[striker3636]

So I saw on one of the posts for the 2011's that no one could find any reference to the FM Traffic option in the Canadian models for the nav system.
I gave up trying to get an answer through Honda's customer assistance phone line after being transferred all over the place, and 4 days later got a response to an email query.
Canadian models do not have FM Traffic capability, just the US models. That seems bizarre to me, I can't believe they'd have a separate nav module for the Canadian and US spec models. I appreciate the service is only available in a few larger Canadian cities at the moment, but I do travel frequently to the US and would have appreciated the option, especially considering Honda is making me pay several thousand dollars more for my "Canadian spec" Odyssey that it seems they've removed features from. Also... how about future proofing my model Honda, if the rationale was limited availabilty in Canada at present, how about assuming the new technology will continue to be adopted?
Makes me start wondering how may other things may have been removed. We pick up our Touring end of next week, but so far very disappointed with Honda's customer service response delays, and miffed that they are leaving out features available in the US models. Maybe they think giving us the free front mudguards makes up for the FM Traffic?

 

[Bill in Houston]

Makes me start wondering how may other things may have been removed. We pick up our Touring end of next week, but so far very disappointed with Honda's customer service response delays, and miffed that they are leaving out features available in the US models. Maybe they think giving us the free front mudguards makes up for the FM Traffic?

You should probably cancel your order. You really don't want a vehicle that you are this unhappy with before you even take delivery. Getting a new van should be a happy time!

 

[striker3636]

We're certainly considering that, and it is still an option for us. We've had a Toyota for the past 10 years (absolutely problem free other than a new battery...) and been very happy with it, and we wanted to stay with Japanese, but didnt like the Sienna's, but now I'm concerned about the unresponsiveness of the customer service system, and wondering what else may have been removed from a Canadian spec model. I'm used to nothing more than a speedometer in km/h and daytime running lights, they are usually identical otherwise. 3 different dealers couldnt answer the FM Traffic question, so I ended up on the phone to customer relations, 39 minutes on hold led to someone that transferred me to a "Hands Free Link" representative who said they had nothing to do with FM Traffic and couldnt answer my question and suggested I call back in to the first number I called. The person on the phone initially when I commented on the 39 minute wait blamed short staff due to Spring Break. I then mentioned about how at my workplace we had limits on the number of people that could be off at any one time to limit the impact to customer service/operations. I'm otherwise new to Honda and had envisioned that they were neck and neck with Toyota for quality and customer service, so hope I'm not downgrading here.

 

[William Wiles]

You probably do not have the radio stations in Canada that broadcast the traffic data as well as the traffic senses in the roads. The GPS just has a software program that processes data from an FM radio receiver and processes it. In the US the traffic data is multi-cast on the PBS FM stations. My garmin has an FM receiver in the power cord that gets the broadcast. The GPS has nothing to do with it other than display data from the traffic software.

 

[striker3636]

You probably do not have the radio stations in Canada that broadcast the traffic data as well as the traffic senses in the roads. The GPS just has a software program that processes data from an FM radio receiver and processes it. In the US the traffic data is multi-cast on the PBS FM stations. My garmin has an FM receiver in the power cord that gets the broadcast. The GPS has nothing to do with it other than display data from the traffic software.

It's available in Toronto, Montreal, and possibly a couple other areas, but that being said, I'm all of an hour's drive from Buffalo, etc. and travel a fair bit in the US, so I would have appreciated having the feature in a new $50,000+ van. Are you suggesting that it may be later enabled by a software update to the nav system instead of being missing some critical hardware component?

 

[William Wiles]

At the least it will require an FM receiver and a software package. Maybe check with Alpine if an upgrade is available. Assuming it is made by Alpine. I find the traffic is only usable in Large city's and even then of marginal value.

 

[Bill in Houston]

if lack of fm traffic info is all that it takes to turn you off of a vehicle, you have no business buying it. buy something you actually genuinely like. be happy.

 

[striker3636]

if lack of fm traffic info is all that it takes to turn you off of a vehicle, you have no business buying it. buy something you actually genuinely like. be happy.

See, now that's what I like about the internet. There's always someone willing to come forward to share their valuable opinion on whether or not I have any business buying a certain vehicle...

 

[Bill in Houston]

See, now that's what I like about the internet. There's always someone willing to come forward to share their valuable opinion on whether or not I have any business buying a certain vehicle...

Rats, now you are going to buy it just to teach me a lesson. Whatever you get, Honda or otherwise, I hope you absolutely love it. It doesn't seem like you should take delivery on a vehicle you have already decided to be unhappy with over an incredibly non-useful feature. That's just how I feel about it. With the kind of money you are spending, it should be a happy time.

 

[jackrabbit000]

So I saw on one of the posts for the 2011's that no one could find any reference to the FM Traffic option in the Canadian models for the nav system.
I gave up trying to get an answer through Honda's customer assistance phone line after being transferred all over the place, and 4 days later got a response to an email query.
Canadian models do not have FM Traffic capability, just the US models. That seems bizarre to me, I can't believe they'd have a separate nav module for the Canadian and US spec models. I appreciate the service is only available in a few larger Canadian cities at the moment, but I do travel frequently to the US and would have appreciated the option, especially considering Honda is making me pay several thousand dollars more for my "Canadian spec" Odyssey that it seems they've removed features from. Also... how about future proofing my model Honda, if the rationale was limited availabilty in Canada at present, how about assuming the new technology will continue to be adopted?
Makes me start wondering how may other things may have been removed. We pick up our Touring end of next week, but so far very disappointed with Honda's customer service response delays, and miffed that they are leaving out features available in the US models. Maybe they think giving us the free front mudguards makes up for the FM Traffic?

Canadian versions with the Nav is a ripoff in Canada. For the premium that they are charging you it's really not worth the extra money to get the built-in Nav and a few little extra options. We bought a '06 EXL-RES and bought a Garmin GPS with traffic. Works great for me and saved myself around $7000.