[Q] GPS acting crazy

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uscpsycho

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2011
258
49
If you're locked into as many as ten satellites is there any reason to have erratic GPS performance?

I got a refurbished S3 from Sprint and the GPS is a freaking mess. I can be standing perfectly still and the map starts moving around erratically, sometimes even straight backwards. Other times I'll be driving and it will show me on a totally different street or moving in a totally wrong direction. Sometimes this is going on when I'm locked into as many as ten satellites.

Shouldn't that be enough to get a good fix? Does this suggest that the GPS receiver is working well but there is a software problem? Or is this a hardware problem that can't be fixed?

I reset/downloaded agps data with GPS Status, I've tried TopNTP and I've tightened every visible screw. Nothing has helped. I also can't get a fix indoors like I used to be able to with my original S3.

Any suggestions on other things I can try to make my GPS work or is this a hardware problem that can't be fixed?

This is the fourth or fifth refurbished Android phone I've received from Sprint over the years and not a single one has worked right. It's like they don't ever really address the reported problem. They just factory reset the phone, give it a cosmetic facelift and then ship it back out without any testing.
 

prboy1969

Senior Member
May 7, 2009
10,518
7,378
Michigan
If you're locked into as many as ten satellites is there any reason to have erratic GPS performance?

I got a refurbished S3 from Sprint and the GPS is a freaking mess. I can be standing perfectly still and the map starts moving around erratically, sometimes even straight backwards. Other times I'll be driving and it will show me on a totally different street or moving in a totally wrong direction. Sometimes this is going on when I'm locked into as many as ten satellites.

Shouldn't that be enough to get a good fix? Does this suggest that the GPS receiver is working well but there is a software problem? Or is this a hardware problem that can't be fixed?

I reset/downloaded agps data with GPS Status, I've tried TopNTP and I've tightened every visible screw. Nothing has helped. I also can't get a fix indoors like I used to be able to with my original S3.

Any suggestions on other things I can try to make my GPS work or is this a hardware problem that can't be fixed?

This is the fourth or fifth refurbished Android phone I've received from Sprint over the years and not a single one has worked right. It's like they don't ever really address the reported problem. They just factory reset the phone, give it a cosmetic facelift and then ship it back out without any testing.
What Rom are you using ? Did it behave like this before rooting ?
 

uscpsycho

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2011
258
49
What Rom are you using ? Did it behave like this before rooting ?

I'm totally stock 4.3, just rooted. I rooted it pretty soon after I got it so I don't remember if it was like this right off the bat. I believe it was.

Weird thing is that today I tried turning of Google location services and that seemed to help a lot. It doesn't seem to be getting a lock while indoors but when I'm driving around I'm not getting the erratic map behavior I had before. No idea if it will work for long, there have been a few other times when I thought I fixed the problem and it came right back.

I know on my previous phone I had Google location services on and it worked like a charm. Anyone have an idea why turning location services off helps and what I can do to make GPS work right with location services off?

Any real downside to keeping location services off?
 

prboy1969

Senior Member
May 7, 2009
10,518
7,378
Michigan
I've always kept it on. But if your Stock rooted, and have that big an issue with GPS. I would almost be inclined to say it's a hardware issue. You could always Nand, and flash a coherent Rom. Just to see if it resolves the issue.

TEAM MiK MikROMs Since 3/13/11
 

uscpsycho

Senior Member
Mar 25, 2011
258
49
After driving extensively with Google location services turned off I did not experience any more erratic behavior. Problem solved but I'd like to have location services on.

Tonight I turned location services back on and it still seems to be working fine with no erratic behavior. I haven't given this as thorough of a test but I'm optimistic.

I have no idea why turning location services off fixed things but if anyone comes across this thread looking for a solution to GPS problems try turning Google location services off and see if that helps. It looks to have done the trick for me.