Zumo 590 Issues

Have a 2015 RT Limited. For no reason, the Zumo 590 quit playing audio through the speakers. It keeps giving me a message “Audio requires a headset or a powered mount with a speaker”. I have never used a headset . Left it with the Dealer and it worked for them. Thought maybe it had to do with my phone/Bluetooth connection. Have unpaired/deleted the Bluetooth on the phone and on Zumo several times in hope it would take care of the issue . It worked once then I started getting the message again. No helpful information in the Zumo manual. Before I call Garmin, has anyone else experience this?

Try cleaning the terminals on the cradle and the Zumo.
That worked for me.

If cleaning the terminals doesn't work when you call Garmin use the number 855-607-2536, OEM Support, so you get to someone who should be very familiar with the BRP Spyder setup.

Could have a bad harness/cradle too?

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Originally Posted by katestock

Have a 2015 RT Limited. For no reason, the Zumo 590 quit playing audio through the speakers. It keeps giving me a message “Audio requires a headset or a powered mount with a speaker”. I have never used a headset . Left it with the Dealer and it worked for them. Thought maybe it had to do with my phone/Bluetooth connection. Have unpaired/deleted the Bluetooth on the phone and on Zumo several times in hope it would take care of the issue . It worked once then I started getting the message again. No helpful information in the Zumo manual. Before I call Garmin, has anyone else experience this?

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I also have this problem on occasion. I have the 2015 RTL. I will be following this.

This isn't much help, but in reading the 2015 RT Owners Manual it doesn't show that the NAV can be heard through the bikes audio system. However, in the 2016 RT Owners Manual it shows that the NAV can be heard over the bikes audio system.

I'm guessing you've tried turning the volume up on the GPS, but just in case you haven't have a look at this YouTube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h-EGjOjlz4

I have a 16 RTS that I added the cradle to. It stopped intermittently a couple of times. Same problem ,was working then in the middle of a trip it stopped,then after restarting audio didn't come out. I got the same audio hook up message. After I finished the trip , (it didn't come back the rest of that trip) i removed it and on the next ride after reattaching it to the cradle all was well. I share the unit between bikes. As has been said check and clean the contacts both on the GPS unit and the cradle, and apply a smear of dielectric grease to both cradle and GPS unit. Has not been an issue since on mine.

Your results may vary hope this helps.

Thanks for the suggestions. I spoke with Garmin and it turned out to be the connector pins needed to be cleaned. So far no issues.

I have used rubbing alcohol to clean the contact pins. This has been the fix so far. :thumbup:

Thank you all, had the same issue. Will try to clean contacts.

I know this was an old post, but my 2020 RTL has the 590 that was installed by the dealer. It is giving me the same notice when I try to turn up the audio to play on the bike speakers...must have headset or cradle. I have a damn cradle, won’t charge there either, but will charge via a cable to usb so it can’t be a battery thing. Seems something is wrong, tried cleaning the connections but no luck. It never charged nor worked, guess the dealer will have to check it out when dropp3d off for service after break in.

The 2020 RTL has the polarity reversed at the connector to the bike. It won't charge. My dealer installed all the connections properly according to the installation manual. The manual is wrong. The + and - leads on the garmin connector need to be reversed. It's easiest to just cut the wires.
As to the audio, unfortunately, there is no audio connection from the GPS to the motorcycle sound system. You need a bluetooth headset to hear the instructions from the GPS.

The cradle you are referencing is the car cradle with a speaker built in.