38 replies to this topic

[rtshinn]

Joe, the dealer just dropped my car off after installing a new 'GPMS' module. I won't know until I drive home from work if everything is ok, because the thing usually starts of 'ok' but gets farther off as I drive.

I did see in the service ticket that if the problem continues to move the GPMS to another area, as it could be RFI (Radio Frequncy Interference). I don't know where the GPMS is located.

 

Dealer had C-Max in for the TSB.  Unfortunately, my C-Max already had the most current IDS.  Took technician for a drive and showed him how the GPS displayed car as off road from the current vehicle position.   He said other Ford models have had similar problems which originated with the antenna.  He will need more time to trouble shoot and will also contact Ford to see if there is a solution.  I will need to make an another appointment and leave C-Max for technician to figure out why it's not working.  Will keep everyone advised when I have more news to report.

[ArizonaEnergi]

Took mine in for this update today as my Nav has been showing me driving about 150' off and mostly parallel to where I am on some segments of the route we commonly take to our home.

 

The tech guy knew nothing about it but he got someone to print it out and so we spent two hours watching Gator Hunter on TV (actually reading books) while they had the car.  The Service Advisor finally got me and said "Good news.  You're already updated!".  Yes, I already had that version, so it refused to re-install when the service guy tried to.  I gave him a ride for a few miles and sure enough it worked perfectly, but on our drive home, and at, I believe, exactly the same place it always does it, and in exactly the same way as it has done before, it malfunctioned and showed me off the main road driving through peoples' houses.

 

So I'm thinking this is a mapping error with the coordinates for that road segment somehow screwed up, rather than an electronic error with the GPS receiver etc.  My plan is to use the Nav every time we go out, and see if the error is indeed reproduceable.  If so, I'm going to record it and post it on YouTube so that the service people (and the rest of the world) can view it and know what exactly is happening.

Edited by ArizonaEnergi, 04 April 2013 - 06:09 PM.

[zhackwyatt]

Took mine in for this update today as my Nav has been showing me driving about 150' off and mostly parallel to where I am on some segments of the route we commonly take to our home.

 

The tech guy knew nothing about it but he got someone to print it out and so we spent two hours watching Gator Hunter on TV (actually reading books) while they had the car.  The Service Advisor finally got me and said "Good news.  You're already updated!".  Yes, I already had that version, so it refused to re-install when the service guy tried to.  I gave him a ride for a few miles and sure enough it worked perfectly, but on our drive home, and at, I believe, exactly the same place it always does it, and in exactly the same way as it has done before, it malfunctioned and showed me off the main road driving through peoples' houses.

 

So I'm thinking this is a mapping error with the coordinates for that road segment somehow screwed up, rather than an electronic error with the GPS receiver etc.  My plan is to use the Nav every time we go out, and see if the error is indeed reproduceable.  If so, I'm going to record it and post it on YouTube so that the service people (and the rest of the world) can view it and know what exactly is happening.

Do you mind giving me the general area where it's screwed up?  Curious if my car does the same.  (Assuming you are in the Valley somewhere.)

[ArizonaEnergi]

Do you mind giving me the general area where it's screwed up?  Curious if my car does the same.  (Assuming you are in the Valley somewhere.)

I'm in the Tucson area if you want to drive down!  But what I noticed this time was a very specific tracking error that was exactly the same error that I saw a few days earlier at the same location driving the same route.  I also don't see this error, I believe, when I'm just driving with the Nav with no destination entered.  I'm going to ramp up and get this documented (being retired helps in doing this) but I will probably wait until the new Sync/Nav software is released before bringing it back to the dealer because I'm thinking its a map data error of some sort, and not a GPS error.  Stay tuned.

 

BTW, the two hours+ spent at the dealer wasn't an entire waste.  The Tech guy gave us coupons for $15 worth of food at their cafe and we got a car wash that was worth $5!

[VirginiaRick]

Your dealer has a cafeteria?!  Sure beats the leathery candy bars dangling from the screwy things behing the vending machine glass!

[ArizonaEnergi]

Your dealer has a cafeteria?!  Sure beats the leathery candy bars dangling from the screwy things behing the vending machine glass!

More like a high-end sandwhich bar with really good chocolate chip cookies!  I'm just happy that the money I paid for the "Desert Protection Package" actually went to something of value for me!

Edited by ArizonaEnergi, 05 April 2013 - 08:59 AM.

[joe]

In case you've missed my other posts, I had the GPS module replaced yesterday at dealer.  The GPS now is accurate and is working great.  No more off-roading in the bushes.

[andeeca]

GPS has been intermittently going off course 0.2 miles (so keeps trying to lead us back to the freeway!).  Very irritating since getting the built-in GPS was why we paid more and got the 301A package.  Our old Garmin is soooo much better but my husband hates the distraction of having it on windshield.  

Today the car was in for first oil change and they did TSB 13-3-11 for the problem.  Just read the previous comments on this topic,hmm.  I'll let you know later if it doesn't work.

[salsaguy]

you can get nice beanbag mount for the garmin with an attachment cradle so it sits on the edash. here in CA its illegal to have gs mounted to front glass.

 

http://www.amazon.co... bean bag mount

 

 

 

 

GPS has been intermittently going off course 0.2 miles (so keeps trying to lead us back to the freeway!).  Very irritating since getting the built-in GPS was why we paid more and got the 301A package.  Our old Garmin is soooo much better but my husband hates the distraction of having it on windshield.  

Today the car was in for first oil change and they did TSB 13-3-11 for the problem.  Just read the previous comments on this topic,hmm.  I'll let you know later if it doesn't work.

[Jus-A-CMax]

GPS has been intermittently going off course 0.2 miles (so keeps trying to lead us back to the freeway!).  Very irritating since getting the built-in GPS was why we paid more and got the 301A package.  Our old Garmin is soooo much better but my husband hates the distraction of having it on windshield.  

Today the car was in for first oil change and they did TSB 13-3-11 for the problem.  Just read the previous comments on this topic,hmm.  I'll let you know later if it doesn't work.

 

This is what I did:

1. Take a camera with you, snap pictures of the Nav when it goes off course. It's easy to break - just turn 90* on the surface street.

2. Print the pictures in letter size paper and take it down to your Ford Service Advisor. Have them write it up as an issue with the pictures in hand.

3. Tell them to check out the GPS module and get that replaced.

 

It will take 3 to 4 for them to do the replacement and test it (thats what it took on mine) so be prepared to have a loaner.

 

I did that with Galpin and they had no quams about replacing my GPS and its been spot on since (except 2 rubber banding). Given that some 3.1.3 owners are having NO issues with their Nav and also replacing my GPS unit seems to fix the problem for me & joe, the only conclusion is that some early adopters got some bad batches of GPS. Otherwise, mine and Joes should stay broken after the replacement.

Edited by Jus-A-CMax, 08 May 2013 - 03:47 AM.

[melgarpoe]

I'm having the issue too. It shows my car as being off-road to the right of the road that I'm actually on. Occasionally it corrects itself and shows me back on the correct road. My Energi's mfg date is 6-5-2013. Any ideas what steps I should take to get this resolved? Or do I just need to convince my dealer to replace the GPSM? I live near Galpin, though i didn't buy it there. If they've already dealt with this, perhaps replacing the GPSM will be the solution they come up with, but right now the GPS is nearly useless..

[salsaguy]

i would take pix showing the issues on your nav screen as proof before you take it to the dealer. any dealer that you trust can work on the car, not just the one you bought it from. Galpin is a good one for sure with their high rank and sales experience. Jus has contacts there for you.

hope you get it resolved as there is a known fix for it.

does it happen all over or just in one location in particular??

[Jus-A-CMax]

I'm having the issue too. It shows my car as being off-road to the right of the road that I'm actually on. Occasionally it corrects itself and shows me back on the correct road. My Energi's mfg date is 6-5-2013. Any ideas what steps I should take to get this resolved? Or do I just need to convince my dealer to replace the GPSM? I live near Galpin, though i didn't buy it there. If they've already dealt with this, perhaps replacing the GPSM will be the solution they come up with, but right now the GPS is nearly useless..

 

Here is what I did - get your dealer to apply the TSB, and then go try it out, You'll know soon enough if that patch worked or not.

 

Mine did not. Yeah...take it to Galpin, they did mine and they kept it for about 3 days to investigate the issue and talked with Ford - in the end, they just replaced it and mine has not lost tracked...once in a blue moon, I notice it will rubber band but it goes right back. I cannot be happier than I am now with the GPS.

[RaPieR]

Nav GPS TSB 13-3-11 - Fix for unable to locate vehicle, etc

 

There is a Technical Service Bulletin that came out today for those of us whose Nav systems are having a hard time tracking where the vehicle is. Typically your car is shown as off the road or on the next block over, etc.

This fix applies to cars built on 1/15/2013 and before. It involves a recalibration, apparently.

I'm taking my car in tomorrow. I'll let you know what happens.

 

Thanks to use ceemax71 for finding this

 

 

I've only seen this issue on a few roads.  I wish this had come out earlier so it could have been bundled with the PCM and headliner fix.

[spyburn]

SInce I rarely go anywhere except the office and the grocery store, I tested me Nav when I first got it but haven't really used it.  When my husband is riding with me, I'll turn on the map with no destination, since he likes to see that.  One time I noticed that when I was on the freeway, the screen showed I was on the access road.  It corrected itself when I got to my exit.  

[melgarpoe]

i would take pix showing the issues on your nav screen as proof before you take it to the dealer. any dealer that you trust can work on the car, not just the one you bought it from. Galpin is a good one for sure with their high rank and sales experience. Jus has contacts there for you.

hope you get it resolved as there is a known fix for it.

does it happen all over or just in one location in particular??

 

It seems to happen all over. I've only had the car for a week, but in that time I've noticed it at several different spots, including at my own house. When I sit in the driveway, the NAV shows me parked in a neighbor's driveway, 4 houses down the block.

[Oakland C-Max]

I have a C-Max Energi, Manufacture date 12-13-12, and I have been getting the lost tracking errors on the GPS.  Last week, I got the latest MFT sowftware update and had the dealer do the TSB 13-3-11 to reflash the GPS, hoping that would fix it.  My service rep mentioned something about there might be a problem with using an iPhone and having too many contacts or contacts that contain emoticons or "funny characters".  So I deleted my phone from MFT and re-connected it without downloading contacts.

 

The Nav tracking is still off.  It shows up very clearly when I go through a tunnel, bridge, or other obstruction to the sky - the tracking seems to slow or stop, then start up again when in clear sky. So, if I go through a 1/4 mile tunnel, I will pop out on the other side, with tracking off by 1/8 mile or so, lagging in the direction of travel.  The phone had nothing to do with interfering with the GPS nav.

 

I will be bringing the car in to have them replace the GPS Module and see if that fixes it.

Edited by Oakland C-Max, 09 September 2013 - 01:44 PM.

[David]

I have a 2014 C-MAX Hybrid.  On 7/27/17 all of a sudden while getting off on an exit ramp my car location stated showing up about a half inch to the right of the road, sometimes I even appeared to be traveling in a pond.  I got the car in April of 2015 brand new from the factory.  The nav has always been fine till now.  I updated to a new SD card in 2016.  I tried putting the original SD card back in but the problem persist.  Some times after shutting the car off it resets back to the correct location but usually after a fairly short drive my car shows as either to the right or behind where I actually am.  If I have a destination set , it keeps telling me to take lefts on roads to get back to the computed route, only I already am on the computed route (very annoying).  I am on the East coast near Boston so I am pretty sure it is not a location problem.  I suspect the GPS unit based on the different blogs I have read and since changing back to the original SD card does not fix it.  I will take a picture of the screen and hope the dealer can get the needed information to take care of this properly after I tell them what I have read here and in other forums.  We will see.  Prior to this my navigation worked fine and so far none of the forums are reporting problems in models newer than 2013 till now.

[stolenmoment]

I have found that my 2013 Energi misses turns taken at speed, like highway ramps.  It once missed me changing from rte 2 W to I-495 N (Littleton MA), and tracked me west along rte 2 for about 20 minutes before it corrected, after I passed rte 3 N...

 

Yeah, not trustworthy.