The RV 890 and RV 1090 from Garmin are top-of-the-line GPS navigators designed specifically for RVs. Despite their many features, the RV 890/1090 are not without their problems. Some users have reported issues with charging, while others have had trouble getting traffic updates. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most common Garmin RV 890 / 1090 problems and offer some troubleshooting tips.
Garmin RV 890 features a large, easy-to-read 8-inch display and provides detailed mapping of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It also includes more than 16,000 RV parks and campgrounds, and comes pre-loaded with Points of Interest for popular tourist destinations. The only difference between RV 890 and RV 1090 is that the latter comes with a 10 inch screen.
There are a variety of GPS navigators on the market that are designed for use in RV. While some of these devices are similar to those used in cars, there are a few key features that make them ideal for use in RV.
RV GPS navigators come with pre-loaded maps of campgrounds and RV parks, as well as points of interest specifically for RVers. This can be extremely helpful when you’re on the road and looking for a place to stay or a place to eat. Other features that can be found on RV GPS navigators include trip planning, fuel log tracking, and maintenance reminders.
Garmin RV 890/1090 Problems
Below we have gathered up some of the common Garmin RV 890/1090 problems and issues. Do let us know in the comments below if this post helped you.
Garmin RV 890 / 1090 not responding. How to do factory reset?
If you find your Garmin 890 / 1090 not responding / frozen or not powering on/off, you can try doing a reset. This will force the device to reboot.
Garmin RV 890 reset can be done by holding down the power key for 12 seconds.
If you wish to restore any of Garmin RV 890 / 1090 settings to their default factory values, go to :
Settings > (Select settings category) > Restore
This will wipe out your preferences for that particular setting and restore it to their default values.
How to perform Map and Software update on Garmin RV 890 / 1090?
Gamin RV 890 / 1090 can be updated by connecting the device to a WiFi network to download the updates directly on the device.
- Connect your Garmin RV 890 / 1090 to power source using the USB cable.
- Tap the app drawer (white circle with 6 dots) at the bottom right of the screen.
- Select tools tab from the bottom left.
- Tap system updates icon.
- Make sure you are connected to a stable Wi-Fi network. Keep in mind that system and map updates consume considerable amount of data. So if you are on a metered internet connection, you may be charged for over the limit data transfer.
- Once you are connected to Wi-Fi, your device will show if map and software updates are available for download.
- Tap download and it will show the download size and the files that will be downloaded.
- Tap OK to proceed with the download.
- When the updates have been downloaded you will be asked to restart and install the updates.
- This may take several minutes depending upon the update size. Do not interrupt the installation or disconnect the power cord during this process.
- When the updates have been installed your device will restart automatically.
Garmin RV 890 / 1090 shows ‘Map data is not available’ error
Garmin devices throw this error message when you are doing a location search and the mapping on your device is not available. What this means is that Garmin is unable to show detailed maps of any location because the mapping data for that region has been deleted or become corrupt. This issue usually occurs when there is an interruption in wireless update process.
To solve this problem you need to reinstall the map update using Garmin Express Installer on computer. Here’s how to do it:
- Download and install Garmin Express on your computer.
- After installation click add device. Plug in the RV 890 / 1090 to the computer USB port so that the installer can recognize your device.
- You can register your device at the stage if you wish.
- Click on the ‘map details’ then ‘map options’ to show ‘reinstall map’ option.
- Click reinstall map and continue to begin downloading map data.
- When the update is completed you can unplug your device and check if the mapping has been restored by searching for any address.
Garmin RV 890 / 1090 not acquiring GPS signal
If a GPS receiver is not acquiring GPS signal there could be a couple of things you can look into:
Is a clear view of the sky available?
Having an unobstructed view of the sky is very important in getting a lock on GPS satellites. If your vehicle is parked at an underground location or under a shed that covers the view of the sky, the RV 890 / 1090 is going to have a hard time acquiring GPS signal.
The best solution to this is to move to a different location and stay stationary for some time so that the device receive GPS signal more efficiently.
Are you using GPS for the first time or after a long time?
Whenever a new GPS device tries to acquire satellite signal for the first time it may take a few minutes to establish a solid lock. Similarly if you are using the GPS device at a location far away from your previously registered location it may take longer than usual for the device to successfully acquire GPS signal. In both these cases all you need to do is wait and let your Garmin RV 890 / 1090 do its job.
Garmin RV 890 / 1090 does not charge
Garmin RV 890 and RV 1090 draw power from the vehicle battery through their USB power cable. In case your device is not charging properly, the first thing you should check is whether the vehicle battery is supplying power to the power outlet.
Try charging your phone from the same power outlet to verify whether the outlet is working properly. If the power outlet does not supply power to any devices, you can check for a broken fuse. Locate the fuse box of your vehicle and check if the power outlet fuse is not broken.
Avoid exposing your GPS device to extreme temperatures. Garmin RV 890 / 1090 is designed to operate in a temperature range of 32°F to 113° F. Temperatures outside this range can cause problems with charging and proper functioning of the device.
Even on slightly warm days the inside temperature of a vehicle can shoot up substantially compared to outside temperature. One way to counter this issue is to start charging the device only after a comfortable temperature has been achieved in the vehicle.
Garmin RV 890 / 1090 does not hold charge for long
Many of the Garmin devices including RV 890 / 1090 are able to run for up to 1 hour on a fully charged battery without external power. There may be instances when your Garmin device is not holding charge. There could be a number of reasons for this issue. The primary cause of a GPS device not holding charge could be a failing battery.
If you had been using your RV 890 / 1090 for a while and have been observing degrading battery life over the years, then it’s most probably time to get a replacement battery. For newer devices it is very rare to get a bad battery. If your device is not holding any charge at all even after charging for you should definitely contact Garmin Support to report your issue.
Some of the ways in which you improve the battery performance of your RV 890 or 1090 are:
Adjusting screen brightness
Operating any device that has a screen at maximum brightness all the time is the fastest way to consume battery power. Set display brightness to a lower level by going to Settings > Device > Display
Or you can select to have adaptive brightness according to ambient light.
Power saving mode
Switch the device to power saving mode when not in use. In this mode the RV 890/1090 stays on but consumes very little power. If you are not going to be using the device for a long time, then it is best to turn it off completely to conserve battery charge.
Operating temperature
For good battery life, keep your RV 890 / 1090 away from direct sunlight or extreme temperatures. Safe operating temperature range for Garmin RV 890 / 1090 is -20°C to 55°C (-4°F to 131°F)