HOW TO – Disable navigation lockout on Ford cars (and possibly most others)

Energy & Sustainability
HOW TO – Disable navigation lockout on Ford cars (and possibly most others)

fordnav_20080116.jpg
Jason @ Hackszine is on a nav-system-lockout disabling roll, he writes –

After my post last week about disabling the navigation lockout on Lexus and Toyota nav systems, I received a request from an unhappy Ford owner with the same problem.

After a bit of searching, I unfortunately wasn’t able to turn up any straightforward “secret-password” solution for this. What I did find, however, is a straightforward hardware modification that will put you back in control of your navigation technology. Assuming you don’t mind rolling up your sleeves and disassembling your dash, this fix is known to work with a couple Ford truck models, and I have a feeling that the same method might be a general solution for almost all factory navigation systems that have this lockout functionality.

The navigation system uses a connection to the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) to determine whether or not the vehicle is moving. By installing a small switch that can disable this connection, you can trick the navigation system into thinking the vehicle isn’t moving (apparently it doesn’t think to double check your speed with the GPS unit). Turn the switch off and you can enter your destination information. Flip the switch back on and your navigation system is back to normal and tracking vehicle speed correctly.

Now here’s the interesting bit. It looks like factory navigation systems for many other vehicles use a VSS connection to determine speed. While the particulars of removing the dash and locating the VSS wire will be different, chances are good that this hack will work as a last-ditch effort in fixing navigation systems that don’t have a software override (hear that 2007-08 Lexus and Toyota owners?).

HOW TO – Disable navigation lockout on Ford cars (and possibly most others) – Link.

Related:
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Ford Factory Navigation Use While In Motion – Link

 Lexusnavoverride 20080111
Disable Lexus and Prius navigation lockout – Link

16 thoughts on “HOW TO – Disable navigation lockout on Ford cars (and possibly most others)

  1. Timmy says:

    This is a totally stupid hack. The VSS is used by the system for the navigation. Disabeling it will in many systems decrease the usefulness of the system. In tunnels for example the vehicle keeps track with the speed sensor and gyroscopes (of course not the cheapo 100$ system…), if you disconnect your screwed.

  2. Timmy says:

    This is a totally stupid hack. The VSS is used by the system for the navigation. Disabeling it will in many systems decrease the usefulness of the system. In tunnels for example the vehicle keeps track with the speed sensor and gyroscopes (of course not the cheapo 100$ system…), if you disconnect your screwed.

  3. Wow this place is neat! says:

    It seems like timmy knows nothing about GPS navigation systems….

    Disabling this works very well and does not cause problems. Ignore silly people that do not even know how navigation systems work (Like timmy above).

    This works, this is safe, the nav system still works just fine without it.

  4. Dire-Ferret says:

    And if you actual read the post it is clear that VSS is only disabled when you want the work a round then it is switched back on.

  5. Josh says:

    According to the writeup, he’s using a switch to momentarily disconnect the speed sensor (for the amount of time needed to enter a new destination, etc), and then switching it back on when done. It seems that when the speed sensor is re-enabled, tracking would pick up once again…

  6. TimmyNeedsACookie says:

    Calm down, kid. Just because you can’t drive yet doesn’t mean you have to get your knickers in a twist over this.

  7. engunneer says:

    (apparently it doesn’t think to double check your speed with the GPS unit)

    Actually, the Toyota/Lexus system is smart enough to check both. It lets you get away with it for a little while, but then says “Hey, the GPS still says you’re moving.”, and locks you out. That’s the main reason you need to re-enable the connection.

  8. Dave says:

    Has anyone hacked the cd to override the not able to program destinations. I know this has been done in the Chrysler 300 navigation.

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