I'm Beginning to Hate Garmin

[RockBottom]

About a year and half ago, I bought a Zumo 450. It worked fine for about a year, then started corrupting my routes. Since it was out of warranty, I decided to buy a new Zumo 220. It worked fine for a couple of months, then wouldn't boot, hanging on the "loading maps" screen.

 

Garmin had me send it in and they replaced it with a new one. So this weekend I headed out on a two day, 780 mile ride and about an hour in, I notice that it has corrupted my route so that it now runs from one end of my driveway to the other--from 780 miles to 75 feet. Luckily, I had written my route down so bought a map and a highlighter and navigated that way.

 

Now that I'm back, I trying loading several other custom routes and it does the same thing--changes every route from one end of my driveway to the other. And some of these are routes that worked fine a few weeks so. So I upgraded the software (which had been upgraded when I got the new unit four days ago). Does the same thing.

 

I think there's a Tom Tom in my future.

[johnlt]

Try placing waypoints along your desired route then route to those waypoints.

[bobbybob]

Do this before calling Garmin cause its what they're gonna tell you to do: go to Garmin.com and make sure you have the latest version of Webupdater on your computer. Then plug in your Zumo to your comp and run the program. It will connect to Garmin and update and/or fix some issues. Then try it again to see if that helps--often it does. If not, THEN call them and tell them everything you have done so far. If no help, tell them you want to trade it in on a different model--such as 478, etc. (much better anyway

[Boffin]

Just make the end point of your route different to the start point. My routes always end on the outskirts of our village - I know my way home from there.

 

Andy

[BeemerLover]

I've also had these kind of problems with Garmin GPS. I will create a route and then try to modify it so I can take more interesting roads. Some of the results are laughable. On more than one occasion, when on a route, it turned me down a dirt road that was a dead end. I had to go back to the paved highway, turn the unit off, reboot and let it recalculate the route, where it did not choose the dirt road.

 

Like Lojnlt, I have found it much easier to create a bunch of waypoints along the way and then just to navigate from waypoint to waypoint.

 

 

[notacop]

I had my GArmin BMW NAvigator hang up when I rode past an airport at Trona Ca. The radar unit musta freaked it out. I had to remove the batteries from the dumb thing to get it to shut off.

I haven't tried to program maps since I read so many horror stories on the web sites. GPS is a fun toy with interesting info but I rely on the old style GPM...good paper maps....to give a more better picture of when I is.

I'm happy with a cheap TOM-TOM 330XL now.

What completely amazed me was using a real old Street III on my last trip as a back-up. I like the altitude function and the battery voltage feature. But, the level of detail of far from places in the base memory was fascinating.

Even with 2 GPS, I still carry maps in the tank bag.

[RockBottom]

After wasting most of a day when I really should have been writing to researching this problem and trying every possible solution, I may have it figured out. It looks like there is some sort of incompatibility between the newest Garmin map set and older ones. When you transfer a route designed in the older one to a device with the newest one, as the device loads the route, it recalculates it by deleting all the via points, making the route the shortest distances from the start point to the end point, which is about 75 feet for me.

 

If this is right, it certainly makes me ask what in the world Garmin was thinking. Why would they allow an incompatibility between versions of their maps to get out? And, it gets worse. I loaded the latest maps when I received the warranty replacement Zumo last week. But I didn't know that when you do a map update, the default setting it to load the new ones only to the device. You have to manually go it and make it load the latest to BOTH the device and computer. Again, what the heck were they thinking? They design an incompatibility between map sets, then build their map updater so as to maximize the chances that someone will have different versions of the maps on the their device and their computer!

 

While I'm happy this is now working, it means that the 20 or so routes that I designed with older map sets are useless and just need to be thrown away. I remain open to being shown that I have this analyzed all wrong. But if I'm right, Garmin was amazingly stupid.

[johnlt]

That is the way it always works. You should do a "recalculate" on your PC using the same mapset as is in your unit for all routes you want to use. The other method is as I indicated before. Use waypoints instead of just viapoints.

[SageRider]

NO:

...it means that the 20 or so routes that I designed with older map sets are useless and just need to be thrown away

 

YES:

You should do a "recalculate" on your PC using the same mapset as is in your unit for all routes you want to use

 

 

edit:

...and turn off route auto recalculate on your GPS...

[BeemerLover]

As I understand it, any route planned on your computer, no matter in what format (mapset?) it was saved, will be unilaterally recalculated once it is called up in the GPS unit. It will go from start to finish or start - waypoint - finish in the way it wants to, not necessarily how you programmed it.

 

 

[Lone_RT_rider]

YES:

You should do a "recalculate" on your PC using the same mapset as is in your unit for all routes you want to use

 

This is why we encourage everyone to do this no matter what Garmin mapsets they have. We do so on our BRR routes page.

 

Shawn

[SageRider]

As I understand it, any route planned on your computer, no matter in what format (mapset?) it was saved, will be unilaterally recalculated once it is called up in the GPS unit. It will go from start to finish or start - waypoint - finish in the way it wants to, not necessarily how you programmed it.

 

Not if the map sets match....

[johnlt]

As I understand it, any route planned on your computer, no matter in what format (mapset?) it was saved, will be unilaterally recalculated once it is called up in the GPS unit. It will go from start to finish or start - waypoint - finish in the way it wants to, not necessarily how you programmed it.

 

Not if the map sets match....

 

I agree. If the map sets are the same, it won't re-calculate.

[ElevenFifty]

I'm not using a Zumo yet but I have used a couple of Garmin devices for very complex routes, have slept in Holiday Inn Express, and find these practices to be key:

 

1. Don't route loops ... if you leave the route for any reason, the GPS may re-calculate to the nearest route point (via or waypoint). Instead, use 2 routes- one outbound and one inbound.

 

2. Check each route point location at 1 mile/highest resolution for placement. A route point that is 30 ft off may cause the GPS to take you off the highway, around the block, and back on the highway.

 

3. Duplicate your 'finished route' then change the Mapsource route method (fastest/shortest setting) and recalculate the copy. If you see that the original and copy are different, add a via or waypoint. When the two agree, and if you don't have 'loops' the GPS will be spot on.

 

4. Any change in the computer mapset requires that you download the maps with the routes - otherwise, the GPS will complain and offer to recalculate.

 

5. To find the 'lost roads' in unfamiliar territory, try making a 'Direct Route' between two points ... you'll have a nice straight line between two points. Then switch back to auto-routing and create a new route between the same two points. Now zoom in the the magic 1 mile altitude and use the straight line as a guide to find smaller roads that run parallel and drag your auto-route to use these roads.

 

6. Be sure you know how to 'Remove via points' from a route using your GPS touch screen. If you go off route exploring (I do this ALL the time), then you may want to remove a point or two to avoid backtracking.

 

7. DON'T trust the 'no unpaved roads' feature of Mapsource. I find that long roads with no cross streets or branch roads, are almost always unimproved. If I find one that really looks tempting, a Google will sometimes reveal it's character.

 

8. The POI stuff is pretty bad. I use it as a general indicator of civilization ... 'Garmin shows 5 service stations 32 miles to the NE, so head that way' (but don't expect to find any one of the five to still be in business). There are lots more motels and hotels than Garmin knows about.

 

Garmin's GUI is really deficient. A more intelligent 'snap' feature would be nice. If you are using a view higher than the magic '1 mile' and planning a ride on an Interstate going south, it should intuit that you didn't mean to drop a via on the northbound side to the highway in the middle of nowhere. It should also allow you to selectively reveal secondary and tertiary roads at wider zoom levels.

 

That said, I have found the actual performance of the system to be just fine over thousands of miles of backroads.

[hopz]

Everything 1150 said is true but just to say it again.... there are some basics that all motorcycle GPS users need to heed...

 

You MUST have exactly the same base map on the computer and on the GPS unit.

 

You must have exactly the same route preferences on the computer map and the unit map.

 

When you make a route you need to review the calculated route AT A VERY LOW ZOOM level. Look for the route to go where you think you set it go. Look for unexpected u-Turns and other surprises.

 

If you are going into totally new territory, review your route on the unit after it has been imported and recalculated. No matter what you did on the computer, the route on the unit is the one you will have to deal with on the road.

 

Before you leave, install "favorites" of the major places/intersections etc on your path of travel. Do this on the GPS unit- not the computer map. You may have a route that you planned to go to Timbuktoo, but suppose you get off path and just want to get to there from where you are. If you already have it as a favorite- you can get a route to there from where you are- with one or two touches.

 

If you want to go to an intersection of two highways, say like the one in a town... and you have planned the route using THE TOWN... be aware that "the town" as far as the GPS is concerned is where the Post Office is, not where the intersection of the highway is.

 

And, lastly... a GPS is a tool, just like any tool it will do what you tell it, not what you think you have told it.

 

Enjoy the ride.

[Fubar]

I'm happy with a cheap TOM-TOM 330XL now.

I still carry maps in the tank bag.

+1

TomTom 340XL w/a Ram mount on the brake reservoir. $200 total. Never had a single problem and I can use it in any other vehicle. Always carry a paper copy for unfamiliar areas.

[ElevenFifty]

Any GPS will get you to the destination. The Garmin/Mapsource solution (and others in its class) allow you to take the long way round.

[Paul Mihalka]

I love these threads. I don't have these problems. A yellow highlighter and a map hasn't failed me yet. Yeah, I know, I'm a Luddite and enjoying it.

[racer7]

+1 for hardcopy. I've got a zumo but there's a whole lot stuff that's easier and a lot faster with a map. My map ;library is around 15 linear feet of stuff bookshelves- stuff covers a lot of the world.

 

In the really old days (like the 50s) it was fun to collect the free maps at gas stations. Every brand had a new map of each state, each year and at the rate interstates were being built,changes were obvious. We don't do infrastructure with any speed at all, anymore....

[hopz]

I like maps too.

 

Ever eat greasy fried chicken on a road trip and wipe your hands on a Texaco Road Map?... those were the days.

[EddyQ]

+1 for hardcopy. I've got a zumo but there's a whole lot stuff that's easier and a lot faster with a map. My map ;library is around 15 linear feet of stuff bookshelves- stuff covers a lot of the world.

 

I'd MUCH rather have my computer and high speed internet to plan a route over maps. Huge amount of benifits over maps. Although some old maps do reviel some interesting things that the modern internet stuff doesn't. At home, using both are best.

 

But on-the-road planning, with just my Zumo, unless it is simple, forget it. Planning/plotting a route on the GPS is not even close to a paper map method unless you just don't care where it takes you.

[woodscrew]

I bought a 276c six years ago based on the general consensus of this board. Once I learned how to use it (an ongoing process) I have had no regrets. Listen to Eleven Fifty, go in really tight while making routes, especially at intersections, in towns, or to make sure you don't inadvertently pick the west bound lane on I80 when you want to go east. Always review your route closely on the unit after transfer from the pc. As in marine navigation, never have blind faith in any one nav tool. I always carry at least a road atlas in case all the electrons go astray, and for an over view when planning a route on the unit itself in a hotel somewhere. With very rare exceptions, I have always found the mistakes to be mine. The others remain a mystery. By the way, I am a complete idiot with a computer- if I can do it anyone can.

Woodscrew

[dirtrider]

Hi RockBottom

 

The Garmin Zumo 450/550 and it’s operating software have a few quirks in it’s operation when routing such as you are.

 

I’m not sure what your actual problem is but here is a list of known issues when routing like you are trying.

 

First is an issue with loop routing. - If you plan a route that starts and ends at the same place if “anything” goes wrong on the route or the Zumo recalculates the route it can just send you directly to the end point. In your case across your driveway. To be safe and avoid this potential issue never plan or load a loop route with the end point at the same location as the beginning point. (also see route reversal below)

 

Route reversal issues. – Another known issue on the Zumo series is route reversal issue or riding a section of a route backwards for a short ways. This can in a lot of cases force the Zumo to recalculate the route even if you have auto-recalculate turned off. This is a well know bug that has been around forever. If at all possible never make a route that uses the same roads in 2 directions. If you can’t avoid this at least use plenty of shaping points in that area so if a recalculation occurs it will stay on preplanned routing. This problem will be seen on loop routes as well as missed turns that require a backtrack to get back to the route. When in doubt and you need to back track always stop the route then re-initialize it as it will then reinstall the original planned route.

 

Then as you have found a Mapping mismatch between a route made on an earlier Map and a later Map in your Zump can cause routing issues as it does strange thing on recalculation. To be safe “always” run your old routes and other’s furnished routes through the same Mapping that your Zumo has on it then do a recalculate. Look “very closely” at the total miles on the original route then on the recalculated route. If the mileage is different then you know something was changed on the recalculation. In this case go over the route looking for where the route was changed.

 

On planning a route like you did the safest thing to do is plan 2 routes. One going away from your house than another returning to your house. Loop routes just open the door for failure, especially if you miss a turn or need to back track.

 

As mentioned in the thread above it is a good idea to have the same avoidances on the your Zumo as on your Mapsource but if the route is made correctly with proper routing via points it shouldn’t be absolutely necessary. Personally I have my Zumo avoidances set for “avoid Interstates” and Route preferences set to “shorter distance” so when I hit the detour button it takes me off the freeway and on feeder roads around the problem area.

 

[Bob H]

I have a Love Hate relation ship with my Garmin also, its a 550 witch when i bought it i thought all you had to do to get XM was to plug my antenna from my roady in WRONG. you need a special $300 antenna witch really is the receiver. Then it cant find towns that are on the map when you ride thru town i'm on my third unit, now this one takes sometimes 2 miles to find itself.

In its defense the European Card was fantastic. Also Mapquest routing works very well.

[Kinsley]

Just make the end point of your route different to the start point. My routes always end on the outskirts of our village - I know my way home from there.

 

Andy

 

Good suggestion, I do this now and it really helps.