iPhone 3G GPS doesn't work!

[iLoveMyApple]

Today, for the first time I actually needed to use the GPS on my iPhone. I went to use it and it didn't work! The little thing in the bottom left corner started to spin and then the blue thing on the screen started to bounce (Like it does when it's about to locate you), it located me and then it just stopped.
I restarted my phone, reset network settings. Nothing worked. So then I thought "maybe it can't locate me while I'm moving".

So I stopped in a gas station parking lot, same thing happened. The locater thing came up and it found me, but then it did the same thing as it did before. Then I just said forget about it. I got home and then tried it again and it found me and the little GPS thing came up and it started working.

I closed Maps and opened it again, and what do you know, the same problem I had before, arose again! Is there a fix to this or does it just work when it wants to?

 

[blancoBronco]

do you have location services turned on?

 

[nparmelee]

or were you surrounded by tall buildings? That can really screw up a GPS system.

 

[jav6454]

or were you surrounded by tall buildings? That can really screw up a GPS system.

Doesn't matter. The chip is A-GPS which means the extra assistant helps in tall building locations.

 

[nateo200]

Doesn't matter. The chip is A-GPS which means the extra assistant helps in tall building locations.

Of course but in a city environment you can have multipath issues amongst cellsites that could screw with the location along with not enough satelites in clear site. You would really have to try and make this happen though....OP make sure location services are on like others have said though.

 

[iLoveMyApple]

do you have location services turned on?

Yes, it's on. Can it "find you" when you're in the car and moving?

 

[blancoBronco]

Yes, it's on. Can it "find you" when you're in the car and moving?

it should find you. I know the compass doesn't work in the car, but the gps should work

 

[iLoveMyApple]

Hmmm. Okay. I'll try a restore. Thanks everyone.

 

[TheSpaz]

The only way I can get GPS to work reliably on the iPhone 3G is by using 2.2.1. 3.0, 3.0.1, and 3.1 screwed up the GPS in my iPhone too. I did set it up as a new phone and I did try resetting network settings. However, it works perfectly in 2.2.1 and it even finds me without having a data plan… I just have to be on wifi before I leave my house to get it started… hehehe. As long as I get it ready before I leave, it's able to get a lock on me when I'm out of range of wifi with no data.

If you're wondering how I'm using the built in Maps application without data… it's simple. You map out the route using maps on wifi, find your location and follow the path to download the maps for that path. Then the maps will stay stored locally on the device the entire time. You can even quit maps and come back and the maps are still visible…. just don't go off track… haha.