Just wanted to ask this simple question.

I have a 01' GS430. I had the car tinted with titanium tint. I was wondering if anyone had a problem with your GPS since then?

Lexus is arguing with me telling me its the tint. They even did some tests using a LS430 external antenna it seems to work.

I have no problem with using an external attenna, except for the cost of one and for the other they won't warranty it once they install it.

What I can't understand is why has it work for so long and now it won't work at that often? I can't see that the tint just started to block more signal than before.

I used to live in Florida and everyone has tint there. Feed back would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

Khanh

 

My car has tint ( 20%) too, for over a year now and I don't have any problem with my Nav. In the morning will take about 5 minutes to get the GPS signal, after that when I get back in the car only take 1 or 2 minutes to get the signal. Ask them to swap another Nav. ECU from another car and try it.

 

5 minutes to get a GPS signal!? I'd say you have MUCHO problems.

Mine's instant.

Tint and nav don't mix.

Knguyen - recommend you cut a notch out of the tint wherever the antenna is on the '01/'02 nav. On the '98-'00 it was in the lower right of the rear window.

 

I can't see this helping much. The GPS antenna is receiving in all directions as the satellites can be anywhere in the sky.

-jim-

 

it might be true, but i think cuting out tint wouldn't hurt for sure..

at least it worth to try it

 

Thanks VVTI - but the ECU, Attenna and everything else has been replaced. Just got the car back and they say that I need to remove the tint or spend 570.00 for a Lexus LS430 attenna and have it front mounted.

We are in discussions with that now. I am not happy about paying 570.00 plus labor to get GPS on a car to work. It should come with a warning saying tint should not be installed on a GPS system. I see many cars with TINT and they don't have any problems. I will call Lexus HQ and talk to them about this.

I might try what bit talked about. Thanks for the info. I was considering that.

Khanh

 

Sorry, but your wrong regarding the nav antena location. The nav antena is mounted under the rear package tray. On the LS400/430, IS300, and RX300 the antena is mounted under the center of the dashboard. Thats why you don't hear of these problems with those models.

I've seen this many times, ITS THE TINT! Any metal in the tint will weaken the signal strength. On your nav screen, upper left side, you will see the word "GPS". If you see it, you have reception with 4 satilites. If you don't, or the "GPS" comes on once in a while, then your signal is weak.
Once I had an argument with the tint shop that we send our work to. The owner of the tint shop argued up and down with me that the tint on my customer's car had no metal. I pulled out my trusty extra nav antena, plugged it into the nav computer, then held it under the tinted rear glass. While I did this, I had set the nav ecu into our diagnostic mode, this way I could read exactly how many satelites I was receiving. Only 1, sometimes two. Then I held the antena above the tinted rear glass, showed 4 satelites. He then took the car, removed the tint, then replaced it with normal tint. Metal tint will always have a shiney look to it. Normal tint will have a dark look to it.

Hope this helps!

DD

 

It's DEFINITELY the METAL TINT...that's why I don't have "metal" tint...don't like the looks of "metal" tint either...looks ricer IMO.

 

everything looks ricer to manaray
its that simple

Erick G

 

I think I'm right on PRE '01 GS's. '01 and '02 moved elsewhere, I'm assuming under the package tray as you said.

 

I thought non-metal tints fade and go 'purple'!? If not, what brand and type of tint do you have? I think you have nav, right? I thought all non-fading tints have metal in them.

I'd love to get tint but have held off since I don't want to mess up the nav.

 

All GS nav antenas are in the same place, 98,99,00,01,02.

 

If you do a search you'll find that there is an antenna that you can buy that plugs directly into the GS nav and its like 35 bucks.. a few guys have simply run this up to the front of their cars and sat it on the dash.. once again.. just do a search.

 

Erick G - Hehehe...not everything...

Bit - Yes, I do have Nav in my GS430 (I WISH my SC400 had it!) and I have NON-Metallic tint...high quality tint does NOT fade. My buddy had his car tinted back when I had my ES and he just recently gave the car to his little brother and the tint is still perfect No fading.

I forget which brand it is but I'll find out from my Tint shop...

 

that sucks... wouldnt that look funny having a little area in the window with no tint, even though the antenna is not there?