Map update conundrum

  • Thread starter Thread starter coutinpe
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coutinpe

coutinpe

Active Member
I have had a message on my car twice saying that the 2020 map is more than one year old and requires update. However, when I go and run Garmin express it says the current map is 2020.0 and does not require update. Interestingly, my wife's old Garmin updated to a 2021 version a couple of months ago. Any ideas?
IMG_1703.webp
garmin no update.webp
 
That’s the correct version for the Clairty. I just updated today; same version number.


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len zaifman said:
how do you update? I get the same message as the first post.
Click to expand...

Start here: https://hondanavi.navigation.com/models/Catalog/Catalog_Clarity/en_US/HondaNA/USD

You choose your model year and then get instructions. In short, you need a 32GB USB, plug it into your car, open maps, go to settings, device info, and update maps. From there it loads a config to the USB.

Then take the USB to tour computer, open the Garmin desktop app (you need to download it), it will read the USB drive, check the version, and download a new version if it exists.

Then back to the car and reverse the process. Maps will download. Mine took about 15 min.


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It is easy to identify what version of the map is running on your Clarity, BUT there seems to be no way to know whether this version is 'current' without going through the clunky process with the USB drive, running Garmin Express, etc. It seems that you must always 'guess' whether an update is likely, and then it is trial and error as to whether there really is an update or not...

Am I missing something? Is there somewhere that Garmin lists current map versions so it would be easy to know whether an update is available or not without wasting time blindly trying this clunky update process?

According to this web site (not Garmin), the current version of the Garmin maps is '2021.20' , and it was released in August 2020. That is a year newer than what @coutinpe is showing.
http://forums.gpsreview.net/discussion/17527/when-is-the-next-garmin-map-update-latest-map-version
 
Last edited:
MrFixit said:
It is easy to identify what version of the map is running on your Clarity, BUT there seems to be no way to know whether this version is 'current' without going through the clunky process with the USB drive, running Garmin Express, etc. It seems that you must always 'guess' whether an update is likely, and then it is trial and error as to whether there really is an update or not...

Am I missing something? Is there somewhere that Garmin lists current map versions so it would be easy to know whether an update is available or not without wasting time blindly trying this clunky update process?

According to this web site (not Garmin), the current version of the Garmin maps is '2021.20' , and it was released in August 2020. That is a year newer than what @coutinpe is showing.
http://forums.gpsreview.net/discussion/17527/when-is-the-next-garmin-map-update-latest-map-version
Click to expand...
Once you install Garmin Express and update to your maps, you can then always check in the program to see if there is a newer version than you previously installed. There was a 2021 map update for my stand alone Garmin, but not for the (Android based?) Clarity NAV.

Current Map version on my Nuvi: Full Coverage North America 2021.20
On the Clarity (up to date): US & Canada 2020.0
 
DucRider said:
Once you install Garmin Express and update to your maps, you can then always check in the program to see if there is a newer version than you previously installed
Click to expand...

This is problematic for me only because I switched to Linux a few years ago.
Garmin does not have a tool for Linux so it requires me to dredge up an old Windows machine in order to check for (or perform) an update.

I wonder why the Clarity seems to be behind by more than a year with the Garmin maps?
 
I eventually got in contact with someone on Garmin customer support. The guy confirmed me that "the latest map available for the Honda Clarity" is 2020.0 and he had no idea of when a new update would be available for it. Of course I didn't go into the murky waters of discussing why the "Clarity Garmin" is less equal than the other Garmins that updated to 2021.20? Some deep corporate "secret agreement" between Garmin and Honda? Of course the poor customer support fella wouldn't know. At least he was kind enough to offer me to send me an email when he knows an update for the Clarity becomes available.
@MrFixit: I bleed from the same wound as you. I run Linux Mint 19 with 16GB RAM but I am forced to switch to the "original" partition on this computer with a 32bit Windows 7 with 4GB only for the stupid Garmin and Itunes (sigh!).
 
SOLVED. True to his word, the Garmin support guy emailed me yesterday to let me know the 2021.0 map update for Clarity was ready. I downloaded and installed it per the instructions, no hiccups.
 
MrFixit said:
Well, I guess that's progress, but it still seems like we are the better part of a year behind...
Click to expand...
Part of the attraction of phone based navigation. Stored maps in Nav systems are about a year old when they are first released, and never get any better. Wait until your free upgrades expire and they want you to pony up some $$ every year to get maps that are somewhat less out of date than the ones you already have.
 
DucRider said:
Part of the attraction of phone based navigation. Stored maps in Nav systems are about a year old when they are first released, and never get any better. Wait until your free upgrades expire and they want you to pony up some $$ every year to get maps that are somewhat less out of date than the ones you already have.
Click to expand...
That's right. But it's only flaw compared to in-dash nav systems is depending on cell coverage (except maybe Google Maps in which you can download certain areas for offline use but no traffic). Hopefully cell coverage will improve in the future and then all in-dash navigation systems would be obsolete.
 
I'm sorry, but I want the built-in convenience of the factory navigation, and I just can't get past the extremely clumsy need to physically connect the cell phone with a wire every time you go somewhere (and even worse, every time you are in and out of a store, etc).

The reality is that the maps change very little from revision to revision, and the likelihood that a relevant change would affect you is small.
 
I’m seeing the 2021 version today as well. Downloading to install. I think because you asked Garmin, that’s the only reason they pushed the 2021 for Clarity.


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