Pavehawk

Has anyone with a navigation system tinted their rear window and found that it affects the sattelite reception of the GPS receiver?

I recently had my dealer install all of my dealer installed accessories (MP3, e-brake, strakes, etc) and I also had them tint the windows. Ever since then I've had a perceived loss of GPS reception. I simply don't see the "GPS" indication on the display as much as I used to.

I'm concerned that either the tint installer damaged the antenna element in the window or it is having an adverse reaction to having the tint applied to it.

The obvious question that comes to mind is does the tint have a metallic component to it and unfortunately I don't know the answer to that question. I'm going to get the tint details from the dealer when I pick up my plates later in the week.

mikeb

I have nav and tint and no problems

I think this has been discussed before

Pavehawk

I'd swear when I did the search it came back blank. Perhaps I was only searching the A&E forum instead of the whole site. Live and learn I guess.

I guess it's time to find out if the dealer's tint installer damaged anything. Can anyone confirm the location of the GPS antenna? Another thread suggests that it is located under the rear window deck but all I can find is my Bose amplifier and rear speakers.

flyboyindy

no problems here either

Sanguine_Dark

I have the nav system and did an aftermarket tint job. No problems with my nav either. I believe I heard the antennae is in the rear window.

mdw33333

The problem is that your window tint film is probably a metallized film. That's good as far as tint quality is concerned, but bad as far as GPS is concerned. It interferes with the reception of GPS nav systems as well as GM Onstar. I run a shop that does tintin in Ohio. We won't use metallized film on certain vehicles that the interference has been known to occur on.

B-Nez

Since way back it's been discussed that the GPS antenna is in the roof (somewhere aft of the sunroof hole). Still could be getting interference from the tint, though, I guess. MDW3x5 knows more about that than I.

Pavehawk

Seems even the dealer couldn't give me a straight answer on the location of the antenna. I got three different possibilities from them.

The first was in the front dash/window area. I think she thought the nifty little "button" on the passenger side was it.

The second was that it could be in the window.

The third was that it was under the window in the rear window deck.

I've got two things I need to do yet.

I found the more detailed GPS status screen (3 up, 3 down, 2 up) that shows signal strengths instead of the simple boolean that the other info screen (2 up, 2 down) shows. I would love to compare my values with an untinted vehicle's values to see how far off they are under similar circumstances. Ideally this would be another car located next to mine. Otherwise I need to establish a set of similar conditions like an open parking lot on a clear day with the car facing north. (Any volunteers, Austin or otherwise?)

The second is to call the dealer's tint installer and ask him about the type/brand of the tint and the metal content.

I don't suppose the navigation system is covered in the wiring diagrams or shop manuals is it?

Slick_Advanced

I am having problems with my navigation now that I have added tint. It seems that is shifts off a bit and the pathing is off randomly.

Pavehawk

After replacing the rear window tint with a non-metallic film the GPS reception is back to normal.

G8rboy

Good to know... thanks for updating the thread- I plan on getting tint in the next couple weeks.

G8rboy

I know it's been a couple weeks, but I finally spent some quality time with the shop manual tonight. I had read on the forum a few times that the GPS antenna was somewhere in the roof, but that just didn't make sense to me. I have verified the antenna is actually mounted in the center of the rear deck, which would explain why metallic tint on the rear window would directly affect GPS reception.

G8rboy

Another update- I was scheduled to get my windows tinted this morning with a local place. I told them on the phone I needed the non-metallized tint because of the Nav and they said no problem... well I get there and all they have are 5% and 20% in non-metallized. There's no way I can get away with 20% on my fronts in Illinois, so they tried to tell me the metallized only had a 'little' metal content. I took a sample piece of it and laid it across the black plastic cover on the rear deck between the speakers, and instantly the GPS icon on my nav screen disappeared... and when I removed it, and instantly it came back. I was shocked it was that night and day- I expected an intermittant signal at worst.

Needless to say I left without getting their tint. I found a place close to my work that carries Madico CharCool non-metallized tint specifically for cars with GPS and integrated antennas on the rear window, and their installed claimed to have used this on an RX8 last week with the Nav system with no problems.

Ajax

I just had my 8 tinted with 15% on the rear windows and 30% up front. I was told I would completely lose AM reception, but it's still perfect.
They used Llumar titanium metalized film on my windows.

Boozehound

I would assume that ceramic tint does not affect the Nav reception?

G8rboy

That's what I've read... I haven't seen anyone carrying it around here though.

Pavehawk

I think I'm going to have my whole car redone. When I had the metallic film removed it was only removed from the back window. The sides are still metallic film. It's not that noticable now but I think it's going to become an issue later on in the car's life as the two tints differ in aging characteristics.

I'm also not satisfied with the installation of the replacement tint on the rear window. It looks like they were rushed to complete the work as there's much more air trapped around the outside edge of the window masking. There's also lint particles from the towel used to clean the window trapped under the film. They had the car long enough to do a quality job. I also think the new film isn't as dark as the original film. It could just be the difference between the metallic and non-metallic though they way he explained it the percentages were supposed to be the same.

I'm tempted to take it back and ask them to fix it hoping that the third time's the charm. The first tint job, other than being metallic, was excellent. The work done to replace the rear window film just seems rushed since no money changed hands.

I'm leaning more towards just finding another tint shop here in town to do the work.

G8rboy

The place I went to this morning offered to do metallic on the fronts and non-metallic on the rear... I asked him how noticeable it would be. He said it would be a little, but as time went on the rear would fade faster. I asked if he would do it to his own car, and his answer was 'no'...

Preacher

I don't have nav,and if I ever listen to AM,somebody slap me.
(Lol! I don't listen to the radio-why bother with 20x 8 hr. mp3 discs in the cockpit?)
My 50% (legal in ME) metallic tint goes in next week.
All 'high end' tint is metallic,and cheaper film won't block uVa and uVb nearly as well as the metallic,reflective or not.

Delphi Portable Mobile Navigation GPS Unit
Brand/Model: DPI NA1000011B1:
http://www.shopharmony.com/product.a...&i=NA1000011B1
at $599.00 not a bad deal at ALL.....

G8rboy

Really 'high-end' tint seems to be the ceramic stuff. Between the my cell and Nav, I'll be avoiding the metallized tint. If you do go with an aftermarket Nav with the metallic stuff, you'll need to position the GPS antenna on the dash (which is where most of the factory Nav systems in other vehicles are apparently).

I originally considered adding in an aftermarket Nav system, but after I read about the way the factory system ties into the vehicle's speed sensors, gyros, steering wheel angle sensor, etc. for dead-reckoning, I decided it was worth the extra $$.

Preacher

Happily,I'm good with a map :D
The portable systems aren't gonna' be as comprehensive in relation to your car as an OEM unit,but for $600 I'd prefer the portability instead of $2000+ for the fixed unit.
The GPS unit specified's antenna would be pointing through the windshield.
As to 'ceramic tint',I've not heard of it,sounds interesting.

Preacher

ceramic tint:
http://www.automalltintfactory.com/270511.html

Am calling tomorrow to see what's up with this stuff.

G8rboy

Yeah- Hüper Optik is supposed to be the best. It runs about $100 or more higher, but if it should last forever.

Preacher

I left a message with my customisers.

Oh,well,what's another $100,eh? :rollseyesandsighs:

The best costs,but sometimes it hurts (that's gonna'' be a $300+ tint job,arrrrgh!!)

I'll post details tomorrow when I get 'em,I promise.
(Believe me,I'm DYIN' to know how bad I'm gonna' get hit for this upgrade!)

G8rboy

Cool- let us know. I've seen quotes as high as $400 for all five windows on the '8 for the ceramic. Prices seem to be very regional though for tint in general- when I was in So Florida, 5 window tint jobs were $150, but in this area (chicago) all my quotes have been $250 for decent quality tint.