altitude/elevation in nav system?

bcato · May 28, 2019

I just made a cross country trip and went over the continental divide. On my old rig, I had a 10 year old windshield mounted garmin GPS that would display my elevation.

Never thought about it in my new truck until we get into the mountains. Looked around in the controls and the owners manual and I do not see how to display our elevation in the onboard Nav system. Am I missing it somewhere, or is it just not an included option?

econometrics · May 28, 2019

I’ve never heard of this being an option or standard feature. 90% sure it’s not in your truck, or any GM trucks for that matter.

eppieguy · May 28, 2019

Never had that option in any of my OEM nav systems, same as speed display like non OEM units have, doesn't have it on OEM units.

I've had;

09 Tahoe

12 Lexus GX460

17 Audi Q7

17 Audi A4

19 HC

None of which had elevation or speed display. I'm in charge of our company fleet and we has MB S550's, E400's, SL550, Lexus LS500 and the list goes on, not on those vehicles either.

Edited May 28, 2019 by eppieguy
Typos

bcato · May 28, 2019

Thanks guys, that answers my question!

sbbamafan · December 19, 2021

I know this is an old thread but I just got my truck this weekend and drive through the mountains a bit and like to know the altitude/elevation I am at. Dissappointing to realize this is not a feature in the built-in nav. I am trying to find out if it can work through one of the Android Auto apps. I know there are apps that tell you the elevation. Both of my Audi's do this - a '15 Q5 and my wife's A5 Convertible and their systems are really archaic. Maybe someone can chime in if you know the Android system answers as this is very new to me.

Transient · December 21, 2021

Usually, when somebody asks how high they are it's in reference to smoking weed. Are you guys smoking weed?

redwngr · December 21, 2021

Similar story. Sorta.

About 2005 I had a garmin that the screen could be configured to display altitude while displaying route (or just map) info.

The 'replacement' garmin model had altitude info available but it was on a screen buried in the menus and could not be displayed while the map screen(s) were active.

(both were marketed to the same customer group)

Add me to the list of those that would like to be able to have altitude info displayed in a corner somewhere -- but not if it's buried somewhere.

Looking it up on a phone app doesn't cut it for us.

I get that lots live in locations with little elevation change and don't travel much and/or don't care.

But the option to configure the display would be nice.

Edited December 21, 2021 by redwngr

Transient · December 22, 2021

18 hours ago, redwngr said:

Similar story. Sorta.

About 2005 I had a garmin that the screen could be configured to display altitude while displaying route (or just map) info.

The 'replacement' garmin model had altitude info available but it was on a screen buried in the menus and could not be displayed while the map screen(s) were active.

(both were marketed to the same customer group)

Add me to the list of those that would like to be able to have altitude info displayed in a corner somewhere -- but not if it's buried somewhere.

Looking it up on a phone app doesn't cut it for us.

I get that lots live in locations with little elevation change and don't travel much and/or don't care.

But the option to configure the display would be nice.

I think the majority of people this type of information would be marketed to would fall into "don't care" category. In a single trip I can drive from below sea level (Death Valley) to over 10,000 feet (Rocky Mtn National Park in Colorado), and I'll have highway signage tell me the elevation.

redwngr · December 22, 2021

6 hours ago, Transient said:

I think the majority of people this type of information would be marketed to would fall into "don't care" category. In a single trip I can drive from below sea level (Death Valley) to over 10,000 feet (Rocky Mtn National Park in Colorado), and I'll have highway signage tell me the elevation.

We have done lots of travel across US and Canada.

(48 states, all but one province; many of them multiple times / trips)

Yes, multiple trips to both DV and RMNP. Etc, etc.

Like many mountain routes, Trail Ridge Road gives a completely different experience in opposite directions, as well as in different seasons.

My my observation has been that the highest passes generally have an elevation sign at the summit -- but many/most intermediate locations do not.

I agree that it's likely that most don't care and/or have no use for such a feature.

But some of us do.

Transient · December 22, 2021

59 minutes ago, redwngr said:

We have done lots of travel across US and Canada.

(48 states, all but one province; many of them multiple times / trips)

Yes, multiple trips to both DV and RMNP. Etc, etc.

Like many mountain routes, Trail Ridge Road gives a completely different experience in opposite directions, as well as in different seasons.

My my observation has been that the highest passes generally have an elevation sign at the summit -- but many/most intermediate locations do not.

I agree that it's likely that most don't care and/or have no use for such a feature.

But some of us do.

More food for thought. Factory navigation seems to be going the way of the dinosaurs and Android Auto and Apple Carplay are taking over. Those apps also don't give altitude.