Google Maps via CarPlay - Vehicle Heading Incorrect

[pswired]

I've had this problem since I purchased my Mach E in December 2022. When using Google Maps via wireless CarPlay, the heading of the car will eventually drift to a value that's 90-180 degrees off from the real heading. This causes Google Maps to constantly reroute the trip, thinking that you're turning onto roads you're not about to turn onto. This constant rerouting eventually will lock the app/phone up, and cause so much CPU usage that the phone gets extremely hot. Also, with the wrong heading, the map is pointed in the wrong direction, so you can't look at it to see where you need to turn--the useful parts of the map are hidden off-screen.

Some screenshots of the problem occurring:

At first I thought this might be due to the wireless charger throwing off the iPhone heading sensor. But it doesn't seem to matter if the phone is on the charger pad or somewhere else in the car. Also, if I disconnect CarPlay, Google Maps seems to work just fine--the problem goes away:

Force quitting the app and restarting it does not resolve the issue. Also, this seems to happen much more often after I've been driving for 30+ minutes and not as much just after starting a trip. Finally, I haven't seen anything weird going on with the SYNC built-in nav.

Car is a '22 MME Premium AWD ER, build date Oct 22, running power-up 3.5.4. iPhone is a 14, running iOS 16.2. Google Maps version is 6.49.4.

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[Logal727]

I've had this problem since I purchased my Mach E in December 2022. When using Google Maps via wireless CarPlay, the heading of the car will eventually drift to a value that's 90-180 degrees off from the real heading. This causes Google Maps to constantly reroute the trip, thinking that you're turning onto roads you're not about to turn onto. This constant rerouting eventually will lock the app/phone up, and cause so much CPU usage that the phone gets extremely hot. Also, with the wrong heading, the map is pointed in the wrong direction, so you can't look at it to see where you need to turn--the useful parts of the map are hidden off-screen.

Some screenshots of the problem occurring:

At first I thought this might be due to the wireless charger throwing off the iPhone heading sensor. But it doesn't seem to matter if the phone is on the charger pad or somewhere else in the car. Also, if I disconnect CarPlay, Google Maps seems to work just fine--the problem goes away:

Force quitting the app and restarting it does not resolve the issue. Also, this seems to happen much more often after I've been driving for 30+ minutes and not as much just after starting a trip. Finally, I haven't seen anything weird going on with the SYNC built-in nav.

Car is a '22 MME Premium AWD ER, build date Oct 22, running power-up 3.5.4. iPhone is a 14, running iOS 16.2. Google Maps version is 6.49.4.

I’ve been able to resolve this by putting the phone face down in that area under the screen or putting it on the dash, it’s just magnetic interference from the wireless charger is what I’ve discovered. Doesn’t help that there’s a huge magnet on the back of the iPhones for MagSafe

 

[aporzio1]

Yea, I have the same issue but only when I am wireless charging. Kinda sucks

 

[nvabill]

Interesting, watching.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I’ve been able to resolve this by putting the phone face down in that area under the screen or putting it on the dash, it’s just magnetic interference from the wireless charger is what I’ve discovered. Doesn’t help that there’s a huge magnet on the back of the iPhones for MagSafe

Odd, as when mine does stuff like that (with either Apple or Google Maps), I put it onto the wireless charging pad attached to the corner of my center display and having the phone no longer in my pocket resolves the issue. (It's designed for Teslas, but it worked perfectly with the MME and I highly recommend it.)

 

[Logal727]

Odd, as when mine does stuff like that (with either Apple or Google Maps), I put it onto the wireless charging pad attached to the corner of my center display and having the phone no longer in my pocket resolves the issue. (It's designed for Teslas, but it worked perfectly with the MME and I highly recommend it.)

yeah, that's outside that interference area, for some reason that little cubby under the dash it's not great for GPS.

 

[devmach-e]

I usually have a similar problem with Apple Maps because the phone is in my back pocket and I'm sitting on it. Once I pull the phone out of my pocket and put it in a cupholder or the passenger seat, things are fine.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

yeah, that's outside that interference area, for some reason that little cubby under the dash it's not great for GPS.

Pockets aren't great either. My phone is usually in my right front pocket and the phone's nav is a bit cray-cray until I put it on the mount.

 

[Logal727]

Pockets aren't great either. My phone is usually in my right front pocket and the phone's nav is a bit cray-cray until I put it on the mount.

Which is weird because CarPlay protocol is SUPPOSED to use the vehicle's built-in GPS sensors. I haven't actually seen that happen though. I had same sort of issues in my 2019 Honda Odyssey with CarPlay. https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...al-gps-or-cars-gps-unit.2143352/post-26579447

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Which is weird because CarPlay protocol is SUPPOSED to use the vehicle's built-in GPS sensors. I haven't actually seen that happen though. I had same sort of issues in my 2019 Honda Odyssey with CarPlay. https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...al-gps-or-cars-gps-unit.2143352/post-26579447

I recall hearing that but honestly I'm skeptical. Anyone in-the-know know? (@Gimme_my_MME)

 

[Logal727]

I recall hearing that but honestly I'm skeptical. Anyone in-the-know know? (@Gimme_my_MME)

Well it's part of the protocol from Apple, we just don't know if Ford is doing it like they are supposed to

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Well it's part of the protocol from Apple, we just don't know if Ford is doing it like they are supposed to

Indeed. I recall that after an OTA update a few months ago it seemed to start being an issue, but I don't know for sure since I could do specific A-B testing.

 

[Logal727]

Indeed. I recall that after an OTA update a few months ago it seemed to start being an issue, but I don't know for sure since I could do specific A-B testing.

I also remember not having issues with it when I first got the car and it had early '21 software, I think something changed like you said

 

[CesarG]

Yep, I’ve got the same issue. Happened about a month after I purchased the vehicle. Moving the phone around does not resolve the issue. The only thing that “solves” it is connecting the phone to a USB, which in turn lets maps use the cellphone GPS instead.

 

[scoopman]

I don't think phone positioning is the problem here, as CarPlay is receiving GPS from your Mach-E.

My iPhone 13 Pro sits on an Anker MagSafe charger right next to the useless Ford wireless charge pad in the center console, and I have none of these problems currently.

I would recommend going to your Sync 4A Settings > Phone and *removing* the entry for your iPhone. Then re-pair it.

I think that the connection between the phone and the car has gotten out of sync (I theorize that an iOS release or update to our cars is causing a versioning mismash), and the iPhone is only thinking it's receiving GPS and compass data from the car sporatically and imperfectly.

BTW, different apps on your iPhone will interpret these location misfires in different ways. They get the location from the OS, but nav apps will snap to the nearest road, and have ways to interpret new data to figure out if you've traveled on the same road or have turned. It sounds like Google Maps is completely confused in OP's case.

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