Hi guys,

Does anyone know where the GPS antenna for the NAVI is located?

Thanks

 

My understanding is that it is located in the rear parcel shelf.

 

Not the DVD receiver... the GPS antenna !!!

It has to be in line of sight with the sky for the signal to be received !!!

 

I have no earthly idea what a DVD receiver is, but the GPS antenna is located in the rear shelf (between the back seat and the back window), as stated above.

 

Thanks Ron,

Now I understand!

With the antenna inside the car just below the rear window, if I have my windows tinted using a type of tint that has a metalic layer would the sattelite signal be affected ?

Thanks

 

Yes. Metallic will definitely affect the GPS. The search function doesn't work (again) but there was a thread that said luminar is like metallic but won't affect the GPS (I think that's what it said). Look around for tinting threads, wait for search feature, or someone else chimes in.

Any reputable tint shop will ask if you have Navi, or if they don't you can tell them and they can recommend an alternative.

 

Page 3 of your Navi manual tells you NOT to put metallic tint on the back window as it will interfer with the GPS. It couldn't be plainer. Llumar titanium is no exception.

If all else fails, RTFM.

 

I disagree.

I installed 100% metallic based tint (Diamond Tint's "Marquis" line) and have seen no degradation in GPS reception (or FM reception). The GPS works flawlessly, usually around 6 to 8 satellites received in the Arizona area.

Also, the TTFF was unaffected - it's still nearly instantaneous, which is an excellent indicator of GPS reception quality.

To my knowledge, no one has had any problems with GPS/radio reception after installing metallic tint. And, boy, would you hear about it on this forum if somebody did!

My guess is that Acura put that in the owner's manual as a CYA action, just in case somebody did have a problem.

BTW, I highly recommend the Diamond Tint product. I have almost no heat in the TL with their 35% tint, and our temperature has already been up in the upper 90's. I also like their "No Fault" protection option, which gives a lifetime tint replacement guarantee, even for something as minor as tint scratches.

 

I thought the gps antennae was that little roundish looking box located outside the car towards the back of the roof. Is this for XM radio?

 

that is xm radio antenna

 

Lifetime= Lifetime of a gnat.

I paid an EXTRA premium for a lifetime quarantee on my last tint. After a while, the back window bubbled and I took it back. I showed them the receipts and the policy registration.

They said (same shop) "We can't honor that. InsulFilm was bought out by Llumar. And it was done a long time ago."

"It's a lifetime guarantee," said I, "and, last time I checked, I'm still alive but the tint isn't."

Bottom line is that they wouldn't honor the guarantee and made up all kinds of reasons why they wouldn't. Like: "No one is expected to keep their car that long."

I will be suing Llumar and the shop that sold me the guarantee. When you buy a company, you get its assets AND its liabilities. :tflamer:

Wake up. Smell the coffee. Some things are just gimmicks to get your money.

 

Jazz: I'm happy that your Navi works good with a metal film covering the antenna. I think you are fortunate to be in an area with some strong signals. In fact, I explore off-road quite a bit in Utah and Arizona in my Jeep Wrangler with GPS and find the signal always strong and dependable.

I suspect you don't hear people complaining because they have the tint done at delivery or shortly thereafter and they really don't have a basis for comparison for the Navi.

Other than the Acura disclaimer, it only makes sense that, in a fringe area, the performance can be diminished. In fact, I get better performance from my handheld GPS when I put it on the dash so it has line of sight to the sats. It doesn't work as good (if at all) when you bring it under the metal roof.

I haven't got my car yet so I don't, of course, have it tinted. I will avoid the metal tints. They are all 99% UV blocking and our stock windows have a heat blocking tint. As near as I can tell, the metallic tints offer visable light reflection- a mirror look- which is more for appearance than any thing else.

What do you think?

X P

 

Hey, xpditor42 - here's my thoughts:

I think that the amount of metal in the film is so thin that it doesn't have any appreciable effect on the reception, at least not with the tint that I bought. Put a plate of 1/32 inch of solid steel directly above the GPS reciever and the results would be different, I'm sure.

Also, my understanding is that there shouldn't be any "fringe areas" in the US or anywhere else - The GPS satellite orbits were chosen to provide decent coverage around the globe at all times, and they are all positioned the same distance away from the ground (a 15,000 mile orbit according to one post).

Also, I don't have a "mirror look" from my tint. It just looks like regular tint to me. The reason I got it was because it's supposed to reflect heat better (which it sure seems to do very well) and be more durable (no info on that yet - ask me in 10 years). It's true that the UV protection is similar on all of the tints, but I think that the heat rejection is more in the IR (infra-red) band. Correct me if I'm wrong ...

I hope you're wrong about the lifetime guarantee, but I kept that in mind when I ordered the tint. I know that some of these companies are short-lived. I decided to take the risk anyways.