I have an 06 subaru wrx with a avic-z2. It has the latest firmware update on it. The GPS magnet thing is behind the receiver on a metal pole facing up. Now sometimes it gets awesome signal and gives me directions perfect, but other times I could be in the same place and the gps is off sometimes as much at .25miles. Any ideas on what I can do to improve my signal or what is wrong?

Put the antenna on something metal with line of sight to the satellites

if its anywhere on the car's chassis, is that ok?

As long as its not covered up

well i don't want it visible. I want it hidden. But the unit is not covered by anything. just the dash and window. Any better place?

The dash material is probably causing the poor reception. Think of it like satellite tv. If you point the dish directly at the sats, perfect reception. If you point the dish at a tree in the way of the sats, shitty reception

its not the mounting of the gps, it pioneer poor routing, because mine is like that too. maybe pioneer is taking so long with the updates because they are fixing these problems.

There is a difference between being off by a quarter mile on the map and "poor routing." You're way off here

its not the mounting of the gps, it pioneer poor routing, because mine is like that too. maybe pioneer is taking so long with the updates because they are fixing these problems.

not to be a smart a** or anything, but why would I have signal one time perfect and not another in the same place with same weather conditions then?

not to be a smart a** or anything, but why would I have signal one time perfect and not another in the same place with same weather conditions then?

sorry to hear you're having a bad experience with yours.

I've had my Z for 2 years (since the month it came out) in two different cars, one with the antenna on the roof and VSS hooked up, and the other with the antenna on the dash and no VSS. Never once has it lost signal or given me a half-mile discrepancy in my location, and I'm usually driving around S.F. with all buildings all around.

It sounds like your problems are with your setup, not with the Z1/Z2.

I'm having problems with this too. But, admittedly, my antenna is UNDER the dash, although the unit says reception is fine at all times (XM works fine too). My daily journey consists of one parking garage to another, and I'm trying to figure out if that is what is messing with it or what. I'm REALLY hoping the problem isn't with the antenna being under the day.

I reset the position last night while sitting at an intersection, and it seems good so far. If I gotta move the antenna, I will, but I'm going to exhaust any other solutions first.

I've got the D3, so idk if it compares, but both my XM and GPS antennas are on the dash without the provided metal plate. No problems here.

My GPS antenna is also under the dash and I've also noticed that my reception seems to vary day to day. In the same location (my driveway), with my vehicle pointed the same way, I'll get 1 orange satellite 1 day and 5 the next. I was suspecting that maybe my antenna was sliding around a bit, but so far I'm too lazy to check.

As far as I know, GPS signal strength is not significantly affected by weather.

I ended up moving mine to on top of the dash and it's been fine ever since. Doesn't look too bad up there, and it's definitely better then on the roof.

Well my antenna is on the roof, hasn't moved at all, and my GPS thinks I am driving sideways some times. and then gets all confused. Today it thought I was going backwards. I have fixed it a couple of times (settings) and it is just being stupid. My installer has been having trouble with the 2 Wire Bypass, and maybe that is it. I think that second wire is not properly installed. Looking for someone in the Toronto area to give it a second opinion.

Like it has been said before, I am not sure if it's the Z2 that is having a problem. But I have the D-3 with no problems what so ever. My antenna is on the front bumper's metal frame. I receive at least 5 out of 7 sats nearly all the time. Even when I am in a five story garage and in the bottum level, I have at least 2 to 3 sats. I live in southeast Connecticut, could your location make a difference?

The only time that my d3 gets lost is when I travel in a parking lot that is right next to a road that is on the map. When I travel fast enough, 25mph is where I have the "back road" set on, the d3 thinks I am back on that road. But as soon as I actually get on that road, it adjusts itself with in a few seconds.

Derek, sounds like you have had changes to the set up on the Z navi. If, as an example, you had vss hooked up for a while, then it is disconnected, you will get the errors you are reporting. You can go into the menu and reset how it learns. What is happening is, if it was receiving data from a speed sensor wire, it will always look for that, and average it with other info, IE satelite etc. The only way to correct this, is to reset it up as a new install, so it no longer looks for that lead. Don't have my book here to tell you what menu, but as soon as I find it, I will post it.

Thanks for the info steve, that actually makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately however, I am locked out of all those options (vehicle moving or stopped). I think the installer did not properly insert that yellow mute wire into the empty slot. He is having it in again tomorrow, and I will be telling him to check again. The truck has been back in the shop 5 times with this install, I still don't have On-star working. And the install was done 6 weeks ago (been back every week since). So hopefully that mute wire will fix the problem, and allow me to do the reset-up. Thanks again.

Steve,

I had my lock out issues corrected last week, and went in and reset the learning stuff like you said. It now works like a charm. You da man!

I have the same problem

You are locked out? Your GPS is messed up? or both? If its just your GPS, you just need to go into the options and reset your 3D Learning. I can let you know later the exact path to this setting if thats the problem

You are locked out? Your GPS is messed up? or both? If its just your GPS, you just need to go into the options and reset your 3D Learning. I can let you know later the exact path to this setting if thats the problem