Need help with a garmin

you have to select the state for which you want to find an address before it will find it. So search by state first, then enter an address. Hope this helps, good luck !!

I've been trawling for unanswered questions; this information may be too late for you (or perhaps it may help you resurrect a useless machine which you have put away) but it will certainly help others searching for advice with the same problem.

You have Garmin Lock activated on your nuvi: there are only two ways you can unlock it.

1. Enter the PIN code (but you clearly don't have it or you wouldn't be reading this).

2. Take the unit to the Security Location you chose when activating Garmin Lock: it will then unlock without the PIN code and you can then either reset the PIN or disable Garmin Lock. The Security Location should not be the owner's home address, but many owners ignore this recommendation. Many owners choose their workplace or a close friend or relatives address for this purpose. This option will only be of use to you if you can contact the last owner.

If neither option works then your unit is useless unless you send it to Garmin with proof of purchase. Garmin charge for the service and if your maps are not up to date then it's really a waste of money as the investment would be better spent on a new unit with current mapping.

I hope that you manage to either fix your problem using my advice or at least can decide whether to abandon the unit and buy another.

Garmin Lock works by using either a 4 digit pin code or by taking the unit back to a preset security location. Although Garmin warn that this should NOT be the user's home address, that's what it normally is. If you know where the last owner lived then you can try going to that location to see if it unlocks, but if you knew that piece of information you could just ask the last owner...

It came from a pawn shop though, so it's very unlikely that you know who the last owner was or where he/she lived.

There is no other way to unlock your unit without sending the unit back to Garmin. There's a charge for the service and you'll be asked to provide evidence that you own the unit; in practice it's going to be cheaper to buy a similar brand new Garmin model. All I can suggest is that you try to get a refund from the pawn shop (unlikely!) or sell it to another unsuspecting person.

Sorry, but Garmin Lock is deliberately difficult to overcome otherwise it wouldn't be much use as an anti-theft deterrent.

Your unit should be preprogrammed with US addresses as well as Canadian addresses. When entering the address, you should press "Where to?", then "Address". The next screen should show you the province you are in, and the button below that should say, "Spell State/Province". Press this, then enter the US state in which the address you want to navigate to is located, then the rest of the address. Let me know if this helps, or if you are still having trouble.

Your Garmin's Home Location has been changed.
Solution: You must reset your Home Location.
Go to Main Menu.
Select: Where to?
Select: My Locations.
Select: Set Home.
(Message: A Home Location Already Exists. Do you want to change this location?)
A. If you are at your home location, select: Yes, use my current location.
B. If you are NOT at your home location, select: Yes, enter my Address. Enter your Home address.
Press "Save".

Take the unit outside and turn it on. Then select View Maps, at the top of the screen it will say either "Locating satellites" or "Acquiring Satellites". Once the garmin has locked onto the overhead satellites, then it will say "Ready to Navigate".

Locating Satellites take longer than Acquiring Satellites.

I believe the problem is the street address. If your address is an even number, the the unit believes the house is on the right in most instances.

Click 'Where to', select 'My Locations' Select 'favorites' Click 'Home' then select 'EDIT' in the lower right hand corner. Than selet 'DELETE' that should clear the home addy out for you.


Best of luck.
Dan

first turn it on and let the unit acquire satellites to find your home state. Then you can set up your address as your "home location". When I first set it up, I was able to pick up the satellites in my bedroom (scary....)...everything worked just fine.

go to menu and  where to.>my location.

touch Set Home --select an option

done