V70 navigation map upgrade
 

I’ve just bought a lovely 2012 v70.

I’ve down loaded the latest maps for the nav system. When ininsert the usb to upload the maps it says it’s going to take 3 hours to update the system. Is this normal?

Do I need the engine running all this time?
Not sure the ignition with stay on for that long without timing out or flattening the battery but if I start the engine midway through the process I don’t want to disrupt the download and corrupt it.

Yes that is normal.
It will be updating the maps for all of Europe
My 2009 XC90 takes just over 3 hours to transfer around 20 GBs of data from the DVDs to the internal hard drive.

You car map will be even bigger

The process reads and writes and verifies blocks of data at a time, and has to be especially robust considering the harsh operating environment it is running in. It could be anywhere from -20 to +40 degrees C, on a smooth road or a rough trail, in clean or polluted or dusty air.
Vehicle hard drives are very different to consumer PC hard drives.

For my car, I did it in one night with a battery charger connected, everything turned off apart from what was required, and let it sit in the garage, happily updating, for around 3 hours.

And yes, you need to have the nav system up and running for the update to occur. Engine can be off. Ignition just on POS1 (radio/accessories)

Or just drive the car....
 

Alternatively, once you have started the update, just keep the USB drive connected and drive the car as normal. The update will pause when the car is stopped and restart automatically the next time you drive it. It will keep doing that until it is complete. In my experience the whole thing does take 2 to 3 hours. During the update the satnav is not available. But if you drive several hours a week on a route you know well, eg. a daily commute, then that way is a good option.

Thank the replies chaps. If I can do it while driving to work and interrupt with out any issues that will work well. It 45 mins each way so be done in a coupe of days.

When I insert the usb it asks for a license number. Where do I get that from?

Probably you need a software upgrade....
 

[When I insert the usb it asks for a license number. Where do I get that from?]

Ahhhh. This means that your car is expecting an update to be made using DVD discs. The previous system using discs required purchase of a one-time code specific to your car's VIN from an approved Volvo dealer. It cost about £130 per update as I recall. About four years ago Volvo went to "free for life" updates, using maps downloaded from their website onto a USB stick. (More recent cars can even get it direct on the internet using WiFi I believe.)

To use the USB method your 2012 will need an "Infotainment Head Unit" software update from a Volvo dealer. It costs about £60. My 2013 car was compatible with that update and it works fine. Not sure about 2012 though. Your best bet is to ring your nearest Volvo dealer, quote your VIN and ask them if the car can take the IHU update. Make sure they understand it is specifically to enable map updates using a USB stick. Hope that helps.

I have a 2012 XC70 which needed the HU upgrade to allow USB map uploading. Volvo were to charge £60 for the software upgrade but it turned out that the HU would not accept the upgrade. The dealer did not know why so he logged the matter as a faulty HU and, since the car was at the time covered by the Selekt warranty extension, the HU was replaced free of charge and since the HU had to have the latest software, that was uploaded fee of charge and since the Sensus needed a map file, that was uploaded free of charge by the dealer, so I didn't have to do it. However if you have the same problem as I did, the HU will cost you £350 so best hope that the £60 upgrade takes without problem and that you can then upload the free maps yourself without problems.

Where do you download the latest maps from?


edited to add:

Wow volvo offer this for free now! Magic will try it out. Does the process start automatically when USB plugged in?

https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support...afa20cf40b1589

Thanks

Yep the download starts as soon as you plug the usb in.

Will try it at the weekend as due on a longish journey up north.


Cheers