UPDATE: A fix has been posted.
Been having problems locking satellites on your TomTom the last few days? Turns out you’re not the only one. It seems that a leap year bug has affected some TomTom models, although they aren’t saying which ones. Please chime in below if your’s is affected and tell us which model it is. The company is letting users know, via its website, that a fix (pardon the pun) is on the way…
Update 2nd April 23:39 CET:We have identified the root cause of the issue which has caused some of our models to not get a GPS position. The issue is caused by a ‘leap year’ bug in our GPS firmware. We’re working on a fix and will provide a further update as soon as we know more.
Since Saturday 31st March a limited number of devices have been having an issue getting a GPS position. We’re looking into the cause and will post an update here as soon as we know more.
If you click at the bottom of this FAQ, you will automatically receive an update.We hear from some of our customers that a reset of the device temporarily resolves the issue. Please see the instructions below on how to perform a reset. If your navigation device receives a signal from less than four satellites or the signals are not strong enough, the Driving View is grey. Also one of the following messages is shown:
- Waiting for a valid GPS signal…
- Poor GPS signal…
- The GPS signal was lost x sec ago
If your navigation device does not get a GPS fix within a few minutes, do the following:
- Reset your navigation device.
- Make sure your navigation device is being used under the correct circumstances.
- Check if your car has a heat reflective windscreen.
- Install the latest application.
Via TomTom
About Rich Owings
Returned my Tom Tom VIA 1535 TM yesterday to Target– same day as I bought it, because of this frozen-screen non-geolocation problem. The replacement 1535 that Target gave me did same thing – it froze up and doesn’t work either –same problem. Really nicely featured GPS unit, but it doesn’t do one thing-navigate!!!- It’s going back to Target now for refund and will look at other brand. Really had to search web for help on this -would be nice if they had an 800 support number -that might have saved sale and customer. What frustrating a waste of time.
FWIW, they’ve rolled out a fix: http://gpstracklog.com/2012/04/tomtom-owners-get-their-gps-fix.html
Just returned my Tom Tom 1535 to Target yesterday as well. Same exact problem. The unit could not receive a signal unless I did a “soft” reboot (holding power button for 20 seconds and then waiting two minutes) and even then I had to play with it for about 15 minutes toggling back and forth between “Change Route” and “Use Last Destination” functions.
Target had no issue with giving me a refund. It sounded like they had a special box in the backroom filling up with Tom Toms to be shipped back to the manufacturer.
Arrived in Hawaii yesterday, got my brand new VIA 1435TM out of the box in order to help me get to our destination which was over an hour away, and guess what,…..cannot find “a valid GPS signal”. Fracking let down, and even if there is a downloadable software fix we have no computer with us to download it on. Thank the lord for my son’s I-phone, without it we would have had to buy a map!
Very dissapointed. Arrived in Hawaii yesterday, got my brand new VIA 1435TM out of the box in order to help me get to our destination which was over an hour away, and guess what,…..cannot find “a valid GPS signal”. Fracking let down, and even if there is a downloadable software fix we have no computer with us to download it on. Thank the lord for my son’s I-phone, without it we would have had to buy a map!
I had the same problem with my 2535 live on my way to Boston unable to get a Gps fix.I am now downloading the fix from the tomtom site
I am on my forth return and feel like throwing this in the ocean, not happy with staples as they pretend there is nothing up and it must be me. Will not be buying another one
Yeah, I think TomTom should have recalled these or put a BIG sticker on them saying they needed a firmware update before they would work. I suspect we’ll see a lot of discounted refurbs this fall.
Hmm, I wonder how TomTom is going to handle all those units on store shelves. A sticker on the box saying it must be updated?!
My 825 live will not lock in satilites
It shouldn’t affect that model. When was the last time you used it? This may help…
http://gpstracklog.com/2012/01/what-to-do-about-gps-reception-problems.html
I purchased 1 on 4/5/12, the VIA 1500 at a Walmart in Florida. Worked great for about 2 hours, then it was waiting on valid GPS signal forever!!! Got upset, trying to leave on a long trip so I took it back & swapped for the same model & hoped for better. I got it for 6 hours & then that one did the same thing!!! Next day, I went to another Walmart for a trade, ended up just getting my money back. Stopped in at a Target & the guy told me that he could not sell me a TomTom at that time as they had been instructed not to sell them as of 4/4/12 because of satelite & tower issues, but apparently Walmart was the only one that kept selling. I bought a Garmin, seems fine, but I was wondering if there was any validity to what the salesman at Target had said?
There was an issue with locking satellites, but a fix has been issued…
http://gpstracklog.com/2012/04/tomtom-owners-get-their-gps-fix.html
Had the same problem lasted for over a week. No GPS found on TOM-TOM VIA 1530 TM. I have a feeling the problem affected allot more units than they will ever admit too. Very disappointed that they didn’t contact the customer base via e-mail since registration is mandatory for any updates to occur. Called support and they had no clue what I was talking about. I had to GOOGLE the problem to find out what went wrong. Very poor customer support in my opinion. Lastly, they post a resolution on the TOM-TOM website however you have to go looking for that too. You can get instant traffic updates but have to wait over a week to find a solution to a severe problem/crash on the virtual highway.. Very bad response time, very bad service for such a known product like TOM-TOM. Shame, shame on Tom Tom.
Almost the WHOLE range of models sold for the past 2 years are affected apart from those based on older hardware.
Via’s Live’s newer GO’s etc etc.
I have had cr@p luck with TT support (based in mexico if you are in america or canada) Its true they have NO CLUE !
12 hr drive with no gps as both my 1535 and 2053 both crapped out on me.
google maps and android phone to the rescue…
Its just the same with all the updates promised over 2 1/2 years ago, most of those are (ahermm) “coming soon”.
TT used to be a great GPS but now they supply you with BETA sh#t and dont give a darn about the end user.
future shop you are bunch of aholes selling me this knowing damn well it wasn’t going to work as i was travelling overseas, i would throw this tomtom through your f#####g window if i were back in canada!
I been having problems with getting the nearest destination, example walmart, the nearest one tom tom can find is 193 miles away, when there is one a few minutes away
I’m not sure this will fix it, but have you tried updating your maps?
i think I got it now but thanks if I have anymore problems I will let you know
My 1535 has not been finding sats the last few weeks. I have to hold down on/off and reboot device to get sats. kinda nice when your going to a call in a fire engine when someone needs help!!!!
My thoughts about Tom Tom devices. You can olnly polish a turd so much. It is still a turd.