BMW i8 GPS System Dead: Nav Errors & Signal Loss Issues

Hey there! As someone with some experience working on cars, I had a very similar issue with my 2018 BMW i3. The symptoms were exactly the same as what you're describing. I took it to my regular workshop after trying basic stuff like system resets. They diagnosed it and found a faulty GPS antenna, apparently these can fail due to exposure to weather elements. The repair cost me about 200 Euro, but it fixed the problem completely. The nav system has been working perfectly since then. I'd love to help more but could you share some additional details? Like: Any other electrical issues? When did this start happening? Have you tried resetting the navigation system? Feel free to ask more questions. The i8 and i3 share some components, so the fix might be similar.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My i8 has been pretty reliable until this started about two weeks ago. I've had the latest service done and sitting at 38201 KM, so it's definitely not a maintenance-related issue. No other electrical problems that I've noticed, and yes, I tried the basic reset multiple times but no luck. The GPS signal keeps dropping out of nowhere, especially when I need it most! The error shows up consistently now. Really appreciate the tip about the antenna, that's super helpful since our cars do share similar tech. I'll get it checked out at the shop. The cost doesn't sound too bad either if it solves the problem. Were there any warning signs before your antenna completely failed? Just wondering if I should watch out for anything else while I wait for my workshop appointment.

Hey again! Just saw your follow-up about the warning signs. Yeah, looking back, I noticed my i3's GPS would occasionally drop signal for a few seconds before it got really bad. The route calculation delays were also gradual, started with minor delays, then got worse over time. Actually, what happened with mine is interesting, there was some corrosion around the antenna connection that wasn't immediately visible. It started acting up after some particularly bad weather, but I didn't make the connection at first. The symptoms got progressively worse over about a month before I finally took it in. Since you mentioned your car's mileage, mine was around 45000 KM when this happened, so pretty similar usage range. One thing I didn't mention before, after they replaced my antenna, they also applied some special weatherproofing sealant. Might be worth asking your workshop about that when you take it in. The unusual GPS drops you're experiencing sound exactly like what I dealt with. The fact that it's consistent now actually makes me more confident it's the antenna. Initially, I was worried it might be something more serious with the main computer system, so an antenna issue is definitely the better scenario!

Thanks so much for all these details, this is exactly what I needed to know! The progression of your issues matches mine perfectly, especially the part about the signal drops getting worse over time. I hadn't even considered the weather angle, but now that you mention it, we did have some nasty weather right before this started happening. That's really good to know about the weatherproofing sealant too. I'll definitely bring that up when I take it in. I feel much better knowing it's likely just the antenna and not something major with the computer system. You've probably saved me a lot of worry and potentially some money too! I've already called my workshop and booked an appointment for next week. I'll make sure to update this thread once it's fixed in case anyone else runs into the same problem. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience in such detail, it's been super helpful!