Navigation System5
Introduction
The navigation system applies this
location, direction, and speed
information to the maps and calculates a
route to the destination you enter. As
you drive to that destination, the system
provides map and voice guidance.
The navigation system is easy to use.
The locations of many places of
business and entertainment are already
entered in the system. You can select
any of them as a destination by using the
Interface Dial or voice control.
There are several ways to enter a
destination, such as by point of interest
(POI), by address, by phone number,
and by selecting it from the map. The
last 50 destinations are saved for reuse
at a later date. The system also allows
you to store a home address to simplify
returning home from your destination.Accessories Precautions
If you have front window tinting
installed, be aware that if the tint has
metallic properties, it can seriously
degrade or prevent GPS reception. This
is because the GPS antenna is located
under the dashboard.
If you plan to install electronic
components such as radar detectors,
vehicle location devices, remote
starters, additional amplifiers, or other
audio components, ensure that they are
not located near the navigation control
unit under the driver’s seat, near the
navigation display in the dash, or near
the GPS antenna under the dashboard.
Signal noise emanating from these
devices can cause intermittent
disruption of the navigation system.
Important Safety Information
The navigation system can distract your
attention from the road if you focus on
the screen or operate the system’s
controls while driving.
Enter as much information as possible
into the system before you begin
driving, or when the vehicle is stopped.
Then, as you drive, listen to the audio
instructions and use voice commands
when possible.
2008 MDX
Navigation System15
Getting Started
Close the windows and the sunroof.
After pressing and releasing the
NAVI TALK button, wait for the
beep, then give a voice command.
Give a voice command in a clear, natural speaking voice without
pausing between words.
If the system cannot recognize your command because of background
noise, speak louder.
If more than one pe rson is speaking at
the same time, the system may
misinterpret your command.
If you are still having trouble with the voice control sy stem, refer to Voice
Command Help on the
Information screen.Selecting an Item (Button)
on the Screen
On most screens, there are items that
can be selected (like buttons with titles
such as OK or Return ). To select an
item on any screen, do one of the
following:
Use the voice control system and say the name of the desired item. Almost
all selectable items on the screen,
including some listed items, are
recognized by the voice control
system.
Move the highlighting to the desired item with the Interface Dial or its
knob , then push in on the Interface
Dial .
Tip:
If items are grayed out (very dark
colored), this means that they cannot be
selected.
Selecting an Item in a List
To scroll through a list, do one of the
following:
Rotate the Interface Dial knob to
scroll one item at a time.
Use the voice control system to scroll page by page. For example, to scroll
up, say, “Up” or “Previous.” To scroll
down, say “Next” or “Down.”
Move the Interface Dial up or down
to scroll through the list page by
page.
If you cannot find the desired name, or
have made an error, return to the
previous screen by pressing the
CANCEL or the NAVI BACK button.
To select the desired item in the list, do
one of the following:
Use the voice control system, and say the item number of the desired item.
Rotate the Interface Dial knob to
move the highlighting to the item,
then push in on the Interface Dial.
2008 MDX
Navigation System57
Driving to Your Destination
New Messages - button indicates that
there are AcuraLink messages for you to
read. These messages consist of quick
tips, and other information
communicated to you by Acura. If the
button is grayed out, you have no
messages. See page75 for more
information on this feature.
Traffic Incidents - select this button to
display a list of the traffic incidents
within a 30-mile radius of your current
position. You can view this same list by
saying “Display traffic incidents.” See
page24 for a discussion of this feature.Voice Guidance Prompts
As you get near the maneuver, you will
hear a voice reminder, and see a pop-up
window showing you the maneuver.
The number of reminders that you will
hear before a maneuver is determined
by Guidance Prompts in Setup on
page83.
With the factory default (NORMAL),
typically you will hear two prompts:
The first is about 1/4 mile from the maneuver.
The final prompt is close to your actual turn.
If the distance between the next two
driving maneuvers is very small, both
maneuvers are displayed on the screen
in a single window, and the voice will
remind you of both of them at the same
time. NOTE:
You can say “Voice” at any time, or
select Voice after pushing on the
Interface Dial to be reminded of the
next maneuver.
Typically a pop-up guidance window shows your next turn, and a voice
guidance prompt is heard. The timing
of these prompts varies, depending on
the type of road you are on, and the
distance to your next maneuver.
When given guidance in unverified
areas, the words, “If Possible,” are
inserted before each guidance prompt.
See Unverified Area Routing on page92
for more details about unverified
routing.
2008 MDX
Navigation System59
Driving to Your Destination
Split Screen Guidance
When on route to a destination, you
have two display options: single screen
mode (the factory default) and the split
screen mode.
Single screen mode - a map is
displayed with occasional guidance
pop-up windows as you approach a
maneuver.
Split screen mode - the map is always
displayed on the left of the screen, and
the maneuver or direction list is
displayed on the right hand side of the
screen.
Guidance mode can be changed in either
Setup (see Guidance Mode on page99),
or by accessing the icon bar (see
CHANGE GUIDANCE MODE on
page65). When you get near the maneuver, the
map
screen changes to:
On the map screen, the location of the
maneuver is marked with a small yellow
square. The guidance window is simply
an enlargement of the area indicated by
the yellow square. After you complete
the maneuver, the display returns to a
full map screen when the single screen
mode is set, or to a map and direction
list screen when the split screen mode is
set.
2008 MDX
Navigation System65
Driving to Your Destination
Showing Icons on the Map
Selecting Show Icon on Map from
the Map menu (see page56) displays
the following screen:
The screen consists of the following
items:
Icon Bar (curved row of icon
symbols)
The icon bar allows you to manually
select the icons that are displayed on the
map (see page62 for a list of these icons).
In the screen above, both traffic and
restaurants are selected. Rotate the
Interface Dial knob and push in to
select (goes blue) or remove them
(symbol is gray). You can also display or
hide the same icons by using the
“Display” or “Hide” voice commands
(see page147).
CURRENT LOCATION (Interface
Dial Left)
This allows you to display and/or save
your current location. See page68 for
more information.
ICON OPTIONS (Interface Dial
Right)
This feature allows you to “fine tune”
some of the icons on the Icon bar (See
Icon Options below for more
information).
CHANGE GUIDANCE MODE
(Interface Dial Down)
When on route, this item allows you to
select between a single screen (with
occasional pop-up guidance windows),
or a split screen (containing one half
map, and one half guidance/directions
list window). See page59 for an
explanation of this feature, and see
page99 for Setup.
Exit Screen
Press the CANCEL button to return to
the map screen.
Icon Options
Selecting ICON OPTIONS from the
Icon bar displays the following screen:
This feature allows you to “fine tune”
some of the icons on the Icon bar. The
four icon choices, “Parking” (lot or
garage), “Restaurant” (specific type or
types of food), “Other icons” (hospitals,
schools, etc.), and “Traffic” (traffic
speeds or traffic icons), can each be
tailored to your needs.
2008 MDX
Navigation System95
System Set-up
With Unverified Area Routing OFF ,
you are presented with a blue “vector
line” that always points to the
destination. You must manually choose
streets from the map that will lead to
your destination. No guidance is
provided, and there ar e no directions to
the destination.
With Unverified Area Routing ON ,
a blue/pink route line is shown for
unverified segmen ts. Voice guidance
commands in unverified areas always
end with “if possible.” This is your
signal that you should use additional
caution, and obey all traffic restrictions.
The maneuver window “arrow” shows
any portions of unverified turns in blue/
pink dashes.
These guidance maneuvers are only a
suggestion. You should always confirm
that the maneuver is possible. A
direction list is also provided that shows
any unverified roads in a blue color,
with pink arrows pointing to the next
maneuver. Unverified Area Routing “OFF”
NOTE:
For the pop-up menu displayed when
pushing in on the
Interface Dial from
the map screen, Voice and
Directions are grayed out. With
Unverified Area Routing “OFF,” no
Direction List is provided. Unverified Area
Routing “ON”
2008 MDX
Navigation System111
System Limitations
Although your navigation system is one
of the most highly sophisticated pieces
of equipment you will find in a modern
automobile, you may find during its use,
that it has certain limitations.
The system uses signals from the Global
Positioning System (GPS) to aid in
determining its current location. The
GPS is operated by the U.S.
Department of Defense. For security
reasons, there are certain inaccuracies
built into the GPS that the navigation
system must constantly compensate for.
This can cause occasional positioning
errors of up to several hundred feet.
For example, in urban areas where
streets are close together, this could
cause the system to show that you are
traveling on a street that parallels the
street you are actually on. The system
will, under most circumstances, correct
itself while you drive. Also, depending on your current view of
the sky and the position of the satellites,
the elevation may be shown incorrectly.
You may also notice some delay of the
vehicle position icon at intersections;
this is normal.
GPS Reception Issues
The signals received from the GPS
satellites are extremely weak (less than
a millionth of the strength of a local FM
station), and require an unobstructed
view of sky. The signal can easily be
interrupted or interfered with by the
following:
After-market metallic window tint
above or to the sides of the GPS
antenna (located under the dash)
Cell phones, PDAs, or other electronic devices docked in a cradle
or laying loose on the dash
Radar detectors mounted on the dash
Remote starters, or “hidden” vehicle location systems mounted near the
navigation unit Other after-market audio electronic
devices mounted near the navigation
unit
Trees, tall buildings, freeway overpasses, tunnels or overhead
electrical power wires
Although the system will direct you to
your desired destination, it may not
always generate what you consider to be
the most direct rout e. Try changing the
method of routing. See Changing the
Routing Method on page51. You may
also have Unverified Area Routing set
to “OFF.” See Unverified Area Routing
on page92.
2008 MDX
Navigation System131
Coverage Areas
Operation in Alaska and
Hawaii
Certain functions that rely on a satellite
signal will not work correctly in Alaska
and Hawaii. These functions include but
are not limited to AcuraLink, Nav-
Traffic, automatic clock updates, and
time zone adjustments.
Alaska
If the vehicle was purchased in the
Lower 48 states and driven to Alaska,
the system cannot display maps. The
map screen will be blank and only
display the red vehicle position icon.
Hawaii
This section describes the differences in
Navigation System operation for
vehicles delivered in Hawaii.
XM Radio
Navi Vehicles delivered to Hawaii are
equipped with XM hardware, but XM
broadcasting is not available; therefore
sections of the manual that mention XM
audio, traffic displays, and AcuraLink
features, do not apply. Vehicles
originally delivered to the US mainland,
and shipped to Hawaii also have XM, but
will not function because the XM
satellites (aimed toward the US
mainland) are too far away to obtain
reception.
Map Coverage
All roads displayed on the Hawaii map
screens are detailed coverage roads.
Text related to “unverified” roads or
areas are not applicable. The following
topics do not apply in Hawaii:
Unverified road descriptions (see page
6, 92)
Cautions and pop-up windows related to unverified roads (see page
69)
Setup entries that relate to turning on
or off unverified routing (see
page
93 )
When zooming in and out, there is no 350 mile scale for Hawaii Other Map Issues
See the coverage section for a list of
islands with coverage (see page 119)
The map scale “traffic” indicator,
shown beneath the map scale bar,
may show at vehicle start, but
disappear later. This is normal.
Freeway Exit information does not exist in Hawaii, so if the “Freeway
Exit Info” icon is shown on the icon
bar, the button may be selected, but
there is no data for Hawaii.
2008 MDX