GPS Problems in Roadmaster Wagon?

Here's an interesting observation/issue. I have a Lowrance iWay 250c portable GPS system that I have been using for about 1 1/2 years in my other cars (07 & 08 Buick Lucernes, 02 GMC pickup). It has performed very well in all of those cars. Now when I put it in my 96 Roadmaster wagon, it takes forever to find it's location when first turned on. When I put it back in the Lucerne, it works fine, but when I put it back in the Roadmaster, it takes about 20 minutes to find it's initial location, even with an external antenna. I've moved it between cars several times, always with the same results. Once it finds it's location in the Roadmaster, it works normally.

Has anyone else experienced this with a portable GPS?
Bill

 

Bill, sounds like you've got some kind of metal impregnated sound deadener in the Roadie or it was primed with a lead primer. I would have thought that those luxury wagons came with a GPS system and connection point.

 

No built-in connecting points that I am aware of. The little sun glasses drawer works great for the portable unit, though.

I'm not sure about the primer or sound insulation. I have the external GPS antenna sitting on the dash in front of the defroster outlet, so it has a clear view of the sky through the windshield (as in the Lucerne and GMC), but it still takes a long time. Craziest thing I've ever seen. I'm sure there's a logical explanation, but I haven't come up with it as yet.

Bill

 

OR... some kind of potent electromagnet circuit.

Have you got a normal compass? Just sit in the car with it and move it around. Something is bending or obfuscating the signal(s).

 

I'm thinking that opti unit may have something to do with it.

 

I cruise a bit over at ImpalaSS forums.com, and I seem to recall something about this. Don't know what the details were, though. you might check there. There is a specific wagon section.

 

Its not the Opti Unit. My TomTom is the same way in my 92 L05 powered Roadie(no Opti Unit). I put it in my '98 Monte Carlo and within 20 seconds its got a connection, in my Roadie, it takes anywhere from 2-15 minutes sometimes. I thought it might be the funky tinting on the windshield, facing the front of the car from the outside, it has a almost blue changing to orange tint to it, depending on what way the light is hitting it, its almost like a light coating of the stuff thats on those weird multicolored mirrored sunglasses. My Monte doesnt and I have the GPS mounted in the same place on either car.

 

wow...that's strange. I have to follow this thread to find out if there is an answer found. Problems like this facinate me.

 

I used to have a Dodge van that for some reason, my radar detector scream constantly. Never did find out what was causing this. Just a thought, however, the earlier mention of a compass made me think there is a compass in the inside mirror of my Custom Cruiser. If your mirror has one, this might have something to do with the GPS problem.

 

Thanks for all of the responses.

- I tried the magnetic compass thing and it works fine. No wierd needle movements, and it points due North, whether the car is running or not.
- There is no compass in the mirror on this car.
- There doesn't seem to be anything on the windshield, either. It doesn't have any special coating and it's not heated like we used to have on Cadillacs in the 80s.

In the next few days, I'm going to mount the external antenna outside on the roof and see if it operates normally then. Will post more later.

At least it appears that I'm not crazy, right Blackfoot?
Bill

 

Im not sure about you, but I have been called crazy and other worse things before, lol. Im at a loss. I did the compas thing as well and it reads the same as the one in the mirror on mine, key on or not. Im not user, I mouted the TomTom in the upper windshield beside the mirror and the lower center of the windshiled and it was the same either way. Took forever(up to 5 minutes either way this time) to get a signal, but in the Monte Carlo, I could have it on the seat and it was connected in seconds.

 

OK.....this is drivin' me nuts. Somebody find the problem!

 

do the Roadmasters have the radio antenna in the glass like my lesabre, or still have an 'aerial' on the fender?

 

If you have the gizmo that turns your headlights on/off, the sensor is on top of the dash. I don't really see what it would have to do with a GPS going on the fritz, but, we're all guessing right now.

 

Mine has power antenna in the fender and it does have the sensor in the dash, but so does my Monte Carlo