Compass - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

ZCT · 10-16-2010, 01:52 AM

I just left my car in a parking lot for a week. When I got back the compass was blank. Also I am hearing an odd noise that seems to be coming from behind the tachometer, it almost sounds like the noise of something rotating or a sickly quartz clock. Happens all the time, not specific to speed or engine.

How do you reset the compass? And any thoughts on the noise?

I'm driving a 2011 2LT RS.

MI2010Camaro · 10-16-2010, 06:57 AM

I've heard that sound a number of times but don't know what the source is. In reagards to setting the compass, it may be time to call OnStar. The 2010 owners manual has this to say about it:

Compass

The vehicle may have a compass
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass is
an OnStar compass and receives its
heading and other information
from OnStar. See OnStar® System
on page 4-42 for more information
about the OnStar system.

ZCT · 10-16-2010, 07:58 AM

Oddly, I drove the car this morning, and the noise had gone and the compass was working again. Strange.

Thanks for your answer though.

jtzako · 10-16-2010, 08:01 AM

The compass will lose calibration after a long time sitting in one spot. All it takes is a bit of driving to get it to come back to life.

Mr_Draco · 10-16-2010, 08:06 AM

Yea the compass will reset automatically when you drive. You don't have to do anything.

Johnnyma45 · 10-16-2010, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MI2010Camaro

I've heard that sound a number of times but don't know what the source is. In reagards to setting the compass, it may be time to call OnStar. The 2010 owners manual has this to say about it:

Compass

The vehicle may have a compass
display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). The compass is
an OnStar compass and receives its
heading and other information
from OnStar. See OnStar® System
on page 4-42 for more information
about the OnStar system.

Wait does this mean once my one yr trial is up, I won't have my compass anymore? That's quite poor. First car I've had in a while without an in-dash GPS, so I've actually used that compass.

ZCT · 10-16-2010, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtzako

The compass will lose calibration after a long time sitting in one spot. All it takes is a bit of driving to get it to come back to life.

I drove for about an hour from the airport and it didn't come back on. Then I restarted and it still didn't come back. Then in the morning it was back. Strange.

I was using OnStar on the way home and it worked fine for directions.

jeepguy_1980 · 10-16-2010, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnnyma45

Wait does this mean once my one yr trial is up, I won't have my compass anymore? That's quite poor. First car I've had in a while without an in-dash GPS, so I've actually used that compass.

No. I think it uses the OnStar for gps so it can determine the appropriate magnetic variation to apply.

Sir Nuke · 10-16-2010, 07:27 PM

I think I know your problem with the compass, you are from CONROE, TX...lol a number of out Camaro Club for from there and they tell its a BLACK HOLE IN THE UNIVERSE.....mystery solved..... :{D j/k i just couldn't help it.

rykeith · 10-16-2010, 07:40 PM

Similar event happened to me 2 weeks ago- compass appeared for the first time I've had the car (bought Feb 2010), rotating sound coming from inside the dash started when the compass appeared and continued even with the car off. Got up the next morning, no sound from the dash, but the compass was still there and has been ever since. No rotating sound since then. Very weird.

evan · 12-20-2010, 07:23 PM

i've left my baby parked for 2 months and it didnt lose the compass, i came back after 3 wks today and the compass is dead and onstar does nto work... hmm...

binlow84 · 12-20-2010, 07:35 PM

I'm pretty sure I've heard the sound you were referring to as well. I've only ever heard it when the car was off though and I've never had compass issues. The first time I heard it was about 2 months ago, I was waiting on someone in a parking lot with the car off but the key set to accessory so the radio wouldn't shut off on me and all the sudden I heard it, a whirring sound coming from somewhere inside the dash. It scared me at first because I have elwire in the dash trim strip for dash ABL and I thought maybe that was shorting out.

I pulled the key and shut off the radio and it still continued. I shut off the interior lights (to kill the ABL) and no change, the whirring continued (not a constant whir mind you, but it would go on for about 10 seconds then stop for a bit, 10 more seconds then stop, etc.). I even went so far as to open the fuse panel where the elwire driver is and flipped the switch off; no change. I hit eject on the CD drive thinking maybe someone had stuck a disc in and it was trying to read it or something but that was empty. I opened the door and closed it again so the electric would totally shut off but it still didn't help. Finally after about 15 minutes (it was a long, long wait in the parking lot....) it went away and I hadn't heard it since, until Saturday. I had started up the car to run it for a bit (been asleep for a few days) and when I killed the engine there was a good song on the radio (Octane on XM all the way) so I sat and listened a bit and I heard it again.

It no longer worries me, but I still wish I knew what it was.....

Ivas · 12-20-2010, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepguy_1980

No. I think it uses the OnStar for gps so it can determine the appropriate magnetic variation to apply.

Nah, the compass is part of the car; Onstar has nothing to do with it. My compass works fine, and the Onstar expired a year ago.

kylenewman · 12-20-2010, 09:04 PM

mine did something similar when my onstar unit went bad.

10-16-2010, 01:52 AM	#1
ZCT Drives: 2011 Camaro 2LT RS (IOM) Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 118	Compass I just left my car in a parking lot for a week. When I got back the compass was blank. Also I am hearing an odd noise that seems to be coming from behind the tachometer, it almost sounds like the noise of something rotating or a sickly quartz clock. Happens all the time, not specific to speed or engine. How do you reset the compass? And any thoughts on the noise? I'm driving a 2011 2LT RS.

10-16-2010, 06:57 AM	#2
MI2010Camaro Drives: 2010 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Oakland County Michigan Posts: 155 View My Garage	I've heard that sound a number of times but don't know what the source is. In reagards to setting the compass, it may be time to call OnStar. The 2010 owners manual has this to say about it: Compass The vehicle may have a compass display on the Driver Information Center (DIC). The compass is an OnStar compass and receives its heading and other information from OnStar. See OnStar® System on page 4-42 for more information about the OnStar system. __________________ *1SS/M6/CGM/Sunroof* #143575 Delivered 9/14/09

10-16-2010, 08:01 AM	#4
jtzako Drives: 2010 IBM Camaro SS Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: DFW, Tx Posts: 1,157	The compass will lose calibration after a long time sitting in one spot. All it takes is a bit of driving to get it to come back to life. __________________ 2010 Camaro SS Imperial Blue \| CAI Inc, CAI \| Solo Hi Flow Cats \| X-Pipe \| Backup Camera \| PDIM

10-16-2010, 07:27 PM	#9
Sir Nuke Master of All Things Drives: '20 Corvette Stingray Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Southeast of Houston, Texas Posts: 22,332 View My Garage	I think I know your problem with the compass, you are from CONROE, TX...lol a number of out Camaro Club for from there and they tell its a BLACK HOLE IN THE UNIVERSE.....mystery solved..... :{D j/k i just couldn't help it. __________________

10-16-2010, 07:40 PM	#10
rykeith Drives: 2010 Camaro 1LT M6 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 457 View My Garage	Similar event happened to me 2 weeks ago- compass appeared for the first time I've had the car (bought Feb 2010), rotating sound coming from inside the dash started when the compass appeared and continued even with the car off. Got up the next morning, no sound from the dash, but the compass was still there and has been ever since. No rotating sound since then. Very weird. __________________ Roto-Fab CAI / MRT V2 / 35% Tint / Emblempros Lighted Door Sills / 19" Brushed Aluminum Wheels The frost, sometimes it makes the blade stick.

10-16-2010, 07:58 AM	#3
ZCT Drives: 2011 Camaro 2LT RS (IOM) Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Conroe, TX Posts: 118	Oddly, I drove the car this morning, and the noise had gone and the compass was working again. Strange. Thanks for your answer though.

10-16-2010, 08:06 AM	#5
Mr_Draco Drives: 2SS/RS Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 7,182	Yea the compass will reset automatically when you drive. You don't have to do anything.

12-20-2010, 07:23 PM	#11
evan ready... Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Bremerton, WA Posts: 765 View My Garage	i've left my baby parked for 2 months and it didnt lose the compass, i came back after 3 wks today and the compass is dead and onstar does nto work... hmm...

12-20-2010, 07:35 PM	#12
binlow84 Drives: '10 Camaro, IBM 2LT/RS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: St. Louis metro, Illinois Posts: 350 View My Garage	I'm pretty sure I've heard the sound you were referring to as well. I've only ever heard it when the car was off though and I've never had compass issues. The first time I heard it was about 2 months ago, I was waiting on someone in a parking lot with the car off but the key set to accessory so the radio wouldn't shut off on me and all the sudden I heard it, a whirring sound coming from somewhere inside the dash. It scared me at first because I have elwire in the dash trim strip for dash ABL and I thought maybe that was shorting out. I pulled the key and shut off the radio and it still continued. I shut off the interior lights (to kill the ABL) and no change, the whirring continued (not a constant whir mind you, but it would go on for about 10 seconds then stop for a bit, 10 more seconds then stop, etc.). I even went so far as to open the fuse panel where the elwire driver is and flipped the switch off; no change. I hit eject on the CD drive thinking maybe someone had stuck a disc in and it was trying to read it or something but that was empty. I opened the door and closed it again so the electric would totally shut off but it still didn't help. Finally after about 15 minutes (it was a long, long wait in the parking lot....) it went away and I hadn't heard it since, until Saturday. I had started up the car to run it for a bit (been asleep for a few days) and when I killed the engine there was a good song on the radio (Octane on XM all the way) so I sat and listened a bit and I heard it again. It no longer worries me, but I still wish I knew what it was..... __________________ [Insert obligatory car/order info below] 2LT RS; Imperial Blue Metallic w/ Silver Rally Stripes; Gray Leather Interior; Automatic; Exterior Painted Interior Trim Panels; Blue LED Footwell Lighting; Dash ABL; DRL Halos Ordered - 1/16/10 at Weber Chevrolet in Granite City, IL (Excellent experience; Thanks John!) Produced - 2/24/10 In the driveway - 3/4/10 Total time order to delivery - 47 days

12-20-2010, 09:04 PM	#14
kylenewman Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: N.E Posts: 231	mine did something similar when my onstar unit went bad.

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