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[Andy B]

I have a Smart Fortwo with a factory sat-nav like this and swapped mydash cam over from my dead Smart to my 'new' one.
I hard wired the dash cam with a hard wire kit directly to the SAM (fancy fuse box/ECU/relay) in the passenger foot well which apparently is where the GPS antennae for the sat-nav is.

The result is ..... the sat-nav now can't see the satellites.   

Help. 

Is moving the 12 volt/5 volt transformer? as far from the foot well as it will go (bearing in mind a Smart isn't very big) or can I use a capacitor somewhere like we had to do years ago to stop wipers & alternators etc whining & clicking over the radio?

[Andy H]

Two possibilities come to mind
1.  Fat fingers upset the existing GPS antenna
2. The switch mode power supply is radiating RFI and swamping the  GPS signal.

Does the existing GPS work again if you pull the fuse to the dashcam? Try to get the switch mode PSU at least two feet away from the GPS antenna and see if that works.
 

[Andy B]

.....

Does the existing GPS work again if you pull the fuse to the dashcam?

It works with the fuse pulled for the dash cam 

Try to get the switch mode PSU at least two feet away from the GPS antenna and see if that works.

I'll try that .... 

Do you think that the PSU is stuck to the steel body with double sided tape is a factor? I believe the GPS aerial has a magnetic base & is just stuck to the steel body 

[Andy H]

I don't think sticking it to the body is the problem. I think radiated (and possibly cable borne) RFI is the main issue. Cheap far eastern switch mode power supplies typically save money by scrimping on the amount of copper used to wind the inductor coil. The coil then saturates  and radiates more interference than a 'quality' one would.

If moving it further away doesn't solve the problem then using a higher quality one might.

[Andy B]

I don't think sticking it to the body is the problem. I think radiated (and possibly cable borne) RFI is the main issue. Cheap far eastern switch mode power supplies typically save money by scrimping on the amount of copper used to wind the inductor coil. The coil then saturates  and radiates more interference than a 'quality' one would.

If moving it further away doesn't solve the problem then using a higher quality one might.

Thanks. Funnily enough I used a similar PSU for the same make of dash cam that I fitted in my daughter's car and its factory sat-nav works OK. But I've no idea where the GPS antennae is on a Yaris 

[Andy B]

I don't think sticking it to the body is the problem. ....

This was the problem!  Who would've thought it! 

I was expecting the red GPS (ie I can't see a satellite) icon to change blue immediately after I'd sorted the problem but it only went blue as I set off down the road! Anyway, the PSU is now just sat on a bunch of cables over the SAM both are working!
 

[Doctor Gollum]

Obviously needed to move to recalibrate itself...

[Andy B]

Obviously needed to move to recalibrate itself...

Indeed ....

[Webby the Bear]

Glad to hear you’ve sorted this mate. 👍

However I’d say the main issue is having a smart car 🤐🤐🤐🤐

[Andy B]

Glad to hear you’ve sorted this mate. 👍

Thanks!

However I’d say the main issue is having a smart car 🤐🤐🤐🤐

I actually have 2 Smarts Roadster & Fortwo 

[Andy B]

While sorting this I removed the head unit to if there was anything obvious .... and there was a sticker from DND Services Ltd  .... a blast from the past! 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Glad to hear you’ve sorted this mate. 👍

Thanks!

However I’d say the main issue is having a smart car 🤐🤐🤐🤐

I actually have 2 Smarts, one for each foot. 

Makes sense I suppose.

[Andy B]

Glad to hear you’ve sorted this mate. 👍

Thanks!

However I’d say the main issue is having a smart car 🤐🤐🤐🤐

I actually have 2 Smarts, one for each foot. 

Makes sense I suppose.

 

[aaronjb]

The nav in the OHs 2012 ForTwo was horrifically slow to acquire a GPS lock every time it started, and that was just the factory install - I assumed it was a case of "They all do that, Sir" - so maybe they are just particularly sensitive (snowflakes)

[Andy B]

The nav in the OHs 2012 ForTwo was horrifically slow to acquire a GPS lock every time it started, and that was just the factory install - I assumed it was a case of "They all do that, Sir" - so maybe they are just particularly sensitive (snowflakes)

The sat-nav in this car isn't the best ....