For $1000, you would think the damn thing would navigate from point A to point B without the stupid icon drifting off the route I am driving and into the ocean. Otherwise, it drifts off and then occasionally puts me in the middle of Manhattan and freezes there (while I am in Long Island, Staten Island, Brooklyn, or Queens). On a good day, if I go to settings - modify current location, and just move it a bit, it will find me again for 5 minutes or so.

I had returned this thing to Pioneer for this issue 5 months ago and all they did was press the reset button and send it back to me.

I wish I would have thought of that!

With this thing in my car, I am actually finding myself shopping for a TomTom.

This is just insanity. And with all the issues that the F series is having, it is time to write Pioneer off for good.

If you are even considering buying a Pioneer, run the other way.

Where's your gps antenna mounted, and do you indicate a strong signal ? Also do you have your VSS wire connected ? Mine works perfectly.

I'm going to be blunt.

Most of the bitching about the accuracy of these units is because they aren't installed correctly or completely.

If you installed it, then double check your connections, also make sure all of the wires are connected properly, including VSS. If you didn't install it then take it back to whomever did the install.

I read this forum for 2 weeks before I installed mine and it has performed flawlessly. The unit has its quirks no doubt, but it works as advertised.

Sorry...I double posted, so I deleted the redundant post.

Yup, sounds like an issue with VSS, or the antenna/cable were damaged. I own a D3, and the nav is spot on. Quit blamming Pioneer for installation issues.

Basically if the unit is installed properly, the accuracy of the GPS system is incredible. If it's not, something is wrong. Be that a bad antenna, pinched antenna wire, poor satellite signal due to antenna placement, putting the antenna on a non-metallic surface without using the supplied metal pad, improper VSS and reverse connections, or even unstable voltage in the power supply wire.

sorry guys. I was a bit cranky last night. I did not do the install. I had BestBuy take care of that. I am not sure if they hooked up the vss cable. When I look in 3d calabration, it says simple hybrid and speed pulse is always on zero. Left and right turns are full but distance is 3/4 full with over 4,000 miles since I got it back from Pioneer. When the car drifts off the map, there is no signal. The antenna is on the dashboard by the windshield. It seems like some days it is fine but some days it will go from all satelites to no signal in a seconds time. Then it will come back again.

When it shows my car in Manhattan, it has a signal and it reports my driving speed and the car icon turns when I turn, but it just does not move.

It worked fine when I first got it. Not sure if an antenna can go bad.

Any advice is appreciated.

Your sat signal could be getting blocked by the buildings briefly in New York. The VSS compensates for this. Take it back and get the VSS wire hooked up. Also did they use the metal pad that came with the unit under the gps antenna ? These antennas need to be placed on a metal surface to work correctly. Best Buy has a reputation of doing a poor job of installation.

You indicate the antenna is on the dash, did Best Buy (not Best Installers)use the metal pad or is the antenna just attached to the dash without any metal under the magnetic antenna?

problem is that when it says I am in NY, I am actually in Long Island on the highway with a wide open view to the sky. The antenna is on the dash in a small square magnetic plate that I assume came in the box. When I brought it back to BestBuy, they made me return it to Pioneer who just sent it back to me with all data erased. It actually did work fine for a few months after that but it is starting again.

How can I tell if the VSS cable is connected without ripping it out!

If you're showing no speed pulses on your 3D calibration page while moving, it's not hooked up correctly.

Do you guys have the problem that if you are on a highway with a route plotted and the nav tells you to get off an exit, but you keep going, the nav thinks you got off the exit and does not realize that you did not get off the exit if the service road runs parallel?

I would get a new antenna, or disconnect the VSS if it is hooked up, just to test and verify. be sure to do a complete reset also.

I doubt Best Buy would be able to exchange it, the D3 is closeout. Sending the unit in for service will do nothing, it's one of those two things.

What year, make and model car is it in?

it is a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. Where can I find the vss wire?

Do you guys have the problem that if you are on a highway with a route plotted and the nav tells you to get off an exit, but you keep going, the nav thinks you got off the exit and does not realize that you did not get off the exit if the service road runs parallel?

it is a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. Where can I find the vss wire?

::::::::

VSS Wire is a grey/orange or blue/black wire under the driver side dash at the diagnostic connector !!!!

The D3 should still work without the VSS wire connected !! All the VSS wire does is give the unit an additional sensor when the GPS sattelite signal is unavailable such as going through tunnels .. It also gives you the vehicle dynamics on the D3...

I have seen some of these "navigating" problems at our shop and it was usually due to poor antenna placement or the gyro sensors somehow locked up.. Just do a "hard reset" (reset button with ignition on) and the unit will start the simple or 3d (if vss wire is connected) hybrid learning all over again and it should work fine!!

the D3 works much better with the GPS antenna outside on the roof then on the dash with the little metal stcker also..

Otherwise, it drifts off and then occasionally puts me in the middle of Manhattan and freezes there (while I am in Long Island, Staten Island, Brooklyn, or Queens).

I've had the exact same thing happen once.... I was in Philadelphia and all the sudden, the GPS is showing me in mid-town Mahattan. A quick restart and it never surfaced again.

Though recently, the GPS went haywire when my folks were learning to use their Magellan GPS in the car and I was on the NY Thruway.... first it showed me in a different location, and then the time setting was different. No biggy since I already knew were I was going. Eventually when I shut off the car....then restarted, everything was back to normal

I have a Z1 upgraded to Z3 and a D3 installed in my escalade. Neither units have the VSS wire connected, and I only had one problem with my navigation. I placed the antenna under the dash and it came up as being in Manhattan. I placed the antenna back on the dash. Started my trck up again and back on point again. Pioneer makes quality products and I wouldnt buy anything else. I would NEVER let Best Buy install anyting in my vehicle. Not even a air freshener on my rear view mirror.

yeah they do make good quality products but the navigation part is the worst thing about it.

Yes, this is definately a problem with the D3. I experienced it myself this week when i tried to use my D3 on its first "real" trip. I was on the ipod screen for a while and noticed that i hadn't heard the stupid b*tch telling me where to go recently, so i switched back and the damn thing had me in Brooklyn NY (i was in Maryland). It would show me turning and whatnot, but showed me sitting still otherwise. I went to the connection screen and it clearly showed a speed pulse and 7 out of 8 satellites so i know its not an installation problem (and yes the antenna is mounted on a metal surface). I manually repostitioned myself, and it was ok for a while, until we got near a city, and it randomly thought that i got off the highway and was driving down the city streets at 85mph. I thought the whole purpose of the gyro sensors were so this thing could tell when you were turing and getting off exit ramps? I don't understand how it thought i just drove over to the city at 85mph without turning....and took it at least 3-4 minutes to put me back on the highway.

On an unrelated note, on the way home, all of my custom backgrounds just disappeared, so i have no splash screen and the generic gray backgrounds.

^ there is something wrong with your installation and/or unit. Under normal circumstances, none of those things will happen.

Well it must be the unit because the installation is fine. I don't really care much since i'm probably going to scrap it for a 5120.

I already upgraded to a TomTom 730 and love it.

It seems that when my iPhone (1st version) is in the windshield suction cup holder, it is interfering with the GPS signal. If I keep my iphone in my pocket or on the seat, the GPS works fine. It only took me 8 months to realize this.

Oh well. Sorry Pioneer.

I had BestBuy take care of that.

There's your problem.