Had 2 F56's in Canada. The traffic on the NAV does not work.
As I live in a big city the maps become little more than "moving wallpaper" that I never use.
I believe the Navigation traffic works on US cars because MINI USA made a deal with Horizon that owns the rights to this feature. Not so up here.
Anyone know if there is a workaround for this issue other than using MINI Connected and having to plug in your phone every time?
Can you software hack and make the car think it is a US car when it speaks to the satellites? Anything.........?
If there is no fix can everyone write to BMW Canada and complain! This is complete BS IMHO especially as some of the newer BMW's have this function working.

 

MINIs rely on RTTI, an FM service run by ClearChannel(?) that doesn't seem to have agreements to work in Canada. I don't know if there is a Canadian equivalent service.

Newer BMWs use ARTTI which is internet/data based and uses the built in SIM to work. The advantage of RTTI on the MINI is that it's a free service, whereas ARTTI becomes a pay for service after the first 3-4 years.

 

Received a note from Mini Canada. My car does not have the hardware installed. It must not have been available in Canada at the time (2016).
I've asked if I can buy the module.

 

would be interested to know the outcome of this, but it doesn't sound hopeful.

has anybody driven their Canadian car to the states to confirm that they can receive the US RTTI?

I dug up this post from a different forum , and it says to check your VIN for feature Code 6UH; my 2014 Mini (Fully Loaded package) is missing 6UH which corresponds with traffic updates.

and i think this post from bimmerpost is the closest that anybody in a BMW has gotten to getting Canadian traffic working on an old RTTI navigation system. Would be interesting to know if the Canadian F56 receive US traffic out of the box - or we have to reprogram it based on the bimmer post. based on the later replies it seems like it was intermittent in Toronto after it was coded.

These coverage maps from TTW show that Toronto & Vancouver do have RDS-TMC coverage (which is a FM signal); but clearly we aren't receiving these traffic updates, so our cars must be looking to receive a diff. signal or can't receive traffic signals at all (despite the menu option in nav)

 

Jon. Thanks for the detailed reply. My coding guru guy tells me that the Russians have managed to add the module from a donor car...but it is a very complicated process as it is tied to your vin #.
I have complained to mini Canada and someone high up is meant to call me next week. No one in that organisation has a clue about what is going on. So it will be interesting to hear what they think is going on.
I'll post once I hear more....it might be possible for mini to add the module...

 

Hey, keep me in the loop as well... I am in Montreal...

Thanks GregoryK

 

RTTI would be integrated into the radio circuit (not a separate add-on), so obtaining it may involve swapping an entire radio module. That's why coding the VIN may be necessary.

 

What I find interesting about this whole thing is that we Canadians do not complain.
I'm my opinion those of us that purchased the NAV probably assumed we were getting traffic...I mean unless you live in the country the system is useless without it. I did and in 2014 asked my dealer and was told that it was coming....and I assumed to my car. There was nothing in the MINI Canada website about it not being fully functioning and when I bought my 2016 I was never told any different.
If we all complained together we may have a chance to get them to make this right. Any of you guys lawyers. Care to weigh in?

 

Yep, the traffic for the Nav is useless. At the moment, as many are probably using as well, I use Waze.

I guess the day they find a way to integrate Android or (god forbid) Apple into our Consoles (I am assuming all the "hardware" is there to make it happen) then we will have the option to "run" an app of our liking.

It brings me back to when Lexus (toyota) sold there navigation systems, and were not crystal clear about the fact you could not input any kind of Data in the unit with the vehicle running. Yes, they did have voice commands, but it was pointless. The voice command system simply did not work i.e. (command "home", the system responded with, "the temperature is set for 72 degrees" LOL). Many US customers were awarded financial offers, and one or two individuals were even offered a complete buyback. We, as Canadiens were left with squat. As usual, we bend over and take it.


Until then... pfft.

 

Sad but true.. also live traffic is just one of those things we don't get here. :(


still there's the electric auto-folding side mirrors, auto curb monitor, new Mini Connected app, actual TPMS sensors with tire pressure reading.