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Nuvi 1490T Bluetooth problem

Former Member
Former Member over 14 years ago
Hi all,

I've had a 1490T for some time now and like it a lot. Unfortunately, lately, it has started doing weird things, coinciding with the installation of the latest firmware (4.30). It won't stay paired to my phone (RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700) after it (the nuvi) has been shut off. The "Friendly Name" on the nuvi is erased (blank) every time I check, and it doesn't remember my phone (the button is "Add" instead of "Change"). Disabling/re-enabling Bluetooth does nothing. Adding the phone again works about 10% of the time, if I delete the nuvi's profile from my phone first. To boot, when it is having this problem, there is no sound (voice or keypress tone) from the nuvi. Rebooting it may make it work in 1 time out of 6 or 7 tries. I've checked the diagnostics pages (accessed via the speedometer) and other than "Abnormal Powerdown" reported a few times, there's nothing I can really see that jumps out at me.

On the About page, in Software Versions, I have GPS ver 4.30, Text ver 4.20 (American English), Keyboard ver "Unknown", Audio ver 2.60 (American English-Jill), and Bluetooth ver "Unknown". Doing a reboot (holding down the power key until it goes off, restarting so the Garmin splash screen comes up) - over and over until I get a beep from pressing "Agree" - when I go back into "About", I get still Keyboard - Unknown, but Bluetooth - 1.73. At that point, going back to the Bluetooth setup page, it still has forgotten my phone, but the proper "Friendly Name" is back.

My email to technical support received a less-than-helpful reply. I got exquisitely detailed instructions on how to download and run WebUpdater to make sure I have the latest version of firmware - despite the fact I mentioned in my email that I already have the latest firmware, and wanted instructions on how I might download/reinstall it, and perhaps the Bluetooth firmware as well. I was also told that my phone may be too new to be compatible with the nuvi. Well, true enough, it's not shown on the website as being compatible, but it's been working with the device day in and day out for months prior to the latest firmware update.

I thought that WebUpdater used to allow you to reinstall the existing firmware if there was no new update to be had. I tried running it just now, and all I get is "There are no new updates. Press Next to look for other updates like voice and text" etc.

Anyone got any advice? Either 4.30 is badly screwed up and needs a bugfix (and judging by the frequent reboots going back to the normal map from the traffic map, this is probably true) or I need to reinstall 4.30 and/or the BT firmware. I'd love to do it, but I can't find a way to do so.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 14 years ago
    I am experiencing exactly the same problems.
    Having bought the nuvi just a week ago and seeing that there hasn't been any helpful support on the bluetooth-topic since june makes me want to return the device...
    Anyways:
    As a workaround the get the audio back I've found out, that muting/unmuting it several times works for me.
  • 0 over 14 years ago
    What do we do with Gamin (lack) of Support

    OK Guys,

    Reading through here, it appears that there are lots of people with issues, whom are posting and GARMIN are not doing anything.
    I have had no email replies, no messages, no nothing.
    Where do we go from here?
  • 0 over 14 years ago
    There is no automotive support monitoring this forum. This particular forum is specifically for Troubleshooting on the "Garmin Connect" website. If you are experiencing issues with an automotive device, the best course of action is to contact Garmin Support directly.
  • 0 over 14 years ago
    Amazed

    Hi All,
    Have been having this bluetooth non connect issue ever since the free map update, about 3 weeks ago. You could get the unit to connect to the phone, then if the unit was turned off, and back on, there would be no bluetooth information, Bluetooth firmware version listed as "unknown". Rebooting the GPS again would allow it to again pair with the bluetooth phone. But on restart, again, all settings would be lost.
    Have been away for a week and left the GPS sitting on my desk.
    Now that I am back, it has not missed one single beat and connects perfectly each and every time (Not game to download new maps in case it breaks again).
    So it appears Garmin are the first to engineer the "self healing" firmware for their GPS units.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 14 years ago
    Phone book issue - Nuvi 3760

    Hi all,

    I've had a 1490T for some time now and like it a lot. Unfortunately, lately, it has started doing weird things, coinciding with the installation of the latest firmware (4.30). It won't stay paired to my phone (RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700) after it (the nuvi) has been shut off. The "Friendly Name" on the nuvi is erased (blank) every time I check, and it doesn't remember my phone (the button is "Add" instead of "Change"). Disabling/re-enabling Bluetooth does nothing. Adding the phone again works about 10% of the time, if I delete the nuvi's profile from my phone first. To boot, when it is having this problem, there is no sound (voice or keypress tone) from the nuvi. Rebooting it may make it work in 1 time out of 6 or 7 tries. I've checked the diagnostics pages (accessed via the speedometer) and other than "Abnormal Powerdown" reported a few times, there's nothing I can really see that jumps out at me.

    On the About page, in Software Versions, I have GPS ver 4.30, Text ver 4.20 (American English), Keyboard ver "Unknown", Audio ver 2.60 (American English-Jill), and Bluetooth ver "Unknown". Doing a reboot (holding down the power key until it goes off, restarting so the Garmin splash screen comes up) - over and over until I get a beep from pressing "Agree" - when I go back into "About", I get still Keyboard - Unknown, but Bluetooth - 1.73. At that point, going back to the Bluetooth setup page, it still has forgotten my phone, but the proper "Friendly Name" is back.

    My email to technical support received a less-than-helpful reply. I got exquisitely detailed instructions on how to download and run WebUpdater to make sure I have the latest version of firmware - despite the fact I mentioned in my email that I already have the latest firmware, and wanted instructions on how I might download/reinstall it, and perhaps the Bluetooth firmware as well. I was also told that my phone may be too new to be compatible with the nuvi. Well, true enough, it's not shown on the website as being compatible, but it's been working with the device day in and day out for months prior to the latest firmware update.

    I thought that WebUpdater used to allow you to reinstall the existing firmware if there was no new update to be had. I tried running it just now, and all I get is "There are no new updates. Press Next to look for other updates like voice and text" etc.

    Anyone got any advice? Either 4.30 is badly screwed up and needs a bugfix (and judging by the frequent reboots going back to the normal map from the traffic map, this is probably true) or I need to reinstall 4.30 and/or the BT firmware. I'd love to do it, but I can't find a way to do so.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!


    I had 2 x Nuvi 1390T's - both I had to return for loss of sound. Sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn't. I then got the latest Nuvi 3760 model. A great little unit with good features. This one at least talks to you all the time (different hardware and software I guess) but the unit decides when to recognize the address book or not. I only had the address book load twice - in the week that I have had the unit. Garmin suggest a firmware update and acknowledge that the units don't support all phones. I have the HTC Touch Pro 2.
    The way round this is to load your destination/customer/friend details via address or coordinate, save the destination under favourites, return to the main screen , call up favourites again, select "edit favourite" and then insert the phone number associated with the saved favourites name. If you don't have many contacts then this is OK.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 14 years ago
    :mad:Not monitored by the automotive group! Seems to me that drivers using Garmin products are being shortchanged. The bluetooth issue is a problem with the 1490T. My unit was replaced due to this problem and I hope the issue is solved.
  • 0 over 14 years ago
    1490t bt issues,,,ecoroute hd..cell phone...

    Yep same here...on a 1490t...also will not reconnect to bt phone (lg env touch)..also. will not provide audio feedback beep when this happens...tried the master reset and reinstalled 4.6..fw...worked fine for about a week,,,now bt problems starting to resurface
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 14 years ago
    Version 3.30 works fine

    I contacted Garmin support and and told them about the BT problem which of course they have never heard of before. One of their support staff made a sensible suggestion and that I should try my Droid 2 on another 1490T. I went back to the store where I bought it, Frys and paired my phone with the 1490T display model and it worked fine. I could turn it on and off and each time it would reconnect happily to my Droid.
    I checked the software version and it was very old 3.30. I am sure my 1490T worked great at first but like all here, I stupidly used the webupdater to load newer software. Currently 4.30. Garmin support claim they have reported the issue to their software department but gave no time frame when to expect the fix.
    I will give them a couple of weeks.
  • 0 over 14 years ago
    Bluetooth problems with 1490T

    I just got my 1490 and tried the bluetooth. It seemed to work fine this morning and then it went squirrely (technical term) this afternoon.

    I did a search for "1490t bluetooth samsung phone" in Google and found an interesting thread in an obscure place, the Garmin forums.

    Under the heading of:
    Garmin Forums > Into Sports > Garmin Connect > Troubleshooting
    "nuvi 1490T Bluetooth phone issue"
    (https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?t=11554)
    I found post #2 by DAVIDCATT (not stealing his thunder) and he gave me the solution that fixed it right up.

    His answer is:
    While the GPS is booting i.e. just after pressing the "on/off" button and the Garmin name is displayed, press and hold the "on/off" button until the screen goes "blank". Now press the “on/off” switch again and once the unit has booted, the Bluetooth should work.

    I don’t know about the architecture of the operating system but think this may cause it to boot from fresh when next turned on and reloading the Bluetooth drivers.


    When I did it, there were pauses before things happend properly but they did work.

    Thanks to Mr Catt for the solution!
  • 0 over 14 years ago
    Re: Bluetooth problems with 1490T

    So.... I finally stopped laughing enough to post this message....

    Yes, laughing, 'cause it's so freakin' bizzare.

    My wife got a new phone from Verizon and I said, "I'll pair your phone with the GPS so that if we're in your car, you can use it!" Great idea.

    So, I did the little dance to make the two pair (don't get me started about the GPS always being in "Discoverable" mode) and the GPS and phone pair as expected... then the phone reboots and they disconnect..... Hmmm... strange, let me try that again.... Yup, repeatedly. I pair the GPS & Phone and the phone reboots.

    I'm gonna go get some more coffee and laugh a bit more...

    Want even more of a laugh, try to pair the 1490T (bluetooth) with your computer...