new 2014 SL nav/voice frustrations

Trying to connect to Carwings I realized the TCU needs to be activated. I understand the dealer needs to do this. Before heading out, I'd like to know if this will also turn on setting a route, that is currently grayed out. Also using voice activation is frustrating at best, using the phone's contacts it cannot find a contact at all unless I say the name last name first. Even then it gives me a list of three or four that sound nothing like the name I said. I tried deleting all my phone contacts and made only a few contacts on the car's contact list, now it cannot find ANY of the contacts through voice control.

Also I tried finding Voice Adaptation and it doesn't seem to actually exist as described in the manual. Perhaps not with the SL nav system?

I solved one issue. I created a separate simplified group of contacts on my phone. At first I switched the last and first name. This did work so that the names came in properly but the voice recognition still had issues finding the one I was asking for. I then simplified, Nancy Mobile, Bill Work, Joe Mobile. But when I asked to call Nancy Mobile it asked which I wanted... Nancy Mobile or Joe Mobile? So I simplified down to one name. Nancy, Bill, Joe. Now 'Call Nancy' works. Not a great piece of software here.

Voice recognition only seems to work for my mobile phonebook not the vehicle phonebook.

Also I was going nuts trying to figure how to input an address vocally. I've been using this on my prius for years and figured the leaf would be more sophisticated. The youtube video from Nissan describes doing it. Until I noticed I was watching the 2015 tutorial. I double checked and found that it is an upgrade:

For 2015, the Nissan Leaf adds a more aggressive regenerative braking mode to the base model, and voice-to-text messaging and navigation voice command to SV and SL models. The SV also now gets 17-inch wheels.

I wonder if there is a way to get the updated software?

No matter how good the car, the nav/phone system is a major part of the driving experience. I feel really let down.

I know how you feel. I have had a couple of Toyota models, Honda , and now Nissan. They are all a pain, but Honda was the better for ease of use, and all the functions were available while driving. I can't understand why I have to pull over and stop in order to input a destination. And no option to voice input. Crazy.

I think the 2014 Nav is the same as on my 2013. It is an embarrassment. Forget it. Use Waze on your phone.

The salesman told me during the test drive that the nav was very customizable and that "I could make it work like I wanted to make it work."

I also read a ton of reviews and none mentioned these inefficiencies.

The Nav and Infotainment system in the Leaf is 5 to 10 years behind the better systems on modern vehicle these days... It IS something of an embarrassment...

PreCharge said:

The salesman told me during the test drive that the nav was very customizable and that "I could make it work like I wanted to make it work."

Click to expand...

The salesman is always going to tell you want you want to hear. I use google maps for nav on my SL.