Ok, sorry I took a nap. In order to fix the issue with the wacky Google Maps you must get rid of the installation and redownload the Google Maps app from the Marketplace. I have already done this and can confirm that it works. You may have seen from time to time posts on how to remove Google Maps or any other app that resides in the system/app folder. The reason why these are harder to get rid of than say one that you download from the marketplace is because the default apps meaning the apps that comes with the phone by default are in a little spot called /dev/block/mtdblock4 (don't freak it's just a special spot in the system you can't normally navigate to) and its set to Read Only, meaning "You can look but you can't touch."
Many methods have been posted on droidforums.net as to the removal of system apks but all of them have the same goals:
1.) Gain read/write access to the system/app(s) folder by modifying the read only status of the system volume to read/write. This allows you to make changes, like deleting a file, for example.
2.) Locate and delete the corrupted .apk file
3.) Set the system folder(volume) back to Read Only.
4.) Wipe the data/cache associated to the application (can be done either by going to Manage Applications under settings or by using the terminal emulator.
5.) Redownload the application from the marketplace.
6.) Done
The following is the Terminal Emulator method. You must download Terminal Emulator(Free) prior to doing this. And for those who don't know what a terminal emulator is think of a dos prompt or CMD for windows users:
su
mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 dev/block/mtdblock4 system
rm system/app/Maps.apk
cd system/bin
sh pm uninstall com.google.android.apps.maps
mount -o ro,remount -t yaffs2 dev/block/mtdblock4 system
sync
And here it is broken down:
su
Grants admin privilages. You need this in order do to what your about to do
mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 dev/block/mtdblock4 system
mounts the partition to the system folder so you can do what you need to do
rm system/app/Maps.apk
Removes the Google Maps app. REMEMBER! this is a linux system. CAPITALIZATION COUNTS! Make sure you capitialize the M
cd system/bin
Change folder over to the system/bin folder. This is where all the binary data for the apps are stored (i.e. DATA/CACHE)
sh pm uninstall com.google.android.apps.maps
Removing the data and cache for google maps. You can verify that it is gone by going to SETTINGS>APPLICATION>MANAGE APPLICATIONS>ALL Google maps should be gone from the listing
mount -o ro,remount -t yaffs2 dev/block/mtdblock4 system
Resetting the volume back to read only.
sync
Synchronize your system to reflect the changes you've just made*I think*
At this point, you can reboot your phone. You don't need to, it's my own superstition. However I've seen enough wacky things happen in operating systems to warrant me doing this. Rebooting can't hurt, its like spreading a little more flower on the counter before you knead some dough. After you're done with all that jazz. You can re-download Maps from the marketplace, and it should work.
Good luck, and I'l be around PM me if you get stuck.