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VF Sat Nav

Sir Les

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This may interest some disgruntled owners who have paid to get the latest map update....
In conjunction with a scheduled service at a dealership, I paid $126 to get my satnav maps updated. Everything functioned as it should after the update, but when Holden Customer Care (HCC) sent me an email a few days later asking for feedback on the service, I expressed disappointment that the update was 2 years old (March 2015 I believe) and lacked certain recent additions to the road network. For example, a newly-opened freeway interchange at Bald Hills Rd near Adelaide wasn't included in the update, despite having been in the planning and construction phases for many years. Google maps, of course, showed the new interchange.

To my complete surprise, 'Robert H.' from HCC replied, offering me a refund of my $126 upon receipt of a copy of my invoice from the dealer showing that I had indeed paid for the update in conjunction with the service. I gratefully accepted his offer, and within a reasonably short time the funds were deposited in my bank account. Thank you Holden Customer Care -- this time you came through!
 

Black5

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This may interest some disgruntled owners who have paid to get the latest map update....
In conjunction with a scheduled service at a dealership, I paid $126 to get my satnav maps updated. Everything functioned as it should after the update, but when Holden Customer Care (HCC) sent me an email a few days later asking for feedback on the service, I expressed disappointment that the update was 2 years old (March 2015 I believe) and lacked certain recent additions to the road network. For example, a newly-opened freeway interchange at Bald Hills Rd near Adelaide wasn't included in the update, despite having been in the planning and construction phases for many years. Google maps, of course, showed the new interchange.

To my complete surprise, 'Robert H.' from HCC replied, offering me a refund of my $126 upon receipt of a copy of my invoice from the dealer showing that I had indeed paid for the update in conjunction with the service. I gratefully accepted his offer, and within a reasonably short time the funds were deposited in my bank account. Thank you Holden Customer Care -- this time you came through!

That's nice, but they shouldn't be taking your money in the first place without advising you IN ADVANCE how old the maps are.

I would happily fork out $126 for USEABLE maps and a MyLink system that actually functions as it should.

Seriously - it suggests you go around in unnecessary loops to go straight and advises you to "Make an illegal U-turn" if you pass your turn off.

Mine has the updated maps and software and now performs even worse!

Almost every time a phone call is made/received it takes a minute or more for the connection to complete, by which time, the person at the other end has got annoyed and has terminated the call. It also randomly just disconnects or drops the Bluetooth connection on calls. It’s become a running joke at my workplace when people call me they know they have to wait a while and talk amongst themselves until bluetooth kicks in. (If it kicks in)

For short trips under 10 minutes or so the contacts and call history won't have had time to load, so you can't use the voice control or the on-screen systems to make a call. (Meaning I have to pull over and initiate a call on the phone itself if I want to avoid fines).

I’ve tried this on a number of different phones (Android and iOS) with the same results.

It’s effectively useless for phone calls.

I’ve also noticed that the map update, despite not being current, forces the map display to default to a large scale view of the trip, requiring the scale to be changed manually every time you use it. (And also requires the safety disclaimer EVERY time now - but I can understand the requirement for that and can live with it if necessary)

The software “upgrade” doesn’t seem to have added any benefits, and has only succeeded in making the system worse!

This is by far, the worst aspect of this vehicle, meaning that I am now resorting to using my phone’s speaker and google maps instead of the in-car system so that I can actually get anything done.

By the way, it would be useful to have a search function in the contacts list so you don't have to scroll through every name to get to one near the end of a three letter grouping. I could do this in an X5 and a C55 I had 10 years ago and the bluetooth and voice control in both those cars worked great, seamlessly maintaining a connection until you completed a call even if you stopped the car and turned it off.

Looks like they lumbered the last ever Commodore with the cheapest, nastiest, oldest technology they could get hold of knowing full well they weren't going to have to support it and saved the better systems for the ongoing models...

///End Rant
 

Sir Les

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Don't hold back, Black5, tell us what you really think! Whilst I have my own pet peeves about the MyLink system and the satnav, you really seem to have won the lottery! I have constant fights with the voice commands lady (is she hard of hearing or just dim?), and the routes selected by the satnav can be a bit non-logical at times, but it will get you to your destination - eventually, and provided the destination is on the maps. I've never heard it say "make an illegal U-turn" -- I think it says "make a legal U-turn" and you're mishearing that. The safety disclaimer only comes up occasionally for me, and I've never had trouble making or receiving calls (Blackberry and Android 7). Looks like you got the short straw! I will say though that I only got the map update, not a MyLink software update like you did, so maybe that's where the problem lies. Anyone else having Black5's difficulties?
 

iamandrew

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it really sounds like it say "make an illgalyouturn"...... I just got the saat nav update, ill also complain. It should be covered for the cars warranty period. I havent wrote in the ACCC.
Newcastle holden have been fine to deal with, and its not just a dealer thing, its a Holden thing
 

Forg

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Looks like they lumbered the last ever Commodore with the cheapest, nastiest, oldest technology they could get hold of knowing full well they weren't going to have to support it and saved the better systems for the ongoing models ...
I think it's fine for circa 2011, in terms of technology.
My biggest gripe, given the context of pre-2012, is the lack of map updates really; I guess GM didn't have a system they could use, and which could load generic updates from Garmin or whoever, but then why don't GM have such a system anyway? Surely it's not worth the PITAyness involved in getting map updates rolled-out, they won't be making much profit off that $126 compared to the few brake-pad replacements they could do in the same time.
 

Adza75

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The only issue I really have is the maps that are a few years old... I've never had an issue with phone calls via Android and iOS, and my contact book and call history is loaded within seconds, not minutes. I've had the MyLink system update applied too.

I do get the occasional quirk... the issue of the music starting at 2 spots is well known and it's frozen once on me. The voice commands are a bit hit and miss I find... but then again every voice recognition system I've used have never been perfect. Other than that, it's been fine and certainly have none of the issues you are experiencing.

By the way I do agree "make a legal u-turn" does sound like "an illegal"... but it's not.
 

Poor old Dad

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Mine has the updated maps and software and now performs even worse!

Almost every time a phone call is made/received it takes a minute or more for the connection to complete, by which time, the person at the other end has got annoyed and has terminated the call. It also randomly just disconnects or drops the Bluetooth connection on calls. It’s become a running joke at my workplace when people call me they know they have to wait a while and talk amongst themselves until bluetooth kicks in. (If it kicks in)

For short trips under 10 minutes or so the contacts and call history won't have had time to load, so you can't use the voice control or the on-screen systems to make a call. (Meaning I have to pull over and initiate a call on the phone itself if I want to avoid fines).

I’ve tried this on a number of different phones (Android and iOS) with the same results.

It’s effectively useless for phone calls.

I’ve also noticed that the map update, despite not being current, forces the map display to default to a large scale view of the trip, requiring the scale to be changed manually every time you use it. (And also requires the safety disclaimer EVERY time now - but I can understand the requirement for that and can live with it if necessary)

The software “upgrade” doesn’t seem to have added any benefits, and has only succeeded in making the system worse!

This is by far, the worst aspect of this vehicle, meaning that I am now resorting to using my phone’s speaker and google maps instead of the in-car system so that I can actually get anything done.

FWIW, I had an issue with MY16 Mylink in that it did stupid things with my Ipod and then wouldn't keep settings off one of the remotes.

The two problems were enough for the dealer to push for a Mylink unit replacement. When that was done there were no further issues.

I had the map updated before our recent trip away and had no issues. Actually it was better than before - new Mylink or new software update? Who knows?

Anyhoo, if Mylink is not working the way it should I'd pursue it rigorously.
 

Black5

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Don't hold back, Black5, tell us what you really think! Whilst I have my own pet peeves about the MyLink system and the satnav, you really seem to have won the lottery! I have constant fights with the voice commands lady (is she hard of hearing or just dim?), and the routes selected by the satnav can be a bit non-logical at times, but it will get you to your destination - eventually, and provided the destination is on the maps. I've never heard it say "make an illegal U-turn" -- I think it says "make a legal U-turn" and you're mishearing that. The safety disclaimer only comes up occasionally for me, and I've never had trouble making or receiving calls (Blackberry and Android 7). Looks like you got the short straw! I will say though that I only got the map update, not a MyLink software update like you did, so maybe that's where the problem lies. Anyone else having Black5's difficulties?

LOL. I'm not one to hold back when a product doesn't fulfill it's intended purpose.

You may be right, but it definitely SOUNDS like "Make a illegal U-Turn". I'll try to record it.

i guess I'm spoilt and simply expect the system to work at least as well as the system in my previous Daily Driver (Which was a 2006 model so you would expect MUCH older technology) and I get frustrated when it can't.

Admittedly, there are many things it does better, but the basic things I need to do multiple times every day should just work.

Taking more than a couple of seconds to pick up a phone call is simply not acceptable to me.
 

TazzI

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I'll just leave this video here.. ;)

Just a quick demo showing VF POI being custom programmed into a 2014 Mylink... which.. Holden says cant be done.. :p

*Note.. I did cropped about 10seconds of black video near the start of the video since 10seconds of black screen is a bit long!.
 

VFSV6FORME

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Interest Tazzi, Keep doing your magic because i can see a lot of future 2015 or earlier Commodore's getting your update. If you ever get to do this how will it be doing ... via a USB stick or via the OB2 port
 
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