Apple CarPlay GPS wrong location issue

I have an Audi A4 B9 (~2017/18 version) with Navigation onboard and CarPlay is giving me similar issues in Singapore.

I connect my iPhone (iOS 13.3) via cable and everything works well except for all my navigation apps Apple Map, Google Maps and Waze.

After two months using CarPlay, the issue of my gps location being unable to lock or displaced about 50-100m from my actual location happened throughout clear weather to thunderstorms.

I thus thought it was a defective iPhone but then realised the navigation was always ok if I didn’t connect to CarPlay. I also noticed my car's navigation worked fine when the iPhone wasn’t connected too.

Fixes and semi fixes that worked for me on and off are listed below:

1. Most of the time - connecting my Iphone before starting the car. This has generally worked well so far 9 times out of 10.
2. disconnecting and reconnecting the cable has worked maybe 3 times out of 5.
3. Starting the car’s own navigation (you need to navigate to a location not just go to the map) and then returning to CarPlay and starting navigation again while the car’s navigation is still running. This works 5 times out of 10.
4. Powering iPhone on and off may initially increase the likelihood of the navigation apps on CarPlay working even if you turn the car on first, but it hasn’t been anywhere near reliable for me.

As you might have realised, it seems to very likely be some sort of sync error between iPhone and the car’s GPS system. Another poster in this thread mentioned that CarPlay may or may not use the car’s gps antenna when connected via cable. There could be something that is not syncing right if you connect while the car’s system has already initialised.

I don’t know if it’s an iOS 13.x issue or not. My iPhone was already on iOS 13.2 when I first used it with CarPlay.

I hope this helps somebody out there who may be as frustrated with it as I was. This is the first time I switched back to iPhone since the 5S, and it’s been a great experience so far save for CarPlay’s gps issues. I resisted coming back to iOS for so long largely because android auto was so much more useful than CarPlay up till recently.

I really hope Apple manages to fix this issue in the next update.

Yes - when connected via CarPlay, the phone believes whatever GPS information is sent to it by the car's head unit.

If the car isn't providing proper location information, you will see issues like you describe.

Note that cars may or may not have a GPS antenna; many head units that do not provide GPS services still have an antenna because of CarPlay.

If you connect to CarPlay with a cable your vehicle may or may not provide GPS data to your phone; if your head end supports Wireless CarPlay, it must provide GPS information to your phone.

I’m having the exact same problem with a new Alpine iLX-107 installed in a 2014 Subaru Forester. It is driving me nuts. It works for a few minutes and then kicks me to another street nearby. Happens on Apple Maps, Waze and Google Maps with identical behavior.

I thought it was a GPS antenna location issue. I installed the antenna on the passenger side dash with clear line of sight to the glass, no obstruction on the glass. I took it to a car audio shop who said that they install antennas in the same location all the time and do not think it is a antenna location problem.

The only consistent thing I see in the forums is that it seems to be happening with people using IPhone X or Xs. I have an Xs with iOS 12.1.2. I have tried it with both wired and wireless connections to CarPlay, same results. Without a connection to CarPlay, GPS works great on the phone, even in the car places next to the antenna.

I’m planning to call Alpine on a weekday to see what they say, but im not too optimistic given that people having same issue are using a variety of head units, both factory and aftermarket.

I have been facing this issue with my Audi Q7 2018 ever since I bought it.

Also, reported on the forum

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250340778

I had some success after restoring the location settings but after upgrading the iphone X to iOS13 I am facing the same problem and this time it's not getting resolved even after restoring the location settings.

Really frustrated, not sure if I goto Audi dealer again as many of you reported that it's not the car and looks like so.

-- Tavi

Solution for Alpine ILX-107 Head Unit

Background: When using wireless carplay, the head unit in the vehicle is required to use the vehicle GPS for location data, as reported by many users in this thread.

In vehicles where wireless carplay is being used AND the head unit has a connection to the OBD data from the vehicle, so that the unit can show RPM, Gas Mileage, Error Indicators, etc, then the issue described by Leechristian3 can occur.

Solution(s): The issue can be solved by either 1) Turning off OBD functionality in the head unit OR 2) Setting OBD to only activate when the gauges are displayed OR 3) Not using wireless carplay, instead use carplay via USB

In the Alpine ILX-107, the OBD functionality is accessed through the iDataLink module, read up on it in the online manual http://support.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_iLX-107_EN.pdf

Instructions for addressing in the Alpine ILX-107 Head Unit:

1. Press Home Button on Head Unit
2. Select Gauges
3. Select the Settings Button
4. Set OBD to either disabled, or on-demand. If it is set to Always On, it will create substantial issues with the ability of the head unit to send accurate GPS settings to Apple Car Play. Read up in the manual what you miss out on by changing this setting, very little for most drivers.

The other option is to plug the phone in to the head unit via USB. In many cases CarPlay will then use the phone's GPS data, and the issue described by by Leechristian3 will not occur.

Further research needed: It is possible that when the head unit is attempting to both provide GPS data wirelessly to the phone AND simultaneously read the OBD data for mileage, rpm's, fuel efficiency, etc, that the system is overloaded and thus sends delayed or inaccurate GPS data as a result. Above data has been provided to Alpine, however no information on rather a firmware fix is coming.

CarPlay has a requirement that it will use the car's GPS information if it is required.

Whether Location Services is enabled on the phone has nothing to do with it.

Once again:

• If you are using wired CarPlay, the GPS information may come from the car or the phone itself, depending on whether the head end tells the phone it will be providing location information.

• If you are using wireless CarPlay, the phone is required to use the GPS information provided by the car.

I've had the same issue when connecting my iPhone XR to my new head unit, a Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX, via CarPlay. The only way I have found for my iPhone's GPS to not get lost is to:

1. Disconnect wireless CarPlay and Bluetooth from my head unit. I had to delete the settings completely from the head unit and my phone's wireless and Bluetooth settings.
2. Once I am outside of my parking garage, I unlock my phone and bring up any map (Apple, Google, or Waze). Once it locks on to my location, I connect to my head unit via cable. CarPlay connects and all is good.

I can live with having my iPhone hardwired to my head unit. Hope this helps.

Maipu444 wrote:

Update

My GPS started to act up intermittently even if hardwired only as I mentioned above. So now my additional workaround is to disable wireless and Bluetooth on my iPhone in order for my GPS to correctly display my location on any map (Apple, Google or Waze).

This has got to be a bug in IOS and not head units. Seconds after connecting CarPlay via cable and wifi/BT disabled on HU but not on iPhone, location on maps move sometimes 100 feet to miles. It’s like CarPlay enables a GPS chip location override with inaccurate wifi triangulation.

Not true; for one BT can interfere with GPS reception on some vehicles.

• If your vehicle has wireless CarPlay, the iPhone's GPS chip is completely ignored.
• If your vehicle has wired CarPlay, the iPhone's GPS chip may be ignored, depending upon what the head unit tells the phone to do.

So you are correct, CarPlay does enable GPS chip location override, the iPhone is getting its information from the vehicle.

If the vehicle supplies incorrect information, the iPhone has no way of knowing that and will use the information it gets.

It is not an Apple issue; the head end is feeding incorrect data to the phone. Apple does not control CarPlay software on the automobile end; auto head end manufacturers have to code CarPlay systems to comply with Apple's requirements.

There is nothing Apple can do if a device is being fed incorrect location information without changing the way CarPlay works.

From an Apple Developer presentation on developing for CarPlay:

Guys - get your car checked for VSS ( vehicle speed signal ) to infotainment system. Without VSS apple car play drift or delayed.

Hi same model head unit JVCKENWOOD DMX8019DBS (nov2019) and IPhones X, and 11Pro. Older models work perfectly.

No, I tried moving the antenna to the same location under the dash where the factory GPS antenna would be mounted if the car originally had factory navigation. Initially I thought it fixed it, but then as soon as I had everything permanently mounted and the dash reassembled, I encountered the same issue. Back to the drawing board.

One interesting thing about the behavior. Everything will work fine up up until the GPS location just freezes (usually when the car comes to a stop). The car will start again and but the GPS doesn't. Then 1-3 blocks later, the GPS will start to move again, but it is offset by that distance and remains that way until either the car is restarted or eventually it does seem to fully reset. Meanwhile the GPS signal in a diagnostic app I have says that the signal is very strong and accurate within 17 feet (which I think is the norm).

I may try disconnecting the antenna but from that other thread, it doesn't seem like it is really the right solution. Calling Alpine today to see what they say.

I'm having same problem. Arrow keeps moving even after Car is stopped, most of time arrow is delayed. Arrow will move some other direction and then map will start re-routing. Very frustrating, already tried two iPhone X and SE, same issue. Iphone SE seems better but arrow lost twice in 30 mins drive. Problem is with Google, apple and Waze as well. But phone alone works perfect when phone not connected to dashboard car play.

The fact that the location errors only occur during CarPlay shows the phone is getting erroneous location information.

Does your car have any GPS capability such that it might be sending your phone bad location or speed information?