Toyota - Sirius Radio - Truncated Titles

I brought my 2007 Toyota Prius into the dealer to get the Sirius radio upgrade. The radio is integrated into the LCD screen and radio controls that is used for the regular radio (AM/FM) and CD player.



Now if I’m playing a CD, or listening to a radio show, the LCD screen shows about 30 characters per line (e.g. song title and album for a CD).



However if I’m listening to Sirius radio, the song title and artist are only the first then characters. No where near the 30 that the screen can handle.



Is this (1) an improper installation of the radio, (2) an improper part installed (i.e. the Sirius receiver), or (3) normal?



Does anyone have a Prius with a factory installed Sirius radio, and do you have the same problem?

I won’t pay to listen to any radio. There are CD’s now and they can be copied for 30 cents, the cost of the music CD. I found enough ground radio to go around. You will have to read the manual to get more description on the LCD. Radio is for listening, not for looking. It’s not your fault that that point has been forgotten.

This might be because of limitations related to the data transmitted via satellite. I would not worry about it since your eyes belong on the road.

I won’t pay to listen to any radio.

I have found that the rates are well worth it. I like getting exposure to music that isn’t in my CD collection with a commercial free broadcast. In fact, I am listending to Sirius right now online. Where else could I hear LL Cool J’s “Big Ole Butt?” I bought it when I was working as a truck driver, but I decided to keep it now that I am not constantly on the road.

I would guess #3. I don’t know for certain, but my experience is that factory car radio equipment is usually limited in capability. I know the satellite is transmitting the full name and artist and other information. You can probably find that demonstrated at a car audio store. I have XM in my car and the truncated display is a nuisance. I know the info is available because on the portable XM my wife uses the display shows the full name and artist info, but the car’s display just doesn’t. I’ve seen displays in aftermarket radios that will scroll on names longer than the display can handle. It’s just that the radio is not a big priority for car designers. They’re too busy trying to find a place to stick in another cup holder . . .

I think it’s normal. My Accord has XM and truncates the artist and title if the phrase is long enough to run off-screen. I have had GM rentals that have a rolling information line that shows the whole phrase, just not all at once. Again, on XM Radio. You can ask the dealer about it.

That’s fine if you live somewhere that there are good radio stations or if you have all day to copy CD’s. Out here, you can get the talkin’ church station, the singin’ church station, a couple of top-40 country stations and if you’re really really lucky a classic rock station. To me, 13 bucks a month is a very small price to pay for getting to listen to something I actually want to listen to.

My Sirius reciever will display up to 32 characters per line, I think, so it’s not a limitation of the satellite feed. It may very be a limit of the reciever-- is it an aftermarket unit? I thought Toyotas came with XM built-in. I doubt a faulty installation could cause this, although perhaps there’s a setting that can be changed. Reading any manuals that came with it will probably tell you.