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Nuvi 1490T Bluetooth problem

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!

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

Wow, that did it for me. It's been 2 weeks since I deleted this file and the GPS has paired with my phone EVERY TIME, at least 25 times in a row. That is a RECORD for me. So I am calling it probably fixed.

My 1490T always detects my Iphone 3, but only loads my contacts less than 50% of the time-annoying, but given the current price and other features a small thing.

0 justmeinkake over 14 years ago

No phone Icon

Just got a Garmin Nuvi 1490t for my husband, Mostly for the Bluetooth hand free. This is Christmas, so of course no one in the office. There is NO Phone icon. Why? Did I get the wrong one? it says that its connected to my phone, but how can a person make or get :confused: a call when there is NO ICON?:confused: Please help any ideas?

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

If the Garmin says it's connected to your phone, then there should be a blue phone icon on the bottom of the main menu. They don't have a phone icon on the map, you need to go back to the top menu.

0 rdale12000 over 14 years ago

same with my 1370

Can't see the address book on my blackberry 9700. May have dissapeared after I upgraded the software. Also the voice doesn't work with drivesafee.ly but otherwise blue seems to work. It would be nice to see the three choices displayed on the nuvi when I voice dial.

Have emailed garmin and will see if they help.

0 rdale12000 over 14 years ago

Can't see the address book on my blackberry 9700. May have dissapeared after I upgraded the software. Also the voice doesn't work with drivesafee.ly but otherwise blue seems to work. It would be nice to see the three choices displayed on the nuvi when I voice dial.

Have emailed garmin and will see if they help.

Here is one of the responses I have recieved:

Thank you for contacting Garmin International.
I would be happy to help you with this. The reason we do not list phones as compatible sometimes is because an update from either the phone manufacturer (BlackBerry) or Garmin could possibly change the compatibility status. For example, my phone is not listed as compatible, but have been able to use Bluetooth fine. After updating the software on my phone, I now have intermittent connectivity issues. This would be why previously the phonebook paired, but after an update, the status of that being able to happen changed. If we work with a phone manufacturer and see that future updates on either side could change how the Bluetooth works in correlation with each other, we will not list it as compatible or will list that it has reduced functionality.
Even though Bluetooth is fairly universal, each company has their own platform or unique design to how their Bluetooth is used. Since the phone is not listed as compatible, this would be the source of why you are able to use Bluetooth, but have limitations in relation to the phonebook.
I understand the forumns you are reading, but the design of the Bluetooth is not the issue. The phones that are listed as compatible work as intended so it is not a poor Bluetooth design that is the issue but rather a compatibility issue.
I hope this explains further why the change of status in relation the phonebook, but if not, please let me know and I would be happy to try to explain further.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for contacting Garmin.

With Best Regards,
Ryan T
Product Support Specialist
Automotive Team
Garmin International
913-397-8200
800-800-1020
913-440-8280 (fax) Att: Ryan T, Associate #5870

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

Here is one of the responses I have recieved:

Thank you for contacting Garmin International.
I would be happy to help you with this. The reason we do not list phones as compatible sometimes is because an update from either the phone manufacturer (BlackBerry) or Garmin could possibly change the compatibility status. For example, my phone is not listed as compatible, but have been able to use Bluetooth fine. After updating the software on my phone, I now have intermittent connectivity issues. This would be why previously the phonebook paired, but after an update, the status of that being able to happen changed. If we work with a phone manufacturer and see that future updates on either side could change how the Bluetooth works in correlation with each other, we will not list it as compatible or will list that it has reduced functionality.
Even though Bluetooth is fairly universal, each company has their own platform or unique design to how their Bluetooth is used. Since the phone is not listed as compatible, this would be the source of why you are able to use Bluetooth, but have limitations in relation to the phonebook.
I understand the forumns you are reading, but the design of the Bluetooth is not the issue. The phones that are listed as compatible work as intended so it is not a poor Bluetooth design that is the issue but rather a compatibility issue.
I hope this explains further why the change of status in relation the phonebook, but if not, please let me know and I would be happy to try to explain further.
Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for contacting Garmin.

With Best Regards,
Ryan T
Product Support Specialist
Automotive Team
Garmin International
913-397-8200
800-800-1020
913-440-8280 (fax) Att: Ryan T, Associate #5870

So, is my Apple Iphone G3 listed as "compatible?" Sometimes contacts show up and sometimes they don't: otherwise, it works just fine.

0 rdale12000 over 14 years ago

So, is my Apple Iphone G3 listed as "compatible?" Sometimes contacts show up and sometimes they don't: otherwise, it works just fine.

http://my.garmin.com/bluetooth/phones.faces

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

Deleted file ... still no phone book

I deleted the mlg_history.db file as suggested. Rebooted my 1490LMT... and still no phone book visible. I use an Iphone 4 and have had the phone book visible on occasion. This is my 2nd unit in 8 days .. first one died completely on day 6. Bought at Costco so exchanged for new one. Now this problem... any other suggestion on how to get phone book visible... it is needed as I live in Ontario Canada and it is now illegal to operated a cell phone while driving as well as tweaking with any electronics in car while moving. Hands free is the law...

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

I deleted the mlg_history.db file as suggested. Rebooted my 1490LMT... and still no phone book visible. I use an Iphone 4 and have had the phone book visible on occasion. This is my 2nd unit in 8 days .. first one died completely on day 6. Bought at Costco so exchanged for new one. Now this problem... any other suggestion on how to get phone book visible... it is needed as I live in Ontario Canada and it is now illegal to operated a cell phone while driving as well as tweaking with any electronics in car while moving. Hands free is the law...

I'm in Seattle, and have the same issues; however, my "original" unit is just fine, with this one "tic." Sometimes the contact list shows up, sometimes it does not. When it doesn't, I pull over and dial manually, using either my Iphone or 1490: in either case, the conversation takes place on the Garmin, not the Iphone.

0 Former Member over 14 years ago

May have fixed it

I deleted the mlg_history.db file as suggested. Rebooted my 1490LMT... and still no phone book visible. I use an Iphone 4 and have had the phone book visible on occasion. This is my 2nd unit in 8 days .. first one died completely on day 6. Bought at Costco so exchanged for new one. Now this problem... any other suggestion on how to get phone book visible... it is needed as I live in Ontario Canada and it is now illegal to operated a cell phone while driving as well as tweaking with any electronics in car while moving. Hands free is the law...

Just as a follow up .... I decided to do one more thing after deleting the .db file. I deleted the bluetooth connection from both my Iphone and 1490. I then let it re-pair the phone and this time did not put in a user friendly name for the 1490, just left it as NUVI (serial# ). Now I have the phone book visible .... we will see for how long.