Help Turn by turn navigation not working

Eric Broder · Jul 20, 2015

Since my last out of town trip (a couple of weeks ago), I noticed that, while Maps seems to work ok - it locates me pretty quickly - Navigation isn't. It will display the first step, and the step-by-step maps out the whole route, but it doesn't update - at least not consistently and never in real time. I can make a 30-minute trip and the screen might update every 5 minutes or so, or (like today) still be displaying the very first step.. A few other oddities: 1) Time to destination in the bottom bar updates, 2) my location on the map updates only sporadically (approx every 5 minutes or so), 3) she isn't talking to me (sound is on, bluetooth is off).

When it is "frozen", I've swiped down on the notification bar and seen "Searching for GPS". I guess it could be a GPS problem, but the initial locate is so normal that I'm thinking it might be a problem with Navigation itself. I tried clearing cache, and uninstalling updates (which have since, apparently, re-updated).

Don't know if it's an issue with the latest update(s) or what. Anyone have a suggestion?

It's a Nexus 5, 16Gb, running Maps 9.1.1.

lunatic59 · Jul 20, 2015

By any chance is the first location happening while you're still connected to WiFi? It could be using the network for location because it's not getting the GPS coordinates.

You might try clearing the cache for the nav app and/or the phone's cache.

Eric Broder · Jul 20, 2015

I tried it again this morning when I was out. Turned on navigation when I happened to be at a stoplight, so I wouldn't have had a wifi signal, although wifi WAS on. I've cleared the Maps cache. Not sure how to clear the phone's cache.

lunatic59 · Jul 20, 2015

You can wipe the cache from recovery. With the phone off, press and hold volume down (and volume up? sorry, i never had the 5) and power until you boot into the fastboot menu. Use the volume keys to change the menu to say recovery and then press power to select. If you have stock recovery, you'll see the robot on his back with a red triangle. Press the power button and tap volume up once and you should go into the recovery menu. Then you use the volume keys to move to wipe cache partition and power to select. You might be prompted to confirm. Once that's done, reboot the phone.

Eric Broder · Jul 20, 2015

OK. Done. I'll go run some errands and see if that did it. I'll turn off WiFi on the way out, turn it back on for the way back. I'll post my results when I return.

Thanks.

lunatic59 · Jul 20, 2015

Good luck!

Eric Broder · Jul 20, 2015

No change from before...

When I first start up Navigation and put in my destination, the GPS locates me accurately and determines my route. If I tap on the bottom (white) bar, the phone will display the step-by-step instructions to my destination. Once I start driving, however, the first step in the green bar at the top of the screen never changes (until I've reached my destination at which time it tells me my "destination is on the right"). As to my location, rather than tracking me in real time as it used to do, approx every 15 - 45 seconds it jumps to my current location (although those jumps are often pretty inaccurate). If, while I'm moving along and my location hasn't updated, if I swipe down on the Notification Bar, I'll see a message that it's "searching for GPS". Don't know if that message ever goes away since the location jumps were random. Weirdly, the time to my destination in the bottom bar updates as I drive along.

On my way home, I decided to see if it would re-route me if I didn't take the exit in the step-by-step. It didn't. The step-by-step never changed. Oddly, the time to my destination in the bottom bar did change the entire time I was on the non-recommended route even though it was a longer route. However, once I got within the 5 minute window at which it froze, it started decreasing again.

lunatic59 · Jul 20, 2015

Do you have any problem getting a mobile data connection while in the car? I'll look on my way home and see if i see the GPS message. It might just be what it says while GPS is active.

Eric Broder · Jul 20, 2015

No problem that I've ever noticed.

I just can't figure out if it's a GPS problem or a Navigation app problem.

Have you seen the hack where some guy opens his phone and manipulates the GPS antenna to make a better connection? Think that might help?

lunatic59 · Jul 20, 2015

Honestly, I've never had a problem with locating GPS satellites except with an old Galaxy S2 which was known for having GPS issues.

But that doesn't answer your question, does it? :oops:

I wouldn't, if it were my phone, especially if it was working and then it stopped.

My first plan of attack would be to reflash the factory firmware and see if it was indeed an app/os issue.

Eric Broder · Jul 20, 2015

Well, it does locate me right off. Must be something with the Navigation app.

lunatic59 · Jul 20, 2015

Okay, so i turned on the navigation on my way home and when i pull down the notification bar, i see the next set of turns, not searching for GPS so that's not it.

My question is how much time do you want to spend troubleshooting? It could be that after hours of tests and trials and suggestions, you still have to factory reset or reflash the stock firmware. Personally, i'd just go with that right away (after backing up everything first, of course.)

Eric Broder · Jul 20, 2015

Good idea. I didn't even think of that.

Thanks for all your help.

Eric Broder · Jul 21, 2015

Did a factory reset. Didn't even set up my Google account so no prior apps or data would be imported, nothing updated. GPS still connected when I first put opened Maps and it found my location, and when I first entered a destination and it determined my route. She still didn't verbalize my first instruction, and as soon as I left the driveway, I got a "GPS signal lost" notification and from that point on, I had "Searching for GPS" when I swiped down on the notification bar.

Any other ideas?

lunatic59 · Jul 21, 2015

Could it be something has changed in your car? Have you tried using GPS while walking to see if it keeps your signal? Try Google Tracks and just put the phone in your pocket while you walk around the block. It should record your route pretty closely.

If it doesn't, I hate to say that your GPS radio/antenna may be on the way out, if not gone already.

Lordvincent 90 · Jul 21, 2015

This app will tell you if you are able to 'see' satellites (and tell you the number you are actively using)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.androits.gps.test.free

Also, have you tried another navigation app? (This will tell you if it's a problem with Maps or not)

Eric Broder · Jul 21, 2015

Tried the app you suggested. It (slowly) found 4 satellites, then lost them. Also, tried Mapquest and Waze and both did the same thing as Navigation. I think I'm screwed.

sleedeane · Jul 21, 2015

You might try Ulysses Speedometer from the play store. There is a navigation app inside the Speedometer app that is very accurate.

Eric Broder · Jul 21, 2015

Sure. I'll try anything at this point.

renegad3 · Jul 25, 2015

if you are acquiring satellites, then losing them, either something is blocking their signal, or you have a hardware issue.

Telossius · Jul 30, 2015

I seem to have the same problem. I can see the route and my position, and my dot moves along the blue line in real time (no problem with satellites) but no step-by-step. No voice, no next step. Horribly frustrating. Bluetooth off, volume on. Can't even locate the "mute voice" choice that google tells me to look for.

Spec2nirvash · Jul 31, 2015

Eric Broder said:
No problem that I've ever noticed.

I just can't figure out if it's a GPS problem or a Navigation app problem.

Have you seen the hack where some guy opens his phone and manipulates the GPS antenna to make a better connection? Think that might help?

@OP:

This is a known issue with some older Nexus 5 models, you can find more in this in the Google forums. It has something to do with the GPS antenna plated contacts on the battery cover losing contact with the spring contacts on the board.

About the quote above....

Somebody fixed this by lifting the ribbon contact on the battery cover, slipping a small piece of index card under it and replacing the cover again. Some people confirmed that it actually fixes the problem. If you're out of warranty, you have nothing to lose....

I've had my Nexus apart already. It comes apart very easily with a case cracking tool or a good thumb nail. Only care you must take is the bottom of the phone, there is double sided black tape along the bottom edge. Pull the bottom away slowly, starting at one side working to the other and its off.

Spec2nirvash · Jul 31, 2015

Another test you can try is downloading an older version of maps.apk and see if that fixes the step by step problem. But if any particular app says you're only connected to four GPS sats, and then losing them, that's either hardware related or environmental issues, like way too many trees, UFOs, the Nebuchadnezzar is launching EMP attacks nearby, or if you're in an area with lots of tall buildings.

And BTW, you need more than 4 GPS sat fixes to run navigation, 6-8 is good enough to keep your route going

sleedeane · Jul 31, 2015

I need GPS to guide me through a chess board.

Help Turn by turn navigation not working

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