Help with a Used Garmin I bought on Ebay

is to try a different computer. Maybe you have a friend or relative with Windows 10? Or even a different Mac?

I'm not saying it won't work on your computer. It definitely should. But when troubleshooting these kinds of problems, trying different a different computer can help narrow down the problem.

By the way, Welcome to POI Factory. Stick around for a while and don't give up on your nuvi just yet. There are lots of knowledgeable folks here who will jump in and help you solve the problem.

Welcome, Cruncher. As alandb said, don't give up. And definitely, stick around.

Regarding documentation, Garmin doesn't supply much with a new GPS purchase but both the Quickstart document (that would have come with a new GPS) and the Owners Manual (Garmin has online but isn't supplied with a new GPS purchase) can be found here:

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?partNumber=010-00902-06&ta...

The owners manual refers the Garmin Dashboard website but that's not too helpful as Garmin Express will handle all needed software and map updates.

I will add one other suggestion. The nuvi 2360 uses a powered mount

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/45200

which is great. But when connecting the 2360 to a computer, do not plug the USB cable into the mount. Separate the mount from the 2360 and plug the USB cable into the socket on the 2360 which I think is on the bottom edge of the 2360 and I think is a micro-USB socket, not a mini socket. Also, the USB cable needs to have data as well as charging capability. A marked Garmin cable will have it as will many other cables you may have but a charging-only cable will not let the computer see the GPS.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

Part of our problem is we may not be familiar with the MacBook Pro. To answer some of your questions:

Bluetooth is a dead end. The only way to get lifetime map updates to the nuvi is by using the USB port. That is because the Garmin site checks this specific GPS to make sure it deserves a map update, which it probably does. But the SD card idea will not work.

Is there a files and folders app on the MacBook Pro? Can it see the nuvi as a connected drive?

There is Finder, same as the Explorer app.

With the GPS connected directly to the USB, Click the Apple in the Upper Left, choose System Report. Look in Hardware and Click USB. Look in there to see if the GPS is showing.

When Garmin cam out with the 5X models they dropped support for MAC, saying they don't support the USB-C connectors. Your Unit should not be subject to this, but who knows.

Connecting directly to the Unit with the USB cable, if your MAC has USB-C use an adapter to connect your USB to the USB-C connector.

Thanks for your reply. I guess it may be time to ask friends with PCs.

No reason why it shouldn't work on a Mac. Have you done what someone suggested in making sure you are using a data AND charge type of USB cable?

I appreciate the links. The Ebay seller replied to me and suggested

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=lTulQVsuyr4yWwA9wHjuY9

which gave me some hope. When I entered that Bluetooth code, the Garmin gave me a "Bluetooth cannot connect to the device" error message.

I tried two different cables; one that the Garmin came with and one that I have used before while transferring data off my cell phone to my computer.

I have ordered a micro SD card. After that, I will be seeking assistance from friends who have PCs.

I have certainly reached a dead end with Bluetooth. But why don't you think the microSD card won't work? I was thinking I could download the latest map to a microSD card while using my Mac and then transfer the file over to my Garmin.

I have certainly reached a dead end with Bluetooth. But why don't you think the microSD card won't work? I was thinking I could download the latest map to a microSD card while using my Mac and then transfer the file over to my Garmin.

And to answer your question, no, my Mac does not recognize the Garmin as an external device. In other words, it does not appear on Finder.

Forget Bluetooth. You cannot load maps that way, and it's a distraction to your problem with USB connection.

My GPS won't show up on Finder.

I looked up the specs for my Macbook Pro. It states that it has two USB 3 ports.

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP649?locale=en_US

If it can't be seen at all I'd suspect the cable. Are you using a Garmin one? Even if you are they can go bad so try another cable, and as already mentioned ensure it's a data cable

It could also be the USB3 ports, there are reports that some older Garmins won't work with USB3

Sorry, no macs here, but i imagine macos has an equivalent of windows device manager? Does it show any change at all when the device is plugged/unplugged?

Confirm cable works by testing it with another device using miniusb. Does that device show up?

I’ve got some pretty old Garmins and never experienced a USB port compatibility issue. Garmin at https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=aqQ8A9uIMi4yQxLkhaV65A says devices should be full compatible with a 3.0 port and the USB protocol would support the same.

The Garmin site will not allow any user to download a map update to an SD card or any other device using Garmin Express. The Garmin site checks to see that a Garmin GPS is connected, and then will download to the Garmin GPS internal memory or a micro SD card that is inserted in the Garmin GPS.

In addition, there is no "one" map update, but many. Different models of Garmin GPSs require different map updates. Each download is custom for the GPS that is connected.

The GPS should show on Finder. If not, there is some issue with the USB cable or the Apple USB-C issue that phranc mentioned.

However, the two modes the GPS file system can be in are MTP mode or Mass Storage mode. Can other members remember how to change it from one to the other, and what the proper mode would be to see the Apple products?

The bluetooth information link has nothing to do with the problem. The seller has a lack of understanding. The nuvi could still be in perfect working order.

sussamb probably hit the nail on the head. The MacBook has only USB3 ports that are "backward compatible." The GPS is a USB2 device. We have discussed in other threads the possible problems with USB2 or USB3 computer ports.

My PC has USB 3 ports and never had a problem with my Nuvi 660. That is, until the 660 died.

Cruncher may have a unit that has a bad USB connector or the unit's electronics have failed.

That is unfortunate but also helpful to know that the microSD and Garmin Express don't work together the way I thought.

Is it worth the trouble to get a USB adapter?

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Extension-Cable-Male-Fem...

Or a hub?

https://www.amazon.com/Extensions-Portable-Applicable-Notebo...

Garmin Support says to avoid using a hub.

One of our members who knows about the Apple USB3 port should comment about the USB adapter. I assume an Apple USB3 port is different from a Windows USB3 port.

Garmin has a multi step procedure for communication issues between devices and Mac computers. The procedure can be found at https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=PEtKkmDWkF65Y5pC2CbJGA. I suggest the OP go through the procedure and let us know where the process breaks down. In addition to the procedure, start by fully charging the Garmin device. Some problem in updates have been caused by a device simply low on power.

I do not think there are issues with a Mac based USB 3 port vs. a PV USB 3 port. If there were I suspect communication problems with Mac’s would be common, and they simply aren’t.

In fairness, I bought this GPS from an Ebay seller. On the receipt it lists "GPS build". This Garmin Nuvi arrived in a Tom Tom case. That is a different GPS brand from what I understand.

I may not have a true Garmin data transfer cable. Maybe I will specifically purchase one of those. I will try this Garmin on a PC tomorrow first though.

In fairness, I bought this GPS from an Ebay seller. On the receipt it lists "GPS build". This Garmin Nuvi arrived in a Tom Tom case. That is a different GPS brand from what I understand.

I may not have a true Garmin data transfer cable. Maybe I will specifically purchasing one of those. I will try this Garmin on a PC tomorrow first though.

I will test out that cable as you suggest.

This covers all the possible issues in play here. Thanks very much!

The cable you need doesn't have to be branded as Garmin just look for one that is labeled charge & sync. Something like https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-6-usb-to-mini-b-charge...

since it was USB to USB Mini. And it was nice to read some reviews stating how this cord brought old GPS units back to life.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002L5U7N2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&ref_...

Key words under “about this item”, charging and synching

Are you sure the 2360 uses the mini connector? From the 2360 owners manual, it states the GPS accepts a micro USB connector. (The powered mount does accept the mini connector but I'm pretty sure that trying to update maps or software will fail if connecting the computer to the GPS through a powered Garmin mount.) The cable needs to plug directly into the GPS, not the mount, as I mentioned earlier.

I brought my Garmin Nuvi to work and plugged it into my PC. It recognized it!!!!!!!!!!

However I don't have admin privileges so I am not permitted to install Garmin Express.

I cancelled my Amazon order of that cable and I am now seeking out friends with PCs.

Thanks for all your help guys. I would love to come back here for the POI.

That's a great start.

What map version does your 2360 have now? I think you will power up the GPS, then tap Settings, probably scroll down, then tap myMaps.

You NEED to be using the Garmin cable that has the built-in dongle. If not, it ain't gonna work.

Find a genuine Garmin cable with the built-in dongle.

I've been using Macs forever, Mac is not an issue.

Dongle? What does the Dongle do? Is that cable specific for the Mac?

I don't even remember where I put my original Garmin USB cable. Been using any USB cable that fits. They all work fine on my PC. Perhaps Mac only wants original cables... typical.

I am unaware of any dongle for device updates via GE although you can find some online discussion about charging with a NON Garmin charger needing a 17 kohm resistor (as best I recall) between pins 4 and 5. A dongle could easily accomplish that.

Charging isn't the problem, data communicating is.

The reason why you are unaware is because there is no need to update the dongle. I've never heard of a dongle needing to be updated. As far as I know, they do not need to be updated, and hence that is not a factor in this thread.

All my Garmin devices have Garmin USB cables with built-in dongles. Need the dongle for data. If you only want power, the dongle is not needed, as demonstrated by the plethora of non-dongle USB power cables that are available.

I use a PC and oftentimes use charging/data cables that are not Garmin cables to update maps, software, run POI Loader, etc. I've never had a problem updating my Garmin GPS devices with non-Garmin cables and I don't have a clue as to what this dongle thing is other than that I don't have or use one.

First of all I think (as does much of the web resources) that a “dongle” is a small device that plugs into the USB drive of a computer, not something “built in”. I can also tell you that with high confidence that I have many non-Garmin cables that are sync/charging type that work absolutely fine for GE on a Windows 10 based PC. I also have some cables that are not sync type and they won’t work with the Garmin.

I think that Crusher, the OP, has demonstrated by testing with a PC that the problem is probably not with the nuvi device, but some kind of compatibility issue with the nuvi and Mac. I suspect if he sticks with us, we will eventually figure this out so he can use his Mac to access the nuvi. In the meantime, maybe he can find a PC that he can use to install Garmin Express and get the nuvi updated and ready to use.

As far as the "dongle" discussion that is taking place on the sideline of the main topic, I suspect we have a misunderstanding with the term dongle. I wonder if he is referring to a ferrite choke that is clamped on to some some USB cables to eliminate interference (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrite_bead). Maybe diesel could post a picture or a link to a picture of the device he is referring to and that will help us understand.

I am using the 2360LMT. I do not have a powered mount.

I am using the 2360LMT. I do not have a powered mount.

I am thinking I am going to purchase the original Garmin cable in addition to getting the map update via a friend's pc.

It was asked what map I currently have. Just reading off MyMaps:

CN North America NT. 2011.31 ALL
trafficTrends North America 3.75

Ah, so the description and image on pages 3 and 6 of the owners manual isn't what you have? Garmin has sometimes confused folks when they issue a manual for multiple GPS series and maybe that's why I'm confused.

https://static.garmin.com/pumac/nuvi_2200_2300_2400_EN_OM.pd...

Here's a replacement mount for the nuvi 23xx series that shows pins. Your mount doesn't have these and the 2360 itself doesn't have a socket?

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/pn/010-11606-00

Is it possible that the GPS you bought isn't a nuvi 2360?

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/87150#overview

Or could it be that you bought just the nuvi 2360 itself; and the suction cup, ball mount and powered mount weren't included? Here are the items we've been assuming you purchased:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/302726386387

Here's a Germin YouTube showing the nuvi 2360 and how to replace the battery. Ignore all the disassembly stuff but look at the video at the 56-second mark and elsewhere throughout the video and you'll see the device's contact points that mesh with the mount's pins. Do you have these contact points like the one in the YouTube? The video at 56 seconds also shows the USB micro socket on the lower left in addition to the centered mount contact points that's the USB micro socket where your USB cable will connect for use with Garmin Express, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLhFBwx76GA
_____

Later: Ah, even better. Look at the six photos included in the above ebay listing. It shows the 2360's powered mount from front, with the contact points, and the back, with the USB mini socket.

The mount I received from the seller (not the listing you provided) does not have the pins. The back of the device says it is a Nuvi 2360. The device itself has a socket.

It was advertised as a Nuvi 2360 LMT though. I hope that LMT part just got left off because I want my lifetime maps!

Okay, perhaps "dongle" was not the best choice.

In my experience with Garmin and Macs, there are two kinds of cable:

1. Exclusively for power

2. Intended for data, and also does power.

Cable #2 has the bulge, what I referred to as a "dongle". I have heard/seen it referred to as a dongle, so I did so.

Call it whatever you want, the cable with the bulge thing is for data.

When you go to buy cables, there are two choices: data & power, or just power. The power only cables do not have the bulge, the data cables do.

Years ago a "Dongle" was a device that a user had to use to allow access to an expensive software program. I used to design printed circuit boards at Siemens Automotive. First on an IBM Mainframe, then on an IBM 5080 workstation and finally on a PC. The software for the PC required that a "Dongle" be inserted into a USB port before the software would load, else it would not work. Go to Google and type in "dongle definition" (without the quotes) to see that this is true, although "Dongle" applies to other devices as well.

All the the USB to USB-Mini cables I have here work with my 3597 (and did with my former Nuvi 660) for updates. They all will also charge the 3597, but at a slower rate as the USB ports are limited to 0.5 amp. Garmin wall chargers are rated at 1.0 amp. Only one cable I have has a Ferrite Core device on it and I have never noticed any difference - good or bad. None of the USB cables have a "Bulge" in them. A cable for "Power & Data" is correct.

FYI - the only USB cable I have that is "Power Only" is for my Amazon Kindle E-Reader charger and it's a USB-Micro. The reason I know this is because the plastic housing on the Micro connector came apart and I could see that only the power and ground wires were soldered.

I'm sure that many other wall chargers, beside Kindle, come with only power wires in the cable to save money. When you order thousands and thousands of chargers, those pennies add up. On the other hand my Samsung Galaxy S20 came with a charger and a USB to USB-C cable. That cable does handle data as it can be used to download pictures to my PC.

^^I have some old motorola mini usb cables from past cell phones. These will charge the garmin just fine, but no data. They work fine for data for other devices however. Some have a ferrit core others don't.

That helps a lot.

Here are some issues to consider. Your LMT 2360 means it has lifetime maps and lifetime traffic. But...!

Lifetime traffic requires a "cigarette lighter" power supply with the traffic receiver built into it and most likely, has to be plugged into the Garmin 2360 powered mount. You don't have a powered mount and it's not clear if you received the proper Garmin power supply, if any power supply. This isn't a big issue if you don't need traffic reports and especially true if you drive a lot outside of large cities since FM traffic is spotty at best.

Lifetime maps is another issue and that's why I asked earlier about the map version currently on your 2360. Garmin defines "lifetime" to mean that if your device has been in use and has not received a map update in 24 months or more, that it's beyond Garmin's definition of lifetime and they could prevent your device from receiving a map update. This has been discussed and I've never heard anyone state that Garmin prevented their device from getting a map update more than 24 months after its last update so it may not be an issue for you. But it's especially important to see what map version you have now and you should try ASAP to perform a map update.

Have you used your 2360 yet while on the road and creating a route to a destination? If so and if it works for you, great. On the other hand, if you find it lacking, you could look for a used (or even better, a Garmin Factory refurbished) newer model GPS with all the Garmin-supplied accessories. Your 2360 is a model that came out over 11 years ago and is missing many features that we here at the POI Factory love and use.

I take exception with some of what has been said here. As far as "LMT" all my Garmins have had this on the box, not the actual device. In the case of the Garmin 2360, quoting from the Garmin website, it states "indicated by "LMT" after model number on the box." That of course in itself creates an unknown, since I think the OP mentioned his unit did not come in a Garmin box. Time will tell in this regard as he gets a know proper cable and attempts map updates.

On the mount, several people have mentioned a powered mount. I won't say that the 2360 WON'T work with a powered mount, but the Garmin specs at https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/87150/pn/010-00902-06#inTheBo... do not indicate that the device was originally supplied with a powered mount.

Although true that the unit is 11 years old and may lack features, then the pros/cons of the unit remain up to the user. It would appear to me that he is "trying his way" with a stand alone unit (as opposed to a phone). If he likes what he has, he can then make an evaluation to move to more recent models. Hell I still keep an old 265WT in one of my "collector" cars and probably use the 265WT about five times a year and it works well in a pinch. It has lifetime maps and traffic.