Some TomTom GPS Devices Hit By Leap Year Bug; Fix Now Available

Some users of the TomTom sat-nav GPS devices have been complaining that their devices have been malfunctioning since March 31, with many being unable to find the device’s location at all.

If you’ve been experiencing this problem with your TomTom GPS device, you’re not alone; the company said on Tuesday that a leap year bug in some of the device’s software is to blame for the malfunction. Fortunately, TomTom says that the bug is limited to only a few devices out of its GPS lineup.

According to TomTom, only the Start 20/25, Via 120/125, Via LIVE 120/125, GO LIVE 820/825, and GO LIVE 1000/1005/1005 World devices have been affected by the leap year bug. If you own any of these devices, the company has rolled out a fix, but it requires a little work.

According to the support page, you’ll need to make sure you have download and installed the MyTomTom application on your computer, which you can get at this link. From there, the guide says to connect your GPS device to your computer, and download the latest update.

The documentation says that the TomTom application should start the download automatically, but if not, you can click on “Check for new items” to find the update. After the download is done, you’ll need to press and hold your device’s power button until the device resets.

The fix won’t be instant, however–TomTom says to check if the fix has worked, take the device outside, in a clear view of the sky. If it still isn’t able to determine your location, you’re advised to wait several minutes, as the fix can take some time to go into effect.

Do you own a TomTom GPS? Was your device affected by the leap year bug?