replacement GPS antenna
 

The nav in our 2005 FEH has been acting up for a while. I finally got the time to look up the test procedure for the system, and sure enough the antenna is failing the self-test.

I'm having a hard time finding the complete Ford part number for the GPS antenna that sits under the dash right behind the radio. Does anyone have experience getting a replacement at a reasonable price?

Thanks...

Re: replacement GPS antenna
 

Well it has been a while since I posted this, but here's the update. Officially the GPS antenna part is obsolete and there's no replacement part. However, my dealer was able to locate an NOS unit in Cincinnati which I installed this past week. Sadly, despite the self-test indicating the antenna was at fault, the new antenna has not resolved the issue, and in fact now I have no GPS reception at all, not even enough to set the clock!

I pulled the head unit back out today and tried cleaning up the connector with DeOxIt to no avail. At this point it appears the head unit is the most likely culprit, but with prices in the $1000 range I'm not exactly sure I want to go down that road.

Has anyone had experience like this? Were you able to resolve the issue?

Re: replacement GPS antenna
 

This makes sense. Antennas have no moving parts and barring a direct strike or shock taht break something internally aren't damaged without cause. Its job is simply to boost receiver and/or transmitter gain, and in your case likely functions solely as a receiver, so it's likely the receiver in your head unit has gone bad, or the cable connection between the two parts has been severed.

Re: replacement GPS antenna
 

Why mess around with a GPS that has 5+ year old CD base maps? There are aftermarket double-DIN head units now for under $300 that will display your cell phone's GPS on a large screen. Plus you'll get iPod control, hands-free Bluetooth, Blue-ray/DVD playback, etc., stuff that didn't exist in 2005. If all you want is a good GPS, you can pick up a portable for $100 and have something much better than the Ford.

Re: replacement GPS antenna
 

I do have a TomTom that works fine, I was looking to see if the in-dash (harder to steal) unit could be saved. I do have a line on one repair shop that has quoted $500 (ouch) for the job.

2005-06 do NOT have double-DIN openings, they have 1.5 or 1.75 (forget which) making aftermarket fitments ugly at best. Since the rig was delivered with the NAV system, the info center does not display FE info, so if I ditch the factory radio I lose that info too.

Re: replacement GPS antenna
 

All 01-07 Escape/Mariner/Tributes have the same dash openings for stock radios, with a trim kit they all fit 2DIN radios perfectly. There are countless posts on this and other Escape websites showing clean, aftermarket 2DIN installs from any model year.
I'd bet you'd have a hard time finding someone who got their aftermarket radio or GPS stolen in the last few years, there just isn't a market for them like there was years ago.
Of course if you want FE info, a Scangage II shows much more than the little Ford screen ever did, everyone raves about them!

Re: replacement GPS antenna
 

After about 15 minutes with a Dremel, my '06 has a double-DIN opening.