# Compass malfunction - 2004 PT Cruiser

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-malfunction-2004-pt-cruiser/17904>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [August 9, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-malfunction-2004-pt-cruiser/17904 "2008-08-09T18:16:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jvkeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@jvkeen](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jvkeen)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-malfunction-2004-pt-cruiser/17904/1 "2008-08-09T18:16:12Z")

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The compass does not indicate accurate direction. Most of the time it seems to be about 180 degrees opposite of what would be a correct direction. The local dealer didn’t know where the “sensor” was located and generally wasn’t much help. Have any PT owners had/found a fix for this problem?

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-malfunction-2004-pt-cruiser/17904/2 "2008-08-09T21:05:26Z")

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My answer is for GM compass.The compass must be set to the correct “zone” or the direction will be off.The info was in the Factory Service Manual I never took a look in the owners manual,take a look see if “zone” setting is required and explained in your owners manual.

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**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-malfunction-2004-pt-cruiser/17904/3 "2008-08-09T21:24:14Z")

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got the manual?

i believe you have to disconnect the battery, and then reconnect, then go to a parking lot and drive in a circle three revolutions.

actually try the drive in a circle three times first.

i think this resets the compass.

any way. look in the owners manual. there is a specific section on this.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2008, 10:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-malfunction-2004-pt-cruiser/17904/4 "2008-08-09T22:13:37Z")

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Yup! It is time to consult “the world’s least-read best seller”, the Owner’s Manual.

I can tell you that on a Subaru, you merely follow the directions in the manual, which tells you which button to push for resetting the compass, followed by slowly driving three times in a very large circle–such as in a vacant parking lot. There is no need to disconnect the battery.

The exact procedure on a PT Cruiser may differ slightly, but the correct answer is sitting in the glove compartment, inside the Owner’s Manual.

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**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/compass-malfunction-2004-pt-cruiser/17904/5 "2008-08-10T03:09:16Z")

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If the car is heading North, the compass should say North. It doesn’t mean that North is to the back of the car. You don’t read it like a hand held compass.