Explorer Navigation Tracking Problem

[FordIVTteam]

Our problems went away when we switched out the winter to summer tired. We put the winter tires back on & boom, tracking issue is back.

Hi Raafter68,

Your dealer can re-calibrate your GPS. I suggest giving them a ring to setup an appointment.

Rebecca

 

[maj24]

Hi Rebecca,

With this being such a common problem, why can't there be a s/w update so that a user can just toggle something to force a relearn?

This seems to be a day 1 issue where changing tires can cause this type of problem and it would be so much easier if I could go into my Nav settings and select for eg. "relearn tire rotation".

Many of us change our tires on our own and this would be so much less intrusive than disconnecting the battery which works every time.

Thoughts?

Andrew

 

[TRK1]

Has any of this corresponded with the removal & changing of winter & summer tires?

Just curious...

No, I have made no tire changes since buying my vehicle new.

 

[Raafter68]

Things that come to mind would be are they different size and do they have trained TPMS sensors in them?

We purchased the winter tires & tpms from Ford, they may have been a slightly different size but was advised they are the standard for the vehicle.

 

[Raafter68]

Hi Raafter68,

Your dealer can re-calibrate your GPS. I suggest giving them a ring to setup an appointment.

Rebecca

Thanks Rebecca, we have an appointment het week after next. To look into this & also for them to try to figure out why the keyless entry isn't working on the drivers door. When we try to open drivers door it unlocks the other three but the drivers door lock flutters on & off repeatedly. We either have to try grasping the handle 4-5 different ways or crawl through another door.

Thankfully, it happened to both the service advisor & the mechanic so they know we aren't crazy.

 

[FordIVTteam]

Hi Rebecca,

With this being such a common problem, why can't there be a s/w update so that a user can just toggle something to force a relearn?

This seems to be a day 1 issue where changing tires can cause this type of problem and it would be so much easier if I could go into my Nav settings and select for eg. "relearn tire rotation".

Many of us change our tires on our own and this would be so much less intrusive than disconnecting the battery which works every time.

Thoughts?

Andrew

Hey Andrew!

That's a great question that is unfortunately out of my scope; however, it would be a great suggestion to post on our Ford Social site at www.Social.Ford.com.

Thanks Rebecca, we have an appointment het week after next. To look into this & also for them to try to figure out why the keyless entry isn't working on the drivers door. When we try to open drivers door it unlocks the other three but the drivers door lock flutters on & off repeatedly. We either have to try grasping the handle 4-5 different ways or crawl through another door.

Thankfully, it happened to both the service advisor & the mechanic so they know we aren't crazy.

LOL I'm glad they were able to see this issue. Let me know how your visit goes!

Rebecca

 

[MikeFreas]

Update on my Nav issue.

Took the truck to another local dealer to look at the Nav issue for the first time. Just as a recap, while driving the system will lose it's position in space and go off in random directions. Today, after picking up the truck and driving on the highway for about 10 minutes, the system did the same thing. By the time I got to work it showed my parking in the bay three miles away. Took it back to the dealer for a second shot at the repair. Not very happy that I have to continually take the truck in multiple times for repairs.

In frustration I posted on Ford's Explorer FB page and was contacted by a service rep. Though the dealership was apologetic, I find it unacceptable that after they verified the issue and "updating" my system, they didn't test drive it again to verify the repair.

 

[maj24]

Update on my Nav issue.

Took the truck to another local dealer to look at the Nav issue for the first time. Just as a recap, while driving the system will lose it's position in space and go off in random directions. Today, after picking up the truck and driving on the highway for about 10 minutes, the system did the same thing. By the time I got to work it showed my parking in the bay three miles away. Took it back to the dealer for a second shot at the repair. Not very happy that I have to continually take the truck in multiple times for repairs.

In frustration I posted on Ford's Explorer FB page and was contacted by a service rep. Though the dealership was apologetic, I find it unacceptable that after they verified the issue and "updating" my system, they didn't test drive it again to verify the repair.

Have you tried disconnecting the battery? Worked for me.

 

[MikeFreas]

Have you tried disconnecting the battery? Worked for me.

Yes, several times.

 

[MikeFreas]

If I understood the service rep correctly the APM in my truck is bad. They hope to have the part by Friday. I'll bet I'll be without my truck for another weekend.

 

[jmr061]

If I understood the service rep correctly the APM in my truck is bad. They hope to have the part by Friday. I'll bet I'll be without my truck for another weekend.

APIM replacement in an Explorer might be about an hour long to do.

 

[peterk9]

If I understood the service rep correctly the APM in my truck is bad. They hope to have the part by Friday. I'll bet I'll be without my truck for another weekend.

Hi Mike. The APIM (Accessory Protocol Interface Module) is located under the dash and looks like this;

Peter

 

[MikeDU]

Navigation system problems (continued)

It appears that the problems with the navigation system occur in more than just the Explorer and at least in model years 2011,2012, and 2013. This is clearly a design flaw in this system though I'm sure that Ford would be unwilling to acknowledge this.
Just took my 2011 Explorer in for another attempt at fixing the problm. Dealer located TSB 12-11-2 and reprogrammed the GPSM to the latest level. Dealer said that if this didn't fix the problem I would need a new module. On way home the nav performed perfectly & I thought my problems were over. However, next day system was worse than before, sometimes locking the cursor on the map screen totally. Ended up by disconnecting the negative battery terminal for about 5 minutes, which temporarily got the system working again. (The TSB 12-11-2 at the dealers involved disconnecting the battery) Seems to me that what this does is to re-boot the computer in the nav/MFT system. If the fuse box were more sensibly located, it would be far easier to simply pull fuse 29 (on my Explorer) to temporarily power down the nav system, but this is another piece of bad design.
Suggest using the 'Delayed Reboot App' http://outofmytouch.com/reboot.html which is much easier to use and appears to work as well as disconnecting the battery.
Clearly the Ford software needs to be re-written.

 

[Ont 2013 Sport]

It appears that the problems with the navigation system occur in more than just the Explorer and at least in model years 2011,2012, and 2013. This is clearly a design flaw in this system though I'm sure that Ford would be unwilling to acknowledge this.
Just took my 2011 Explorer in for another attempt at fixing the problm. Dealer located TSB 12-11-2 and reprogrammed the GPSM to the latest level. Dealer said that if this didn't fix the problem I would need a new module. On way home the nav performed perfectly & I thought my problems were over. However, next day system was worse than before, sometimes locking the cursor on the map screen totally. Ended up by disconnecting the negative battery terminal for about 5 minutes, which temporarily got the system working again. (The TSB 12-11-2 at the dealers involved disconnecting the battery) Seems to me that what this does is to re-boot the computer in the nav/MFT system. If the fuse box were more sensibly located, it would be far easier to simply pull fuse 29 (on my Explorer) to temporarily power down the nav system, but this is another piece of bad design.
Suggest using the 'Delayed Reboot App' http://outofmytouch.com/reboot.html which is much easier to use and appears to work as well as disconnecting the battery.
Clearly the Ford software needs to be re-written.

Has anyone else tried this method....I am still nervous about the battery disconnect.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Ont 2013 Sport.:wavey:
A battery disconnect will require the transmission to 'relearn' its shift points as well as the idle and fuel trim strategy. See Battery Relearn in the Owner's Guide (page 350 of the 4th printing). Quite a few members have done 'disconnects' for various reasons.

Peter

 

[Ont 2013 Sport]

Welcome to the Forum Ont 2013 Sport.:wavey:
A battery disconnect will require the transmission to 'relearn' its shift points as well as the idle and fuel trim strategy. See Battery Relearn in the Owner's Guide (page 350 of the 4th printing). Quite a few members have done 'disconnects' for various reasons.

Peter

I was aware of the other issues needed for re-learning after the battery disconnect. That is why I'm interested in more feed back on the 'delayed reboot app'....

 

[peterk9]

Sorry, my mistake. I thought you were referring to the battery disconnect instead of the Delayed Reboot. There have been people that have used the delayed reboot. There is a thread on it in the 'Sticky' section; http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=406826

Good luck.

Peter

 

[MikeFreas]

Got a call from the regional Ford service rep today. Got that attention after I complained on FB out of frustration. Anyway, when I mentioned the service rep said they are going to replace the AIPM she said that's not going to fix it. Not very reassuring.

I did some more digging on the problem. Seems every other model Ford, equipped with MFT, has problems with the nav system. All of the descriptions I reviewed describe the problem perfectly. The TSB associated with this is 14-0037. This involves reprograming the GPSM NOT updating the MFT system.

 

[BethesdaEC]

Got a call from the regional Ford service rep today. Got that attention after I complained on FB out of frustration. Anyway, when I mentioned the service rep said they are going to replace the AIPM she said that's not going to fix it. Not very reassuring.

I did some more digging on the problem. Seems every other model Ford, equipped with MFT, has problems with the nav system. All of the descriptions I reviewed describe the problem perfectly. The TSB associated with this is 14-0037. This involves reprograming the GPSM NOT updating the MFT system.

Has anyone considered a class action lawsuit? The other day coming out of DC my navigation system did not get a GPS lock for my entire drive home which was about 45 minutes. Most days it gets a lock within 2 minutes or less but every now and then it takes 15 minutes or more. it is a good thing I have a sense of direction and came get by without the Nav mostly. If this were my wife's car I would be having a serious problem since she has the worst sense of direction I have ever seen.

MFT seems to be a great idea that was introduced too early and then never properly fixed, just patched until it was barely reliable and functional.

 

[MikeFreas]

Dealer called, says the Nav system is fixed and worked during the test drive. We will see if it's really fixed when I pick it up. The only thing they changed, according to the service rep, is the AIPM.