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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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