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GPS Connection Delays

This is a bunch of malarky. ...

Do an internet search for "ionosphere affects gps", you should see some links to scientific studies. All I'm saying is the time of day affects GPS reception.

MFT is most likely the cause of the issue. But it would be interesting, if you are up early, to move your two vehicles out from the garage just around sunrise.
 



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Do an internet search for "ionosphere affects gps", you should see some links to scientific studies. All I'm saying is the time of day affects GPS reception.

MFT is most likely the cause of the issue. But it would be interesting, if you are up early, to move your two vehicles out from the garage just around sunrise.

I'm not up around sunrise. :) Trust me, that is not the issue. Perhaps, though, it could explain why MFT takes 15 minutes instead of 10 minutes some days.
 






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

This happens with the map being observed on the screen without a destination being set OR with a destination set from the nav system. I have not recently tried a destination from SYNC services but it probably would not matter, the GPS just sometime won't connect, and yes, there is the red X over the GPS icon. As stated, it is far worse with the first start up in the morning and better once it the GPS has found a satellite, even if the car is turned off and restarted. More frustrating since I just had the TSB done that you had previously mentioned in another thread.
 






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

There is a thread on it.

Yes sir, I thought it helped at first but by week 2 it was just as bad.
 






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.

I agree that this is indeed malarky. My other cars, Lexus and Acura connect lightning fast all the time.
 






Geesh!

I agree that this is indeed malarky. My other cars, Lexus and Acura connect lightning fast all the time.

Another malarky, does no one trust science? Come on, really? I think I'm in the minority on this forum. I'm in another battle in the oil change/type threads too, all I'm asking for is some scientific backing to people's claims. My dad changed his oil in his 1960-1970's car every 3000 miles so I must do that with my 2012 explorer is not scientific backing. Just opinion, and you know about opinions.

But about the topic, MFT is flawed in many ways, and these flaws definitely affect GPS acquisition (I'd like to slightly correct my previous statement about the time of day affecting GPS reception, that is true, but time of day has more an affect on acquisition).

I asked the other malarky poster to conduct a little science experiment, he's a late sleeper. Maybe you can do it. Bring your explorer and another car out from under cover (ie in a garage) right at sunrise and then time how long each take to acquire GPS.

In fact this would be a great experiment for Ford to conduct. But I don't think they will.
 






I just got back from a trip in the Sierras. I kid you not, 75% percent of the time i had no GPS lock. While on winding roads, surrounded by trees, I thought, "OK, let's get out of this cover". Then in these wide open valleys (for miles), still nothing. It was a joke. But here's what frost's me; when I REALLY (and i mean really) need this feature, it constantly fails.

I agree, it's malarkey. I don'd get this thread, the FordIVTteam actually responded in earlier posts; they act like, "Oh yeah, GPS lock doesn't work when xyz happens"

So here's the question to FordIVTteam, Is this an issue? Yes or No will suffice. If yes, does Ford plan to do anything about it? My guess is that this will not be answered or addressed.
 






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

I've been having the same "red X" issue on my 2011 limited. I did the latest update that I could do and got the new A4 nav card right after I bought it in March of this year. Took it to the dealer today for an oil change and mentioned what you said in this thread about a "dealer update", they said there was no update that they knew of for that issue.

Do you have an update number or something I could give them? They were more than willing to fix it but said my sync was up to date.
 






This is from previous thread

Here is a link to the TSB: http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Fo...sb13-03-11.htm

Note that it only applies to 2013 vehicles. Some on this thread have earlier models.

Sorry I tried the link again from here its been removed.

Tell your dealer its TSB 13-03-11
 






This is from previous thread

Here is a link to the TSB: http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Fo...sb13-03-11.htm

Note that it only applies to 2013 vehicles. Some on this thread have earlier models.

Sorry I tried the link again from here its been removed.

Tell your dealer its TSB 13-03-11

I had read that thread and saw the fix was for 2013 models.

I'm hoping there is something else for the 2011 as Rebecca keeps telling people with those models there is a fix. My dealer told me to find out what she is talking about and let them know so they can do it.
 






Ya sometimes you have to dial the SYNC Hotline right from the dealership and facilitate the Service Writer speaking to the IVT over the phone. Brutal but it is sometimes the only way.

Have you tried putting MFT into Diagnostics Mode and seeing how many sats your GPS transceiver is seeing?

My understanding is the newer software pings the GPS sat more frequently therefor it gets a more accurate position.
 






Ya sometimes you have to dial the SYNC Hotline right from the dealership and facilitate the Service Writer speaking to the IVT over the phone. Brutal but it is sometimes the only way.

Have you tried putting MFT into Diagnostics Mode and seeing how many sats your GPS transceiver is seeing?

My understanding is the newer software pings the GPS sat more frequently therefor it gets a more accurate position.

Hopefully the Ford IVT people here can give me something to tell them as the dealer is more than willing to do it, with them here it shouldn't have to come to me making a call at the dealership.

I did the diagnostic mode this morning out in the yard and had a minimum of 6 sats most of the time I was out there. My problem is fairly infrequent so I didn't expect to see much, i did calibrate the touch screen while in there as the touches used to be to the right of the buttons.
 






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.

Agreed, total malarky
 






Clarification

Agreed, total malarky

Just curious, what do you think is malarky? That the ionosphere has an affect on communication signals, specifically GPS acquisition and reception? Or did you infer that I meant the ionosphere is causing the navigation system in our MFT equipped Explorers to take a long (>10 minutes) time to acquire and are calling that malarky? If the first, then you need to do some reading. If the second, then you misinterpreted what I was stating. I'm pretty convinced MFT is flawed in how it manages it's CPU cycles which causes GPS acquisition to take way longer than it should which compounds the display of the map etc.
 






... More frustrating since I just had the TSB done that you had previously mentioned in another thread.

Hi, esandye,

If the TSB didn't fully correct the issue, there may be another problem. I recommend contacting your dealership.

... I agree, it's malarkey. I don'd get this thread, the FordIVTteam actually responded in earlier posts; they act like, "Oh yeah, GPS lock doesn't work when xyz happens"

So here's the question to FordIVTteam, Is this an issue? Yes or No will suffice. If yes, does Ford plan to do anything about it? My guess is that this will not be answered or addressed.

RJT,

As I stated before, there's a fix for this at your dealership if your vehicle is eligible; it's for the GPS module, not MFT. Please contact them at your earliest convenience.

I had read that thread and saw the fix was for 2013 models.

I'm hoping there is something else for the 2011 as Rebecca keeps telling people with those models there is a fix. My dealer told me to find out what she is talking about and let them know so they can do it.

Zippyworld,

I'm unable to provide a TSB/fix number, but as I said to RJT, it's not for MFT, it is for the GPS. Your dealership will need to check in their system (with your VIN) to see if the fix applies to your Explorer and go from there. They can also contact their technical support for further guidance.

Ya sometimes you have to dial the SYNC Hotline right from the dealership and facilitate the Service Writer speaking to the IVT over the phone. Brutal but it is sometimes the only way.

Have you tried putting MFT into Diagnostics Mode and seeing how many sats your GPS transceiver is seeing?

My understanding is the newer software pings the GPS sat more frequently therefor it gets a more accurate position.

Thanks for helping, Sgt1411!

Rebecca
 






Just curious, what do you think is malarky? That the ionosphere has an affect on communication signals, specifically GPS acquisition and reception? Or did you infer that I meant the ionosphere is causing the navigation system in our MFT equipped Explorers to take a long (>10 minutes) time to acquire and are calling that malarky? If the first, then you need to do some reading. If the second, then you misinterpreted what I was stating. I'm pretty convinced MFT is flawed in how it manages it's CPU cycles which causes GPS acquisition to take way longer than it should which compounds the display of the map etc.

The malarkey is that this is the problem with the GPS and not the software that runs it.
 






Is there any way to boost the GPS signal?
 






Zippyworld,

I'm unable to provide a TSB/fix number, but as I said to RJT, it's not for MFT, it is for the GPS. Your dealership will need to check in their system (with your VIN) to see if the fix applies to your Explorer and go from there. They can also contact their technical support for further guidance.

Rebecca

I have a friend that is a service manager for a Ford dealer in another state, he is going to check it out for me so I don't have to spend a bunch of time going back and forth with my dealer.
 









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Had the above TSB applied today and seems to be working much better. Kept losing the signal on the way to the dealer on a cloudy and rainy day, didn't lose it once on the way home.
 






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