Navigation location inaccurate

[anilruia]

So, we bought a 2014 CMax SEL with 303A package for my wife 10 days ago.  I have noticed that the location shown by the built-in navigation is off by 100-200ft, it would show us driving off to the side of the road (or even another parallel road) and behind or ahead of our actual location.  This was in areas with good visibility to open skies.

Have other people experienced this (on 2014 or 2013)?  Is this something we should be getting the dealer to look at?

Thanks,

Anil

 

[pjurek99]

It took many trips to dealership to have the issue (partially) fixed. At the very end of the day - they just went for a "big time" reset, (I think) got rid of all the c...ppy code and now the thing is working (partially) well - it became slow, sluggish (even with the Phonebook Sync off) however accurate to an extent.

[anilruia]

It doesn't seem to be a case of software not keeping up but rather the GPS hardware being miscalibrated or faulty, as the location is off even when not moving.  Was hoping that it was fixable with a swap of the GPS chip or something like that.

[Edsel]

I have this problem often. I have complained about It at least three separate times.   I was told at the dealership that it was a known issue with no current fix. 

[joe]

Last year, the dealer replaced the navigation module  and it corrected the problem.  It was a very common problem with 2013 C-Maxes.  I'm surprised that your 2014 has the same problem.  Once it was fixed, it worked great.

[Laurel]

We have it on very cloudy rainy days.  Maybe it can't pick up satellite reception.  It is fine when the skies clear up.

[wab]

So, we bought a 2014 CMax SEL with 303A package for my wife 10 days ago.  I have noticed that the location shown by the built-in navigation is off by 100-200ft, it would show us driving off to the side of the road (or even another parallel road) and behind or ahead of our actual location.  This was in areas with good visibility to open skies.

Have other people experienced this (on 2014 or 2013)?  Is this something we should be getting the dealer to look at?

Thanks,

Anil

 

 

I have this problem often. I have complained about It at least three separate times.   I was told at the dealership that it was a known issue with no current fix. 

 

 

Last year, the dealer replaced the navigation module  and it corrected the problem.  It was a very common problem with 2013 C-Maxes.  I'm surprised that your 2014 has the same problem.  Once it was fixed, it worked great.

 

Here's the link where joe has his navigation module replaced.

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/1496-navigation-gps-fix-tsb-13-3-11-fix-for-unable-to-locate-vehicle-etc/

"UPDATE:   Dealer ordered a new GPSM (Global Position System Module) and installed it today.

GPS WORKS - YIPEE - my C-Max is now perfect.  We drove around and it stays on track.  No wandering around in the bushes or off road.

Here is what the work order says:

"Copied the info from the old GPSM on to the IDS.  Removed the ICP & removed the GPMS.  Installed the new GPMS.  Reinstalled the IPC.  Downloaded the info back into the new GPSM.""

 

I would mention this TSB and the one below to your dealers, EVEN the 2014.

 

This is the big one, fixed A LOT of cars!

http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/1484-nav-gps-tsb-13-3-11-fix-for-unable-to-locate-vehicle-etc/

[ScubaDadMiami]

I have not personally had an issue, but do take note of Joe and others (was it Jus, maybe Laurel?) that had the issue resolved by replacement of the defective component. As it also seems to be reported, the ones whose dealers do not replace the unit apparently have continued problems.

 

My recollection of the thread was that there is a bad component every now and then.

[Edsel]

I told them all that stuff and even had a TSB and forum thread printed out.  I even asked if Ford could disable the Nav and give me a refund for it.

[Laurel]

Edsel it is frustrating.  We have found the weak link with buying the C-Max is the dealerships.  They seem very old school and have been resistant to take any printed out information that I have taken in over problems experienced by owners with possible solutions.  It is like they have ear muffs on and they know it all and how dare a customer suggest something.  Then they keep your car for several days when they promised 4 hours, and they wind up doing what the print out said in the end.  Not good.

[anilruia]

Ok, I guess I will make a service appointment with the dealer and see how it goes from there.

[joe]

One of the problems with dealerships is that most of C-Max problems are computer related - not mechanical.  My dealer only had one mechanic trained on the vehicle computer parts but had little experience.  Hopefully, in time, the dealerships will develop the expertise to fix computer problems as good as they can fix mechanical problems.

[Edsel]

I did a quick web search and it seems to be a well known issue.  Some people claim to pull the fuses and reboot the Nav to fix the problem.  One person had their GPSM replaced and it returned three months later. (could have just been an expensive reboot)  I think this one is right up there with the battery problems.  No one knows for sure, not even Ford.

[LoveMyCMaxEnergi]

Brand new CMax off the line, had same problem that Anilruia describes.  Also GPS clock would not reset to correct time.  Navigation has me 30 ft off repeatably in certain locations.  Dealer ended up replacing my GPS/Navigation module after 3 visits (first excuse - there's nothing wrong, second excuse - I can't see where you have a problem).  It worked great after they replaced the navigation module. 

Edited March 18, 2014 by LoveMyCMaxEnergi

[FordIVTteam]

Hi everyone,

I suggest you make an appointment with your dealers if you're having this issue. They will be able to diagnose and correct this issue.

Edsel,

Please send me your VIN and the details in a PM; I'll escalate this for you. :)

Rebecca

[pjurek99]

So it happened again. The navigation was indicating my position like 1.5 miles away... It lasted for almost 5 minutes.

The appointment is already scheduled. Have little-to-no patience.   :play:

[CarpeNivem]

I started having this problem a few weeks ago. I don't use Nav all that often, so it's been easy to ignore, but when I do need/use it, the fact it's so useless has become extremely annoying. I'll be attempting to schedule a dealer visit soon, but it seems like a crap shoot whether I'll get a dealership willing to look at it, or one that just says, "Yup, known issue, no solution available." It'll really piss me off if the latter happens, but reading this thread, it seems like every dealership is different, and it could go either way. Ugh.  :sad:

 

Here's an example of the problem, by the way, for those fortunate enough to be unfamiliar with it...
 

...notice how the location arrow on the screen is off to the right of the highway, but I am actually ON the highway, about to go under an overpass. See also how the directions are based on the incorrect assumption that I'm on the road parallel to the highway, so they're no help.

(PS: I've pulled over to the side of the highway to take this picture. That the overpass happens to be visible in the shot was just lucky. I didn't plan it that way, but it does happen to very conveniently demonstrate that my actual position is ~1000' to the left of the arrow.) 

Edited May 5, 2014 by CarpeNivem

[fbov]

I get the same behavior, but only when GPS is turned off. I'll point out that Carpe's not seeing the "No GPS" icon. It would be on top of "S. Olive St." so GPS is on, and this is a different problem.

 

Any chance you've tried pulling the SIM card (po/po the Nav system) to see if it reboots in working order? I've had it work for the "No GPS" issue.

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[Bill-N]

1.  Get all the relevant software updates.

2..If #1 doesn't help, have the GPS unit replaced.  This is a GPS issue, not a navigation problem; i.e. the nav system is getting wrong "where-am-i" info.

[CarpeNivem]

Update: I took the car to the dealership yesterday, and had TSB 14-0037 applied, for "inaccurate GPS position fix". Everything seems fine so far. :)

 

While I was there, they also applied another software update, which adjusts the seat belt tension, or something? I don't even know. I'm just really impressed that can be addressed by software, and that Ford had the initiative to do it. 

 

Anyway, I'll let you know if the navigation arrow drifts off into a field again.

[Kelleytoons]

Hmmm, glad I found this thread.

 

I had thought my Nav problem was related to not having the most current card, but when I replaced A4 with A5 it didn't help.  Since my new C-Max is currently at the dealer for a (slight) body fix (it had a tiny little defect only my wife could see :>) I called them and asked them to take a look at the Nav problem as well.  So maybe we can kill two birds with one stone (or not -- we'll see what happens).

 

I'm not used to having GPS systems behave like that unless they have bad map data, which didn't appear to be the case in the times it went for a walkabout.  

[Daniel Jezeski]

I am currently having this issue. I just bought my 2013 C-Max today as a certified per owned from a Ford Dealership in PA. I live in Baltimore, MD and noticed it having this issue repeatedly on the 110 mile trip home. I will have to call the dealership on Monday to see what they can do about it. I have the A5 SD card and the latest Sync update. This is a bit frustrating as I live in a big city I just moved to and I need the GPS to be accurate. It was raining all day, so maybe it had something to do with it. I am glad to hear that this is a known issue though.

[Kelleytoons]

I can tell you that after I had the dealership do whatever it was they did to it (when I picked it up the guy who had worked on it wasn't there so I never did find out what it was they did, although I mentioned the TSBs this thread refers to and said they should apply those if they weren't there already) it has worked perfectly since.  And since it was definitely NOT working at all (that is, wandering off every time we drove more than 20 miles) and since it has worked for nearly 2K more miles I'm pretty confident it was one or both of those TSBs that fixed it.

 

So you should be okay if they apply those (my car was a 2014 with the A5 card and still had those issues, so I'm fairly sure your own vehicle has not had those fixes applied to it).

[ScubaDadMiami]

It could be that you have a bad GPS module. Even with proper software updates, you will not have accurate readings. (I think that it was Jus that had this problem, but I can't remember. In the end, the new GPS module fixed the problem.) Request a new GPS module.

 

Make sure to use your cell phone/video to document several incidents. That way, the dealer can't try to say that it's a one-time thing.

[Jus-A-CMax]

Old issue --> refer to this thread stickied in the Infotainment section:  Nav GPS TSB 13-3-11 - Fix for unable to locate vehicle, etc
 
Get dealer to apply the TSBs, if that does not work then its the GPS module - they have to replace it.

 

We are pretty sure there are some bad batches of GPS modules, I had one bad one  - and once Galpin Ford replaced - its been sweet since. So did Arizona Energi. No rubberbanding or driving on top of houses, along the beach, along the mountain side (yeah, I know some of you here probably say I do that anyway...lol).

Edited September 14, 2014 by Jus-A-CMax