I love our nav unit in our xD except for one bizarre quirk. You can't access the Music/Menu part of the iPod control once the car is rolling (it turns white and cannot be pressed). The only way to select songs is something called "Direct Play" which, in so many words, sucks. Once the car comes to a complete stop, the Music/Menu button is enabled again. This means that if I were driving down the freeway, I'd have to pull over (or exit) just so I could change artists or songs. I realize I can press the up/down controls on the steering wheel to advance to the next song but I want to be able to choose whatever Artist or Song I want when I'm driving.

I s'pose they did this for safety reasons - they probably think you'll be distracted while choosing your music. The reason it's so stupid is that you can spend just as much time tinkering with the Direct Play option (actually more cuz it doesn't work the way an iPod does).

I guess my question is this: Does anyone know if there's a way to "reprogram" the nav unit so one can have full access to the Music/Menu option when the car is moving? I guess by "reprogram", it could be read as either "hack" or have a Scion Tech tweak it (just like you can have them do with the seatbelt dinger and auto-dimming dome light).

Regards,
- s a i n t -

 

I've seen this talked about in the tC parts of the forum. Also it is possible to get around that silly block but I have no idea how since I have the stock headunit

 

Does it look for the parking brake or is it tied into the GPS?

A lot of nav systems do it, and honestly, I caught myself drifting out of my lane trying to find the right song on the iPod through my "premium" HU in the xD, so maybe that lockout will save your butt one day.

 

Parking brake I believe. Someone posted a workaround for it some months back. It looked a little complicated for me. I do have the Nav and pretty much just make playlists for the ipod and set them playing before I start driving. That or if my gf is in the car I bought an aux cable and she controls the ipod.

Regarding the nav itself, I programmed a few regular destinations like home into the 5 or so memory selections that are on the front screen, which like the emergency button you can use even while car is in motion.

 

Well, like I said earlier, I can see why they think it may be necessary but, honestly, working in that stupid "Direct Play" environment is 10x more cumbersome than working the normal Music/Menu environment of the iPod. So, I actually think I have a better chance of crashing using Direct Play!

As for what it's tied to, I don't think it's the parking brake because you get access to that button when you come to a stop without using the parking brake (like at a red light).

ixion75, you mention there was a workaround posted a few months back - would you happen to know where I can find that? I've tried searching these forums but either I'm not very good at it or the Search features aren't that good (it's probably me!).

Regards,
- s a i n t -

 

Saint, sorry this won't help you right this minute but just so you know, I also have a 2006 4Runner with a Nav system. There IS a way to override the safety features so you can even input an address while the car is moving. But it will NOT work with the 2007 or 2008. Someone said on another forum that Alpine too away that feature because government didn't like this for safety reasons.

I have been looking on EVERY Toyota and Lexus forum I can find and still haven't found an easy way to fix this issue with the new nav system. Some say you can remove the nav unit from the dash and jump some wires and it will disable the speed sensor, which then it thinks the car is always stopped.

In the 4 runner, here is how we disable it.

Press Menu (the actual button, not on the screen)
Press volume (on the screen)
Touch the very top left corner of the screen (nothing is there, is just the very top of the screen)
Touch the very bottom left corner of the screen
Touch the very top left corver (yes a 2nd time)
Touch the very bottom left corner (yes a 2nd time)

This will now bring up the maintenance menu (something I assume the dealer know how to do. this screen has a some sub-menus but that the end user doesn't reeally need access to). On the menu (screen) one of the options is "override". You have to touch that section of the screen for about 5 seconds and it will beep. Then press the back arrow on the screen and the the safety features are OFF.

Now you can do anything while you are driving.

BUT like I said, I don't think this will work on the new systems, but you might give it a try and see if you can at least get to the maintenance menu.

Please let me know if you figure out how to override the safety on the new nav systems, many people want to know.

Thanks
Frank

 

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...&highlight=sns


Ah the power of using the search box up at the top.

 

Thanks for finding this thread. I swear I searched but I must have put in a bad search string.

Hopefully, there'll be something in this other thread that will be helpful.

Thanks again,
- s a i n t -