Reception Issues W/ New Cachemobile, Any Thoughts?

[+Iceburger]

Hi -- We just purchased a new cachemoblie, not an SUV but a UV (ugly vechile) it is a pontiac Aztek. It is everything we wanted in a new car but it is ugly as sin. Now that we have that aside and I won't get slammed for it

 

There is one major issue, my gps reception in the vechile is horrible. I literally have to hold it out the window to get anything. Any thoughts? Could this be caused by the dark tinted windows (though the windshield is normal)? Could it be caused by the onstar antenna that is built into the windshield? I have a mount on the dash of my s-10 pick-up and get extremely good reception all the time. But in this car there is NOTHING, and I do mean NOTHING.

 

I understand we can buy an external antenna for it but, was wondering if there was something else going on before I made that $40.oo investment. Thanks for any light (reception) you may be able to help us shed on this.

 

Iceburger

[+The Leprechauns]

I had been warned of this issue from prior forum threads when I bought my SUV cachemobile at the end of 2002 (and sorry, that's too far back for me to Markwell right now, as I'm busy at work this morning). The windshield composition can indeed block satellite reception, if I'm recalling correctly. Hopefully a GPS technical expert can chime in on that.

 

Anyways, when test-driving cars, I brought along my GPS and insisted on trying it out, to make sure I'd have good reception. (Sorry to the OP, this advice apparently comes too late for you.) The Ford Explorer salesman thought I was crazy and made geek jokes. The Nissan Pathfinder salesman asked me about autorouting and how I used GPS.

 

I now drive a Nissan Pathfinder.

[+Langner91]

My wife's Chevy Venture has a film on the windshield that is metallic. It completely prevents a GPSr from working on the dash.

 

The only choice is to have an external antenna. Depending on your GPSr model, Gilsson may have an antenna that will cost less than $25. Check their eBay Store.

 

Or, if you have good insurance, smash the windshield outta the thing and have the glass guy/gal put in a standard one.

[+Iceburger]

I belive the Aztek is build on some of the same parts as the GM minivans (one being the Chevy Venture)... hmmmmm should I wait till we atleast get the windshield dirty first? I'd hate to break a prefectly clean peice of glass ..... No really Anyhow we still would have bought it with this issue being know, we do love the ugly thing. I'll start looking for an antenna today. Thanks.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I

 

Anyways, when test-driving cars, I brought along my GPS and insisted on trying it out, to make sure I'd have good reception. (Sorry to the OP, this advice apparently comes too late for you.) The Ford Explorer salesman thought I was crazy and made geek jokes. The Nissan Pathfinder salesman asked me about autorouting and how I used GPS.

 

I now drive a Nissan Pathfinder.

I did the same thing when I bought my truck. I had to be able to put my Thule roof rack on the truck, I also needed room for two ham radios (This was the hard part), and I also wanted good gps reception. I bought a Nissan Fronteir.

[+Renegade Knight]

Pontiac uses a metalic film in the front windows of some models that block GPS signals. They usualy have a small band near the top of the window that doesn't have the film (so your garage door opener works I've been told).

 

If you are lucky you will get enough signal through that band for a GPS to work on your dash. Most of the time you won't.

 

My solution is to just put the GPS by a side window. My doors allow the GPS to nest in a way that lets me drive with it. Your Aztec may be different in that regard.

 

For what it's worth that metallic film does a great job of keeping heat out of the vehicle.

[+WascoZooKeeper]

Sounds similar to the reason why some folks can't use windshield-mounted tollway transponders (I-Pass in Illinois, EZ-Pass in NJ, for example). The coating on some windshields blocks the radio signals, and those folks have to get special transponders that mount on one of the license plate screws.

[Lesbaru]

When I test-drove new cars (Toyota, Honda, VW, and Subaru) I took my dog, to make sure he fit. Didn't bring my GPS to the Subaru dealer, cuz it had worked fine in my old Subies. Gee, I hope it still works in my new Subie....

 

Subaru Impreza: Got 40 mpg?

[+ADKcachers]

So get a reradiator.

[+deimos444]

I just bowed to the inevitable and got the PCMobile reradiator.

It acquires satellites much faster than the builtin antenna on my Legend and also brings in a few more as well.

[+El Diablo]

Here is a list of Vehicles that EZ Pass lists as having problems with windshields. I would imagine these same vehicles will have problems with GPS reception.

 

El Diablo

[+Langner91]

In one of those bitterly ironic situations that seem to crop up often in my life, my wife's Venture has absolutely NO problem with her I-Pass transponder, but cannot receive a GPS signal.

 

[CacheMonkeez]

I ran into this same problem once when I rented a car...GPS wouldn't pick up signals and I couldn't figure out why. Turns out it was the windshield. I moved my GPS mount over to the far left side of the windshield and it worked just fine. Try that.

[+Newfiezedder]

Wow, just looked at the list, Chevy 99 - all models. God bless the sunroof. So I guess my advice would be get a sunroof or a convertible. No worries about the windshield.