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Map Update availability

cj7

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Was curious about the apparent age of the uConnect Maps, and inquired. This was the response:

"Hello C,

Thank you for inquiring about HERE Technologies. The latest map update for your Ram 1500 is version 2019. This can be ordered online by visiting our web store at www.navigation.com.
Generally map updates are released every 12-18 months. Our most current map update was released December 2019.

If you need additional assistance, please send us your feedback by replying to this email.

Kind regards,

HERE Technologies
Customer Service"


Excited, I went to that link, and eventually wound up at the usual uConnect site. 2019 & 2020 RAM 1500s are not listed there, but this was:

"If your car or truck is not listed on the homepage vehicle selector, our Contact Center is here to help. Use the contact form, live chat, or call: 1-866-422-8182 Representatives are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 7:00pm EST."

So I called. Short answer is, NO, that December 2019 update is, in fact, not for 2019 vehicles.. Nor 2018 RAMs. Just 2017 and back.

Then I was told that the next update for 2018, 2019, 2020 RAMs is planned for January. January 2021.

At which point I freaked.

Well not really, but I was considering it. I was nice to the person on the phone, but that answer was beyond my ability to imagine. Turns out, HERE is just a distro company, they don't do any map data work.

SO, I want to start a public campaign to shame FCA into dealing with this. Everyone who considers paying for NAV in a RAM should know, the maps are going to be old. Potentially years old. And updated WHENEVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT.

I'm planning on writing Letters to the Editor to the major car mags, and car sites. Anybody know anybody in the business? Maybe we can get someone to do an article on TECHNOLOGY FAILS, and FCA's NAV map update policy would be a feature of that story.

What do you think we should do? YouTube? Class Action Suit? (this we'll get to do about the false mileage data FCA has been feeding EPA on the 1500 DT, so maybe keep that arrow in the quiver) Anybody know anybody at FCA?
 

TruckDriver

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I hope you do all of the above to raise awareness of the issue - I agree it's ridiculous that built-in maps in vehicles are always outdated.

That said, if this is your first vehicle with built-in Nav, then I can understand why you're upset.

I'm on my 4th or so vehicle that had nav options and have come to know for years now - no manufacturer has updated maps, no one provides free updates for life (generally - unless you're paying for their cellular addons). The only maps you can trust to be up to date are on mobile devices due to cellular updates etc.

FCA like all other manufacturers 'sub-out' the build of a car. Tires from one brand, stereo from another and so on - it's not limited to hard goods. the ECU programming and map data are separate software vendors.

good luck in the campaign and I'll upvote anything you post on the matter!
 

Reverse

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The HERE app on my phone was free, and so are the maps (covering just about the whole planet). Just download and use over Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay. Or use Google Maps or Waze. I don't know why anyone would use the built-in nav for anything.
 

cj7

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I hope you do all of the above to raise awareness of the issue - I agree it's ridiculous that built-in maps in vehicles are always outdated.

That said, if this is your first vehicle with built-in Nav, then I can understand why you're upset.

I'm on my 4th or so vehicle that had nav options and have come to know for years now - no manufacturer has updated maps, no one provides free updates for life (generally - unless you're paying for their cellular addons). The only maps you can trust to be up to date are on mobile devices due to cellular updates etc.

FCA like all other manufacturers 'sub-out' the build of a car. Tires from one brand, stereo from another and so on - it's not limited to hard goods. the ECU programming and map data are separate software vendors.

good luck in the campaign and I'll upvote anything you post on the matter!

After I typed it all out, I realized that this is definitely a first-world problem, and I probably should focus this energy on more productive things. That said, this is not my first built-in Nav, but i guess i've been lucky that Audi, Cadillac, BMW, MB, Volvo, etc have required of their suppliers, annual update availability. Can you imagine even the cheapest Tesla with old maps?

And you're right, at this rate, built-in Nav is nearly obsoleted by smartphone apps. Yeah, my (made-in-the-USA) Frontier still has a Garmin (traffic AND current maps) hanging in the window that still gets used daily, even as my iPhone travels alongside. Infotainment/electronics have become 30% or more of automotive content, but I guess up-to-date maps aren't important to enough users to make some OEMs care. I'd love all those ads with 12" Uconnect screens showing beautiful 3D street maps, to come with a banner saying "Dont trust this picture - it could be three years out of date"

But thx for the reality check...
 

Abesosa

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After I typed it all out, I realized that this is definitely a first-world problem, and I probably should focus this energy on more productive things. That said, this is not my first built-in Nav, but i guess i've been lucky that Audi, Cadillac, BMW, MB, Volvo, etc have required of their suppliers, annual update availability. Can you imagine even the cheapest Tesla with old maps?

And you're right, at this rate, built-in Nav is nearly obsoleted by smartphone apps. Yeah, my (made-in-the-USA) Frontier still has a Garmin (traffic AND current maps) hanging in the window that still gets used daily, even as my iPhone travels alongside. Infotainment/electronics have become 30% or more of automotive content, but I guess up-to-date maps aren't important to enough users to make some OEMs care. I'd love all those ads with 12" Uconnect screens showing beautiful 3D street maps, to come with a banner saying "Dont trust this picture - it could be three years out of date"

But thx for the reality check...

That’s a shame to hear... I love my phone apps but I love seeing the built in navigation on the 12in screens....


2019 Ram 1500 Limited Granite Crystal 4x4 with Off-Road Group and air ride
20% Cermanic Tint
USA Flag Decal on rear 5th Window
Xpel Door Edge and door handle Protection
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Bay Area RAM

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The HERE app on my phone was free, and so are the maps (covering just about the whole planet). Just download and use over Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay. Or use Google Maps or Waze. I don't know why anyone would use the built-in nav for anything.
I’ve found that the built in navs come in handy when you’re out of cell reception and CarPlay maps won’t work. I‘m in the mountains a lot and lose cell service often.
 
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Reverse

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I’ve found that the built in navs come in handy when you’re out of cell reception and CarPlay maps won’t work. I‘m in the mountains a lot and lose cell service often.

This is true for Google Maps, although it allows you to download maps for offline use. The HERE maps are all downloaded and work on- or offline. I usually use Waze or Google maps, but have used HERE when out of range. They do take up quite a bit of space on your phone though.
 

TruckDriver

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come with a banner saying "Dont trust this picture - it could be three years out of date"

But thx for the reality check...

Hey I get the frustration - and echo this 1000% it might even shame all automakers into actually updating their maps and would enlighten buyers before purchasing their '2019' that the maps are '2014'... which, my '14 acura has what, '12 maps and no AAuto/Carplay... now that's annoying to have no control over
 

djjr50

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My wife's 2014 Ford Flex has updated maps available but it's north of $100 for each update.

That said, I do think it's silly to have a built-in connection to internet yet a fixed maps platform that cannot receive updates. In fact, the Here maps shows traffic, thus indicating that it is getting traffic updates. It makes more sense to me to offer a map platform that can receive updates via the data connection, which would add value to that monthly/yearly cost.

Oh...and SiriusXM would be a perfect conduit to channel those monthly/yearly fees. I dont listen to much radio but if they had a package that included in-car wifi, traffic updates, map updates, and phone app connectivity (remote start, etc), then that would have a $25-$40/month value.
 

laoxu

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It's Mar 2021 now. There is still not map update available for my 2019 truck which runs on map 2017Q2. I'm not hoping a free update, just want to buy an update. I see lots of city guys saying in the forum “ just use your car play with Google map, Waze. ”. They have no idea about our life in the true north, sometimes you drive from point A to B without any cellphone signal. LOL


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SpeedyV

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It's Mar 2021 now. There is still not map update available for my 2019 truck which runs on map 2017Q2. I'm not hoping a free update, just want to buy an update. I see lots of city guys saying in the forum “ just use your car play with Google map, Waze. ”. They have no idea about our life in the true north, sometimes you drive from point A to B without any cellphone signal. LOL
Agreed that we're overdue for a map update (even though I use Google Maps on CarPlay, and it is possible to store a route offline). It would be nice to have the factory nav show the same highways that I can see when I leave my neighborhood :)
 

cj7

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I was told there would be an update in Feb 21. When I checked with HERE, they said, nope, not till the end of the year.

My 2020 has 2Q18 maps, and the 21s have 2Q19 maps, so it should be doable...but haven’t found anybody who has a clue. My dealer kept insisting g I needed to buy the map from Garmin...too sad to LoL...
 

laoxu

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Agreed that we're overdue for a map update (even though I use Google Maps on CarPlay, and it is possible to store a route offline). It would be nice to have the factory nav show the same highways that I can see when I leave my neighborhood :)
And the speed limits.
The idea life should be, jump in the car, start the engine then go. Not "oh ****, is there a police car nearby? Ok, take out my phone, plug it in (and need to unlock it sometimes)". lol
 

laoxu

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I was told there would be an update in Feb 21. When I checked with HERE, they said, nope, not till the end of the year.

My 2020 has 2Q18 maps, and the 21s have 2Q19 maps, so it should be doable...but haven’t found anybody who has a clue. My dealer kept insisting g I needed to buy the map from Garmin...too sad to LoL...
HERE customer support script:
Q: Customer asks when he will get a map update.
A: Tell them not till the end of the year.
Q: If the customer asks for a specific date.
A: Tell them Jan of next year (if it's Nov or Dec now, tell them Feb of next year)
 

BrenWalsh

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2021 Map update just came out today. $149

2020 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 Night edition with 4-corner air susp and Level 2 Equipment package.
Current mods: K&N Cold air intake and Borla Atak cat-back exhaust.
 

LV426

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Yeah, someone posted this a few weeks ago.


And of course they state on the webpage its for the 12" only yet the manual they include for download is for the 8.4. Always on top of things with Uconnect.... But at least they will throw in free shipping so I shouldn't complain.
 

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pcar

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Kind of annoying to have to pay for a map update for a 2021 truck. Our other cars have updated for free from time to time.
 

z0n3

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Given that were talking about UConnect I am not surprised they're trying to gouge more money out of us for this garbage. CarPlay is much better than the NAV anyhow.
 

MannyN

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Just a heads up, the 2021 map update is also an old map. It is from 2020Q4, so a year old. $149 for a 1 year old map is pathetic.
 

cj7

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Just a heads up, the 2021 map update is also an old map. It is from 2020Q4, so a year old. $149 for a 1 year old map is pathetic.
Fitting, as my 2020 truck, built in 2020, came with a 2018Q2 map...
 

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