA doesn't have it unless via extension of RVTW or the like.

Ford Nav has it and Garmin can have it but I don't want another monitor for Garmin.

Not sure if any of them, other than Ford or Google has real time.

I use Ford Nav and I back it up with Google Maps/Waze. I've had situations where we've used the Ford Nav's weather radar overlays also to make re-routing decisions during big winter storms.

Ultimately, I will end up renewing Ford Nav for this reason. I don't like Ford Nav's search capabilities nearly as much as Google Maps, so often, I'll use Google Maps to find what I want and then enter the address into Ford Nav.

 

[Addabob64]

I searched this thread and didn't see this asked/answered. My Connected Nav is expiring in a week on my '21. I have Blue Cruise that I opted for the "3 year '21 Job 1 Special price".

Does anyone know if there is any connection between Connected Nav and the continued use of BC? I know BC has a set of maps for determination of whether BC can be used. Are those maps separate from the Nav maps? I just do not want to lose any of my BC 1.4 features, but do not use Ford Nav for anything to really justify paying the $80/year for Ford connected nav.

I use Apple Maps and Google Maps (more so Apple as they have really improved IMHO, and much less chatty as compared to Google Maps).

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

 

[fordtruckman2003]

I searched this thread and didn't see this asked/answered. My Connected Nav is expiring in a week on my '21. I have Blue Cruise that I opted for the "3 year '21 Job 1 Special price".

Does anyone know if there is any connection between Connected Nav and the continued use of BC? I know BC has a set of maps for determination of whether BC can be used. Are those maps separate from the Nav maps? I just do not want to lose any of my BC 1.4 features, but do not use Ford Nav for anything to really justify paying the $80/year for Ford connected nav.

I use Apple Maps and Google Maps (more so Apple as they have really improved IMHO, and much less chatty as compared to Google Maps).

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Totally different with different subscriptions.
I use the built in nav without subscription and I'm still happy with it. My last phone did not like Android Auto and I did not like how it was smoking hot running it for 20 minutes.

 

[HammaMan]

Totally different with different subscriptions.
I use the built in nav without subscription and I'm still happy with it. My last phone did not like Android Auto and I did not like how it was smoking hot running it for 20 minutes.

The trick is to not use wireless unless it's short trips. Phone is rendering the screen using CPU/GPU plus wifi, real bad if on wireless charger, plugged in sitting in slot next to shifter is the way to go. Just sucks that they didn't put the data port in the console for better cord routing (Hrm, project?)

 

[fordtruckman2003]

The trick is to not use wireless unless it's short trips. Phone is rendering the screen using CPU/GPU plus wifi, real bad if on wireless charger, plugged in sitting in slot next to shifter is the way to go. Just sucks that they didn't put the data port in the console for better cord routing (Hrm, project?)

Been wondering if same port under screen would fit in center console. Then just run right wires if APIM has two USB ports. ?

I have never used wireless charger, my truck doesn't even have it. Smoking hot plugged into USB. I did get sync to show album art over Bluetooth finally but I think that was an update to Pandora to fix that.

 

[HammaMan]

Been wondering if same port under screen would fit in center console. Then just run right wires if APIM has two USB ports. ?

I have never used wireless charger, my truck doesn't even have it. Smoking hot plugged into USB. I did get sync to show album art over Bluetooth finally but I think that was an update to Pandora to fix that.

To make sure you're not wirelessly connected, turn the phone wifi off, give it 10 seconds and then turn it back on. If it's wirelessly connected it will shut off and switch to USB.

 

[tkbouncer]

They're not removing the feature. Your 3 year trial is expiring. You can renew it if you want to keep it.

I use Google maps and it works well. Downloading offline maps and keep them upgraded is a good option to use locally if you don't want to waste data. You lose some features but it works.

Sponsored