Compass Variance Adjustment - RHD: Notes
Do not place any external magnets, such as magnetic roof mount antennas, in the vicinity of the Remote Compass Module (RCM) located above the headliner in the rear of the vehicle. Do not place any electronic devices (cell phones, laptop computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), portable DVD players, etc.) on or near the rear of the roof as the RCM performance may be affected. Do not use magnetic tools when servicing the RCM.
Compass variance, also known as magnetic declination, is the difference in angle between magnetic north and true geographic north. In some geographic locations, the difference between magnetic and geographic north is great enough to cause the compass to give false readings. If this problem occurs, or any time Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) service replacement components are installed, the compass variance must be set. The default for the compass variance from the factory is 8.
If the vehicle is taken on long trips into a new variance zone the compass function may be effected. Compass variance will need to be updated to the new zone number to function properly.