Map Spinning/GPS issues

[DaveInAz]

Well I must say it is nice to hear others have the GPS problem other than myself. Sorry to everyone that has this problem. I have a 2017 F150 and originally had a very early version of SYNC3 2.X something that was buggy as hell. It never accepted any over the air updates, and ford’s website wouldn’t give me any USB updates. I had the random GPS jumping and going in large circular arcs once in a while but could never prove it to ford, nor could they do anything.
I was thankful to find CyanLabs and upgraded to 3.X which added working Alexa and fixed a lot of the bluetooth problems. But the occasional GPS lock failures remain. I immediately assumed it must be GPS failure and trying to do “dead reckoning” with a faulty compass that is not correct.

I have noticed that in my case the GPS problem only happens in summertime when it is really hot 100+ and it is left in the sun, or it has been in the garage a long time so has lost the GPS lock, and I immediately start driving fast so it probably has a problem getting a lock while in motion. Probably no help to anyone in solving the problem though.

[C_Wu]

My 2020 Ford Explorer has had faulty GPS position since new. 95% it is fine so it is not common at all. It’ll be in the general vicinity but usually in some field or area that has no land. Because carplay maps will default to the car’s GPS positioning, even that is wrong. Strangely, doing a reboot of sync usually sets things straight. When I had it in with the dealer, they could not troubleshoot it because there were no errors and the GPS location was correct at the time. Did the “clear DR calib” recently and keeping my fingers crossed. If I still get the GPS positioning problem, my next step was a new shark fin GPS antenna. You definitely are not alone.

[JoSS]

@C_Wu

Did the “clear DR calib”

Hello, how did you do it? Please share the steps. Thanks.

[C_Wu]

To clear DR calib:

Enter bezel diagnostics…on my car forward button on steering wheel held down with audio Ffwd held down
Skip audio test
Test settings
clear DR calib

[JoSS]

Ok, thanks! Found it, but it didn’t help.

[F150Chief]

A reminder: After you do the Clear DR Calibration you need to make the drive cycle as outlined by Ford.

SSM 45917 - 2016-2017 Ford/Lincoln - SYNC 3 – Inaccurate Global Positioning System (GPS) Tracking Or GPS Vehicle Icon Spinning Or Spinning Compass

Some 2016-2017 vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 may experience the following concerns; the GPS not tracking the vehicle position correctly, the vehicle location arrow icon spinning in circles on the navigation screen or a spinning compass on non-navigation vehicles. Perform the following procedure to resolve. Enter Bezel Diagnostics per Work Shop Manual (WSM) Section 415-00. Select Testing Settings from the menu. Scroll down and press Clear DR calib. Perform a drive test for approximately 10 minutes, include at least four right turns and four left turns with a vehicle speed of at least 25 MPH. Confirm that GPS position for Navigation or the Compass for non-navigation vehicles is functioning properly.

Also two things to try if you have this issue:

If you have V363 Strategy turned on and you do NOT have a Ford Transit van, turn it off. Match the option close to the current value.
7D0-02-02 x*xx xxxx xxxx
Electronic Horizon, V363 Strategy (Transit Platform), Outside Temperature HMI, Flank Guard HMI
0=Electronic Horizon Off, V363 Off, Outside Temp Display Off, Flank Guard Side Sensors Off
1=Electronic Horizon Off, V363 Off, Outside Temp Display Off, Flank Guard Side Sensors On
2=Electronic Horizon Off, V363 Off, Outside Temp Display On, Flank Guard Side Sensors Off
3=Electronic Horizon Off, V363 Off, Outside Temp Display On, Flank Guard Side Sensors On
4=Electronic Horizon Off, V363 On, Outside Temp Display Off, Flank Guard Side Sensors Off
5=Electronic Horizon Off, V363 On, Outside Temp Display Off, Flank Guard Side Sensors On
6=Electronic Horizon Off, V363 On, Outside Temp Display On, Flank Guard Side Sensors Off
7=Electronic Horizon Off, V363 On, Outside Temp Display On, Flank Guard Side Sensors On
8=Electronic Horizon On, V363 Off, Outside Temp Display Off, Flank Guard Side Sensors Off
9=Electronic Horizon On, V363 Off, Outside Temp Display Off, Flank Guard Side Sensors On
A=Electronic Horizon On, V363 Off, Outside Temp Display On, Flank Guard Side Sensors Off
B=Electronic Horizon On, V363 Off, Outside Temp Display On, Flank Guard Side Sensors On
C=Electronic Horizon On, V363 On, Outside Temp Display Off, Flank Guard Side Sensors Off
D=Electronic Horizon On, V363 On, Outside Temp Display Off, Flank Guard Side Sensors On
E=Electronic Horizon On, V363 On, Outside Temp Display On, Flank Guard Side Sensors Off
F=Electronic Horizon On, V363 On, Outside Temp Display On, Flank Guard Side Sensors On

Make sure you Tire Circumferenceis as close as you can get it. Look at the tire manufacturers data for the circumference. Just a small discrepancy can make a difference due to cumlative error.
7D0-07-03 xxxx xx** xxxx
Tire Circumference (cm)
The formula for the Hex data to cm:
HEX=DECx1+100=Value (cm)
or
HEX=DECx1+100=Value (cm) x0.393701=Value (in)

An example from above in @Nuthy77 post:
6D=209cm
6E=210cm

[F150Chief]

@Nuthy77

I will update you when I have competed a few more days driving.

Just checking to see how are things doing?

[Nuthy77]

Hey, Yep all good. Been out in the car today and again didn’t have any map spins or wandering. I don’t want to tempt fate, but that’s 2 days now since changing my APIM data whereas before the changes, the spins were every journey I made.

The other thing I noticed is that the compass is always correct now when I first get in the car, whereas before the changes it always started with ‘North’ until I started driving. So maybe my issues have gone for good or that is just a coincidence too

PS: contiguous messages by the same user merged by SaNdMaN.
Please, avoid double posting and use the EDIT feature

[F150Chief]

Glad to hear it. There are a few folks on here that are waiting on a solid solution to this. Thank you for sharing your experience and data, it will really help.

[2irft]

@Nuthy77

forgot to say, the bottom line (green text) of the as build data is now the current values for my APIM, the top line was the values before i made the changes.

Hmm interesting, your data changes were mostly not related to position calculation (apart from circumference). Not sure whats happened there but glad to hear it’s working.

Location diagnostic parameters looks pretty good too, was that after or before APIM data change?

On the side note, after apim data change, you can force reset by holding + button for a few seconds. I realize it was much faster and efficient than doing the door open/close process or master reset.

[2irft]

@C_Wu

If I still get the GPS positioning problem, my next step was a new shark fin GPS antenna. You definitely are not alone.

I actually looked into that too but for the amount of wiring that has to be redone I gave up lol

[F150Chief]

@2irft

On the side note, after apim data change, you can force reset by holding + button for a few seconds. I realize it was much faster and efficient than doing the door open/close process or master reset.

Just to clarify, that does not force a master reset, only a module reboot. All settings remain in place. But it is a quicker way to reboot the module, I agree.

[Nuthy77]

The location diagnostics were after the changes. These ones were before (attached)

I think it might of been that v363 strategy was enabled originally. The updated configuration disabled that as well as changing my tire circumfrance and a few other changes . I’m just happy that I’ve had no more spinning or wandering since after 2 days. I can’t pinpoint what change exactly sorted unless I go back one by one on the data and see which causes it, but I don’t want to do that now I’m all good.