Bichon

Even with the GPS out, the car has a speed sensor and a gyroscope that usually keep my spot on the map reasonably accurate.

Once it gets off-kilter though, it gets really inaccurate, really fast. A couple of nights ago, the nav system thought I spent the night parked in the ocean. (And I live in the western part of the county, nowhere close to the beach). The next morning it got a GPS lock within a few minutes, and was spot-on again.

I had planned to take it to the dealer, but I'm discouraged that the handful of people who have brought it in haven't had an accurate diagnosis and lasting repair.

kensteele

Sorry, but this is inaccurate. At least not anymore and certainly not for America. Implying that it's initial design was military in nature and therefore makes it less suitable for civilians is no longer the case. And you might be launching another GPS system later....but that's about it.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I bought mine in July. I have only noticed this to be an issue when the car gets extremely hot - OAT ~40+C or ~104+F. I suspect there may be a temperature sensitive component in the GPS receiver, and thermal stress is eventually causing a near failure.

Has anyone noted if the car does this primarily after sitting in the sun, or is it while fully cold soaked or both? Since the receiver lives in the dash, it does get sunlight directly on top with a black surface to boot. It wouldn't surprise me at all if its a thermal issue. I'm sure the underdash temp gets pretty high in direct sun.

Pete C

lobuxracer, the first time it happened to me, I also thought it was heat related. It was an extremely hot day, and the car had been sitting in the sun. The nav had no idea where I was as soon as I turned it on. The other times it has done it, it did not seem heat related. Once, I had been driving on the highway about an hour and suddenly, it just relocated me several miles away, even though I was just proceeding straight on the same highway it had been tracking me on for 50+ miles. Heat wasn't an issue that day.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Do you have a V1 radar detector? I do. There have been times I have removed it from the windshield and nearly scorched my hand because it was so hot from a combination of operation and sun. The inside of the car was perfectly comfortable, but the detector was blistering hot.

The GPS antenna and receiver live right under the dash where I normally put my detector. So I suspect that part of the dash will get pretty warm even when the inside of the car feels very comfortable. The best way to test this is with thermal paint or thermal strips. I bet that little antenna/amplifier gets really hot under there, and I know certain kinds of components don't like temps over 60C for long periods. I bet when it's 40+C here, that dash temp is around 70C or 75C. Not enough to fail, but enough to be problematic.

Bichon

You may be on to something here.

The problem did start after we had that week of 107-110 degree heat index days. (Well, since navigation systems don't sweat, I guess heat indices are irrelevant, but actual temperatures were 97-100 that week)

Now it happens even in mild weather, but it seems to have the most trouble locking the signal during the middle part of the day -- and is most likely to work at night or first thing in the morning.

It doesn't seem to be an atmospheric condition issue. It has had problems locking the signal on beautiful clear days, but this morning it stayed locked the whole way in to work in cool, clammy, rainy weather with dark grey skies.

I've been keeping track of what it sees by using the Menu, volume, top-bottom-top-bottom, GPS information, and when it is misbehaving the only satellites is sees are numbers 2 and 28.

viettho

iTrader: (1)

did you set the region correctly? if you don't it will take longer times to determine where you at.

ES3

No nav mods here and I've continually had this problem. I've seen others with the problem who are getting the upgraded dvd nav disc to help remedy. May be worth asking your dealer for it. It's what I plan to do.

Bichon

Not the problem. First, the region is set correctly. Second, as soon as the GPS gets a valid signal (e.g., the word "GPS" appears under the map scale indicator in the upper left part of the screen), the map positioning corrects itself, to within a few hundred feet within a few seconds, and spot-on within 30 seconds.

Bichon

The upgraded map is nearly $300, and won't be out until November.

It won't fix the problem, which is a problem with the GPS getting a lock on enough satellites (I believe that it needs to see at least four) to get a lock and calculate your position.

rekognize

I called my dealer today 2x to check on the progress and they haven't even returned my phone call. the service is absolutely awful at my dealer.

ok since this is the 3rd time my car is in the shop for this. if it doesnt work again after i pick it up and they fail to resolve it on the 4th try...i'm asking for a full refund based on the NY lemon laws.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Another thought - it could also be heat-related frequency drift. The receiver has a local oscillator generating a frequency (assuming it's some kind of super-het receiver), and if the oscillator gets too hot, it could drift and fail to lock on the right frequency to receive satellite data. I'm sure there's an allowable error range, but if the under dash heat is enough to cause the oscillator to drift, it might be enough to interrupt weaker signals.

kensteele

NY State Lemon Law

"A MANUFACTURER MAY REFUSE TO EXCHANGE A COMPARABLE CAR OR REFUND YOUR PURCHASE PRICE IF THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SUBSTANTlALLY IMPAIR THE VALUE OF YOUR CAR."

The Chad

Yes, and no. 3 satellites and it can locate your position, because it trianguates your position. However, if you get 4 satellites, then the system can detirmine your altitude, which makes it even more accurate.

Anything less than 3, and your SOL and the system just works on speed sensor input and perhaps a steering sensor / gyroscope. It's pretty accurate in tunnels, but if you do any significant turns without a satellite signal, it'll lose you quickly.

The Chad

And to comment about the search location. That can be set to anywhere, because that's only used to searching for a destination, and not for where you are currently. Plan a cross-country trip, and you might be in US 9 and are going to US 2. You'll be in US 2 throughout the trip on the location search, but you obviously aren't in that area.