Leon SatNav and aftermarket replacements

[Xyleth]

Hello eveyone,

I have searched for information on this and can't quite seem to find what I am looking for so I thought it appropiate to start a new thread to ask. If this is covered somewhere I've missed please point me in the right direction!

I'm trying to discover if the SatNav that comes built into the Leon as part of the Technology pack accepts full seven digit UK postcodes? I've seen some in car systems that only accept partial postcodes and then need a street and housenumber to complete the address and wondered if the Seat system was one of these.

Alongside that I'm mulling talking to my dealer about the upgraded Kenwood head unit and the possibilty of them installing it along with the optional reversing camera (a reversing camera being the only option I really wanted that wasn't avialble from the factory). Is that something its reasonable to ask a dealer to do with a brand new car (it's my first time buying brand new so I don't know the etiquette!)? I gather from the documentation and reviews here that the VAG recommended Kenwood unit provides parking sensor information and climate control display but does it also offer the displays for the car specific functions and readouts that the original model does?

These are minor things to worry about I know but so much is right with the car that I'm left with only minor worries to have, which is not so much of a bad thing

 

[yellowcone87]

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the Kenwood system you mention is actually designed for the mk2, so I don't think it's possible to install it in the mk3. I was also pretty disappointed that there is no factory option available for the reversing camera. Seems a pretty glaring omission to me, given that Seat already offer the option on other models.

The infotainment system on the new Leons is one of the only things I don't really like about the whole car. They seem to have intentionally made it damn near impossible to upgrade it. Even a yellow rca port would have made a huge difference, then I could have used it to add my own camera... As it is, adding a camera would require a whole new wiring connection and some pretty extensive knowledge of VCDS programming. Not something I want to start messing with myself!

To me, integrated sat nav is not something I'd ever pay for. The cost is ludricous compared to the fact that my android tablet does the same job, and with free map updates too. DAB is great, but given that FM radio is due to be switched off soon(ish) you'd think manufacturers should already be including it for free. Otherwise surely, if its still under warranty when the switch off happens lots of people will be shouting 'unfit for purpose'... Which could get very expensive for Seat.

For the time being though, it seems like mk3 owners are stuck with the factory fit options. I've not seen one person who has managed to upgrade it yet. There was a guide on here about how to add the camera, but it's still incomplete, so not much use really. Whoever manages to get it done and provide a decent guide for others is going to be pretty damn popular on this forum!

As for the postcode question, the easiest place to point out to you is the FAQ section of this forum. There you will find a downloadable version of the manual for the media system.

 

[Siggyboy]

I use the Sat Nav a lot for my job..and apart from being a bit slow, is very accurate and has never let me down even going to an out of the way rural address. It does accept seven digit UK postcodes. It may not be the best sat nav ever but works well..and of course is free with the Tech Pack...

 

[Marve]

FM radio is due to be switched off soon(ish)

Do you work for the Daily Mail or something? Scaremongering like that is top drawer.

The FM switch off plan that was in place for 2018 has been abandoned for the foreseeable future. Plus, when the plans were in place, it was only for national radio stations to come off FM, local radio stations were still going to broadcast on FM. So any change is going to be years and years away yet.

 

[Xyleth]

Ah, I see. Thanks for the information - well that's the best part of £1k saved

To be honest I agree, if it hadn't have been free with the Tech pack I wouldn't have specified it myself - as you say my smart phone does everything it does and is probably better at it, and certianly more up to date. Good to hear it does at least take full postcodes!

Thank you again for the info and experience.

 

[yellowcone87]

Do you work for the Daily Mail or something? Scaremongering like that is top drawer.

The FM switch off plan that was in place for 2018 has been abandoned for the foreseeable future. Plus, when the plans were in place, it was only for national radio stations to come off FM, local radio stations were still going to broadcast on FM. So any change is going to be years and years away yet.

Well I wouldn't call it scaremongering... National radio stations coming off of FM is a pretty significant change, which will when it happens affect a lot of people. It just seems to me that your info is a touch more up to date than mine. I hadn't heard it had been postponed is all. Lots of people didn't even know it was being talked about, let alone when it was due. I still think it should be standard fitment if it is designed to last the lifetime of the car... Postponed or not, the problem will still arise at some point. Better to see to it now than then.

 

[LeonFRTDi]

How the Bejaysus do you enter a 7 digit postcode into the mk3 leons SATNAV Then ??

 

[yellowcone87]

Press 'New Destination',
Then 'Town'
Then in the bottom left a button marked 'PtCd' will appear.
Press it to enter the postcode.

 

[DEAN0]

Press 'New Destination',
Then 'Town'
Then in the bottom left a button marked 'PtCd' will appear.
Press it to enter the postcode.

Took me a while to find that one too

 

[Famandy1]

Oh well that's good to know for when mine arrives as been surviving the last 8+ years with partial postcode entry and then having to finish off by entering street etc - presume it is the same arrangement for Navigation High - can jimiC comment on this?

 

[dw911]

Took me a while to find that one too

Even the dealership didn't know, they told me, and I imagine every other leon buyer that had bought a car from them, that you can't put postcodes into the mk3 leon sat nav.

Reassuring that Seat dealer's know what they are selling so throughly

 

[LeonFRTDi]

Cheers I just figured it out !!!
PtCd

PMSL...

Why didn't they just get TomTom to do the SatNav system anyhow...

Far Far better & easier

U input the Postcode & it doesn't know where the street is.....

Arrrrgggg yet you can find the street no bother but then it wont let you select the House Number.....

Any tips how to get around this ?

It wants some leading road ?? eh??

 

[jimiC]

don't be surprised when the screen says "No street data for this location" when you've entered your postcode. forgot to mention that at the dealers today

 

[CharlesTheTog]

Cheers I just figured it out !!!
PtCd

PMSL...

Why didn't they just get TomTom to do the SatNav system anyhow...

Far Far better & easier

U input the Postcode & it doesn't know where the street is.....

Arrrrgggg yet you can find the street no bother but then it wont let you select the House Number.....

Any tips how to get around this ?

It wants some leading road ?? eh??

Well guys, I have a solution for you all. Kenwood (garmin) vw golf discovery (non pro) retrofit!

Spoken to kenwood and it works in the Leon, no more ****ing arround with the ***** at seat in regards to paying £130 every 8-12 months.

 

[MattW35]

So how much does the Kenwood / Garmin system work out at cost wise??

Personally, I think the Leon system is "OK" (bearing in mind it was a free upgrade). I had a Tomtom (4 years old) that I used in my Mk 2, and I'd agree that the Leon system isn't as good as Tomtom was. However, I honestly don't find it that bad. Mine generally works ok, it's not the easiest to use, but it sure wasn't bad enough for me to bother having to hard wire the Tomtom in as I had before in the mk2

 

[Obee72]

Well guys, I have a solution for you all. Kenwood (garmin) vw golf discovery (non pro) retrofit!

Spoken to kenwood and it works in the Leon, no more ****ing arround with the ***** at seat in regards to paying £130 every 8-12 months.

I'd be very surprised if this displayed all the Seat specific screens you see on the Nav unit as it is and if it worked with the MFD. Just saying .....

 

[ayster]

I'd be very surprised if this displayed all the Seat specific screens you see on the Nav unit as it is and if it worked with the MFD. Just saying .....

looking at the video, it only replaces the navigation with a garmin product, the rest of the easy connect functions aren't affected.

 

[Seastormer]

Cheers I just figured it out !!!
PtCd

PMSL...

Why didn't they just get TomTom to do the SatNav system anyhow...

Far Far better & easier

U input the Postcode & it doesn't know where the street is.....

Arrrrgggg yet you can find the street no bother but then it wont let you select the House Number.....

Any tips how to get around this ?

It wants some leading road ?? eh??

The "No street data for this location" just means they don't have info like it is a hotel, tourist attraction, shopping centre etc, not that it doesn't know where it is, you just ok it, and then carry on.

 

[StylancePaul]

Well guys, I have a solution for you all. Kenwood (garmin) vw golf discovery (non pro) retrofit!

Spoken to kenwood and it works in the Leon, no more ****ing arround with the ***** at seat in regards to paying £130 every 8-12 months.

Yes, but the video shows the climate control functions, note that there is no CAR button, and I'd guess that its unlikely to have all the Drive Profile screens either. I'd love to be proven wrong!

 

[CharlesTheTog]

I think you've missed the point. All this does is plugs into the screen you already have!

You hold media for 2 seconds and it brings garmin satnav up