Power to TomTom BT GPS

[Erling]

I have installed a TomTom's Bluetooth GPS using the docking station and the 12 V power cable. For the first week the GPS automatically turned on when in started the car (supplied 12 V power) and automatically turned off again when I stopped the car.

Now the GPS don't automatically turn on anymore   I need to do it manually but it still automatically turn off.

How is it supposed to work?


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Erling Henningsen

Denmark

[Dave]

If you are using the standard accessory plug lead, then I can't see how this would be turning your Bleutooth GPS on when you switch the ignition on. All this does is start to charge the BT GPS and not power it on to get a fix.

[Erling]

The manual to the wireless TomTom GPS says: "Please note than when the GPS receiver is inserted in the cradle, it will switch on and off together with the power supply to the cradle".

It worked for the first week so I mounted the GPS in the rear window bad choice when I have to turn it on manually


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Erling Henningsen

Denmark

[russgunn]

Erling, I too have fitted my Tomtom BT cradle in the car and had it professionally wired to the ignition so that it would power and charge from the cradle. I too had a similar problem to you in that normally the unit powers on immediately as I start the car and then powers off when I turn the engine off, but in one instance it did neither. However, mine is now back to normal.



I put it down to one of the following things...It may have just got confused when not putting it in the cradle straight, so therefore it wasn't sure whether it was connected or not. Or perhaps I put it onto the cradle already switched on at some point and therefore the unit may not have triggered an internal switch. The result would be that this switch could then not turn off as well. Perhaps the unit just had a 'freeze' like most PDA's have from time to time. I'm no GPS receiver expert so don't know if they suffer from this type of thing.



As far as I can remember just switching the unit on, letting it initialize, then switching it off (all out of the cradle) seemed to reset it. Try this.



If this doesn't help get a technician at your local car stereo dealer to check your still connected to the power system of the car. Those connecting wires coming out of the fusebox at the end of the cradle cable are very thin so can easily come away from their contacts in my opinion unless very secure. Also have the technician check there is a positive feed on the red wire near the plug that enters the cradle. Remember, he can't check if there is power on the cradle contacts themselves as I think they are only active once the receiver is placed in the cradle (for safety reasons obviously).

[dmac]

Think my TTBT unit has started playing silly B's

Power levels low, red light showing, recharged unit and now only charge and GPS indicator light is showing signs of life. Yellow after charge.
NOthing from BT indicator light, is there a way of resetting unit or has all sign of life been extinguished.

[russgunn]

dmac, your blue bluetooth light should always be on when the unit is switched on, well that's what I've experienced. It should be either blinking every second or so while waiting for a connection, or flickering constantly while connected and talking to a device. Yellow or red just means it's charging. Resetting involves switching on and off when not being powered in the cradle or connected to the AC adapter as far as I'm aware. Although it doesn't tell you this in the manual, which is helpful!

[dmac]

Switched on/off several times, still no sign of life from BT indicator light.
Will leave it to completly discharge overnight then recharge. If that fails..........unit going home to TT methinks...............

[Erling]

I have now received a new TT wireless GPS and it power on and off just perfect.

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