Jeep Wrangler GPS Failure: Antenna Issue Alert

Having some experience with car electronics, I encountered a very similar issue with my 2019 Jeep Wrangler Diesel. The GPS signal problem started gradually, with intermittent satellite connection losses, until it completely stopped working. After running diagnostics, my workshop confirmed a defective GPS antenna was causing the signal interference. The repair involved replacing the GPS module and antenna assembly mounted on the roof. Total cost was 200 Euro including parts and labor. The GPS has worked flawlessly since the repair. What exactly happens when you try to use your navigation? Does it show no satellites at all, or does it sometimes connect briefly? Also, have you noticed any physical damage to the antenna housing on the roof? These details would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced. To provide more specific advice, could you share: Current mileage? Whether the GPS ever worked properly? If you recently had any roof work or car wash damage? What exact error code is showing up? The GPS system is the same in the Wrangler models from that era, so the fix might be comparable.

Last service was at 81497KM. After reading about your similar experience, I checked the antenna housing and found hairline cracks, likely from automated car washes. The vehicle GPS shows zero satellites most times, occasionally picking up 1-2 for a few seconds before losing car navigation signals again. The error code points to GPS antenna issues, P1683 specifically. The GPS worked perfectly until about 3 weeks ago when it started showing signal interference patterns before failing completely. Think you might be right about the antenna being the culprit. Will have the workshop check the GPS antenna connection and housing next week. Thanks for sharing the repair cost estimate. Good to have a ballpark figure before heading to the shop.

Thanks for those additional details. Your symptoms are nearly identical to what I experienced with my Wrangler, especially the brief connections to 1-2 satellites before dropping out completely. Those hairline cracks in the antenna housing are a telltale sign of GPS antenna damage. In my case, the workshop also found that water had seeped through similar cracks, causing corrosion in the GPS module connections. The P1683 code matches too, it was the same one stored in my system before the antenna repair. After my antenna replacement, they also applied a protective coating over the new GPS antenna housing to prevent future damage from car washes. I would recommend asking your workshop about this additional protection, it only cost an extra 30 Euro but has kept the vehicle GPS system working reliably for over a year now. Given the similarities in our issues, I strongly suspect your satellite connection problems will be resolved with a new GPS module and antenna assembly. The total repair cost should be close to what I paid, assuming no additional damage is found during the repair. Would appreciate hearing what your workshop finds once they check it out. Always good to build up our collective knowledge about these GPS antenna issues for future reference.

I really appreciate your detailed response and sharing your experience. Just got back from the workshop and you were spot on, they confirmed water damage to the GPS antenna from those hairline cracks I mentioned. The car navigation system is now fixed with a new antenna assembly and protective coating. Total repair came to 240 Euro, slightly more than your case because they had to replace some corroded connectors too. The car GPS is working perfectly now, maintaining strong signals with 8-10 satellites consistently. No more signal interference issues at all. For anyone searching with similar problems: definitely check your GPS antenna housing for cracks if you experience GPS signal problems. The protective coating they applied seems like a smart preventive measure against future damage. Thanks again for helping me diagnose this correctly before the workshop visit. Saved time and potentially unnecessary parts replacement by focusing on the antenna issue from the start.