Please explain GPS and effect on car's trip meter

Sibby · 10-15-2006, 08:48 AM

I"m new and not sure how to post a new question so I'll stick it here if no one minds. I need clarification about how a GPS system would affect the trip meter in my Mitsubishi 98 Galant. Recently I've noticed that whenever I get into my car, my trip meter has been returned to zero or is close to it; in other words, I know I've traveled much farther than the trip meter indicates. I have actually begun to wonder whether my husband is tracking me with a GPS system for some reason and have been looking for such evidence, even finding a couple of suspicious wires running under the floor mat in my car. Does a GPS system actually connect to the car's original trip meter (as opposed to being a trip meter in and of itself)? Would a GPS system cause the car's trip meter to reset itself at the end of every trip? Any info you can give me will help me understand this better and alleviate my suspicions.

DarquePervert · 10-15-2006, 09:08 AM

I moved this to its own thread in order to keep the other one focused.

To answer your question, GPS Navigation systems are not tied into the trip odometer in any way. This is for the standalone setups, factory setups, or the PCs we install into our rides. It won't reset the trip odometer and it won't communicate witht he trip odometer in any way.

Some GPS navigation systems have the ability to save and/or recall a route, but that is a function of the navigation software itself.

If yu're paranoid about your spouse tracking you, there's a simple solution: reset the trip odometer when you get out of the car. Granted, if you're going places you're not supposed to, he could always look at the main odomoeter and do some simple math.

Frankly, if you suspect your spouse of spying on you, then you need to confront that issue with your spouse rather than trying to counterspy on him or figure out his tactics.

Sibby · 10-15-2006, 07:27 PM

Hahaha, Darque Pervert, I love your advice on the spousal situation, and believe me, I agree with you! But thank you nontheless for the explanation about the GPS system and trip odometer correlation, or lack thereof. You make quite clear how it all works. Again, thanks!

ik632 · 10-17-2006, 12:02 PM

I don't know about tracking the car, but when I said "I Do" I must have been implanted with some kind of tracking device. My wife always knows where I am and what I'm doing, or not supposed to be doing.

I usually get a call just as I'm pulling into a car dealer or electronics store with her saying, "don't buy anything"

Uh Uh Uh, You didn't say the magic word !

She's my voice of reason though

Sid3ways S13 · 10-20-2006, 07:50 PM

lol, sounds like someone I know.