So, for those that know how to, you go into the "Service Menu" and check your Nav settings and you end up with this screen...
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The part we're looking at is the middle line where it says "GPS status: No Fix", now this can happen with the line above stating "GPS satellites: 00" or "GPS satellites: 14" (or whatever number), but it's the No Fix that's the issue. On the map screen it'll start by the directions being off and the position on the map not being where you are on the road, and will go even more off rapidly. it does pick up from the the front and rear wheel sensors, but this isn't good enough to position you on the road.
Now I've had this for months and looked through the internet trying to find a solution that worked. The main theme to sorting it is the antenna. Now when I retrofitted my iDrive I originally picked up a antenna from a 3 series and mounted it under the grill of the dash top centre speaker position (didn't have a speaker there then) and it worked perfectly for some time. But then eventually I fitted the proper E89 one above the interior light box against the inside of the windscreen (the correct position) and it was still working perfectly.
Then all of a sudden it started playing up and lost position. On checking the settings it was showing No Fix, so this is when I started looking around for the solution. I tried the 3 series antenna again, but with no luck and even an aftermarket one, but still no luck, so I was sort of stumped as to what was wrong. All I could put it down to was a faulty GPS receiver within the headunit, and sorting that was a whole new ball game. It wasn't a major issue as I have the MMI box giving me Android Auto, and Google Maps etc, so I could still navigate my way around when I needed to, but it's one of those things that if I've got it fitted I'd really like it working properly.
Anyway moving forward to retrofitting my new amplifier system and out comes the headunit for wiring up. So as I'm fitting the new centre speaker the 3 series antenna needed to come out, and I realised I'd left that plugged into the headunit previously, so that was swapped over to the proper one. the retrofit was completed and everything was put back together. So I thought I'd see if it made any difference, no I was still in the middle of nowhere
Went to work the next day and thought I'd try something else and see if it could sort itself out. Opened Nav and it's picked up my position perfectly, had it on all the way home and it was perfect
A couple of days later, still testing it, and it started loosing my position again and all of a sudden I'm in the middle of nowhere, checked setting and No Fix again..... back to the drawing board!
Went away this last weekend and thought I'd turn Nav on, just to see, and it's spot on again, perfect location. Used it all weekend and on the way back home and it's been perfect. Service Menu showing 14 satellites and 3D Fix
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To sum up then, although I changed the antennas I don't think I gave it enough time to calibrate properly, so it sometimes needs a run to "sort itself out"!!
Another method to try to fix this is to press and hold the Volume button until you force a reboot of the headunit, absolutely no guarantee this'll do anything, but it's certainly easier than pulling things apart.
How to access the Service (secret) Menu...
Using the iDrive Controller
1) Call up Start (main) menu
2) Push controller in up direction for at least 10 s
3) Rotate controller, 3 notches to the right
4) Rotate controller, 3 notches to the left
5) Rotate controller, 1 notch to the right
6) Rotate controller, 1 notch to the left
7) Rotate controller, 1 notch to the right
Press controller onceThe Service menu is now added as the last submenu to "Settings"
Hope this may be of use to someone
