nüvi® 500 series
owner’s manual
©  2008 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
Garmin International, Inc. 
1200 East 151st Street,  
Olathe, Kansas 66062, USA 
Tel. (913) 397.8200 or  
(800) 800.1020 
Fax (913) 397.8282
Garmin (Europe) Ltd. 
Liberty House 
Hounsdown Business Park,  
Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 9RB UK 
Tel. +44 (0) 870.8501241 (outside the UK)  
0808 2380000 (within the UK) 
Fax +44 (0) 870.8501251
Garmin Corporation  
No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road,  
Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan 
Tel. 886/2.2642.9199 
Fax 886/2.2642.9099
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are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. 
These trademarks may not be used without the express 
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Other trademarks and trade names are those of their 
respective owners. 
August 2008 
Part Number 190-00937-00 Rev. B 
Printed in Taiwan
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing the Garmin® 
nüvi® 500-series GPS-enabled navigator.
  See the Important Safety and 
Product Information guide in the 
product box for product warnings 
and other important information.
Product Registration
Help us better support you by completing 
our online registration today! Connect to 
our Web site at http://my.garmin 
.com. Keep the original sales receipt, or a 
photocopy, in a safe place.
Contact Garmin
Contact Garmin Product Support if you 
have any questions while using your 
nüvi. In the USA, go to www.garmin 
.com/support, or contact Garmin USA by 
phone at (913) 397-8200 or  
(800) 800-1020.
nϋvi 500 Series Owner’s Manual 
Introduction
In the UK, contact Garmin (Europe) Ltd. 
by phone at 0808 2380000.
In Europe, go to www.garmin.com 
/support and click Contact Support 
for in-country support information, or 
contact Garmin (Europe) Ltd. by phone 
at +44 (0) 870.8501241.
More Information
For more information about your nüvi, 
touch Tools > Help. For information 
about accessories, go to http://buy.garmin 
.com or www.garmin.com/extras, or 
contact your Garmin dealer.
i
Introduction
Table of Contents
Introduction .....................................i
Product Registration ..........................i
Contact Garmin .................................i
More Information ...............................i
Looking at Your nüvi ........................ iv
Getting Started ...............................1
Step 1: Install the nüvi Battery ..........1
Step 2: Charge Your nüvi .................2
Step 3: Mount Your nüvi ...................2
Step 4: Configure the nüvi ................3
Step 5: Acquire Satellites .................3
Step 6: Pair your Bluetooth®  
Headset .......................................3
Using the Menu Page .......................4
Where To? ......................................7
Finding an Address ...........................7
Setting a Home Location ..................7
Finding a Place by Spelling the  
Name  ..........................................8
Finding Recently Found Places ........9
Favorites ...........................................9
Extras .............................................10
Using Custom Routes ....................11
Entering Coordinates ......................12
Finding Geographic Points .............12
ii 
Finding a Place Using the Map ......13
Using TracBack®  ............................13
Searching Near Another Location ..13
Using the Map ..............................14
Trip Computer .................................15
Turn List ..........................................15
Next Turn ........................................15
Managing Files .............................16
Supported File Types......................16
Loading Files ..................................16
Loading Photos for Photo  
Navigation .................................18
Deleting Files  .................................18
Using the Tools ............................19
Settings ..........................................19
Where Am I? ...................................19
Wherigo™  .......................................19
Help ................................................19
Picture Viewer ................................19
Custom Routes ...............................20
My Data ..........................................20
World Clock  ...................................20
Calculator  ......................................21
Unit Converter  ...............................21
Compass ........................................22
Traffic ..............................................23
MSN® Direct....................................23
nϋvi 500 Series Owner’s Manual
Customizing the nüvi ..................24
System Settings .............................24
Navigation Settings ........................24
Display Settings ..............................25
Time Settings ..................................25
Language Settings .........................25
Map Settings ..................................26
Security Settings ............................27
Bluetooth Settings ..........................27
Traffic Subscription Information ......28
Proximity Points Settings ................29
Restoring All Settings .....................29
Using FM Traffic  ..........................30
Traffic in Your Area .........................30
Severity Color Code .......................31
Traffic on Your Route ......................31
Viewing the Traffic Map ..................32
Viewing Traffic Delays ....................32
Traffic Subscriptions .......................32
Geocaching ..................................33
Quick Links .....................................33
Downloading Geocaches ...............33
Finding Geocaches ........................34
Wherigo ..........................................34
Boating Mode ...............................35
Viewing Marine Maps .....................35
Finding Marine Points .....................36
nϋvi 500 Series Owner’s Manual 
Introduction
Viewing Tide Information ................36
Viewing Marine Currents ................36
More Information ............................36
Appendix ......................................37
myGarmin™  ....................................37
Caring for Your nüvi  .......................37
Locking Your nüvi ...........................38
Calibrating the Screen ....................39
Resetting the nüvi ...........................39
Updating the Software ....................39
Clearing User Data .........................40
Battery Information  ........................40
Replacing the Battery in the nüvi ....40
Charging Your nüvi .........................40
Changing the Fuse .........................41
Mounting on Your Dashboard .........41
Additional Maps ..............................42
Extras and Optional Accessories ....42
About GPS Satellite Signals ...........44
Declaration of Conformity ...............44
Software License Agreement .........45
Specifications .................................46
Troubleshooting ..............................47
Index .............................................49
iii
Introduction
Looking at Your nüvi
GPS antenna
 Power button:
Press and hold to turn on/off the nüvi. 
Press quickly to adjust the backlight 
brightness.
Battery 
contacts
Mini‑USB 
connector under 
the weather cap
Speaker
Battery cover
Serial number 
under the battery
Release key: Slide 
up to open the 
battery cover.
microSD™ card slot 
under the battery
iv 
nϋvi 500 Series Owner’s Manual
Getting Started
Warning: This product contains 
a lithium-ion battery. To prevent 
damage, remove the unit from the 
vehicle when exiting or store it out of 
direct sunlight. 
Before mounting the nüvi, see 
the Important Safety and Product 
Information guide for information 
about laws pertaining to windshield 
mounting. 
Getting Started
Step 1: Install the nüvi 
Battery
1.  Locate the lithium‑ion battery that 
came in the product box.
2.  Slide the release key up to open the 
battery cover on the back of the nüvi. 
3.  Locate the metal contacts on the end 
of the lithium‑ion battery. 
4.  Insert the battery so that the metal 
contacts on the battery match up with 
the metal contacts inside the battery 
compartment. 
nϋvi 500 Series Owner’s Manual 
Getting Started
5.  Press the battery into place.
6.  Slide the battery cover back on until it 
clicks into place. 
Step 2: Charge Your nüvi
Use the vehicle power cable to charge 
your nüvi. To purchase an optional USB 
cable or AC adapter cable, go to  
http://buy.garmin.com.
Step 3: Mount Your nüvi
1.  Pull back the weather cap from the 
mini‑USB connector located on the 
back of your nüvi.
2.  Plug the vehicle power cable into the 
mini‑USB connector. 
3.  Snap the cradle onto the suction cup 
arm.
Suction cup 
arm
Cradle
Lever
4.  Remove the clear plastic from the 
suction cup. Clean and dry your 
windshield and the suction cup with a 
lint‑free cloth.
5.  Place the suction cup on the 
windshield.
6.  Flip the lever back, toward the 
windshield. 
7.  Fit the bottom of your nüvi into the 
cradle.
 
nϋvi 500 Series Owner’s Manual