Navigation system--poor GPS reception (2006 Infiniti M35)

[ddcrats]

The Nav system in my 2006 M35 has a problem receiving the GPS signal. Since the nav system is (or seems to be) connected to the steering and drive train, it can keep track of where it is to an amazing degree without getting any gps signal, but if it ever gets confused, it can go for miles without locking into the gps satelites. (If you want to check how yours is doing, go to the status screen that shows what satellites are in range--this continuously updates while you are driving.)

I have talked to the dealer about this, and he is telling me that it is working the way it should. I drove to the roof of a parking garage, totally open sky, and it could not lock onto the statellites. I am having trouble being happy about this. Anyone else discover that occasionally their Nav sytem gets totally confused about where it is?

[szh]

The Nav system in my 2006 M35 has a problem receiving the GPS signal. Since the nav system is (or seems to be) connected to the steering and drive train, it can keep track of where it is to an amazing degree without getting any gps signal, but if it ever gets confused, it can go for miles without locking into the gps satelites. (If you want to check how yours is doing, go to the status screen that shows what satellites are in range--this continuously updates while you are driving.)

I have talked to the dealer about this, and he is telling me that it is working the way it should. I drove to the roof of a parking garage, totally open sky, and it could not lock onto the statellites. I am having trouble being happy about this. Anyone else discover that occasionally their Nav sytem gets totally confused about where it is?

Welcome to NICO!

I cannot tell whether you may or may not have a defective GPS unit. Under normal conditions, in open sky, you should be able to see anywhere between 4 to 6 satellites pretty easily and get a good fix. At my company, we use a lot of different GPS equipment and regularly see good signals from 6 to 9 satellites (if you have a 12 channel GPS receiver for example).

When you had the difficulty with the parking garage, was it a rainy day? Cloudy? What was the weather condition? Were there a lot of tall buildings around? This can have an impact to some degree. Can you borrow a hand-held unit from somebody to see what it sees at the same location?

I'd check to make sure that the antenna wiring is not frayed or even possibly broken in some way. Sure sounds to me like you have a defective GPS receiver or antenna or both ... but I cannot be certain. I'd push the dealer for a fix - no pun intended!

Z

[ddcrats]

Thanks for the quick reply, szhosain.

When I tried the car on the roof of the parking garage, it was supposed to be a "best case" test. Clear sky, not a cloud in sight, and no building around. Sky, horizon to horizon.

I do have a hand held (Garmin) and it does so much better than my m35 at GPS reception that (unless the car is broken), Infiniti should be embarrassed. But I am not complaining yet, just trying to sort it out. The issue that masks the poor gps reception is the great tracking from steering/speed inputs. It can "fake" it for miles. Most folks I have talked to have not really realized that the device uses both these inputs, so they don't know how often the GPS is working. With your hand-held, if the gps reception fails, you know it right away...

You suggested that I look at the antenna and cables. I am quite prepared to do that, but I am not sure where they are. Do you know the location and how to get to them?

[tkeskic]

I only on occasion get no GPS Signal;Also EASY way to tell if you have a connection or not, is the little GPS letters in bottom right will be green when connected, and grey when not, when viewing the map;

I only get disconnected in the expected spots, bad clouds, some snow storms, indoors etc;

sometimes, the GPS will take some time to reconnect after a leave a parking garge, but thats no too long, maybe 5 min

tk
Modified by tkeskic at 1:26 PM 7/20/2008

[crimsonm35]

Do you all have tinted windows? Most window tinting is metallic and really reduces the signal to antenna. You might also look into getting a fixed external GPS antenna like what you see on the back of the new BMW. It looks like a shark fin.

[szh]

Do you all have tinted windows?

An excellent point. Metallic window tinting will have an effect if the antenna is inside - I will see if I can find the location of the GPS antenna in the Service Manual (tomorrow at work ...). One way to check this out is to see if the hand-held Garmin GPS has far worse results inside the car than out.

You might also look into getting a fixed external GPS antenna like what you see on the back of the new BMW. It looks like a shark fin.

The shark fin is probably just a satellite radio antenna though ... I do not know if the GPS antenna is integrated with it. Again, a dive into the Service Manual (tomorrow from work!) may give the answer.

Z

[crimsonm35]

The shark fin is probably just a satellite radio antenna though ... I do not know if the GPS antenna is integrated with it. Again, a dive into the Service Manual (tomorrow from work!) may give the answer.

Z, Now that you mention it I think you're right on the fin antenna.

The diagram I have on the M's shows that the antenna for NAV is located behind the nav screen on the right side. Right behind the right center air vent.

I'll never understand why OEM's mount those antenna in the car. They work so much better outside.

[ddcrats]

Thanks for the info about the location of the antenna. I suspected it was inside, but could not be sure.

Just to check out the question of tinted glass (my windshield is a normal new Infiniti glass--nothing out of the ordinary) I drove to work with my Garmin iQue on the dashboard to see how it worked in comparison. It received the satellite signals continuously (to the extent I could keep an eye on it while I drove). On the Infiniti nav system, the "GPS" letters in the lower right corner were almost always grey "no reception", as opposed to green "reception ok".

But, of course, the nav system could still figure out where I was by watching the wheels, and for this drive it guessed right the whole way. So unless you watch the GPS indicator, you would never know it was getting a signal or not. And so long as you know where you are (so that you don't really need the nav system) you can confirm that it is tracking ok.

My problem, of course, is that I want to be able to count on it when I _don't_ know where I am, and with this GPS reception you cannot count on it, because when it gets confused, it gets _really_ confused and stays that way for miles and miles.

[crimsonm35]

My problem, of course, is that I want to be able to count on it when I _don't_ know where I am, and with this GPS reception you cannot count on it, because when it gets confused, it gets _really_ confused and stays that way for miles and miles.

This is one of the reasons I don't buy cars with nav system. Plus if you are a multi car family, it doesn't do you any good if nav is in the other car. That's what is so great about those new little portable units. I use my Treo 650 with bluetooth GPS. Now if I could only get the new Google Maps for Treo to work with the GPS.

[ddcrats]

Thanks for the quick reply, szhosain.

When I tried the car on the roof of the parking garage, it was supposed to be a "best case" test. Clear sky, not a cloud in sight, and no building around. Sky, horizon to horizon.

I do have a hand held (Garmin) and it does so much better than my m35 at GPS reception that (unless the car is broken), Infiniti should be embarrassed. But I am not complaining yet, just trying to sort it out. The issue that masks the poor gps reception is the great tracking from steering/speed inputs. It can "fake" it for miles. Most folks I have talked to have not really realized that the device uses both these inputs, so they don't know how often the GPS is working. With your hand-held, if the gps reception fails, you know it right away...

You suggested that I look at the antenna and cables. I am quite prepared to do that, but I am not sure where they are. Do you know the location and how to get to them?

[szh]

You suggested that I look at the antenna and cables. I am quite prepared to do that, but I am not sure where they are. Do you know the location and how to get to them?

I will take a look at the Service Manual and get back to you on this!

Z

[ZGadson]

I've got an I35 with a grey satellite icon, which I'm assuming means the same thing as your greyed out GPS logo - no signal. There was also talk about adding an external GPS antenna in this thread earlier, so I had a question about it...

I bought the stock nav system to put into my car and I got it installed and everything works, except I don't have the gps antenna and I can't find one anywhere. Will any gps antenna that can receive a satellite signal work? Or does it have to be the exact one that's supposed to go with my system?

Im assuming that the only thing gps antennas do is compute latitude and longitude coordinates to a computer, but does that mean they all work the same? Will a stand alone antenna send the same data to the nav unit that the stock antenna would?

I was thinking something like this might work: http://www.sanav.com/gps_antennas/gpa/sm-76.htm
Modified by ZGadson at 11:49 AM 7/20/2008

[ZGadson]

Bump!

Can anyone tell me if the gps locator I posted (in the link) from my previous thread will work with the stock navigation system in my I35?

[WaynesNside]

I know this is an old post but I wanted to bump this. I'm havin this problem and I want to start something to get this out in the open and see who all had problems with the GPS systems.

If anyone has this problem or knows of anyone please post in here.

If anyone did this mod themselves post that info too. I think the dealer should remedy this but I'm not going to take this car back and fourth 10 times to get the antenna moved.

[phatcat]

Any antenna should work assuming the connector is compatible. You may have to modify a connector preferably without modifying the cable for it to fit properly.

Regarding GPS signal strength, my "GPS" logo on the map is usually green out in the open, however grays out when near obstruction (bridge), even if it's for a second. My car's tinted.

[WaynesNside]

Any antenna should work assuming the connector is compatible. You may have to modify a connector preferably without modifying the cable for it to fit properly.

Regarding GPS signal strength, my "GPS" logo on the map is usually green out in the open, however grays out when near obstruction (bridge), even if it's for a second. My car's tinted.

It seems like they should have used a better antenna so that this wouldnt happen. In my QX I never have problems with reception at all. I think the antenna is under the seat, but I'm not sure.

[WaynesNside]

I know this is an old post but I wanted to bump this. I'm havin this problem and I want to start something to get this out in the open and see who all had problems with the GPS systems.

If anyone has this problem or knows of anyone please post in here.

If anyone did this mod themselves post that info too. I think the dealer should remedy this but I'm not going to take this car back and fourth 10 times to get the antenna moved.