Test of phone GPS reception in different locations in '21 Mach E (because Android Auto GPS issues)

[carbonizedbrett]

Phone: Pixel 7 Pro
Software: GPS Test

Why: I started having serious problems with Google Maps (and Waze) via Android Auto about 2-3 weeks ago: "Searching for gps...", position not updating or being off significantly

Don't pay too much attention to the Accuracy. Look at the qualitative changes with the per-satellite bars and the horizontal AVG SNR bar below them.

I have tested my older Pixel 6 Pro and my wife's Pixel 7 Pro and saw similar results but did not document as I did for my 7 Pro below.

With any of our Pixel phones in the charge pad location (whether charging or not), GPS signal is poor, takes a long time to get a 3D Fix, and often loses the 3D Fix.

My hypothesis is that my Google Maps via Android Auto went from working near-perfectly to being just about unusable because the vehicle had been providing location (and heading?) information from it's on-board GPS and roof-mounted (for the Sync Navigation) and that is either not being shared by the vehicle or used by the phone's navigation apps and Android Auto.

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[ctenidae]

I had a similar issue for a little while with Android Auto (z-Flip 3). It eventually resolved on its own - seemed like a software issue.

Not surprising the charging pad is the worst reception - it's surrounded by electronics, with a lot of electrical stuff between it and the sky.

 

[carbonizedbrett]

I had a similar issue for a little while with Android Auto (z-Flip 3). It eventually resolved on its own - seemed like a software issue.

Not surprising the charging pad is the worst reception - it's surrounded by electronics, with a lot of electrical stuff between it and the sky.

Yes, it's not really surprising when you think about it. I hadn't actually thought about it before because Google Maps via Android Auto just (magically?) worked even with phone is such a poor location for GPS reception.

I'm just trying to narrow down why my AA Nav became unusable a couple of week ago. My first instinct was a hardware problem with my phone. Ruled that out with another phone I set up from a from a fresh factory reset. It makes sense that phone-based Nav doesn't work well with the phone in that location. What doesn't make sense is why AA phone-based navigation actually worked before - unless the car was sharing its own GPS data with the phone.

So why isn't that happening and why are some affected but others not? Or *are* they affected but they either keep their phone in a good-signal location or their phone has intrinsically better GPS reception so they haven't noticed?

I've had the car since June of 2021 and had my share of quirks along the way (front passenger door wouldn't open until another door was opened first, etc, etc.) none of them bothered me all that much. But this? After 18 months of working fine? This is the first issue that's a serious problem for me.

 

[macchiaz-o]

After 18 months of working fine? This is the first issue that's a serious problem for me.

This might be a good thread to start with:

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/android-auto-cant-get-gps-signal.25562/

Not sure why the problem is happening but it's at least to know that Google is analyzing it.

 

[carbonizedbrett]

This might be a good thread to start with:

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/android-auto-cant-get-gps-signal.25562/

Not sure why the problem is happening but it's at least to know that Google is analyzing it.

Thanks! I had seen (and posted on) a similar thread an had also added my comments to the Google AndroidAuto issue: https://support.google.com/androidauto/thread/198448311

Just had a friend test GPS signal in the typical phone locations in his Mach E with his Samsung S22 and his results are very similar to mine.

So it's I'm increasingly confident that it's a software thing and whether it's on the Google side or the Ford side is unclear. (And there are reports from other makes on the Google thread, but.....)

Any phone in any car that gets enough signal where it's located is unlikely to even notice. The specific location for EZ-Pass (on the frit) indicates that the rest of the windshield blocks RF signals so in cars without that coating probably, phones probably get plenty of GPS signal when they have a clear view of the windshield.

There are a lot of confusers with this issue and I figured my post might help narrow things down a bit and be of use with other situations, too.

If I hold the top of my phone up to the frit on the windshield, I get a 3D Fix quickly and decent signal strength. Not the most convenient place to mount our phones because AndroidAuto has been rendered useless, but needs must?

 

[Xweb]

FYI I have a Pixel 7 Pro and have also started receiving terrible GPS performance as of a few weeks ago. Constantly loses connection to GPS and the Google Maps screen often freaks out and constantly rotates.

 

[MacheSero]

I had a similar issue for a little while with Android Auto (z-Flip 3). It eventually resolved on its own - seemed like a software issue.

Not surprising the charging pad is the worst reception - it's surrounded by electronics, with a lot of electrical stuff between it and the sky.

I have same problem with apple also, i moved my phone left side and problem solved and im not connecting with cable to my screen, car gps probably in the screen effects phone gps

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