Garmin Nuvi 1350 Lost Maps

Today, my father's brand new (1 week old) Garmin Nuvi 1350 lost all its internals. This included the internal maps, voices, keyboards, vehicles, favorites, etc...

This is what I did to fix it:

1. The following will make sure you can communicate with the Nuvi device directly from the garmin.com website and also the Nuvi software is up to date:

• Registered Nuvi device on garmin.com website
• Installed Garmin Communicator Plugin (worked well in Firefox 8, but not in Chrome 16)
• Installed software update on the Nuvi device

2. Install the maps:

• Download and install Garmin Map Updater from garmin.com
• Run the map updater and through it, download, prepare and install the maps you are entitled to on the Nuvi device

3. Install missing voices, vehicles, keyboards:

• Download and install Garmin Web Updater from the garmin.com website
• Run the Web Updater and select all keyboards, vehicles, voices, updates, FM traffic databases, etc that you need

Registering a truck (part 4 - the end)

Early DMV visit today. I was there at about 8 a.m.. Again, hoping I would not have to wait that much... and again, no such luck.

After about 40 minutes, I got the registration and the sticker. I'm now good to go until April 2010.

It only took 2 drives to the DMV, waiting about 90 minutes, 2 trips to the smog check garage, waiting about 1 hour, 1 trip to another garage, waiting about 90 minutes, 1 trip to Kragen, countless times trying to find the diagnostic screw... and ta-taaa -- I have the registration!

Eaaaaasyyyy ;)

Registering a truck (part 3)

One step further... There is progress!

I managed to get the smog test for the truck. This is what I did:

I searched Nissan forums for an explanation on the P1440 EVAP Small Leak and it turned out that it might be a simple gas cap that is not keeping the gas vapors in the gas tank. Apparently, modern cars have this evaporation system pressurised in order to reduce emissions and save on fuel consumption.

Anyway, for about $8, I bought a new gas cap from Autozone and installed it. Next I needed to get rid of the Service Engine Soon (SES) light that was still on. Since Autozone doesn't check/reset the codes anymore (starting from about 6months ago), I went back to the forums. Reading the service manual for engine control on the Nissan Pathfinder 1998, I found out a way to reset the on board computer (ECM) by turning the diagnostic screw on the ECM back and forth. Unfortunatelly, I had little luck locating the diagnostic screw.

After reading the forums up and down, reading and re-reading the service manual, I just could not find the diagnostic screw, so I got so pissed off, that I went to the nearest Kragen shop and I bought an OBD2 scanner for about $75.

I erased the code and redid all the tests. It took about 12 hours until all tests completed. Of course the EV (evap system) test was the last one to clear, but in the end, all of them were OK.

I went back to the smog check garage and got the smog with no problems. The truck's emissions are below 20% of the maximum allowed.

So to summarise: with $8 for a new gas cap, I saved about $700 in repairs, which don't seem to be necessary. The overall investment was about $200, but now I have an ODB2 reader I can use in the future. This makes me feel so good about it ;)

In the next episode, finalising the registration at DMV.
To be continued...

Au sosit carnetele de sofer

Azi am primit in posta carntele de sofer. Scrie frumos pe ele California... si amindoi ridem... He he suna bine si soarele straluceste :)

Acum ne poate opri poliţia!
Chiar sper sa nu se intimple, ca nu am chef sa am de a face cu politia americana! Am auzit prea multe povesti de groaza cu maniacii astia cu pistoale mari si pe care îi mănâncă arătătoarele...

Registering a truck (part 2)

I went to do the smog check today, hoping that it would pass with flying colors, just like the previous owner said. To my surprise, it failed with Manufacturer Specific code P1440 and 'Service Engine Soon' light. Big disappointment... I guess it's expected for a 11 year old car.

It turns out that P1440 on a Nissan Pathfinder means "EVAP Control System (Small Leak)". I only found this out by going to another mechanic, who, for only $85 plugged the car to a computer and found out the problem.

It seems this is a common problem with Pathfinders and the garage recommended to change the EVAP canister (quote for $360) and also maybe the EVAP purge control solenoid (quote for $340), if still needed.

As I knew garages are pushing their prices up, I started looking around for the parts myself. So far, no much luck, the cost is still around $260 for the EVAP canister & valve + the work, which I could do myself.

To be continued...

Registering a truck (part 1)

I rushed to DMV this morning before work, trying to register the car... Sorry, actually it's a truck :) I want to register it before the end of March, when the sales tax goes up from 8.25% to 9.25%. I laugh... In Europe the tax is 19% !

I thought I would arrive there early so I wouldn't have to wait in line. Sorry, no such luck. I ended up waiting 45 minutes, when finally a bored Mrs didn't actually complete my registration as the car still needs a 'smog check'. That's California trying to make the air cleaner -- checking the car's emissions to be within a given limit.

I also ended up paying more than expected ($260, that's a hundred more than I calculated) and I was late for my 10 o'clock meeting with the CEO who is visiting from Amsterdam... Lovely :(

But who cares? Life is great, we got a nice car, we live in California, weather is great, I do a job I like... Fingers crossed, no jinxing :)

Mare eveniment, mare!

Azi am luat masina. Am gasit pe craigslist un Nissan Pathfinder LE 1998. L-am vizitat pe om dimineata, si l-am cumparat cu 4500 dolari.

Dupa ce am cautat cam 3 saptamini masini mici, am realizat ca defapt vreau masina mare. Asa ca primul SUV ce l-am vazut, l-am si cumparat. A mai trebuit doar sa o conving putin pe Mada :)

In orice caz, pentru o masina de 10 ani, pretul este foarte bun, transmisia e noua, iar pompa de apa si cureaua de distributir au fost si ele schimbate recent.

Am platit si asigurarea auto la Geico, in valoare de aproape 500 dolarei pe 6 luni (pentru 2 soferi care inca nu au mai fost asigurati in America). Pretul se pare ca e bun!

Asa arata masinuta (si noi foarte mindri de ea):

Avem carnete de conducere

Azi am dat examenul de conducere, proba practica. La ora 8:20 dimineata, Mada a fost prima sa il dea. Din pacate, pe mine nu m-au lasat sa asist.

In 15 minute, Mada s-a intors, cu carnet cu tot ! Uraaaa!!

Am urmat eu. Cu aceeasi inspectoare, am facut acelasi tur ca Mada, si in 15 minute am trecut si eu. Singura manevra ce m-a pus sa fac, a fost sa dau cu spatele drept pe linga bordura, bineinteles, fara sa ma sui pe ea.

In 3 sapt ne vin acasa carnetele de sofer. Primul act de identitate american!

Carnet de conducere

Azi ne-am luat carnetul de conducere. Am fost la DMV in San Jose si pentru doar 28 de dolari de caciula, fiecare am avut dreptul sa dam testul scris.

Eu am reusit sa il iau fara nici o gresala... nici eu nu stiu exact cum ! Mada a facut 5 greseli, dar l-a luat si ea.

Pe 24 Martie avem programare la testul practic, unde va trebui sa venim cu ceva masina (probabil inchiriata).