2018 GT - Compass in MFD

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Adguy21

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2019 CX-5 GT Reserve Soul Red

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If you are stopped, how is it supposed to know which direction you are pointing in?
You could be pointing anywhere.
Every nav I've ever used gets it's direction/orientation after I start moving.
Example: if I'm in a shopping mall parking lot, I need to drive a few feet before the vehicle system (or a hand held GPS) gets it's bearings. I would think that's normal.
 
Buzzman12 said:
If you are stopped, how is it supposed to know which direction you are pointing in?
You could be pointing anywhere.
Every nav I've ever used gets it's direction/orientation after I start moving.
Example: if I'm in a shopping mall parking lot, I need to drive a few feet before the vehicle system (or a hand held GPS) gets it's bearings. I would think that's normal.
Click to expand...

I believe the OP is talking about if you've been driving and come to a stop at a light, stop sign, etc. the compass stops showing your direction till you move again. At least this is what happens with me. Not a big deal but if you're going one direction you'd think it would just continue to point that direction till you move or turn off the car.
 
rhojos14 said:
I believe the OP is talking about if you've been driving and come to a stop at a light, stop sign, etc. the compass stops showing your direction till you move again. At least this is what happens with me. Not a big deal but if you're going one direction you'd think it would just continue to point that direction till you move or turn off the car.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I'm talking about. Every car I've owned that had a compass (not NAV) would stay on while stopped. That way when you looked at a map you knew what direction to go. Think about it....how many times have you stopped for directions in the past (before NAV) and someone or a map would say go North, South, East or West on a particular road? I want the ability to look down while stopped and it say what direction I'm facing...not have to remember what it said. It's not that big of a deal but annoying none the less. Good to know it's not just me....I hate going in for service! Last time I went they stained my parchment seats and I had to point it out for them to fix.
 
Adguy21 said:
This is exactly what I'm talking about. Every car I've owned that had a compass (not NAV) would stay on while stopped.
Click to expand...

I think you've answered the question. The compass direction displayed in the dash is derived from the GPS not from the earth's magnetic field like an old school compass does. Therefore it only works while in motion. You can think of it as displaying the direction you're driving in, not the direction you're pointed in.

I'm curious but as I have a 2016 I can't confirm. If you're facing and drive in reverse I think the compass would display W.
 
Ricsta said:
I think you've answered the question. The compass direction displayed in the dash is derived from the GPS not from the earth's magnetic field like an old school compass does. Therefore it only works while in motion. You can think of it as displaying the direction you're driving in, not the direction you're pointed in.

I'm curious but as I have a 2016 I can't confirm. If you're facing and drive in reverse I think the compass would display W.
Click to expand...
My 2016 CX-5 displayed compass instead on infotainment screen when my GPS was not functioning. So as those CX-5’s without GPS feature. This seems to indicate the information of compass is not from GPS.

Of course I believe there’s no change on 2018 CX-5’s compass other than moving the display into part of MFD cluster display.
 
Buzzman12 said:
If you are stopped, how is it supposed to know which direction you are pointing in?
You could be pointing anywhere.
Every nav I've ever used gets it's direction/orientation after I start moving.
Example: if I'm in a shopping mall parking lot, I need to drive a few feet before the vehicle system (or a hand held GPS) gets it's bearings. I would think that's normal.
Click to expand...

It depends if a magnetometer is part of the electronics package or not. Some cell phones have them, some don’t. But without one, then yes direction requires movement and gps.
 
My old '15 GT doesn't have that problem, but the compass heading is in the mirror.
 
Figured I'll ask here:

Just got 2018 CX-5, no factory navigation, but installed Apple Car Play, so not interested in factory Nav. When I bring up the compass it only shows N when the vehicle is moving, nothing when it stopped. Is that a malfunction or, since there is no factory GPS, expected behavior?
 
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