Drove from Guildford to Newcastle today for a meeting. Got there OK and parked up. Left 5 hours later to begin the journey back and with 120ish miles to go the Nav starts to believe that I am on a road adjacent to the M1. After a few minutes it gets back on track but quickly starts to deviate again. After 20 minutes or so its about 1/4 of a mile out and eventually ends up on totally the wrong motorway going in the wrong direction. After 30 minutes or so it froze (radio still worked) so I turned it off and on and it woke up but continued to give an incorrect location. Then, maybe 45 minutes after it started to go wrong, it suddenly rapidly scrolls across the map and corrects itself. It was fine for the rest of the journey home.

I'm reluctant to take the car in as its so new but at the same time, i don't want the Nav failing on me when I'm miles from home on unfamilar roads. I know that the Columbus isn't exactly the most reliable unit in the car but has this happened to anyone else? I seach of previous posts brings up details of issues on retrofitted units but not ones that came fitted from the factory.

Is there a way of accessing a diagnostic menu on the Nav so I can see how many satellites its tracking? I thought that might help if it did happen again in the future.

I had a similar issue with an aftermarket GPS HU. I found the problem to be with the GPS Antenna. The Cable connectoing the Antenna to the Unit was damaged while the unit was being fit and had gone unnoticed. Replaced the Antenna and the problem was fixed.

I had the same problem with my (retro-fit) Columbus.

Once I'd unplugged the GPS antenna and plugged it back in, everything has been fine. Suspect that it hadn't quite made contact properly.

my car is two years old and has had three Columbus units to date.there must be a problem with these, one only lasted a week before it stopped working completely.

bill

My unit has suffered from the Regensburg Syndrome (thinks I am in Germany) a few times since new ( Jan 2012) and when it does this, the first few minutes of the journey the unit has no idea where I am, but generally the unit performs very well.

My first Columbus in my MY11 Superb Combni started to give the Regensburg Syndrome after about 3 months, then intermittant vertical coloured bands. As no fault code appeared and as normal the fault was never showing when returned to dealer, so no fault code no fault with unit. I then started to carry a camera ready to take photo as soon as fault showed, several photo's of different screens, dealer then ordered new unit and replacement fitted in a couple of days, no problem in last 12 months.

My first Superb I kept for 6 years no fault with Columbus, my second Superb no faults in 2 years. The newer the Columbus the slower it powers up most likely due to IMPROVEMENTS in hardware and software.

If you press the MAP button on the Columbus it gives you the map view press it again it will split the screen and on the menu there is the GPS signal strength you will need 5 for a 3D fix.

Brilliant, thanks. It sounds weird but I'd like it to do it again so I can confirm it is the GPS aerial. Preston Motors (where I bought the car) have offered to take a look at it for me

the Columbus should power up within 30 seconds.thats why i had my last one changed under warranty it would take between 1-4 minutes to start up.

bill

Oh it powers up OK and its been fine other than yesterday. I fear that the aerial isn't fully seated or something and if I'm in Norway and it comes off I might be quite stuck...

You have to remember that no self respecting car thief is without a GPS jammer. It screws up the trackers that some high value cars have fitted. My standalone Garmin nuvi occasionally loses itself and I suspect that when that happens, somewhere in the locallity something expensive is being ripped off (the signal strength from the satellites is very low, so even a very weak jammer will affect receivers several miles away)..

What I can't understand is why the police don't have jammer detectors'.

Edited 24 May, 201214 yr by avi4tor