Updating TomTom GPS Maps for the First Time

Quick Tip:
By default when you update your TomTom GPS with TomTom Home it will only update the GPS software not the maps, I called up TomTom to ask how to use the free update promised in the manual.
In the top menu bar goto "Tools" -> "Use Latest Map Guarantee"


Seems obvious, but I missed so, so maybe others will too.

Good info! Thanks for posting this, as I was getting ready to try it myself.

mazda said we had a year to get a free map, but tomtom says 90 days
i'd rather wait till the last minute to get a map to hopefully catch a new cycle and get the latest map, i'm so displeased with tomtom i'm not giving them any of my money for maps

Stromdriver - Better check your information, mine (USA) says 60 days for one time current TomTom map update...

GAXIBM said:

Stromdriver - Better check your information, mine (USA) says 60 days for one time current TomTom map update...

Click to expand...

you're right, website says 60 my bad, but that wasn't my point, mazda said we could get an update within a year

stromdriver said:

i'm so displeased with tomtom i'm not giving them any of my money for maps

Click to expand...

I've just found out that the version of TomTom used in the Mazda is a beta version.

The latest release version of the fireware (called NavCore by TomTom) is 9 on a lot of the latest devices.
The version used by Mazda is version 10, and it hasn't been out that long.

I reckon there are a lot of bugs which might be leading to your problems stromdriver.

I still stick by non-beta releases of TomTom being the most accurate devices on the market. They're still the leaders (everywhere except US), have the largest traffic coverage (except US) and have the most users (outside the US).

I still can't see a better in car GPS on the market in Australia at least.
Once they iron our bugs - it should be flawless.

Regarding maps....

If you're having issues with maps, then you should complain to the map providers - not TomTom.
I'll continue to reiterate - TomTom package up the maps given to their by the US map provider.

They do such a brilliant job updating maps in Australia that I can't see why you would have an issue in the US.
Although I get the feeling that TomTom turns its nose up at the US market for some reason.

To illustrate the maps exact - Australian maps are produced by Whereis. They have a set version they provide to all GPS manufacturers. TomTom has it installed within days... not weeks.... not months.... days of it coming out.

There are some GPS's out there that don't have roads that are 3 years old. Where as the TomTom (on my iPhone at least), has new roads on the map as soon as the map maker has provided them.

TomTom does not make maps for the US or Australia.

inodes said:

I've just found out that the version of TomTom used in the Mazda is a beta version.

The latest release version of the fireware (called NavCore by TomTom) is 9 on a lot of the latest devices.
The version used by Mazda is version 10, and it hasn't been out that long.

I reckon there are a lot of bugs which might be leading to your problems stromdriver.

I still stick by non-beta releases of TomTom being the most accurate devices on the market. They're still the leaders (everywhere except US), have the largest traffic coverage (except US) and have the most users (outside the US).

Click to expand...

if that is the case, and i were mazda, i'd be ticked that my flagship vehicle this year, has beta software in it

as for tomtoms service, i talked to a guy on tuesday night, and he couldn't fix my problem with it constantly asking for permission to share data everytime gps started up, i ended up finding the switch in the startup menu, they had no clue about it... he elevated my voice problems to tier 2, said they'd call me back, well its sat morning and i haven't heard a peep

I think the TomTom application version is different by country. Take a look at the dropdown on this US support page:
http://us.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6420/kw/mazda
It shows a lot of versions above 10.813 which my unit came with but not my version. Also it looks like all the newer products use My TomTom for updating for versions above 10 but we use TomTom Home?. It looks like Europe has Live HD traffic and we have RDS-TMC traffic per site. It looks like a new map version is due out in mid May which is what I am waiting on for my one time map update...

stromdriver said:

as for tomtoms service, i talked to a guy on tuesday night, and he couldn't fix my problem with it constantly asking for permission to share data everytime gps started up

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Read further that it's just a version that's had issues because of an early release. It's technical no longer beta after mid 2011 - so maybe Mazda is deciding that it's useless releasing a version 9.

The permission to share data is simply an option. You tick it, it turns off. Very easy. Your Mazda tech should know it instantly.

GAXIBM said:

It looks like a new map version is due out in mid May which is what I am waiting on for my one time map update...

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We got an offer here to have 4 map updates (annual) + 6 months free (2 updates) for AUD $99.
I decided up taking the offer up and the TomTom website detected that I had already used to first free update - as a website reduces the price immediately to 50% off.

Very fair price. So no need to wait. $50 for 18 months of map updates is very cheap compared to the nearest competitor.
The price will differ per country because it comes down to how much the map provider charges TomTom for the privilege of distributing maps on their behalf.

To illustrate the excellent value TomTom gives us...
In Australia map provider is WhereIs. They sell map to GPS or car maker they add their margin and charge customer.

So choose two Mazda vehicles:
* CX-5 with TomTom
* CX-9 with Mazda GPS

* WhereIs sells maps to Mazda - then they charge customer $295 per update
* WhereIs sells maps to TomTom for Mazda - then they charge customer $49 for 6 updates


That's crazy.... $295 for CX-9 map update and $8 for CX-5 update.


That shows how much Mazda wants to rip us off and TomTom is quite fair.

For reference the same process occurs for all brands and GPS makers. It seems the price we pay here for the CX-5 is the cheapest. Also a bonus that it is considered the best in-car navigation.

It's a win win.



They're exactly the same maps!!

Hey guys, sorry for bumping an oldish thread, but to who ever is waiting for an August release, TomTom just released their version 895 August 2012 maps yesterday. When I downloaded the maps, it said that the map guarantee was for 90 days from first use, so if you were to buy a CX-5 anytime after today, I would just wait for the November release before updating.

inodes said:

That's crazy.... $295 for CX-9 map update and $8 for CX-5 update.


That shows how much Mazda wants to rip us off and TomTom is quite fair.

For reference the same process occurs for all brands and GPS makers. It seems the price we pay here for the CX-5 is the cheapest. Also a bonus that it is considered the best in-car navigation.

It's a win win.
They're exactly the same maps!!

Click to expand...

Talk about ripoff! Perhaps that's the pricing in Australia. Here is Canada, after I updated the SD card, it asks me to pay $18 each quarter or $72 a year to update maps. After all, I already paid over $700 for the in car unit and only one free update!? I could have bought a retail unit for $200 with life time map AND traffic updates! Sure, the in car unit will not be stolen if I leave it in the car. But at $700 and only ONE free update!? I could afford to buy three retail on-the-dash units for the same price! It's just plain ridiculous!