Hello,

I'm new here and really looking for some help.

I have a question regarding the NAV. I just bought a brandnew GS300 AWD as well as an IS 250 AWD before I went back home to Europe (I used to live in the US for 5 years and now I have my own business in Europe). I took both cars with me to Europe and now I have a problem.

Now, as you probably know the Navigationsystem won't work, probably since the US is using a Denso unit and here in Europe Lexus uses Aisin. Anyway, someone told me that even replacing the ECU unit won't work since the plugs are different but I cannot believe that.

I was told that your Sat-Nav converter would do the trick, right? Where can I get one?

Anyway, do you have a solution on how to get the US-NAV to work in Europe?

Thanks!!

Sincerely,

walt

I just received the same message from the Swedish representative. I have brought a Lexus RX330-05 from US to Sweden when moving. The Navigator will not work here and the Swedish dealer do not know how to convert. They state the electronic and connectors are different.

If anyone has seen a solution to this problem I would be very interested to the degree where I replace the electronic.

PeO.

Surely the GPS would work as GPS is a global positioning system - can you not just buy a European satnav disk for your systems from the dealers in the USA?

Agree with you. GPS is global. My handheld GPS worked in both Europe and US. I assume it is just a matter of maps.

I will try your suggestion. Perhaps there is something to find. I have also tried to contact the manufacturer but don't keep my hope very high. They will probably not respond directly to an end customer.
http://www.globaldensoproducts.com/ic/car_nav.html

If I am successful I will write about my findings. Until then I appreciate all help.

PeO.

I have been in contact with Lexus US, Lexus Sweden, Denso Netherland and Denso U.K. The message I have gotten is that a Navtec map DVD that fits my Lexus RX 330 does not exist.

All have provided good answers. I am positively surpriced about customer service from all of the companies. However I still think this is a market limiting decision more than anything else. I have looked at Navtech DVD's for Europe (not working in my unit though) and compared file structure with myUS DVD. It is the same type of files, same structure, everything. If they wanted to provide a Denso compatible European map I really think they could do so with a minor effort.

The reason Aisin is not pin compatible is due to TP-RDS enabling traffic jams to affect the navigation routes. That is only available in Europe. So even if I would spend £4,000 I have no solution. The only remaining alternative is to buy a £200 unit and have it loose in the car.

PeO.

If you have the ability to design/build custom interfaces then there are options open

I imported a 2004 RX330 from the US to Norway and got the nav system to work after swapping computer and DVD. The connectors/pinouts were identical for the US and the euro computer, although they are different brands. It was a fairly simple procedure. Picked up a euro computer/DVD on Ebay for $900. Expect I can sell my US computer/DVD for about the same.
I initially ran into problems trying to get help from Lexus Europe. "No data exist on that" "Never heard of someone doing this" etc.
Talked to my local US lexus tech rep, and he suggested trying swapping the computer and DVD after he checked the diagrams....and he was right on.

Maybe in your case you could get the system to work without the RDS feed.
Good luck!

p.s did you find anything new on the subject? i am about to do the same thing as you... thanks!

That is very good information. However, I gace up and bought a handheld device. I still think it is interesting information though since Lexus in Sweden were not able to change the car parameters such as how the locks should act, follow-me-home-light etc. That probably should work again if I got a European computer/nav system. Not a bad idea at all!

PeO.

I made some adjustments to the "personalized options" you are talking about after import. The norwegian Toyota/Lexus dealer shrugged his shoulders when we first mentioned it, but after I brought in the U.S. Lexus brochure highlighting all these options, they looked into it and made the requested adjustments free of charge. Everything on my car works exactly as advertised after swapping the computer and disk.

"Picked up a euro computer/DVD on Ebay for $900"
Wow... 900$...

Actually, this is not a problem

You can buy (or copy ) an original european DVD with maps, and "mix" with US one

There are many Russian owners of imported (from US - IS250 AWD for example, or IS350) cars, and they are using modified (once again, this is software solution! no any additional hardware!) DVD disks with european maps...

The procedure is pretty simple - everything that you need is a:

1) European DVD
2) US DVD
3) Blank DVD-R DL disk
4) DVD-R DL writer
5) Some knowledges

In short, you should replace files

ALLDATA.KWI
INDEXDAT.KWI

and IDX catalogue on the US dvd image with files and catalogue from EU dvd image...

btw "DVD-R DL Verbatim MKM-001" is works 100%

HI Shapa


I was looking for some information and I came across your comments on this forum.

Please help, I have recently imported a sc430 from the USA, I need to get the sat nav to work, I assumed that it was a simple case of replacing the American DVD with the European version, but I have been informed from various Lexus forums that this is not possible. Then I read your comments and I am very interested to know what exactly I need to do and please can you explain to someone like me who is a complete computer idiot.

Also do you have any ideas on how to resolve a problem with the radio, it currently seeks in decimals of 0.2, therefore it seeks in 95.1, 95.3, 95.5 etc, so obviously I can’t pick up Capital radio on 95.8 etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am in London for 2 weeks and then I shall be returning to Spain. If you want we can meet and I can buy you a drink whilst you explain.

Best Regards

Saj

I do not have any experience for the SatNav problem. I gave up and bought a hand held device.

On the radio problem I bought my shifter from http://www.edl.co.nz/ConvertersHP/pb1000-10Mhz.htm They were very good to talk to and shipped to Sweden within five days. It works good but not until I realized the radio unit uses two antennas. So firstly I attached the shifter to only one antenna with lots of noise as a result. But when I finally found out I disconnected the second antenna and now have a good sound. Be aware that the radio will not have the same sensitivity as standard. So driving far from cities will mean bad radio reception. Also the RDS does not work and the radio scanning has problems due to the shifter creating two carrier frequencies for each channel.

PeO.

Hi PeOR
I will have the same problem as you. I will import a RX400h. I will try the software mod as SHAPA told us. Please contact me direct as I live in Stockholm so we can discus the problems. My email: nils@nira.se

Nils

I tried this procedure and it didn't work. Any suggestions?