Racelogic Ltd
Troubleshooting
02/05/2014
Page 34
Troubleshooting
My PerformanceBox does not pick up or lock onto satellites.
Some modern cars are fitted with a special windscreen that cuts down the amount of UV (Ultra
Violet) rays that will be transferred through the windscreen which help cut down on glare. These
windscreens are called athermic, or UV Coated and will dampen/reduce GPS signals coming
through the windscreen, so if you have an athermic windscreen, it means you will not receive the
same quality of signal as you would do by taking the PerformanceBox outside of the car.
How do I know if I have an Athermic Windscreen?
You can either contact the manufacturer of your vehicle, or talk to the main authorised dealer who
may be able to tell you. If you cannot receive a firm yes or no, then another way to check is to
power up the PerformanceBox and hold it outside of the vehicle, receive a satellite fix and use the
GPS diagnostic screen to see how many satellites you can see. Once you have noted this down,
move the GPS inside the car and see if the GPS signal drops by 2-4 sats. If it does immediately
then you probably have an athermic windscreen.
There is list of cars in the table below that we believe have had Athermic windscreens fitted
throughout part of their history. Please note that manufacturers don't always use the same
windscreens through the life of a car model, so even though a model may be listed below, it does
not necessarily mean that the current model that you have may have an Athermic windscreen. If
you are unsure, try the above test or talk to your car manufacturer/dealership.
BMW 3 Series
Ford Mondeo
Renault Laguna
BMW 5 Series
Fiat Multipla
Renault Clio
BMW 7 Series
Mercedes W220-S Class
Renault Master
BMW X5
Mercedes Vaneo
Renault Kangoo
Citreon Picasso
Peugeot 206
Renault Scenic
Citreon C5
Peugeot 306
Renault Espace
Citreon Xsara
Peugeot 307
Renault Megane
Citreon Xantia
Peugeot 607
Renault Safrane
Ford Galaxy
Renault Traffic
Vauxhall Zafira
If your car does have this type of windscreen you will need to use an external GPS antenna that
magnetically fixes to the roof of your car. An external antenna is available as an optional extra -
see the website for details.
If you still have reception problems:
Obstructions to the open sky will reduce GPS performance. Try to ensure placement of
PerformanceBox is away from the windscreen edges so it has the widest view of the skies
possible. With an external antenna place it away from roof bars and at least 10 cm way
from any other roof mounted items.
Driving in built up areas and close to tall trees reduces satellite reception.
PerformanceBox may require a Coldstart, see the PerformanceBox setup section of this
manual for more information.
No data files are appearing on the SD card
Make sure the SD card is not full. If your PerformanceBox does not beep twice when you insert the
card, then you may have to re-format the card - you should use the utility in PerformanceBox Tools.
If purchasing a new SD card, ensure that it is of high quality from a reputable manufacture
