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What on earth ?!?!?
Was just having a poke around the engine bay on my car and decided to remove the scuttle trim to have a quick check and make sure the leaves hadn't filled it up completely when I noticed this thing...
Doesn't really look OEM and looks like it has been added afterwards. Stuck to the top of the ECU with sticky foam or Velcro and a cable/s going off down into a grommet that looks like it has been pierced and then some kind of silicon or mastic added. Looks like a GPS tag or sensor or something. So questions.... a) any idea whet the hell it is? b) is it OEM or something aftermarket? Had the car remapped at MRC and they never mentioned anything but I noticed they had the same scuttle trim off to plug into the ECU I guess. Are there any ELSA diagrams that show this thing??
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Lee 2017 Nissan Leaf Tekna Last edited by Lee S; 29th August 2016 at 11:36 AM. |
#2
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Looks like an aftermarket GPS antenna and thin coax cable.
Usually for dashcams, taximeters, trackers. Back in the day when our cars were new, GPS stuff tended to have these external antennas rather than the tiny in-built ones brought about by the smartphone revoltion. |
#3
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Definitely.
Maybe the boot antenna packed up and this was their way of supplying the signal? I had to do this on my PF S8 but mounted it outside at the base of the rear window.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions, ski hatch retrofit; extended leather. Aftermarket DVB-T, reversing camera and full XCarlink (Bluetooth etc.). 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (A much rarer model than a D2 S8 by the way!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. AgateGrey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon, Auto-dim mirror, Leather, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! |
#4
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Very odd. Maybe I will try and trace where the cable goes. Not sure I like the idea of it being there unless it has been fitted to replace the existing aerial. I will clean it up and see if there are any model or makers numbers on it.
When I had the rear screen done in March or whenever it was, they reckoned it had been out before so I wonder if the proper antennas had been damaged or the wiring damaged. GPS and sat navigation all seems to work fine and there are no VCDS errors or anything. If it does need to be there I may do a better job of sealing the grommet. Doesn't seem to be sealing the cable very well. Wonder if moisture has been getting in by running down the cable. The whole bizarre thing is why anyone would have bodged anything like this on a car of such value that was only 18 months to 3 years old?!? It beggars belief and annoys me. I hate bodgers.... If you're gonna do a job, do it properly and if you can't afford to do it properly then you shouldn't own such a car... Grrrr
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Lee 2017 Nissan Leaf Tekna Last edited by Lee S; 29th August 2016 at 01:13 PM. |
#5
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I fit these to everyone's car I do work on. Then I sit stroking a white cat, watching where everyone is on my laptop.
Muhahahahah.
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2010 A8 SE Executive 4.2 FSI D4 2007 Mini Cooper S R56 2008 D3, gone, but not forgotten after 9 years and 90k. |
#6
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I agree with above - that is trademark GPS receiver looking 'brick'. I've come across them plenty of times as they're the RX of choice for after market navigation head units. Typically I've usually left them internal at the bottom of the windscreen or similar out of view, so long as it's got a clear view of the sky it will work.
One thing I would say is they often have a magnetic base on them, hopefully this one doesn't being stuck down with sticky, but if it does have a magnet I wouldn't have wanted it stuck to the ECU!
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Current: 2004 D3 4.0 TDI V8 in Crystal Blue. Factory: finger print, tv, xenons, keyless entry & go, soft close boot, 19s, and probably lots more besides Done: fixed headlight washer leak, fit Bluetooth in place of factory phone To do: DAB, DTV, fix soft close boot, get a spare key, investigate NSF bushes, |
#7
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If you have a heated screen then you wont get a good signal internally and the aerial has to be outside and this position would have been ideal.
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2002 D2 S8 – Ming Blue, Valcona leather, Vavona wood insert, solar sunroof (to be fitted), Heated rear seats, extended leather pack, 18” Avus, ski hatch, Bose, auto dim rear view mirror, rear blind. |
#8
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As the satnav is in the boot, maybe this after market GPS receiver is a security or tracking device (as installed by John )
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Matt 2004 A8 3.7q, 1998 A4 2.8q, 1994 Coupe 2.8q SORN, |
#9
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Ha. I like to think of it more like Apple's Lost My iPhone feature. iLost your iCar
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2010 A8 SE Executive 4.2 FSI D4 2007 Mini Cooper S R56 2008 D3, gone, but not forgotten after 9 years and 90k. |
#10
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Find out where it goes. Taking the radio/RNS out might reveal all, or remove the glovebox (very easy job).
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions, ski hatch retrofit; extended leather. Aftermarket DVB-T, reversing camera and full XCarlink (Bluetooth etc.). 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (A much rarer model than a D2 S8 by the way!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. AgateGrey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon, Auto-dim mirror, Leather, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! |
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