NAV system replaced but fault still exists?

Ducky87 · #1 07-15-2012, 10:38 PM

Hi,

I recently purchased a brand new MINI cooper [R56] but facing serious problems with the sat nav.

I should note that I'm located in the UK but I understand that all the NAV systems are basically the same apart from the MAPS.

When I set off on a Journey my sat nav works perfectly and the signal works fine however the GPS signal appears to always hit a "black spot" in some particular areas (I pretty much know when its about to lose signal) and the signal hardly ever recovers or finds the GPS again.

When the GPS loses signal it still seems to recognize my turning of the steering wheel but not much else and does not track my movement correctly.

Now and again after around 40 minutes of driving it finds the signal again but the GPS is pretty much useless as it is at present as I can drive for 20 - 25 minutes and the system never finds the gps signal once lost and I get no directions.

If I also stop the car, turn off the engine wait around 2 minutes and fire the engine back up it shows "Route interrupted with either Continue Destination or End Destination" selecting either of these instantly finds the GPS Signal.

So far they have replaced the roof antenna plus the rubber grip the antenna fits in and neither of these have worked. Dealership has also fitted a brand new Sat Nav system and the problem still exists, they are pretty much stumped.

I know that some NAV systems are bound to have some signal issues in some particular places but surely it should instantly recover once the signal is found again ?

My dealership is pretty much stumped and I'm pretty peed off that I've paid around £1k for the option and I cant use!

I tested a Tomtom unit in the same exact spot and it does not lose the signal or causes any issues.

Is there a time limit set on BMW's/MINI's before the Nav searches for a GPS signal again?

We have also tried a reset (Removing battery for 1hr) but this hasn't resolved the issue either.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

ccfj1 · #2 07-16-2012, 09:01 AM

Welcome to the forum.

If this were the mk4 type system I'd say that either the GPS antenna is duff or the Trimble unit (inside the navigation computer is faulty).

However you say that these have been replaced with new ones.

So the fault must lay else where, are the roads where theses "black spots" are good? or are they bumpy and have pot holes etc (something that may jar the suspension or body?) as this could be the fault, maybe one of the ABS/speed sensors in duff?

These work in conjunction with the nav system to give you your dead reckoning (for when you lose satellite signals), if one is faulty then this could put the nav unit into a funny mode where by the road speed does not match that of the satellite GPS speed (very unlikely but possible).

Also check the main clocks binnical out if this has a fault then this could also effect the nav system.

Also try an update to the nav system as its possible that the on-board Trimble unit "forgets" where the satellites are (check the almanac for this), and this can take a while to repopulate.

Personally it sounds like the antenna is duff.

I'd get a cheap £6 SMB GPS antenna off ebay and plug it in to the nav unit and leave it on the dash and see what happens.

Ducky87 · #3 09-20-2012, 06:30 PM

Thanks for your reply, had a bit of an update. Took my car back into the garage while they reset / updated the car's software and was given a mini loan car.

Got a massive shock that the same issue occurs in their mini loan car 2012 model!!!

The road condition is very good and there are no bumps or pot holes that I can feel.

I checked the system time and date and it is correct, I'm assuming this is what you are referring to the main clocks binnical ?

The same exact issue happens with their car, car loses the signal and does not locate the signal again, sometimes it does if you drive around for 30 minutes other times it does not unless the car is powered down and back on again.

I guess this pretty much confirms that it isnt a hardware but a software problem! They have asked mini to investigate but I guess no one seems to have come across this issue before ?

I was to try removing the dash to see if I could try my own antenna but apparently removing the mini dash to get to the speedo is really hard.

Is there any kind of "code" that could be changed that tells sat nav to stop looking for a GPS for a specific time, like a timeout period ?

ccfj1 · #4 09-21-2012, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducky87

Thanks for your reply, had a bit of an update. Took my car back into the garage while they reset / updated the car's software and was given a mini loan car.

Got a massive shock that the same issue occurs in their mini loan car 2012 model!!!

The road condition is very good and there are no bumps or pot holes that I can feel.

I checked the system time and date and it is correct, I'm assuming this is what you are referring to the main clocks binnical ?

No the date and time in the binnical cluster are not the same as the date/time from the GPS signal (I know, I know), but is an inconsistency of the bmw system, you would think that they are tied together but they are not.

Quote:

The same exact issue happens with their car, car loses the signal and does not locate the signal again, sometimes it does if you drive around for 30 minutes other times it does not unless the car is powered down and back on again.

Check for satellites and the alminac in the Nav sevice menu when this happens, and see what it says.

Quote:

I guess this pretty much confirms that it isnt a hardware but a software problem!

Could be but I very much doubt it, you could try a v32 reload and see if that helps, are you running OEM firmware? (what version).

Quote:

They have asked mini to investigate but I guess no one seems to have come across this issue before ?

I still think its a dosgy GPS antenna, I'd be temped to run a temp one (an ebay £8 jobbie) on the dash and see if you get the same thing.

Quote:

Is there any kind of "code" that could be changed that tells sat nav to stop looking for a GPS for a specific time, like a timeout period ?

No, not possible.

Ducky87 · #5 10-11-2012, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccfj1

Check for satellites and the alminac in the Nav sevice menu when this happens, and see what it says.

I checked with MINI (Head technician) and apparently it is not possible to enter the alminac as no such menu / hidden menu exists on the MINI cooper 2012 so I cant view this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccfj1

Could be but I very much doubt it, you could try a v32 reload and see if that helps, are you running OEM firmware? (what version).

Any idea on how to view this? I checked all the MINI menus and all it shows is the MAP Version (Europe 2012) but no OS versions. (I am using factory OEM version)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccfj1

I still think its a dosgy GPS antenna, I'd be temped to run a temp one (an ebay £8 jobbie) on the dash and see if you get the same thing.

This is what I would like to test but do you know of any instructions on how to remove the speedo or access the antenna to try a different one?

The problem is that the navigation system never reacquires unless the car is powered down.

Here's a video of the problem in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5hRZ...ature=youtu.be

I tried a tomtom in the same exact area and I have no issues here so it looks like its specific to MINI.

TerminatorX5 · #6 09-20-2012, 09:46 PM

in the MK3 and 4 (and maybe the older ones too), you could get into the service mode where you could visually monitor the 8 satellites that the unit was tracking... interestingly enough, on my MK4 i had the satellites on the service screen, but on the normal screen there were no satellites in the top right corner and the position was off on the map...

sometimes my cell phone shows full antenna/signal strength but nobody can get hold of me, as calls are routed to voice mail, and i can't place outgoing calls... but my cell phone is over 32 years old and has been used and abused... in your situation, it is very strange, you have tried 3 Nav systems with the same result... Can you downgrade the Operating System of the nav unit?

TerminatorX5 · #7 10-11-2012, 07:33 PM

I don't want to say that your head technician is or is not competent, but if he compares to the BMW techs that I had dealt with... well...I would try on my own...
I don't know much about the Minis, but if you have the MK4 comp, there is a "service" menu... maybe there is a different way to get to it...

From the main menu, do you have "GPS Navigation", "Telephone", "Settings", On-Board Computer" entries? if you do, go to the one that says "settings" and select it. If it works out, you might be able to see in the top right corner of the screen a number, like 4-1/50 or something to that effect...

Can you do it in your system?...

Ducky87 · #8 10-11-2012, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

I don't want to say that your head technician is or is not competent, but if he compares to the BMW techs that I had dealt with... well...I would try on my own...
I don't know much about the Minis, but if you have the MK4 comp, there is a "service" menu... maybe there is a different way to get to it...

From the main menu, do you have "GPS Navigation", "Telephone", "Settings", On-Board Computer" entries? if you do, go to the one that says "settings" and select it. If it works out, you might be able to see in the top right corner of the screen a number, like 4-1/50 or something to that effect...

Can you do it in your system?...

I do have settings etc but the setting are very limited there isn't anything that shows the system information such as alminac of satellite data or anything like this.

Apparently on 2011 MINI I was told there was a hidden menu (Like on idrive)

Press the iDrive controller down, and keep it pressed for 8 to 10 seconds and release.
Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks clockwise (right)
Rotate the iDrive controller 3 ticks counter-clockwise (left)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick counter-clockwise (left)
Rotate the iDrive controller 1 tick clockwise (right)
Press the iDrive controller down, and release

This was removed on the new version (2012) of the MINI cooper and is no longer accessible which seems so dumb.

I made a quick video of what I can actually see on my settings but it is really limited: Mini Cooper Menu (2012) - YouTube

TerminatorX5 · #9 10-12-2012, 09:28 AM

hmmm... it doesn't look like an MK4 iBus based computer - the graphics generated by MK4 are different...

Sorry dude, you need an E70 Nav experts to help you...

Ducky87 · #10 10-13-2012, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

hmmm... it doesn't look like an MK4 iBus based computer - the graphics generated by MK4 are different...

Sorry dude, you need an E70 Nav experts to help you...

Ok thanks anyway