GPS Connection Delays

[deerfarm]

Over the last few weeks, it seems that it is taking longer for my GPS to make a connection. Also, it is more frequent that there is a delay at all. I have had my 2011 Limited for two years. Normally, it has connected by the time I reach the end of my driveway. Lately, it takes a mile or two. Sometimes it is taking a lot longer. The other day (mostly sunny), it took 20 minutes to make the connection.

Has anyone else been experiencing this?

My two Toyotas always connect instantly, but the Explorer has never been that good.

 

[FordIVTteam]

Hey, deerfarm!

Is this happening when you set a destination in navigation, do you have a red X over GPS, or are you using SYNC Services?

Rebecca

 

[tucker_bmd]

Seagulls

Over the last few weeks, it seems that it is taking longer for my GPS to make a connection. Also, it is more frequent that there is a delay at all. I have had my 2011 Limited for two years. Normally, it has connected by the time I reach the end of my driveway. Lately, it takes a mile or two. Sometimes it is taking a lot longer. The other day (mostly sunny), it took 20 minutes to make the connection.

Has anyone else been experiencing this?

That's sounds fishy. The only thing I think you could check is to see if there is a large bird dropping that landed on the GPS antenna. Something like that might (I'm not sure of the dielectric properties of bird crap) attenuate the signal and cause reception problems. I believe the antenna is on the base of the regular radio antenna, but that is just a guess, I'm pretty sure it is not on the dashboard, or the hood, so the roof is the logical location. The other thing to check, but we can't unfortunately, is the cable connection from the antenna to the GPS receiver, in an automotive application with vibrations etc the solder could crack loose or a torqued cable could come loose also. But we don't have access to check these.

Mostly my GPS does the same thing daily, but have been times like you describe when it took 15+ minutes to lock on. I'm blaming this on the MFT software program, I have no proof of course. I think when you have the Nav screen selected the program gives the CPU to many cycles trying to "guess" and keep the map updated to the vehicles location and takes computer cycles away from GPS acquistion, again just a guess, hopefully wrong because I would hope the GPS receiver is it's own board/processor not relying on the MFT computer. I would have liked if Ford/Navisomething would have NOT tried to update the map UNTIL GPS has been acquired and the vehicle's location is known for certain. My old Garmin acts like this, it doesn't try to show you where you are until it knows for sure. I'm sure a lot of complaints about the Nav map showing the vehicle's location incorrectly are due to GPS not being acquired.

Like other MFT issues, a reboot/master reset could help. It's sad that we must do this occasionally but it is a computer program on a CPU, in the early stages of development, remember the early windows PC's and how often they needed to be rebooted. I feel the blue oval will get this figured out eventually, look how long it took BMW to get iDrive sorted out.

 

[plumbago]

I have pretty much written off the troubles with MFT & SYNC to Sun Spots as the cause. It works pretty well for peace of mind, when you just can't seem to get it right. It's obvious to me Ford is taking little blame for this poor functioning system....best regards Plum

 

[deerfarm]

Hey, deerfarm!

Is this happening when you set a destination in navigation, do you have a red X over GPS, or are you using SYNC Services?

Rebecca

Hey Rebecca,

This happens with the red X over GPS. I use the map all of the time, even when not seeking destination.

Thanks

 

[Sgt1411]

Have you had the TSB reprogramming done that updates the GPS?

There is a thread on it.

 

[deerfarm]

Have you had the TSB reprogramming done that updates the GPS?

There is a thread on it.

I did the 3.5 upgrade that included a new GPS card. Is there more to it than that?

 

[jrmexplorer]

There is an issue in which certain vehicles needed a recalibration done by their dealer for their GPS module. My understanding is that it was only for 2013 models.

 

[sciond]

here is my fav Nav pic

 

[FordIVTteam]

I did the 3.5 upgrade that included a new GPS card. Is there more to it than that?

Yes, there's one more other than 3.5.1. You can contact your dealer to have it applied to your Explorer; let them know that you are getting the red X through GPS.

Rebecca

 

[goofydisneydaddy]

Yes, there's a one more other than 3.5.1. You can contact your dealer to have it applied to your Explorer; let them know that you are getting the red X through GPS.

Rebecca

Rebecca, my Explorer is also taking and extremely long time to get GPS signal, sometimes as long as 20 minutes (though, eventually it will and keep it). Are you saying there is an MFT version above the one that came with the new SD card? Can I get this from the sync website or do I need to go to a dealer? or are you saying there is a TSB?

 

[FordIVTteam]

Rebecca, my Explorer is also taking and extremely long time to get GPS signal, sometimes as long as 20 minutes (though, eventually it will and keep it). Are you saying there is an MFT version above the one that came with the new SD card? Can I get this from the sync website or do I need to go to a dealer? or are you saying there is a TSB?

Hi, goofydisneydaddy,

Yes, you'll have to visit your dealership for the fix. There is not a newer version of MFT software; I was just saying there is an "update" for this issue.

Rebecca

 

[Tracker09]

I have this problem too with with my 2011. I don't have any warranty remaining so I'd like to do this myself. Are you saying there is no way for the customer to recalibrate the gps like I can do on my phone but I need to go to the dealer and pay for this simple service?

 

[JohnBoyToo]

those with slow satellite acquisition - are you starting out in a garage ?!?
just curious as that will stop mine from acquiring satellites...

 

[FordIVTteam]

I have this problem too with with my 2011. I don't have any warranty remaining so I'd like to do this myself. Are you saying there is no way for the customer to recalibrate the gps like I can do on my phone but I need to go to the dealer and pay for this simple service?

Yes, Tracker09, this is something only your dealership can perform.

Rebecca

 

[deerfarm]

Yes, there's one more other than 3.5.1. You can contact your dealer to have it applied to your Explorer; let them know that you are getting the red X through GPS.

Rebecca

Thanks for the information Rebecca.

I see that there is a press release about another sync upgrade coming this summer. Will that include what the dealer would do today if I took it to them?

Thanks,

Deerfarm

 

[FordIVTteam]

Thanks for the information Rebecca.

I see that there is a press release about another sync upgrade coming this summer. Will that include what the dealer would do today if I took it to them?

Thanks,

Deerfarm

The fix I'm referring to in this thread is not for the MyFord Touch module; I can only speculate and say it will not be on the next MFT software update.

Rebecca

 

[esandye]

I have also been having long delays in getting the GPS to lose the red X. It only takes me 10 minutes to get to work and it still hasn't connected. I took it to the dealer 2 weeks ago and they did the TSB. It was better for a few days but now it is worse than ever. Once it connects, it will then connect quickly on restarts but first thing in the morning it rarely connects, and no, the car is not in the garage when it starts. It seems to be worse more recently. Are there some weird atomospheric conditions out there now? As other folks have commented, our other brand of casrs (acura and lexus) alway connect within 5 seconds. What else is there to do? We do use the nav system quite a bit in our family but it is useless in the mornings.

 

[tucker_bmd]

... Are there some weird atomospheric conditions out there now? As other folks have commented, our other brand of casrs (acura and lexus) alway connect within 5 seconds. What else is there to do? We do use the nav system quite a bit in our family but it is useless in the mornings.

During sunrise the ionosphere is very turbulent and might cause problems. Here is the northeast US around this time (late June early July) sunrise is very early and I commute early and have noticed a few times where the Nav "seems" to take longer to sync up. Also, anecdotally, the AM radio station I listen too has lots more static during sunrise this time of year.

 

[goofydisneydaddy]

During sunrise the ionosphere is very turbulent and might cause problems. Here is the northeast US around this time (late June early July) sunrise is very early and I commute early and have noticed a few times where the Nav "seems" to take longer to sync up. Also, anecdotally, the AM radio station I listen too has lots more static during sunrise this time of year.

This is a bunch of malarky. I can have my explorer and lexus in the garage, pull them out at the same time, and 30 seconds later the lexus will have GPS lock whereas the Explorer will take 10 minutes or more.

I took my explorer to the dealer, they replaced the GPS receiver and kept the car for a day, but it still takes forever to get a signal if you start the car in a covered structure. This is a software issue, not an atmospheric issue.