I am trying to find out if I am alone in suffering from GPS problems with my integrated Satnav in my 3.75 Sports Graphite. The model number is NVA-SD8110 and is seen in the Sports Tech, Venture and others.
I have had my car since Aug 2013 and have not had more than a couple of weeks successful satnav operation. I have had the antenna replaced once and the head unit replaced 3 times (although the first time was due to a faulty touchscreen), the latest being in February this year. It then worked for a week and has since been unable to lock onto any satellites.
I have paid for Tomtom Live service and map updates and it is up to date with both and is at the latest firmware level. Also, I apply the GPSFix update from tomtom each week, have done both hard and soft resets, but it still cant lock onto any satellites. As an example, I went on the local OC drive on Sunday last, and covered around 260 miles over a ten hour period and not a single satellite to be seen! At one point when I was heading south on the M5, the unit showed me travelling north on the M1.
I haven’t installed anything electrical that could interfere with the signal so am at a loss as to why it fails.
Has anyone else had anything similar with this device and more to the point, any solution?
Two different aerials and three head units and still the same problem. Is the antenna to head unit cable part of the antenna assembly or is it separate? If so has it been checked?
You can rule out interference by trying a stand alone GPS in the same spot as the antenna. Smartphone with GPS will do. Lots of aftermarket antennas on eBay for under a fiver. Could try one of those on it.
Thanks for the suggestions Roadie, excellent point about the antenna cable. I have no idea where the antenna is but will raise the question with my local dealer who are trying to resolve it in cohoots with Mazda Technical, although 18 months is a bit of a long time for them to come up with something. I will also suggest they try connecting an antenna in different positions in the car.
As to interference, I have been using a screen attached tomtom from day 1 and have had no problems whatsoever with it locating and retaing satellites. That works 100% of the time.
Have you spoke to TomTom directly… I had an issue with the one in my Graphite regarding the unit not receiving the phone signal for live services. They sorted it over the phone and as it was a sever issue there end…
Yup thanks, I have had various conversations with tomtom and they have no idea or suggestions to make other than go back to Mazda. I’m also in converssation with Mazda Customer services who should be progressing it (but slowly), was wondering if I am just very unlucky with 3 faulty head units and 2 faulty antennae or if others suffer the same issues.!!
There was a mod back in Jan 2013 that fixed live services, and I connect to Live without problem, it just thinks I am hundreds of miles from my actual location so is of no use with its warnings!!
Yes its factory fit but the dealer have changed the hed unit a couple of times, I dont know the path the antenna takes in the car but that too has been changed oce, I am still waiting for Mazda technical to come up with diagnosis, hoping they will try various positions for the antenna.
Do you know if your unit has the latest update in it? The latest one updates the audio version too. I don’t know the numbers off the top of my head but you need to check the Tom Tom App version and also the audio version.
If your unit was installed the same as mine, one aerial is stuck to the top of the chassis of the radio and the other is located under the console by the handbrake.
I had trouble with live services but that was sorted last January with the mod that was issued, they have now run out and I will not be paying the crazy money TomTom want, we have a Garmin with lifetime maps and traffic which only cost £100 so if we need traffic I will use that.
Good luck with your quest, hammer Mazda for compesation, they do talk eventually.
The app version is certainly at the latest version 9.867 and as far as I know the audio version is too at v1.19, I had the audio version mod applied by the garage on the previous headunit in December and don’t recall it going to v1.20 so think it is the latest. (would appreciate someone else with this unit checking - g to FM Settings Advanced)
Wonder which aerial is which, the GPRS antenna works fine as I don’t have problem with tomtom live connecting reliably, its just the GPS bit that fails. I do agree wholly with the disgracefully excessive price charged by Tomtom for both maps and live service. On the compensation front, I did get a years live service and maps paid for by Mazda, mind you I havent been able to use it for almost 2 years!! I logged a call with tomtom customer service who have suspended my subscription so when its eventually fixed, I should get the full years worth of the updates.
I also carry a screen attach satnav but thats primarily cos this one wont work!
Ah well, it was worth a try, so now I have had a fourth headunit fitted and still no satellites, next they changed the GPRS antenna as there appeared to be a nick in the cable (yes the satellites use the GPS antenna) and still wont lock on. I got tomtom support to assign my Live subscription to the new SIM ID and Live services worked a treat, shame it couldn’t actually work out where I was or where I wanted to go to.
The 4th headunit appeared to have other faults as it wouldn’t initially switch off when the ignition key was removed so the mechanic removed the fuse, reset it and it seemed “better”. Then the audio failed so the sound from the FM and USB/MP3 went off, a full software reset cured that a couple of times and the screen response was delayed / slow so I got the dealer to put the 3rd headunit back instead as I think we can be conclusive that its not faulty headunit GPS chips.
Now awaiting Mazda CS to suggest the next steps! Maybe a third GPS antenna, I have suggested they start moving where that sits to see if there is something disturbing the signal under the dash.
My old screen attach tomtom is as reliable as ever but using that is a bit of a cop out!
It is a Sanyo unit, not a company that I would normally buy electronics from as they are a budget manufacturer but it is what Mazda chose, saying that I see the Alpine in other MX5s has problems too.
I don’t think I would buy another integrated unit if it was a cost item.
Surely it must be possible to test a unit out of the car, confirm it works before putting it into the Mazda, it would only need the 12V +/- and the two aerials to check.
Thanks for all the replies, I have finally got the satnav working consistantly, finally Mazda tech told the garage to move the antenna up under the dash away from the headunit. Seems to have finally done the trick.
Next big problem is, having paid for tomtom Live service, the unit wont now connect to TT Live and tomtom support say the SIM is deactivated and needs a hardware fix. to quote “we cannot diagnose what needs replacing in the hardware portion, though it is apparent that there is a physical fault preventing the unit from connecting to LIVE Services”
Back to Mazda tech again for the next and hopefully final solution! Just hope it doesn’t take aother 18 months for this.