TomTom Via 280 Questions & Answers

Is the via280 newer than the go1000

Yes it is.

Tomtom officially stopped supporting this product and stopped selling updates for it. However if your unit was sold with lifetime updates they should still be able to be installed.

It does not updates. Asks for money to update

I assume your via 280 says your "phone is not connected" after the call is finished and Via hangs up automatically. From experience this problem can be phone is out of range of the Tom Tom or the phone is flat. When in the car it is advisable to have your GPS and phone being charged as well.

I sorted it myself after remembering what I had to do with a TomTom One XL years ago having not been able to find an answer anywhere for the Via 280. There's a small aperture about the size of a pinhead on the front of the device. I inserted a paper clip into this, pushed it in firmly but not too hard, held it there a few seconds, and HEY PRESTO - problem fixed. I think in there is a 'reset ' switch. So it's now back to normal.

That small pinhole on the front of the device is the Microphone! Not a reset switch!

load voice at start up or download voice in downloads when plugged in online

You have to press the Microphone icon everytime before speaking instructions to activate Voice Control on this model.

John here. I own a VIA 280. No, no NZ map included which I thought it was when I purchased this 3 years ago much to my disappointment. Found the hard way - just came back from NZ. To purchase an NZ map is simply not cost effective. Ended up using google maps. Just purchase a local SIM eg. from Sparks or Vodafone at the airport. A 1GB data is sufficient for maps. Google maps is better in more ways. Bring your own in-car mobile phone holder, usb cable and cigarette lighter adapter if your car does not have USB charging port.

Google map is the way to go. Forget buying maps. If you look at Tom Tom maps prices, you might think they are hallucinating to charge those prices in the Google map era.

Yes It has Australia & New Zealand Maps Installed by Default.

Some do have the NZ map and some Do Not.

Angus, Aussie via 280 owner here; purchased in W.A Jan 2014 with the std Aust Map set. Travelled NZ last year so purchased an NZ map set for extra dollars before leaving W.A. Back in NZ right now !

To get to the map set, go to SETTINGS, navigate right to SWITCH MAP ( takes about 4 right clicks) - should show AUST and New Zealand; select the map set you want.

My machine is driving me mad with battery charging and/or not holding charge proplems so good luck !!!

Martin B.

Hi Barry, I've just looked at my menu and I can't find a PIN start up option. Perhaps it's hiding from me.

No

I've had the same problem, but overcame it and moved on. Now mine just links automatically. It's something simple but I can't recall what I did. Try looking for the list another way. Sorry, not much help.

To avoid announcing your home location to a potential thief just enter any random address into Home, and maybe enter your home address into favourites as say Bob's Place. That way it's there to use, but mixed in with a few other locations. The random address could be enough for you.

Another way is to enter any house address in your street, or even any nearby street address in your general area would do. I'm sure if TomTom gets you from a strange location to nearby your home, then you can do the last part without TomTom's help.

I would not enter another persons address as Home. I would enter the address of somewhere that I would always pass on the way home no matter what direction I'm coming from, a park, vacant lot or shops. That way TomTom will finish your trip at that point.

Enter the address of your nearest Police Station or Post Office as Home

Sorry I no longer have this product due to ongoing problems with Tom Tom

Hi John.. Answer to Your Question below; Please Click on the link below and follow the instructions: external link  This Is Simply Easy to Register Yourself and your product. Hope this works out.

I fixed this by changing the voice.

It keeps a list of recent addresses and it also still has the Favourites option available. Further to the speed cameras issue; I emailed TT and whinged about the speed camera updates not having a twelve month subscription with purchase and they reinstated that as a once only (ex gratia) courtesy.

I cannot answer your question as I do not know ,however I am of the opinion that this lifetime updates applies to the anticipated lifetime of the unit itself , and as such would anticipate say 3 years by which time the manufacturer would be expecting the purchaser to be updating the unit . I have only had mine for about 6 months with no problems with update

Thanks Bob Boneo. This is something that did cross my mind. Unfortunately, they don't take into consideration those on low incomes who can't afford to buy new units regularly. I mostly use mine as a speedo as the speedo on my car is out by about 5kph - the wrong way. But I am getting practised at judging using the car one since this error began. It is handy to have for directions when going somewhere unfamiliar, but maybe I'll just toss it and not bother with another.

I do not actually have the model you have. I am very frustrated by Tom Tom, they make it so that you cannot contact them but they can certainly contact you when trying to sell you something. It may well have free updates but what is the point when their updates are 30 years out of date. Often it will indicate that a portion of highway is 60 kph but the tree growth indicates that it has been 100 kph for at least ten years. I have lived on a named, sealed road for approx. 40 years and Tom Tom indicates I am in no mans land. My Tom Tom is well over five years old, so I do not think that they are made to fail. I just checked mine to try and ascertain the build date and I notice a "Reset" button on it - perhaps you should try that. I rate my Tom Tom as 5/10. I have a current E Class Merc. and it has Tom Tom built in it and it is only half as good as my portable Tom Tom - thus 2.5/10. If you check Choice magazine, there is another supplier of maps and if the "reset" does not work, I would try another brand - it cannot be any worse than Tom Tom. Last year I was driving a new bus and wanted to check the accuracy of the speedo and as I was going out the Wanaaring Road, I entered Wanaaring which is approx. 2 hours distance and Tom Tom wanted to take me on a trip of 16 hours plus. I think with all GPS, you really need a printed map so that you do not get completely lost. Another "beef" with Tom Tom is that if you put that you "do not want to avoid toll roads", it will actually seek toll roads out and take you on a longer trip just to use a toll road. GPS is excellent for checking your speed. With my BA Falcon 114 equals 110 and in the Merc. 111 equals 110. I assume your car is registering 105 when the GPS is registering 100. Just check your speed differences at 40, 50, 60, 80, 90, 100 and 110 and just add the difference. You might find that you are 5 kph out at all speeds or perhaps it varies depending on the speed.

Appreciate you taking the time Robert Stutsel. Just to clarify my car is registering 95 when the Tom Tom is registering 100. Which means that when my car says 100 I'm really doing 105. Not good. And yes it is out by about 5kph at all speed limits. Thus the desire to have an accurate reading. I haven't taken any notice at low speeds - not relevant. I have had a Navman before but I find their program less user-friendly. Too many steps to get to where you want to be, especially if driving (Oops, maybe I shouldn't admit that.) I have a Navman in the work vehicle I use (supplied by my employer, and I don't take this vehicle home), and it would be nice if I could easily switch from 3D to 2D to get a broader map view like you can on the Tom Tom. Also, my employer has had the same issue with previous Navman units, so I don't know. Anyway, I will try the reset as you suggest. Didn't realise there was one. Thanks again.

I do not know .Living in Australia my interest obviously would be for the Australian version Sorry that I can not be of any more help

Thanks Bob

My fathers slightly older TomTom (with lifetime maps) does.

I don't see why this one wouldn't :-)

Sorry, I cannot help but it is ironic that owners have to contact one another to try and ascertain things that ought to be a phone call or an email away from the maker. My opinion of Tom Tom is very low, never having been able to contact them to tell them that their maps are crap - always wanting to sell me map updates that are 30 years old. I think that you can rightly assume that Tom Tom will gladly sell you a map. I just bought a new Navman and its maps are from HERE, whereas Tom Tom is apparently the only one using Whereis, so hopefully HERE will be up to date.

Sorry do not know the answer to that question .My purchase was only intended for Australia

My purchase is only for AU &NZ, but TOM TOM has world map one, the thing is if you buy the world map I don't think you need delete AU, just install the EROUP one. You can phone and mail the service of TOM TOM to confirm.

Thanks for replies people. My problem is that Tom Tom Via 280 does not have enough internal memory to handle both Australia and Europe maps and it does not have a Micro USB slot like the newer models have.

Change the voice, that's how I fixed that issue