Compass, GPS, NAV and OnStar all failing

Magoomba · January 3, 2015

2015 Sierra 1500 Denali CC, purchased 10/2014, now has about 5,000 miles on it.

About a week or so ago, I happened to notice the GPS symbol on my map page had a red slash through it. I assumed it was having some temporary satellite issue, because the NAV and compass continued to work normally, and the map was tracking my position properly.

Today, I found the map was positioned to a town about 30 miles from my home. I've not been there for two weeks, but it was the last position I navigated to. The map moves when I drive, but it's clearly not tracking my exact position. My compass in the DIC now doesn't move and reads "--". On top of that, OnStar is disabled.

I pulled into an empty parking area and drove 10 circles counter-clockwise, parked for 3 minutes, drove 10 clockwise circles and neither seemed to help recalibrate the compass or the GPS. I read through both the regular manual and the infotainment manual, and neither provides instructions for recalibrating. This is when I pressed the OnStar button for assistance, only to be told OnStar could not connect at this time (tried 3x). My OnStar RemoteLink app on my iPhone will no longer synchronize or function, either.

This leads me to believe this is something beyond a recalibration issue. Anyone else ever experience this?

996TT · January 3, 2015

I had the same thing happen last week. Nav has me about 50 miles south of where I live. 2015 Sierra Denali purchased on 11/28/14, 1500 miles. Truck has been at dealership since Thursday. Service said they have to wait till Monday to try to get GM to download software.

SteveBBB · January 4, 2015

Maybe un hook the battery for few minutes and try again. You have nothing to lose. It's worked on other vehicles for me.

TX14Z71 · January 4, 2015

My 2015 Silverado has a similar problem. The compass on the nav screen is not working. The one on the DIC says "CAL" for calibration. The light on my rear view mirror is red instead of green and I can't contact onstar by pressing the button.

Magoomba · January 4, 2015

Maybe un hook the battery for few minutes and try again. You have nothing to lose. It's worked on other vehicles for me.

I tried this today, but it didn't work. Your suggestion is appreciated, nonetheless.

fondupot · January 5, 2015

My 2015 Silverado has a similar problem. The compass on the nav screen is not working. The one on the DIC says "CAL" for calibration. The light on my rear view mirror is red instead of green and I can't contact onstar by pressing the button.

You need to calibrate the unit. Read how to in your owners manual. You will need a big open lot to drive in circles.

rocknfire · January 5, 2015

You need to calibrate the unit. Read how to in your owners manual. You will need a big open lot to drive in circles.

This doesn't work. Mine us at the dealership now. 5 plus hours. No idea what's wrong. I finally had to get a loaner cause I had stuff to do.

fondupot · January 5, 2015

Probably just a bad module then.

Magoomba · January 6, 2015

You need to calibrate the unit. Read how to in your owners manual. You will need a big open lot to drive in circles.

I read both the regular manual and the Infotainment manual and could not find how to recalibrate. I drove around in circles in a big lot, since that's how my other vehicles were calibrated, and nothing changed. Dropped it off at the dealer this morning. Will report back when I get word from them.

redwngr · January 6, 2015

Sounds like it more serious than calibration. GPS antenna failed or disconnected?

Magoomba · January 6, 2015

Sounds like it more serious than calibration. GPS antenna failed or disconnected?

Definitely more serious than calibration. Sure, it could be the antenna. It's odd because when I start the truck, no matter where I am, the map starts in the same spot. The last destination I navigated to, which is a client's office about 30-35 miles from my home. As I drive, the image of the truck is moving on the map, tracking general direction to some extent, but not perfectly. I put in my home address yesterday to see if calculating a route would help to recalibrate, but it had me leaving from that same spot and was trying to correct and recalculate the route because it had me driving off of the prescribed route.

The map seems to be capturing movement, but not in the correct GPS position. My compass in the DIC reads --, the GPS on the upper-right of the map has a red \ through it and my OnStar is currently better named OffStar and won't connect to anything, including the OnStar remote link app. I didn't test the OnStar emergency button because I'm assuming it will not be of any use since the truck doesn't know where it is and I don't want to false-alarm the kind folks at OnStar.

They've had my truck since 9:30 this morning and I've not heard a word from them as of yet. My dealer has been excellent with me with everything so far, so I don't expect to get jerked around. I have a loaner on their dime while I'm waiting.

TX14Z71 · January 6, 2015

Definitely more serious than calibration. Sure, it could be the antenna. It's odd because when I start the truck, no matter where I am, the map starts in the same spot. The last destination I navigated to, which is a client's office about 30-35 miles from my home. As I drive, the image of the truck is moving on the map, tracking general direction to some extent, but not perfectly. I put in my home address yesterday to see if calculating a route would help to recalibrate, but it had me leaving from that same spot and was trying to correct and recalculate the route because it had me driving off of the prescribed route.

The map seems to be capturing movement, but not in the correct GPS position. My compass in the DIC reads --, the GPS on the upper-right of the map has a red \ through it and my OnStar is currently better named OffStar and won't connect to anything, including the OnStar remote link app. I didn't test the OnStar emergency button because I'm assuming it will not be of any use since the truck doesn't know where it is and I don't want to false-alarm the kind folks at OnStar.

They've had my truck since 9:30 this morning and I've not heard a word from them as of yet. My dealer has been excellent with me with everything so far, so I don't expect to get jerked around. I have a loaner on their dime while I'm waiting.

Please let us know...

rocknfire · January 6, 2015

It's the On Star module. Mine is being replaced. It takes a day to diagnose it.

TX14Z71 · January 6, 2015

Ok, thanks.

awcheese · January 6, 2015

It's the On Star module. Mine is being replaced. It takes a day to diagnose it.

I have same issue on the 2015 tahoe - including red light of doom on rear view mirror. They told me its going to be the Antenna.

I have read that the wiring in the antenna interferes with itself as its dual function and non shielded (gps vs onstar data). Who made the module diagnosis - and is there perhaps a real TSB or other secret recall information your dealer made that diagnosis from?