iPhone Waze and Google Maps are possessed. Help!

[happygodavid]

For several years, I have avoided using Google maps, partly because when I’m driving, the map would rotate randomly, facing sideways or completely backwards. I tried recalibrating the compass, tapping the compass icon that toggles true north on and off, quitting the app, reinstalling the app, resetting the phone, restoring the phone and manually reinstalling apps, turning the compass off and back on... Finally I gave up.

Used Waze for the past few years with no problems, but now Waze is doing the same thing. I followed all of the above steps, with no luck. My phone is sitting in a dash mount, and the map will just flip upside down, and my car icon appears as through I’m driving in reverse down whatever road I’m on. Waze constantly tries to reroute me; basically, at that point, the app is unusable.

Here are other guesses I’ve made based on other threads here and elsewhere: perhaps it’s my abysmal data connection that I often get with Sprint; the app can’t keep up with where I actually am, and this problem just cant be fixed. Or, the slight vibrations from my phone being mounting are screwing with the compass and/or the gyrometer. Or, perhaps neither of these apps like the phone being mounted vertically— the problem seems to sometimes resolve itself if I take the phone out of the dash mount and hold it for a few minutes.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Edit: issue has been temporarily fixed! Scroll down to read, but in short, use a usb data blocker.

 

[BrianBaughn]

It seems to me when that kind of thing happens it’s because the GPS isn’t getting a signal. The direction you’re headed on the map shouldn’t change even if you were facing backward with the phone and doesn’t depend on the compass or any of that…it’s based on the last points received from the satellites. GPS works without a data connection and with Google Maps you can download maps and use them where there’s no cell service.

Clouds, buildings, trees, spectrum interference and the stuff in your vehicle like the frame, wiring and antennas are the main culprits. Maybe even window tinting.

It might be something as simple as moving the mount a slight bit.

 

[happygodavid]

It seems to me when that kind of thing happens it’s because the GPS isn’t getting a signal...

Clouds, buildings, trees, spectrum interference and the stuff in your vehicle like the frame, wiring and antennas are the main culprits. Maybe
It might be something as simple as moving the mount a slight bit.

Thx for the response. I think you might be on to something. However, my dash mount is in the center of my dashboard, right under my rear view mirror. Actually, though, now that you mention it, I do have a Subaru Outback with these front facing cameras for adaptive cruise control... I wonder if they’re the culprit if what you’re saying is true...

 

[RootBeerMan]

Mine and my wife's work just fine on AT&T w/ Waze, and she also has an Outback with her phone mounted about where yours is. I've never had any issues with it, as you are describing. That would irritate me to no end if it were to happen to me. You might try asking in the Waze.com forums. Someone there might be familiar with your issue.

 

[happygodavid]

Mine and my wife's work just fine on AT&T w/ Waze, and she also has an Outback with her phone mounted about where yours is. I've never had any issues with it, as you are describing. That would irritate me to no end if it were to happen to me. You might try asking in the Waze.com forums. Someone there might be familiar with your issue.

Yeah, it’s pretty frustrating. And thanks for the heads up that you’re not having the issue with the same car/setup. As for ATT, I had this same issue with Google Maps when I was with ATT (and sprint), so not sure if that’s correlated or not. I have reached out to Waze support to see if I can get help from them; I’m hopeful they can help.

 

[Banglazed]

It does sound like GPS signal was lost. Maybe, you can try this, Settings>General>Reset>Reset Location & Privacy & Settings>Privacy>Location Services>Waze & Google Maps>Always with Location Services>On. Re-attempt to see if there is any improvement. When it does happen again, check the signal coverage to see how much reception you are getting. If you're getting no service/1 bar, maybe that is the possible issue. You can reset network setting to see if it will improve. Or try a different mount.

If isn't a carrier issue, you can try Google offline maps to rule out GPS issue.

 

[happygodavid]

It does sound like GPS signal was lost. Maybe, you can try this, Settings>General>Reset>Reset Location & Privacy & Settings>Privacy>Location Services>Waze & Google Maps>Always with Location Services>On. Re-attempt to see if there is any improvement. When it does happen again, check the signal coverage to see how much reception you are getting. If you're getting no service/1 bar, maybe that is the possible issue. You can reset network setting to see if it will improve. Or try a different mount.

If isn't a carrier issue, you can try Google offline maps to rule out GPS issue.

Thx for your help. I’ve actually tried that, and it didn’t help.
Let me clarify a little more. When I say the map is flipping, I don’t mean it’s inverted upside down (or moving around as if the gps signal is lost). I mean it faces the opposite direction of where I’m headed (as if my compass is confused by 180 degrees). So, I’m driving south, and the car on the map moves south with the map, but the car on the map is facing north Luke I’m driving in reverse (or sideways in Google maps). As a result, the map flips this way and that while it’s rerouting me. It seems like the compass is screwed up, but this has been on two different phones, and I’ve done everything mentioned above. Make sense?

Thanks for your help!

 

[C DM]

Thx for your help. I’ve actually tried that, and it didn’t help.
Let me clarify a little more. When I say the map is flipping, I don’t mean it’s inverted upside down (or moving around as if the gps signal is lost). I mean it faces the opposite direction of where I’m headed (as if my compass is confused by 180 degrees). So, I’m driving south, and the car on the map moves south with the map, but the car on the map is facing north Luke I’m driving in reverse (or sideways in Google maps). As a result, the map flips this way and that while it’s rerouting me. It seems like the compass is screwed up, but this has been on two different phones, and I’ve done everything mentioned above. Make sense?

Thanks for your help!

So it always looks like you are moving up/foreword basically?

Does it happen with Apple Maps?

 

[happygodavid]

So it always looks like you are moving up/foreword basically?

Does it happen with Apple Maps?

No it only happens with GM and Waze. And it looks like my car is driving backward down the road. So if I’m going south, the map moves south, but the car icon is facing north, the map is facing north, and you see a car icon driving “in reverse” down the road (south). So it’s constantly rerouting.

 

[graison]

Is the mount magnetic? Could it be messing with the compass?

 

[happygodavid]

Is the mount magnetic? Could it be messing with the compass?

No, it’s not.

 

[Daki]

Under the Waze Display and Map settings, do you have "lock north-up mode" on or off?

 

[happygodavid]

Under the Waze Display and Map settings, do you have "lock north-up mode" on or off?

It’s off. And yes, I’m still having this issue, if anyone comes across this thread.
One new thing I’ve figured out; when I unplug my phone from usb, it orients correctly.

 

[happygodavid]

Mine and my wife's work just fine on AT&T w/ Waze, and she also has an Outback with her phone mounted about where yours is. I've never had any issues with it, as you are describing. That would irritate me to no end if it were to happen to me. You might try asking in the Waze.com forums. Someone there might be familiar with your issue.

Trying to narrow this down still. Mind telling me which trim OB your wife has? What year? Which infotainment system? 7 inch with NAV? 6.2 w/o NAV? Also, are you guys using BT or USB when Waze is working? Thanks!

 

[StarShot]

...

Used Waze for the past few years with no problems, but now Waze is doing the same thing. I followed all of the above steps, with no luck. My phone is sitting in a dash mount, and the map will just flip upside down, and my car icon appears as through I’m driving in reverse down whatever road I’m on. Waze constantly tries to reroute me; basically, at that point, the app is unusable...

Mine's doing the same thing. I've noticed it mainly on I-5. I'll be heading either north or south and going past an intersection, the Waze suddenly tells me to get off and then go around a block or two and then rejoin the highway. I just ignore it but it's a bit distracting.

I have a new Genesis G80 and I'm wondering if it might be happening because of the windshield. I don't know if the windshield has heated wiring in it or not. I had a '12 Range Rover windshield did have heated wireing and the GPS problem in that was that the signals could not go through the windshield. I don't remember if this effected the built-in GPS, but it certainly prevented my Garmin from working. I had to have a special GPS outside antenna to make the Garmin work correctly. I've only had the Genesis a couple of months now, but on my previous vehicle (Acura RDX) there was no problem with Waze mounted on the dashboard.

 

[happygodavid]

Mine's doing the same thing. I've noticed it mainly on I-5. I'll be heading either north or south and going past an intersection, the Waze suddenly tells me to get off and then go around a block or two and then rejoin the highway. I just ignore it but it's a bit distracting.

I have a new Genesis G80 and I'm wondering if it might be happening because of the windshield. I don't know if the windshield has heated wiring in it or not. I had a '12 Range Rover windshield did have heated wireing and the GPS problem in that was that the signals could not go through the windshield. I don't remember if this effected the built-in GPS, but it certainly prevented my Garmin from working. I had to have a special GPS outside antenna to make the Garmin work correctly. I've only had the Genesis a couple of months now, but on my previous vehicle (Acura RDX) there was no problem with Waze mounted on the dashboard.

I started a thread on Reddit a while back, and another redditor and I narrowed the issue down to usb. Using a usb data blocker fixed the issue temporarily (until Waze and google maps fix the bug). Here’s a link to the thread if you care to read it. Hope that helps!

https://www.reddit.com/r/waze/comme...ping_map_orientation/?st=JJCYCGZY&sh=a809abfc

 

[Solidbored]

For several years, I have avoided using Google maps, partly because when I’m driving, the map would rotate randomly, facing sideways or completely backwards. I tried recalibrating the compass, tapping the compass icon that toggles true north on and off, quitting the app, reinstalling the app, resetting the phone, restoring the phone and manually reinstalling apps, turning the compass off and back on... Finally I gave up.

Used Waze for the past few years with no problems, but now Waze is doing the same thing. I followed all of the above steps, with no luck. My phone is sitting in a dash mount, and the map will just flip upside down, and my car icon appears as through I’m driving in reverse down whatever road I’m on. Waze constantly tries to reroute me; basically, at that point, the app is unusable.

Here are other guesses I’ve made based on other threads here and elsewhere: perhaps it’s my abysmal data connection that I often get with Sprint; the app can’t keep up with where I actually am, and this problem just cant be fixed. Or, the slight vibrations from my phone being mounting are screwing with the compass and/or the gyrometer. Or, perhaps neither of these apps like the phone being mounted vertically— the problem seems to sometimes resolve itself if I take the phone out of the dash mount and hold it for a few minutes.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Edit: issue has been temporarily fixed! Scroll down to read, but in short, use a usb data blocker.

Hi. I have the same issue. I just updated to an iPhone XR and it’s occurring again in Waze. I also drive a 2016 Subaru Outback. So with the “solution”, we can’t use Waze through the radio?

Thanks

 

[happygodavid]

Hi. I have the same issue. I just updated to an iPhone XR and it’s occurring again in Waze. I also drive a 2016 Subaru Outback. So with the “solution”, we can’t use Waze through the radio?

Thanks

Been a while since I checked this thread; sorry for the delay.

What I ended up doing was using a cigarette lighter USB plug, and I charge the phone through that (not the USB port). I use bluetooth for audio instead of USB (Sure, the sound quality isn't as good, but at least it doesn't cause the Waze spin issue.). As for your question about "using Waze through the radio," I'm assuming you mean using Waze's audio guidance through the sound system... if I understand your question correctly, then the answer is yes. Yes, you can use audio; it just has to go through Bluetooth (or, if you use a data blocker like the other gentleman did, that should work, too; I haven't verified it, so I can't confirm). Hope that helps. I'm afraid this is just going to be an issue for Waze users who are 2015-2017ish Subaru owners. The only way I can think to make it go away is to buy a new car with CarPlay, and that's a few years down the road (and I'm not willing to give up settings controls via the OEM head unit by installing an aftermarket head unit with CarPlay). I'm content for now. Not in love with it, but it works well enough until my next car.