Free TMC traffic service for Kenwood DNX520VBT

[Binkhorstlaan]

I'm just getting up to speed with my 2012 California which has a factory fitted Kenwood satnav. Having done a bit of trawling around tinternet I found that these units all come with a free UK lifetime subscription to the TMC traffic service. It looks like there is also a free US/Canada subscription too but I've not been able to follow this up.

This is absolutely not obvious and the manuals don't mention it. Hence I thought it would be useful to document it here. Certainly the previous owner of my van never knew about it as it was never activated. I suspect the same will be true for many others.

I found the instructions to activate the subscription on a (defunct) website www.darkmoon.org.uk which is fourtunately archived on http://archive.org. Good old archive.org!

1. Get unit ID. From the Navigation screen select Settings > Traffic > Subscriptions > Add Subscription

(Here you may see you have a US/CAN one as well, but leave this for now)

2. Create a new account with Garmin (unless you have one already ...)

Go to www.garmin.com
Follow new account link
Enter your email etc

3. Call Garmin on 02380 662894

They will ask for the email address you used in step 2 above. Tell them you want a TMC activation; they will then ask for the unit ID you got from step 1 above.

They will send you an email with the unlock code for your unit.

4. Enter this code in the Kenwood. Go to Settings > Traffic > Subscriptions > Add Subscription and follow the instructions.

NB the email has instructions but refers to a code with hyphens. My code had no hyphens.

This all seems to work fine - the code is accepted and the unit starts searching for the TMC service.

Hope this is helpful!

 

[Lost Boy]

I did this with mine too, seems Ok but has the habit of telling about the traffic when I'm sat in it!

Has anyone actually updated the maps on this unit?

 

[Binkhorstlaan]

The TMC service is based on a quite limited (40,000?) list of locations for the entire country, so its no surprise the resolution accuracy is a bit low. However, its free, so what's not to like

I think I will try and update the maps next. Stay tuned.

 

[vmaxkiddy]

I did this with mine too, seems Ok but has the habit of telling about the traffic when I'm sat in it!

Has anyone actually updated the maps on this unit?

Looked at the price. Didn't bother, could have bought 2 sat nags with lifetime map up dates for less money.

 

[WelshGas]

Looked at the price. Didn't bother, could have bought 2 sat nags with lifetime map up dates for less money.

Great. Which Sat Nav would you suggest that has a Radio. CD/DVD player, Bluetooth and large Touch Screen etc: etc:, or are you just comparing the SatNav features?
A portable Garmin/TomTom is useless for all these other features, so you should really be comparing Like for Like.

 

[JohnGuppy]

Has anyone heard that by 2019 all in build sat nav systems will be linked to the vehicle's ECU so you will only be able to travel at the speed set for the road you are on another way of keeping us to speed limits and for driverless cars sounds silly I know but who knows what is going on

 

[WelshGas]

Has anyone heard that by 2019 all in build sat nav systems will be linked to the vehicle's ECU so you will only be able to travel at the speed set for the road you are on another way of keeping us to speed limits and for driverless cars sounds silly I know but who knows what is going on

Well they'll have to improve the accuracy and updating of their mapping data as there are a few roads around here that have lower speed limits than the supposed National limits that don't appear on my SatNav with the current updates.

 

[vmaxkiddy]

Great. Which Sat Nav would you suggest that has a Radio. CD/DVD player, Bluetooth and large Touch Screen etc: etc:, or are you just comparing the SatNav features?
A portable Garmin/TomTom is useless for all these other features, so you should really be comparing Like for Like.

Commenting on the price of Kenwood/Garmin map updates. More than happy with the head unit, but £175 (at the time of looking) for 1 year of updates was taking the proverbial.

 

[WelshGas]

Commenting on the price of Kenwood/Garmin map updates. More than happy with the head unit, but £175 (at the time of looking) for 1 year of updates was taking the proverbial.

Agree. VW is only £99 or less.

 

[Binkhorstlaan]

From what I can see, Garmin sell a micro SD card with a single update. Its listed on Amazon for £75. http://amzn.eu/9felFyB

 

[MattBW]

Has anyone heard that by 2019 all in build sat nav systems will be linked to the vehicle's ECU so you will only be able to travel at the speed set for the road you are on another way of keeping us to speed limits and for driverless cars sounds silly I know but who knows what is going on

I actually think that is probably more cost effective (on the whole) idea than speed cameras and pollution enhancing humps everywhere to account for a few who need them. I have always thought if they really didnt want people to speed then cars wouldnt be capable. I guess that is finally happening?

However it does create a whole new host of problems and will I suspect require cars to use a map set that is online and thus always upto date (similar to Waze).

 

[Lost Boy]

From what I can see, Garmin sell a micro SD card with a single update. Its listed on Amazon for £75. http://amzn.eu/9felFyB

Are you going for it, would love to know how you get on?

 

[Binkhorstlaan]

Have found one on eBay. From Russia. Ahem. Quite a bit cheaper. Will post report when it arrives.

 

[Lost Boy]

Have found one on eBay. From Russia. Ahem. Quite a bit cheaper. Will post report when it arrives.

Any update, if I'm going to do mine I need to do it this week!
Thanks

 

[Binkhorstlaan]

It's still in the post. Hopefully it comes before my trip in a couple of weeks ...
Will post an update when I get it.

 

[Binkhorstlaan]

Have just recieved my SD card update. Having inserted it, the new 2017 map is shown in the map info page. All seems well, but have not been for a drive to test this yet. A bargain IMO.

 

[Lost Boy]

Assuming that all is well with your Nav update, any chance of a link to the ebay russian listing please?

Thanks

 

[Binkhorstlaan]

Well, it turns out to crash the Kenwood after a few minutes use. I think its because its the full Europe update as a single file which is too large for the software version in the unit.

The EBay seller offered to send me a cut down set of countries which should fix this problem. However, I'm still on the road at the moment (have reached Tuscany ...) and so have not has time to try this fix.

The listing is at http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-amp-Ir...-Card-for-Garmin-GPS-Navigator-/332332145059?

Its cheap enough to try anyway and ask for a cut down set of countries.