This troubleshooting page will help you diagnose problems with the TomTom VIA 1530 TM.

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The screen freezes or goes black and does not refresh.

If the screen is blank or does not seem to be turning on, it is most likely that the battery is dead. Plug in the device and allow the battery to charge for at least two hours. If the device still fails to respond, it is likely the battery is faulty due to overuse or overheating and must be replaced. If lithium ion batteries, such as TomTom batteries, are unused or uncharged for a long enough time, they will completely discharge making it impossible for them to hold a charge, resulting in unresponsiveness of the device.

If the device has a blank screen or does not seem to be turning on, it might mean that the screen is broken and needs replacement. Before replacing the screen, make sure that the device battery is fully charged, and you have performed a soft reset on the device as these may fix the issue.

The screen displays a spinning cogwheel and then a red cross that will not disappear.

The device displays the spinning cogwheel and then a device with a red cross when the TomTom software is not installed correctly. First you must perform a soft reset. If the device is still not functioning properly, make sure the device is fully charged, and restore the device using the latest version of MyDrive Connect.

The screen is unresponsive or you touch one icon and it lights up another.

There may be dirt or sand beneath the screen impeding with proper screen functioning. To clean beneath the screen, use a card or fingernail to slightly lift the screen bezel around the touch-screen (just enough to get a few toothbrush bristles under it). Work the brush bristles around the screen. If this does not work, blast air under the bezel using a can of air or an Air Blow Gun with a fine nozzle.

If the manual cleaning does not solve the issue, the touch screen and underlying software must be out of sync. To fix this, you must re-calibrate the screen using a trial and error method listed below:

  • Shut off your device and remove the SD card. Press the Power button to restart the GPS (a dark screen with white text should appear).Look for a line of text reading “Touch Screen Calibration Data.” Write down the four numbers listed (These represent the minimum and maximum values for your left-right and up-down positions).Create a new text file on your computer using Notepad and name it “cal.txt.” Type the original calibration (the four numbers from before) in the high-low-high-low order.Connect your device to the computer and turn it on. Close TomTom HOME if it opens. Use Windows Explorer to copy the “cal.txt” or “calib.txt” file to your TomTom or its SD card. Disconnect the TomTom and test it again. It should behave exactly as it did before, which is the desired result. Re-connect your device to the computer using a USB cable, and shut down TomTom HOME if it opens. Open Windows Explorer, and click on the icon representing your TomTom or its memory card. Open the “cal.txt” or “calib.txt” file.Change the numbers in the text file slightly. For example, if your touch screen is skewed to the right, reduce the first pair of numbers by 10 or 15. Save the file, disconnect your TomTom from the computer, and restart it. Your touch screen should be closer to its original alignment.Connect the TomTom to the computer once more, and repeat your changes to the calibration numbers. Reduce or increase the first pair in small increments to move your calibration left or right, and the second pair to move it up and down. Save the file, and test your TomTom again.Repeat this trial-and-error process until you have restored your unit to correct calibration.

The device will not charge or fails to hold a charge.

Your TomTom settings may prevent it from staying on when “external power is lost.” Go to “Battery Settings.” Click “next” until you see “Device stays on when external power is lost. " Put a check-mark there.

It is most likely that the battery is faulty. Plug in the device and allow the battery to charge for at least two hours. If the device still fails to respond, it is possible the battery no longer functions properly due to overuse or overheating and needs to be replaced. Also, if lithium ion batteries, such as TomTom batteries, are unused or uncharged for a long enough time, they will completely discharge making it impossible for them to hold a charge, thus the battery would need replacement.

The device got too hot and the battery was destroyed. The device can no longer charge and the battery must be replaced.

If the TomTom’s battery charges slower in the car than when plugged in at home, or fails to charge in the car altogether, the car charger is broken and needs replacement. Buy the replacement charger with a built-in Radio Data System - Traffic Message Channel (RDS-TMC) to get traffic signals.

The device will not turn on when the power button is pressed.

This device doesn’t fully shut down when powered off to preserve positioning data. If you leave the device off for more than a few days, it takes a longer button press to turn on. This means the device entered a full hibernation state, not just standby. In that case, positioning data was lost and the device will start searching for a GPS signal when turned on.

It is likely that the battery is dead or drained. Plug in the device and allow the battery to charge for at least two hours. If the device still fails to turn on, it is possible the battery no longer works due to overuse or overheating and must be replaced. If lithium ion batteries, such as the TomTom batteries, are unused or uncharged for a long enough time, they will completely discharge making it impossible for them to hold a charge.

The location icon will appear gray or an error message will appear on the screen when the Device lacks a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal.

If you are in an area surrounded by trees, tall buildings, or water, the GPS signal may take longer to reach your device. Try moving to an open area with a clear view of the sky. If this does not work, the device may require a soft reset.

To work properly, the navigation software and QuickGPSfix file need to be up-to-date. To install the latest software, connect to TomTom HOME and download any software and QuickGPSfix updates. The following are detailed steps for updating software on devices connected to TomTom HOME:

  • Download TomTom HOME for your computer from the TomTom webpage, available to Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. Connect your device to your computer and switch it on. Wait for TomTom HOME to start.Click Update my Device on the HOME menu.If an update is available, it will be listed. Select all listed items then click Download Updates.When the downloads have completed, click Done.Before disconnecting your device, click Device > Disconnect Device in the HOME menu.

If you have moved a significant distance since last using your navigation device, especially via plane, you must wait up to 45 minutes to receive a GPS signal. If you have waited this amount of time and the issue is not resolved, perform a soft reset.