It is the 2013.10 map that gives wacky routing

Who knows. I've yet to figure out how or why these maps and/or GPS do what they do...

I'd like to know why my GPS take me to a destination using one route, but returns me on a completely different route when there's no need to take a different return route.

The whole thing is strange to me...

I own a 1450LMT for 2 yrs now (currently running 2013.10) & the one thing I've learned is there is no substitute for knowing where you are going. But that is not why most of us buy a GPS. It doesn't matter from what direction you approach "The City" Garmin's navigation is simply bizarre. Heading somewhere new? It is really a leap of faith not to start w/Mapquest then let the Nuvi nail it once you are close.

One has to wonder why Garmin has not utilized the actual driving habits of actual locals, perhaps swapping what should be private information for map updates, gratis.

(BTW: Have you tried turning 'traffic off'? As Y2K+12 instruments I consider the Nuvi's about the level of Win 95, and the latest handheld Oregon on the level of DOS 3.3)

GPS is not your average computer. It calculates route using some simple algorithm. The best AI you can get is remember some of your preferred route.

Perhaps the 1490LMT was trying to route you around traffic that the 50LM is "blind" to.

Why does it look that the more maps version they come up with it,the more screw up they are ? I still using the 2012.20 and I am happy with it.

I tend to update regularly because I like to have as current POI and roads available. Having said that, the routes can be really screwed up. One would think as processors get faster and on board memory get bigger, the algorithms used would be more complex but also more accurate.

FWIW, there was a tech special on tv a few months ago. They did a test with a TomTom gps and a Garmin GPS to get to the same location. The Tom Tom's directions/routing was more accurate and shorter than Garmins by about 5-7 minutes on a 20 minute trip.

And for those who don't know. Google maps via Mapmaker is constantly updated by people like you and me where we can actually add speed limits to all road segments. It's not Google who is updating them per se.

Was a big mistake to update my GPSs with this release. Just terrible routing across the board on my Garmins (nuvi660, nuvi1350, nuvi1490 & gpsmap76csx.) Now I have to go through the pain of reloading 2012.40

It must be the settings that you have on your gps cause i have no issues with my 3 garmins.

A lot easier just to do a hard reset on the Nuvi's to see if that solves the problem.

I agree, that 2013.10 made no noticeable change in routing as far as I'm concerned.

Agreed. If I see strange things occurring, a hard reset is the first thing I do.

Highway 97 South here in Kelowna, now has speed limits displayed on the map. A new addition, how cool.

Just finished 4200 mile trip with MANY planned stops thru 12 states using 2013.10 maps. No routing problems whatsoever . Only problem I had was Garmin (or whoever) had the wrong address in the built in POIs for a restaurant in upstate NY so my 1490 took me there.
Once I had the right address the 1490 took me right to the restaurant !
Junction View was right on in guiding me to proper lanes.

Garmin/Navteq have done a great job with speed limits in Canada (finally). We've been from one end of Vancouver Island to the other, over to Prince Rupert, Prince George, Kelowna, and back to the island, and had speed limit display on all numbered highways.

I've just updated the other night, so my trip back from N. BC last Friday didn't show the speeds, except for 5A S from Kamloops.

Thanks for the update!

No problem. We were amazed at some of the remote locations where we saw speed limits. There are still a few holes where the speed limit isn't shown but for the most part they are all there and mostly correct.

The holes are kind of weird as I've seen them on multi lane expressways. The speed limit display will disappear for a couple of miles and then it will be back again. There didn't seem to be any logical reason why the speed wasn't shown but is probably just that section got missed in inputting the data.

How do you do a hard reset? I haven't updated my maps for a while, but want ot be ready if the next update hoses the routing capability like some are having. It just seems strange how some are having major problms and others have no issues at all.

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId={981611c0-aa7d-11dd-f60b-000000000000}
(This is the same for Zumo or Nuvi)

Here's a compiled list that may or may not have to be reapplied after a Master Reset.

Safe mode
Screen brightness (auto, motorcycle and offline)
Master volume (auto, motorcycle and offline)
Location country
Voice selection
Motorcycle and auto icons
Motorcycle fuel monitor settings
Favorites (backup before a Master Reset)
Recently Found is cleared
Satellite acquisition information must be rescanned outdoors for 10-20 minutes
Avoidances
Keyboard Layout
Map Detail & Layout
Bluetooth
Home Location
Restore Favorites
Restore Routes
Choose displayed data fields with/without route active
All maps are selected after a reset

I didn't know the new update was released yet.

It's THAT GOOD?

I miss the days when "we" controlled the computer.
Yeah I know there's always Unix.

They are definitely wacky. I reported this in:
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/36347?page=4

"Traffic" works best if it has a "route" to go by. I use it every day I go to work or go into the big city. Lots of log jams almost daily and the summer is worse. It agravates me every day when my 660 tries to send me the "shorter" way, which takes way more time due to all the lights, rather than the "quicker" way, which is what it is set to. Previous maps did not have this problem.

Another problem is "Traffic". You have to pay attention to where the the delay is. When going up I-95 to DC, if there are any delays near DC, it will want to get off I-95 way before the delay - like in Fredricksburg. Most of the time, the traffic clears before you get there anyway.

Well, the more data they put in the map, the harder it's going to be for your Garmin to calculate. There is also more chance that "Bad" data can be entered or data can be left out. There are numerous Garmin supplied POIs that are way off. It may very well be that the Traffic Lights were left out and that's why my 660 sends me the shorter way.

Hopefully, Garmin is reading our posts and is giving feedback to someone.

I saw no change in my routing with my 3760. Handled like a champ on our way to HHI this week, and is doing well on the island.

Is the limit ~130 on this road? I drove on it on my way to Chilliwack in May, very fast and scenic!

I too, have noticed some different routing with the latest maps.
I guess they changed the routing portion in some way.

No, it's 110, not 130 kph. You would have left about $500 here with the Province, if you were ticketed...

I've had some wacky problems with my 750.

On a major road it constantly told me to turn onto other side streets. No way that could have been better. Perhaps it did not know I was on the major road?

I didn't think it might be the latest maps - perhaps it is?

Why would it take one route there, and another one back. I only notice if I use it to go somewhere totally new. It does defy logic. Also, if we update as often as Garmin wants us to, how is it that roads that have been around 100 years are still missing from the maps?

There may be a tread or two here about why the routes are different going and coming which will give you all the answers. In case you don't find any remember that you have your Nuvi set for Faster Time or Shortest Distance so the route to get you from A to B may not be the fastest or shortest way to be you from B to A.

The Nuvi will take into account that left hand turns will take longer than right hand turns, as an example, so all the right turns you took getting to a location become left turns coming back. You may have driven on a one way street getting from A to B and you can't take that street going from B to A. There are other reasons but those are two which would easily cause a different route depending on whether your were going or coming.

I would never go on a trip with out imputing my own route.

The 1450LMT will have me exit a 4 lane highway drive through a local town and get back on the highway after leaving the town OR exit an interstate highway 2 exits early and drive through local traffic to my destination.

As for traffic the "ONLY" time it was correct I did not believe it and was stuck on I-40 for 2 hours.

That is news to me.

maybe you had traffic enabled

Just made a trip to Las Vegas and the GPSr tried to make me take an off ramp, only to get right back on the same road again. Luckily I knew where I was going and didn't do it, but if I was unfamiliar with the area I would've just followed the directions.

Well then you've learned something new.

Here is a nice thread that explains it more with a link at the bottom that deals with many of the reasons why a return route could be different:

http://forums.gpsreview.net/viewtopic.php?t=13874

Great tip! Any more pearls?

Just because a site administrator puts forth an opinion, that does not make it so. Neither of my units can even detect a stop sign or a traffic signal.
I just ran a simulation to the post office in my town. The route has one right and one left turn. Looking at the speed icon, the unit slows to 8.9 mph on both turns. It also blew 3 stop signs along the way.
After a few more simulations, I see no evidence to support your claim.

Yes, Garmin has no idea of stop signs or traffic signals. He is not saying that.

He is saying that Garmin weights a left turn across traffic more than a right turn.

After reading this thread, I may wait to see what others are noticing before downloading this update.

will tell me to go left before taken a right. Look at the UPS truck does.

The Zumo 550 is affected also.

I was locked on to why right hand turns were faster. I disagreed with that. I did not catch that the discussion was about the return trip being different. I agree there.

I tried to talk about routing problems on my 2460 after taking a trip to Bodega Bay,CA.last Oct. Without putting in some new stops it would take me off the main highway (CA 1) and run me through streets hardly fit for a car. The route it tried to select was bazar under any circumstances.

Just last moth I tried it for a route to a RV Resort in Clio, CA. Again it took me off the main CA route and was going to run me miles on small local roads.

The first time I posted about it I mentioned another route I was having problems with but unfortunatly used the wrong example and the discussion died.

The problem here is that I have used Street Maps USA, Google Maps, the older 765T, different versions of Good Sam campground map programs, the older computer mapping program for Garmin and the newer Base Camp and none of the ever gave such screwed up routing. These routs are simple and I know the way but I use it to keep in practice on the Garmin model I have.

I feel there is some kind of basic flaw in the routing engine and on at least these routs its useless without adding stops to force it the right way.

I have turned off traffic, and all the other newer routing tools with no joy. Not to dismiss some comments but it doesn't help in the discussion of routing problems to be told that you can't throw your mind out the window, or these things aren't perfect.

The experience I'm getting with the new maps and my 2460 is that the GPS routing can make some serious errors that apparently no other system is making including older Garmins.

I was coming home from Bodega Bay and using a samll CA route to connect with I-80 that every engine including Garmin has chosen (and I know the route was set in the GPS to use it)and all of a sudden it wanted me to turn at a major intersection and apparently head back to I don't know where. It kept up the turn around at the next blah blah for miles. If I hadn't driven that rout many times it could have sent me on a real wild goose chase while towing a 12000 trailer.

I always check my routs before I go but when it changes course that has been set during the middle of the trip then it goes from being a tool to be dangerous.

How hard did you fall out of your truck?

BTW, I've never seen any difference on return trips around here, but then this is a small town.

Well, I've seen a different return route on numerous occasions when there was absolutely no reason (e.g. more left turns, etc.) whatsoever for returning via a different route. In fact, I recall one [different] return route added like 5 minutes to a very, very simple 15 minute trip.

I hear what some people are saying about the reason why there may be a different return route, but I know for an absolute fact the GPS routing at times does make any sense whatsoever...and this is with tools turned Off and even tried as 'Fastest' as well as 'Shortest'. It's like at times the GPS has a mind of its own that can change on a whim...

DOS 3.3 was EXCELLENT! DOS 4 sucked, DOS 5 was ok. DOS 6.22 was also very good. Don't go putting down DOS!

You tell 'em thrak! 6.22 was very good indeed.

Wacky routing, nothing new

I am seeing bazarr routes on my 2460 that cannot begin to be explained in my many years of using different routing products. Shrugging my shoulders is not my answer. Going to another maker will be if they don't fix it soon.

I don't have it for a toy. Its a tool that has worked well for me, never veering from a maiin highway to take backroads as this is now doing. Route planning when using the GPS now is just useless as I have to insert way point after way point to keep it on a reasonable track. Putting in way points using the GPS is a real pain in the butt. And don't forget that rush you get when it changes the route while driving completely ignoring your plannned route.

BTW my problems started way before version 2013.3. It had the problem when brand new in 2011.

I don't know if its the unit or the maps fault but I can't keep it for travel towing a 12,000 lb trailer the way it is.

just noticed that a road that is 25mph is listed 30mph w/the 2013.10 map.

the street has ALWAYS been 25mph for the last decade that i've been in the area.

and the street signs still say 25mph.

time to dig up my 255w with 2012.30 maps and compare.
i dont beleive i ever noticed a discrepancy in speed limit before.

These routes sometimes but you in the strangest places. I have ended up on dead end streets before.

The 2012.40 put me onto dead end streets also.