How to update maps from US to Europe

Ermond · Apr 23, 2021

Hello,

I have just purchased a Volvo XC90 of 2016, which at the moment seems really nice.
But I noticed something that is preventing me from using the Navigation services. The Sensus has the maps for US but I need to replace them with Europe maps. I downloaded the maps in a USB (following the instruction in Volvo's official page) but when inserting the USB I keep getting a message like "Map data could not be read. Check USB and try again". Since the USB works correctly, I suppose the problem is because I am trying to upload maps from south east Europe, not from US.

How can I replace the US maps with Europe maps? Is there an easy way without having to go to a dealer?

Thanks

DFrantz · Apr 23, 2021

I do think there is an additional step and I'm not sure if dealers have to do it. We deal with it in reverse on Overseas Delivery cars. It's been awhile since we had one of those for some reason..... So my service advisor had to look it up and he'll get back to me. However, something had to get changed I know because if you look in the downloadable maps, it doesn't offer to download maps outside of the region. I'm just not sure if you can change it on your own or if you do have to get it hooked up to Volvos system. Will try to get an answer for you!

Nerd23 · Apr 23, 2021

It will not work doing it yourself. To change from US to EU maps, the dealer should do a map region change using a master map (available with dealers only) downloaded on USB to overwrite the current map region. Once, they do that once, you should be able to do it yourself next times.

Please note this has nothing to do with changing the region of the car. There is a separate yet complicated procedure for this on Vida. Just so your dealer do not mix the two things and charge you more unnecessarily.

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Ermond · Apr 24, 2021

I see. Thanks DFrantz & Nerd23 for the replies and the hints

VolvoUhu · Apr 24, 2021

It sounds like a problem with the format of the USB drive or the type of software you used to create it but I would assume you followed the instructions correctly. You may want to try formatting the USB drive (make sure it's a 64GB or larger capacity) and use the Volvo utility to format and create the maps image/files. Make sure the drive you use is completely erased before their app downloads the maps to the USB drive. The only thing on the drive should be the Volvo files after it's completed.

The Nav update process including changing the maps from one geography to another is totally doable by you.

Ermond · Apr 25, 2021

VolvoUhu said:
It sounds like a problem with the format of the USB drive or the type of software you used to create it but I would assume you followed the instructions correctly. You may want to try formatting the USB drive (make sure it's a 64GB or larger capacity) and use the Volvo utility to format and create the maps image/files. Make sure the drive you use is completely erased before their app downloads the maps to the USB drive. The only thing on the drive should be the Volvo files after it's completed.

The Nav update process including changing the maps from one geography to another is totally doable by you.

I had formatted the USB using exFAT (which was one of the recommended types by Volvo website) and the USB is 64GB. I have also checked the files using the Volvo software tool and it didn't show any errors. One thing that I can try though (although I am almost sure it won't work) is to download the full Europe map and retry again. Maybe that would replace the map of US with that of Europe, although following Nerd23's suggestion, I should go to Volvo dealer since they have the master map.

Ermond · Apr 25, 2021

An update:
I managed to replace the US maps to EU by myself

All I had to do to whoever would be in my shoes:

Formatted a 64GB USB. I formatted it using NTFS file system, but I think it will work also with exFAT. The USB should be at least 64GB because the area maps are quite large
Downloaded maps from Volvo official site in the already formatted USB. You need to download the maps for the whole area. In my case, I had to download using the Volvo software, the whole map of Europe (~52GB)
As soon as the download finished, I inserted the USB in the Volvo. I was asked whether I was sure to replace the US maps to EU ones. As soon as I confirmed, the upload started to progress until it finished successfully. The whole installation took around 1 hour.

Thanks @VolvoUhu for confirming that the process is doable by me, without needing to go to the dealer.

VolvoUhu · Apr 25, 2021

Ermond said:
An update:
I managed to replace the US maps to EU by myself

All I had to do to whoever would be in my shoes:

Formatted a 64GB USB. I formatted it using NTFS file system, but I think it will work also with exFAT. The USB should be at least 64GB because the area maps are quite large

Downloaded maps from Volvo official site in the already formatted USB. You need to download the maps for the whole area. In my case, I had to download using the Volvo software, the whole map of Europe (~52GB)

As soon as the download finished, I inserted the USB in the Volvo. I was asked whether I was sure to replace the US maps to EU ones. As soon as I confirmed, the upload started to progress until it finished successfully. The whole installation took around 1 hour.

Thanks @VolvoUhu for confirming that the process is doable by me, without needing to go to the dealer.

Yes, I hadn't realized you hadn't downloaded the whole geography (Europe) - required to replace the existing one (North America). It has to replace the whole lot. I don't think you can have for example Mid-Atlantic Region with Benelux.

I'm glad you persevered! The next switch will be easier and I just love the fact Volvo makes it easy for owners to manage map data.

cpx974 · Jul 16, 2022

Ermond said:
An update:
I managed to replace the US maps to EU by myself

All I had to do to whoever would be in my shoes:

Formatted a 64GB USB. I formatted it using NTFS file system, but I think it will work also with exFAT. The USB should be at least 64GB because the area maps are quite large

Downloaded maps from Volvo official site in the already formatted USB. You need to download the maps for the whole area. In my case, I had to download using the Volvo software, the whole map of Europe (~52GB)

As soon as the download finished, I inserted the USB in the Volvo. I was asked whether I was sure to replace the US maps to EU ones. As soon as I confirmed, the upload started to progress until it finished successfully. The whole installation took around 1 hour.

Thanks @VolvoUhu for confirming that the process is doable by me, without needing to go to the dealer.

Thanks so much for posting this. I've only tried with the partial map and that didn't work.

Downloading the entire region on an SSD Drive 256GB ExtFAT formatted worked. Just plugged it in, waited a bit for the region change prompt and installing started.

My dealer told me several times this is not possible and even the Volvo support said the same thing. Although the article Will my Volvo's navigation system work overseas? said it's possible.

Marchester1 · Jul 30, 2022

cpx974 said:
Thanks so much for posting this. I've only tried with the partial map and that didn't work.

Downloading the entire region on an SSD Drive 256GB ExtFAT formatted worked. Just plugged it in, waited a bit for the region change prompt and installing started.

My dealer told me several times this is not possible and even the Volvo support said the same thing. Although the article Will my Volvo's navigation system work overseas? said it's possible.

Good Day.

cpx974 said:
Thanks so much for posting this. I've only tried with the partial map and that didn't work.

Downloading the entire region on an SSD Drive 256GB ExtFAT formatted worked. Just plugged it in, waited a bit for the region change prompt and installing started.

My dealer told me several times this is not possible and even the Volvo support said the same thing. Although the article Will my Volvo's navigation system work overseas? said it's possible.

Good day, I would like to ask where did you downloaded the file for region change, maybe you have the link of it? Iam trying to do it also, and will see how it will go

cpx974 · Aug 25, 2022

Marchester1 said:
Good Day.

Good day, I would like to ask where did you downloaded the file for region change, maybe you have the link of it? Iam trying to do it also, and will see how it will go

Descărcare hartă Sensus Navigation 2016 | Volvo Support RO

Descarcă și actualizează cele mai recente hărți pentru sistemul tău de navigație

www.volvocars.com

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sanchez.dispatching · Apr 5, 2023

Hey Guys
Will this work for the early xc60 2017 is the old design?
My car is also from US and im in Europe, i tried one time the partial map but it did not work , maybe if i try with whole Europe , it might work ?

VolvoUhu · Apr 5, 2023

sanchez.dispatching said:
Hey Guys
Will this work for the early xc60 2017 is the old design?
My car is also from US and im in Europe, i tried one time the partial map but it did not work , maybe if i try with whole Europe , it might work ?

The old P3 platform version of Sensus is also user updatable but I’m not sure if lets you completely replace regions like the SPA Sensus does. You may want to search Volvo Support for your country to see if your region (Europe) maps are available for download.

For example, here’s the US Support page which will take you to the NA maps update when you select the P3 Sensus image. It doesn’t show alternate world regions like the SPA support page offers.

Update the USB maps in my Volvo

volvo.custhelp.com

MikeMor · Dec 14, 2023

I live in Cyprus, I bought a 2019 XC40 imported from Japan with Japanese maps. I did everything according to the instructions - downloaded the entire map of Europe onto a clean 64 GB flash drive. The car says: "map data could not be read". I threw an mp3 file onto the same flash drive - it successfully plays it. So the car can read files from it quite normally. Any ideas?

melih.vardar · Dec 23, 2023

MikeMor said:
I live in Cyprus, I bought a 2019 XC40 imported from Japan with Japanese maps. I did everything according to the instructions - downloaded the entire map of Europe onto a clean 64 GB flash drive. The car says: "map data could not be read". I threw an mp3 file onto the same flash drive - it successfully plays it. So the car can read files from it quite normally. Any ideas?

Hi Mike. did you fixed your map problem. also i bougght a volvo from japan and i lives in cyprus to.. i have same problem like you

gnyblast · Apr 2, 2024

MikeMor said:
I live in Cyprus, I bought a 2019 XC40 imported from Japan with Japanese maps. I did everything according to the instructions - downloaded the entire map of Europe onto a clean 64 GB flash drive. The car says: "map data could not be read". I threw an mp3 file onto the same flash drive - it successfully plays it. So the car can read files from it quite normally. Any ideas?

Any update here? I'm facing the exactly the same? I imagine the solution is to bring the car to Volvo Dealer on South side of the island but just wondering if they are doing it?

tfrommel · Sep 11, 2024

So same situation. Brought my 2016 XC90 to Europe. I downloaded the entire 57GB maps onto 128GB USB drive. I plugged it into the car, and it immediately started updating. Engine running. It updates to 43% and then it says "Navigation not available, Load map via USB". When I unplug USB and plug it back in it starts at 0% again

Zackpapas · Nov 19, 2024

MikeMor said:
I live in Cyprus, I bought a 2019 XC40 imported from Japan with Japanese maps. I did everything according to the instructions - downloaded the entire map of Europe onto a clean 64 GB flash drive. The car says: "map data could not be read". I threw an mp3 file onto the same flash drive - it successfully plays it. So the car can read files from it quite normally. Any ideas?

Hello MikeMor,
As it has been a year since your post,
have you been able to resolve the issues with the navigation?
I am facing the same problem with a 2021 rdesign imported from Japan.
I visited the dealership in Cyprus but they cannot assist with any of the issues that are related with the Volvo Sensus System of the cars imported from Japan.
Even minor things like hour and date when selected to be updated automatically with the use of GPS, the values being displayed are the ones of Japan.
The radio is not much of a problem, as after the suggestion of a friend, I am now using myTuner app.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Zack

How to update maps from US to Europe

Ermond

DFrantz

Nerd23

Ermond

VolvoUhu

Ermond

Ermond

VolvoUhu

cpx974

Marchester1

cpx974

Descărcare hartă Sensus Navigation 2016 | Volvo Support RO

sanchez.dispatching

VolvoUhu

Update the USB maps in my Volvo

MikeMor

melih.vardar

gnyblast

tfrommel

Zackpapas

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