GPS on my 2015 Fiat Ducato

eric2011 · Member

GPS on my 2015 Fiat Ducato

jade46 · Senior Member

Hi
I have a new Fiat/Jayco. Same story. Isn't it amazing they can build a computer controlled engine/gearbox but can't get Australian maps in a GPS. Jayco gave us a TomTom in the meantime

eric2011 · Member

jade46 wrote:
Hi
I have a new Fiat/Jayco. Same story. Isn't it amazing they can build a computer controlled engine/gearbox but can't get Australian maps in a GPS. Jayco gave us a TomTom in the meantime

Yes Avida also give a TomTom and assure me that its only a temporary problem but something tells me different. Spend thousand of dollars and can't get a $10 SD card

Roostertales · Senior Member

We have a 2014 Ducato - dealer advised not to get the Fiat GPS as being way too dear and recommended an after market one to us.

So far 40k on clock Arnold to Mossman and back ( about 8 .5 l /100k I seem to remember ) ours is the 2.3 litre quite powerful . Matter of fact driving today.

I have recently purchased a Scudo for personal use.

jade46 · Senior Member

Its not an option on the 2015 they all have it built in unfortunately. Maybe one day it will workout

gregnshas · Senior Member

I have a Auto Trail motor home on a Fiat Ducato from England, and it came with Aussie maps built in, no problem, however the built in entertainment system failed not long after delivery, and was replaced with a mongoose in dash system with Aussie maps. Very happy.

Cheers

Greg

jade46 · Senior Member

If its the one in the avatar that's a 2013/2014 model. The post is for the new model Fiat 2015 Would like to know if anyone has one of those that works?

eric2011 · Member

jade46 wrote:
If its the one in the avatar that's a 2013/2014 model. The post is for the new model Fiat 2015 Would like to know if anyone has one of those that works?

Just got off the phone to Fiat dealer in Brisbane. They are well and truly aware of the problem and apparently the problem lies in the licensing of the software between TomTom and Garmin. He did say that they were hoping that the problem will be resolved very soon (maybe 1 or 2 months). It did all sound very positive, heres hoping

eric2011 · Member

For anyone interested, got off the phone from Fiat dealer in Brisbane and after my previous call a couple of days ago he has been in touch with Fiat Australia. They confirm the previous reason for the delay, but now advise that the problem will be fixed at some stage, it will not be in short term, rather it will occur in the long term. However they do say that if some pen pusher gets there act together it could be tomorrow. So anyone waiting for the GPS SD card, like me, need to be patient.

BJ Brisbane · Member

Hi, Have just viewed your post as part of my exercise of seeking out people who are in the same boat as I am, having a Fiat based motorhome with a provision of a 'temporary' GPS. I ordered my 2015 Avan Ovation Motorhome in June 2014. I was not told of the 'waiting' for the Australian Mapss for the Fiat GPS until well into the period while it was being built. I received delivery in August this year, and have since then waited patiently, using the Tom Tom that was provided as a 'temporary' measure. It seems from the posts from other customers of Fiat 2015 models, that Fiat Australia have now changed their 'when' to 'if' in their written and verbal advice regarding provision of Australian Maps through the built in console GPS. I am deciding whether the issue is worth approaching Fair Trading Australia at the moment. This must surely impact on all motorhomes with a Fiat Chassis.

dorian · Guru

My brother has a Ford sedan with a built-in GPS. Unfortunately he is using an exernal GPS unit because Ford Australia want $1500 to activate the factory unit. Mongrels.

I would search the user forums for possible hacks. I've seen some very clever ones for other makes.

dave48 · Senior Member

Hi all

We have a knaus skywave motorhome that we bought in March. Knew nothing about this problem until after we bought it. Was told it would be fixed very quickly and in the meantime to accept a Tom Tom stuck on our windscreen as a temporary measure. Didn't spend all that money to have wires dangling everywhere and after 8 months we are still no closer to getting it fixed. I believe that there are over 500 people in the same position and I for one are wondering if this will ever get fixed before the warranty runs out. I was thinking of approaching one of the legal firms that specialise in class actions. Does anybody else have thoughts on this.

Dave

Spydermann · Senior Member

dorian wrote:
My brother has a Ford sedan with a built-in GPS. Unfortunately he is using an exernal GPS unit because Ford Australia want $1500 to activate the factory unit. Mongrels.

I would search the user forums for possible hacks. I've seen some very clever ones for other makes.

What Ford? Just got a new Ranger and all works well.

BJ Brisbane · Member

My husband has just submitted an enquiry with Fair Trading Australia. He has also made contact with Fiat Australia on a number of occasions regarding this issue. Perhaps if others do the same, this may give them more ammunition to put pressure on Fiat in Europe, as Fiat Australia are indicating that it is Europe that seems to be the problem.

dave48 · Senior Member

I think it's absolutely disgraceful that a company as large as Chrysler ( they own Fiat ) can muck people around for so long and don't seem to care. Dave

dorian · Guru

Spydermann wrote:
dorian wrote:
My brother has a Ford sedan with a built-in GPS. Unfortunately he is using an exernal GPS unit because Ford Australia want $1500 to activate the factory unit. Mongrels.

I would search the user forums for possible hacks. I've seen some very clever ones for other makes.
What Ford? Just got a new Ranger and all works well.

Sorry, I can't remember. I'm guessing it's probably 6 or more years old, and I think it's a 3.6L V6 turbo automatic.

dorian · Guru

dave48 wrote:
I think it's absolutely disgraceful that a company as large as Chrysler ( they own Fiat ) can muck people around for so long and don't seem to care. Dave

ISTR a case where a European Jeep owner hacked his GPS to install his own maps, so the problem is not unique to Australia.

Bryan · Guru

dorian wrote:
dave48 wrote:
I think it's absolutely disgraceful that a company as large as Chrysler ( they own Fiat ) can muck people around for so long and don't seem to care. Dave
ISTR a case where a European Jeep owner hacked his GPS to install his own maps, so the problem is not unique to Australia.

I wonder what his reasoning was. I've been told some owners have found ways to install Hema maps in the system and I'm trying to find more info to do the same but no luck so far.

Sorry for going off topic.

-- Edited by Bryan on Wednesday 9th of December 2015 12:47:29 PM

dave48 · Senior Member

If you can find out how they installed the maps Bryan I'll give you my next born son as payment LOL

Dave

dorian · Guru

Bryan wrote:
dorian wrote:
dave48 wrote:
I think it's absolutely disgraceful that a company as large as Chrysler ( they own Fiat ) can muck people around for so long and don't seem to care. Dave
ISTR a case where a European Jeep owner hacked his GPS to install his own maps, so the problem is not unique to Australia.
I wonder what his reasoning was. I've been told some owners have found ways to install Hema maps in the system and I'm trying to find more info to do the same but no luck so far.
Sorry for going off topic.

I'm not sure it was a Jeep, but it was definitely a US RV that was imported into Europe. The owner was left with the problem of replacing the North American maps with European ones. He did it by hacking the storage medium which was either a hard drive or a flash based device. The same principle might be applicable to the Ducato GPS. I'd be very surprised if nobody has already done this. It's not the same thing, but I hacked a cheap Aldi GPS that shipped with Route66 software and NAVTEQ maps. I turned it into a Windows CE device and was able to run Tom Tom software and maps, plus two other GPS software.

Spydermann · Senior Member

dorian wrote:
Spydermann wrote:
dorian wrote:
My brother has a Ford sedan with a built-in GPS. Unfortunately he is using an exernal GPS unit because Ford Australia want $1500 to activate the factory unit. Mongrels.

I would search the user forums for possible hacks. I've seen some very clever ones for other makes.
What Ford? Just got a new Ranger and all works well.
Sorry, I can't remember. I'm guessing it's probably 6 or more years old, and I think it's a 3.6L V6 turbo automatic.

Not sure if Ford actually marketed a 3.6L V6 turbo automatic in Australia. I think GM did.

dorian · Guru

Spydermann wrote:
dorian wrote:
Spydermann wrote:
dorian wrote:
My brother has a Ford sedan with a built-in GPS. Unfortunately he is using an exernal GPS unit because Ford Australia want $1500 to activate the factory unit. Mongrels.

I would search the user forums for possible hacks. I've seen some very clever ones for other makes.
What Ford? Just got a new Ranger and all works well.
Sorry, I can't remember. I'm guessing it's probably 6 or more years old, and I think it's a 3.6L V6 turbo automatic.
Not sure if Ford actually marketed a 3.6L V6 turbo automatic in Australia. I think GM did.

2008 Ford Falcon 4L straight 6 G6e Turbo

I was close ...

Spydermann · Senior Member

I have two vehicles both with factory fitted GPS and I don't like them. Very costly to update. Not $1500 but more expensive than buying a new top-shelf Garmin from JB HiFi. God only knows what a total GPS replacement would cost. Probably cheaper to get a new car. My Ranger update comes on an SD card that I must buy. The Q3 gets upgraded if there is an upgrade available when vehicle is serviced. No idea what that would cost and neither does the dealer. They had never actually done one.

I have had Garmins in the past & still have one on my Spyder. The beauty is I can plug my Garmin in my PC and plan a trip from my PC and download it to the GPS. Not easily done on an in-car one.

I'm off the original topic now, but a portable GPS with a large screen and that you can set up at your desk is much better (IMHO) than the fitted one. And I believe that you can use the portable GPS as a display for a rear view camera.

dorian · Guru

Another option, while you are waiting for Fiat, would be to use a 10" or 7" tablet. IIRC my brother was using his iPad as a GPS (IMO that's all it was good for). If you purchase a Tom Tom application, or similar, there should be a "lifetime" maps guarantee.

BJ Brisbane · Member

We have got an iPad. I'll explore getting a stand for that, and also check the lifetime maps guarantee for the Tom Tom. :)

dave48 · Senior Member

Thanks everybody. Good suggestions. The only reason I'm so snakey with Fiat is the inbuilt Gps is not only voice activated but it is updated via satellite with your input. So it was a very useful thing to have. IF IT WORKED. Dave

BJ Brisbane · Member

Dave, We have a copy of a letter sent to Avan from Fiat Commercial Australia advising to expect a solution with the inbuilt GPS by the end of 2015. They do qualify this with mentioning that there is no guarantee though. Perhaps you could request a coy of that advice from the dealer you purchased your Knaus from?

dave48 · Senior Member

Will do. Thanks

Dave

dave48 · Senior Member

Just got an answer from my secret agent at Fiat. He said don't expect it to be fixed any time soon despite what they say to shut you up. Why is this such a problem. Got to be more in it than what we know.

Dave

Baz421 · Guru

jade46 wrote:
Hi
I have a new Fiat/Jayco. Same story. Isn't it amazing they can build a computer controlled engine/gearbox but can't get Australian maps in a GPS. Jayco gave us a TomTom in the meantime

I had the same problem with a Navman marine GPS about 12 years ago,,, very expensive colour job,,,,,, could buy maps on SD card at first,,, had boat down South,,, no cards available with southern states waters.

I think it was a licensing/cost issue as it's easy to copy the data to cards etc.

The money trail will normally provide the answer IMHO.