Do you have to adjust the compass if you have NAV? How bout the clock?

[deputydog2003]

I just bought a 2011 Pilot EX-L with Nav. I was wondering if the compass headings (N-S-E-W) displayed in the information center (in front of the speedometer) comes from the navigation system and therefore does not need to be calibrated, or is it separate from the Nav system and needs to be calibrated exactly like the compasses on the non Nav models?

I read in the manual that the clock display comes from the NAV system and therefore does not need to be set manually. (Hmm, I wonder why there is still a manual adjustment for the clock and what will happen if I set it to a different time? Will it revert back to GPS time or will it stay set to what I set it for?

[theirishscion]

Originally Posted by deputydog2003

I just bought a 2011 Pilot EX-L with Nav. I was wondering if the compass headings (N-S-E-W) displayed in the information center (in front of the speedometer) comes from the navigation system and therefore does not need to be calibrated, or is it separate from the Nav system and needs to be calibrated exactly like the compasses on the non Nav models?

I read in the manual that the clock display comes from the NAV system and therefore does not need to be set manually. (Hmm, I wonder why there is still a manual adjustment for the clock and what will happen if I set it to a different time? Will it revert back to GPS time or will it stay set to what I set it for?

There's no way for the owner to calibrate the compass, and insofar as I'm aware, there's no way for the dealership to do so either. I presume it is interfaced to the GPS system (which has extensive dead-reckoning capabilities including a very accurate yaw sensor, which in conjunction with the GPS would effectively give you the mother of all compasses) but I don't know for sure.

The clock is set automatically from GPS timeclocks (very accurately, I might add) but is manually settable in case the satellite constellation is taken offline by the US military or otherwise becomes unavailable (times of war, selective availability, yada yada), or if the Pilot is operated in some situation where the constellation is never visible (I'd love to know if anyone has ever used a Pilot in a situation wholly isolated from the sky. ) It would also allow the clock to be set correctly in the event of a GPS system failure (which is a fair bit more likely than either of the other contingencies mentioned)

Dermot (suddenly a GPS knowitall)

(actually got off a speeding ticket once on the basis of a GPS, jury trial and everything. Had to testify about the system operation and accuracy. Prosecutor didn't know what hit him. Excellent fun.)

[deputydog2003]

Thanks for the reply.

If I did set the clock manually, do you know how to get it back to GPS time?

[theirishscion]

I'm not sure, but I rather suspect that it's going to reset itself when it gets a GPS signal. I wonder what the behavior is around time zone changes as well. Possibly it accepts your idea of what hour it is, but sets the minutes based on the GPS.

I feel you should do an experiment and find out