Live Traffic for Smartphone Link now Free?

I called Garmin to complain about this too on 1/11 and sent over Bluetooth logs today 1/12/17. Garmin broke Smart Link Live Traffic and it no longer communicates with the Garmin GPS. The rep said he was unaware of any reports but one look at the iTunes App Store and the list of complaints is growing. This is a mess and extremely frustrating. Please fix Garmin!!

Send an email to Garmin regarding the issue with Live Traffic and Smartlink.

Here is the response that I got from them regarding the Data useage and the Smartlink. FYI. It seems like if you don't want to use the smartlink, then you don't have to.

"I will be happy to assist you.

The GTM 60 is compatible with the Garmin DriveLuxe 51 LMT-S for traffic without the SmartPhone Link. "

If you have any additional questions or need further assistance, please email or call us at 1-800-800-1020 within the U.S. (1-866-429-9296 from Canada) from 8am-6pm Monday-Thursday and 8am-5pm Friday, Central time (excluding Holidays).

Thank you for choosing Garmin,
Bouachanh Product Support - Automotive Team
Garmin International
http://support.garmin.com

This makes sense and I think the reply you got is probably correct. But, it would seem then that Garmin needs to correct their web site. The DriveLuxe 51 is not listed on the GTM-60 compatibility page: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/104181#devices and the GTM-60 is not listed as an available accessory on the DriveLuxe 51 Accessory page: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/552012#accessories

Really, I don't think we are going to know for sure until the DriveLuxe 51 actually ships and someone tries to connect a GTM-60.

So glad I follow this forum.

Free Live traffic seems to be setup correctly now on my iPhone and NuviCam.

Thanks

I should have known better, but I went ahead and updated to the new version of Smartphone Link on my iPhone 6 running the latest version of iOS. After reading some comments, I too have no live traffic data through my 3597 but all other data is going through just fine.

Thankfully, I had NOT updated my apps in my iTunes program on the desktop and had the previous version of SmartPhone Link on there (Version 2.2.0 (1324)). I deleted the new version off my phone and then restored the older version back on (the one with the blue icon). Live traffic is now flowing once again. Hopefully this gets fixed soon.

SDF33

The fact that it started working again as soon as you reverted to previous version really makes the case.

I can not find not a single good review of this garmin app.

I better go and post one then. With my nuvi 3597 and Android phone, the app and nuvi results are great. Where I live and drive, I'd say it's 50X (or more) better than a nuvi with a Garmin traffic receiver.

[Later]Oh wait, I did post a positive review in the past. The Google App Store gives it a 3.5 (of 5) score with 39% of reviews giving it 5 stars.

Same here, It works well where I am. The closest area with any kind of Traffic support is 120 miles away.

How is bluetooth connection and particularly BLE connection which is data connection to feed traffic info to your Nuvi 3597. Did they ask you to send them Bluetooth logs for investigation?

the issue is that on the iOS version of the app they changed something in the code so that the 3597 no longer gets traffic. You can send other data to the 3597 from the app.

...I have had no issues with getting traffic. It will show a smartphone link when you check the traffic provider and the 3597 will give me the same info that the iphone does. This is strange in that some devices work with the app and others don't. It will be interesting to see what the problem is.

I tested it on my nuvi 3597 with the latest IOS app. Traffic is working on my nuvi 3597.

I know most people are talking about the 3597 but I just wanted to confirm SmartLink traffic and weather are working on my Zumo 590. iPhone 6s+, iOS 10.2, Smart Link v2.3

It is becoming more apparent that the failure of Live Traffic on iPhones with the latest Smartphone Link software is not a global problem, but experienced by enough users to know it not isolated either. AFAIK, Garmin has not acknowledged that there is an issue or that they are addressing the problem. It makes me wonder if there is a fix or workaround ... perhaps by uninstall/reinstall, resetting something, etc. Or is it tied to a specific IOS or hardware configuration? Since I don't have an iPhone, I can't really test or comment, but it would be nice if someone could share the solution, or even a more precise explanation of who is affected.

Well, I will be hard to re-produce issue if you don't have one. I have two iphones (6 plus and 6) and both running on IOS 10.2 I use my iphone 6 plus for traffic etc. Couple of weeks ago I reset my both phones and re-installed all apps. I paired my NuviCam right away but did not pair my other iphone with 3597 until yesterday because 3597 is in my wife's car. But yesterday I tested it by pairing it after I read about this issue. It took few minutes for the traffic to show up on 3597.

If your Bluetooth connection is established and other Garmin apps like weather etc are working then it is hard for us to troubleshoot the issue. Only the Garmin software engineers would know the inner functioning of their app.

PS: Deleting the app and re-install may help to resolve the issue.

this is very useful info.

Which is running iOS 10.2. Paired with my 3597. It seemed to take a few minutes but very clearly the nuvi 3597 showed Smartlink as the source of traffic!

This was not functioning since the update, or didn't appear to be working after the initial update of the app on January 4. Others can try this approach as well. The key is to wait a few minutes after pairing. It definitely didn't work instantly.

As I previously posted, I have an iPhone 6 with iOS 10.2 running. I had SmartPhone link 2.2 on my phone and I upgraded it to the new version (2.3) and lost live traffic via Bluetooth. So I downgraded back 2.2 and traffic was working again.

After reading some of your comments, I went ahead and upgraded the app once again to version 2.3 and saw no traffic. So I deleted the app and then re-installed it. Traffic now works. So in my case, simply upgrading the app via the app updates most likely did not do a clean install. Deleting the new app and re-installing it fresh seems to have worked for me. I did leave the GPS and phone running for several minutes before I checked it. The traffic did match on the GPS and phone.

-Mark

...didn't like it, so I deleted it. When I downloaded it a week or so ago, it was like a fresh download, so maybe that is a solution to the problem. It does take a few minutes for the traffic to download to the GPS through SmartLink. If a few of the folks out there that have SmartLink installed would delete and re-install it, maybe we could determine if that will solve the issue. Mine has worked well since the download and I have had no issues with it at all other than the fact that it takes about 3-4 minutes for it to hit the GPS.

Looks like my suggestion worked to delete the app and re-install..

They just released 2.3.1 for iOS.

I just checked the app for Android, it too has been updated to v 2.3.1.

Thank you. Just downloaded it.

Just downloaded. Thanks!

Thanks, Good info. I assume it's not just for tracfone, but could be for others also?

This is about all phones.

dobs108

Once again, all other live apps connect and work except for LiveTraffic. Such a shame. Has anyone else had any luck?

Restarting the GPS. Hold the Power Off and shut down. You might also try a restart of your phone. Most are seeing good results after restarting the GPS.

I thought I had the same issue. As someone else noted it may take five or more minutes after connecting before live traffic starts showing up on gps.

I prefer the FM radio service because it works even without a phone or phone signal. If we have to use our phones, might as well use Waze and forget Garmin.

I was able to fix the issue by shutting off Bluetooth on my phone while the phone was connected to the Nuvi 2597 via the SmartphoneLink App, and the turning Bluetooth back on again. Once I did that, LiveTraffic started functioning on the Nuvi. If I have to do that every single time I connect, this will be extremely aggravating. However, I guess I will take what I can get at this point. Thanks for all of the replies.

...and as soon as I fire up the nuvi, traffic shows up about 5 minutes later. I don't have to do anything with Bluetooth. I think you should be good to go on this.

For iOS. In the release notes it specifically says LiveTraffic issue has been fixed

Since running Garmin Smartphone Link and Live Traffic, bluetooth pairing has been intermittent between the Android phone and the car audio system, which handles voice calls and the phone contacts list. Both the Smartphone Link app and the nuvi 3597 GPS software are fully updated.

This has something to do with the Android bluetooth settings. Under phone Settings/Bluetooth there are two connections - the Car and the GPS. If you touch the gear icon for each one, a popup has two check boxes, Phone Audio and Contacts. I want these boxes to be checked for the Car and unchecked for the GPS.

Repeatedly, I have found these boxes checked for both devices, and that is when the phone becomes disconnected from the car. I want the nuvi to be connected for Smartphone Link only, but as long as the bluetooth connection exists the nuvi wants to take over Phone Audio and Contacts.

How can I prevent the GPS from taking over?

I have cleared the bluetooth cache and restarted the phone but this did not help.

Edit: Found a Smartphone Link setting on the GPS Home Page in Apps/Smartphone Link. There is a check box for Hands-Free Calling. It is checked by default so I unchecked it. That caused the Android check box for GPS/Phone Audio to become unchecked. That solved half the problem because the Contacts is still handled by both the Car Audio and the GPS.

dobs108

A new version 2.3.2 for Smartphone Link app (IOS) is out today. This version is suppose to fix Live Traffic issue as per the release note on the app store.

I don't have an iPhone, but I know how frustrating this has been for our members that do. I hope it is truly fixed.

Just checked, Android still at 2.3.1

It now works even better than before. Glad to see Garmin resolved the issue fairly quickly

Garmin has now updated their site for the DriveLuxe 51 to show that it now is compatible with the GTM-60. Hope this helps decisions being made about the DriveLuxe 51.

I went to CES and spoke to the rep and he said they were moving away from the FM cord as it would reduce production costs. I'm wondering if this will be the last series that will accept the cord. The only reason I didn't want a newer unit was because of this (and some other reasons actually).

Thanks for the tip. Never heard of it before.

I paid for it and it's nearly worthless for me. I'm glad it's free now. They shouldn't be charging for it when we can get much better info using a free app like Waze.

After a paid driver/traffic reporter completes a trip, he finds the nearest payphone and calls into a central location in Wyoming, reporting the traffic conditions and any delays, accidents, etc. Someone has to transcribe it all on an old typewriter. They usually have about 20 people to do that, clacking away 24/7 but they sometimes get short staffed, or they run out of the old typewriter ribbons which are increasingly hard to find so the timely data may have to sit for a while. From there, it's put in an envelope and mailed to another location in Nebraska where all the envelopes are open and read. Then it get's entered into a big IBM computer by about a dozen keypunch operators where it is eventually sent across copper phone wires through a 2400 baud modem (when a connection is available) to an up-link station just outside of Atlanta that still uses an AOL e-mail address. From there, it is up-linked to a Russian satellite where Wikilinks then steals the information and eventually posts it online where volunteers code it so it can eventually be linked to our GPS receivers, but only after Trump's new staff approves it for release.

It's not Garmin's fault if their data providers are not timely with the traffic information. I read that here.

If I am reading this correctly, I should receive HD traffic in Cincinnati since it has HD traffic available and I should have SmartLink traffic available when I'm in Lexington, KY (that doesn't have HD traffic). This should all be done automatically. I ask this because I read somewhere that the first connected source will be the source that the GPS uses. Last week I had SmartLink running but the GPS showed HD traffic the entire time that I was driving. Once I got back home, and unplugged the GPS, SmartLink showed up as the traffic provider. I am still trying to get all of this figured out since I am on my way to Florida in a few weeks. Just wondering how all of this works. Just curious!

Since I made that post I did testing, since at my location I receive all traffic providers. Smartphone Link overrides all other providers, as long as Bluetooth is connected.

dobs108

This is a repost from my post above on page 1.

This is a 2nd test from my post above. If Bluetooth is not paired, Smartphone Link will not work and another provider will be connected. If your car audio system is paired with the phone for audio on calls and contacts list, this could be the problem.

If I were to use the GTM-60 cable, would I need to disable BT and not run the Smartphone App for it to work?

It's pretty scary knowing all the technology is out there to spy on you.