Bushnell Tour V4 not working? In almost every case the cause is the CR2 battery, a held-down Power/Fire button that has opened the unit-selection cycle (what owners call "stuck in setup mode"), or a slope setting that belongs to a different V4 version. Fit a fresh CR2 3-volt lithium cell flat end first, hold Fire for 10 seconds, then switch the unit off and select yards again. If it still will not range, Bushnell's two-year warranty form is the next step.
There are three Tour V4 models and they do not behave the same way, so start by working out which one you own. Below are the fixes for each symptom Tour V4 owners search for: won't turn on, stuck in setup mode, not showing yardage, slope not working and reading meters. Every button sequence comes from Bushnell's own Tour V4 support page and the original Tour V4 / Slope Edition manual. For the full owner guide, specs and accessories, see our Bushnell Tour V4 guide.
Key facts
- Battery: one CR2 3V lithium, inserted negative (flat) end first. Bushnell recommends Panasonic, Duracell or Energizer.
- Reset: after fitting a new battery, hold Fire for 10 seconds. Bushnell documents no other reset.
- "Setup mode" is the option cycle: with the unit off, holding Power/Fire for about 7 seconds makes the display cycle through units. Release on Y (yards) or M (meters).
- Plain Tour V4 (201660): no slope. Slope Edition (201661): slope is chosen in the button cycle. V4 Shift (201760): slope is a physical switch on the side.
- Warranty: 2 years from purchase; start with Bushnell's online warranty evaluation form.
First: which Tour V4 do you have?
Most "slope not working" and "stuck in setup mode" searches come from following instructions written for a different V4. Check the model number on the unit, the box or your receipt.
| Model | Bushnell model no. | Slope | How settings change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour V4 (standard) | 201660 / 201660P | None | Hold Power/Fire from off; release on Y or M |
| Tour V4 Slope Edition | 201661 | Yes, chosen in the button cycle | Hold Power/Fire: Yards w/Slope, Yards, Meters w/Slope, Meters |
| Tour V4 Shift | 201760 / 201760P | Yes, physical Slope-Switch on the side | Units: hold Power/Fire from off. Slope: slide the switch |
All three take the same CR2 battery and share the 10-second Fire reset. The newer generations behave differently again; if yours says V5, see the Tour V5 and V5 Shift page, and the whole range is sorted in which Bushnell rangefinder to buy.
Bushnell Tour V4 not working: symptom, cause, fix
| Symptom | Most likely cause | Fix | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Won't turn on, display stays dark | Flat or low-quality battery; cell in backwards | New CR2 3V lithium, flat end first; then hold Fire 10 seconds | Bushnell support page; manual |
| Turns on, then shuts off when you fire | Weak or low-quality battery | Replace with a good-quality 3V lithium CR2 | Manual troubleshooting |
| Ignores button presses | Battery | Replace the battery | Manual troubleshooting |
| Stuck in setup mode, options keep cycling | Power/Fire held from off, which opens the unit cycle | Release on Y, let it go dark, press once to wake; then battery and 10-second reset if it repeats | Bushnell support page |
| Not showing yardage | Button released too early; lens blocked by a finger; target under 5 yards; weak battery | Hold Power/Fire until the number appears; keep fingers clear of the lenses; hold steady | Manual troubleshooting |
| Slope not working (Slope Edition) | A non-slope option selected in the cycle | Re-cycle and release on Yards w/Slope; hold the button about 2 more seconds after the distance shows | Manual, model 201661 |
| Slope won't turn on (V4 Shift) | Slope-Switch in the down position | Slide the switch on the side to the top position | TGW Slope-Switch explainer |
| Slope missing (standard V4) | 201660 has no slope | Nothing to fix; slope needs a 201661 or V4 Shift | Bushnell support page |
| Reads meters or about 10% short | Unit set to M | From off, hold Power/Fire, release on Y | Bushnell support page |
| Small dots in the view | Often solar burn; cosmetic | Ignore unless they block the view; then contact support | Bushnell support page |
Bushnell Tour V4 won't turn on
Bushnell lists three battery signs: the unit won't power on, the display stays dark, or the display goes blank when the laser fires. All three point to the CR2 before anything else.
- Open the cap. Lift the cap tab and turn the cap counterclockwise (manual).
- Fit a fresh CR2 3-volt lithium cell, negative (flat) end first. A CR123A is the same voltage but a different size and does not fit; see CR2 vs CR123A.
- Close the cap clockwise until snug.
- Hold Fire for 10 seconds. This is the step Bushnell adds after installing a new battery straight from the package.
- Press Power/Fire once. The LCD should light; turn the eyepiece until the icons are sharp.
If the unit wakes with the cap loose or only after re-seating the battery, look at the contacts and cap thread for dirt or corrosion and wipe them dry. Bushnell suggests replacing the battery at least every six months and carrying a spare; the original manual says at least every 12 months. Which cells hold up best in cold weather is compared in our best CR2 battery for a rangefinder guide, and every Bushnell model's cell is listed on the Bushnell rangefinder battery page.
Bushnell Tour V4 stuck in setup mode
The Tour V4 has no separate setup menu. What looks like a setup mode is the option cycle Bushnell describes on its support page: with the unit off, press and hold Power/Fire, and after about 7 seconds the display starts cycling through the options. On a standard V4 that is yards and meters; on the Slope Edition it is Yards w/Slope, Yards, Meters w/Slope and Meters. If you keep holding the button, or pick the unit up with the button pressed, it keeps cycling and never shows a distance.
- Let go of the button and wait for the display to go dark. The manual says the LCD stays active for 10 seconds after the last reading.
- Press Power/Fire once (a short press) to wake it, aim at a target and press again to range.
- To choose units deliberately: from off, hold Power/Fire, watch the options and release the moment Y (or Yards w/Slope) appears. The V4 remembers the last setting each time it is switched on.
- If it goes straight back into the cycle or the button seems stuck, check the button is not jammed in a case or strap, then fit a fresh CR2 and hold Fire for 10 seconds.
- Still cycling with a new battery: that is a hardware fault for Bushnell support, not a setting.
Every icon lit, or the display shows "all 8s"
Some owners report a screen where every segment is on, often after a battery change. Bushnell's Tour V4 pages do not describe this display, so treat it as a power or reset problem: take the battery out, refit it flat end first with the cap snug, hold Fire for 10 seconds, then press once. If the full display stays, submit the warranty form rather than trying further button combinations.
Bushnell Tour V4 not showing yardage
If the display lights but no number appears, run through the manual's "target range cannot be obtained" checks:
- Hold the button through the scan. Press and hold Power/Fire until the distance appears near the bottom of the display, then release. The laser fires for up to 10 seconds per press.
- Target at least 5 yards away. The V4 ranges from 5 yards.
- Nothing over the lenses. A finger, glove, strap or case flap across the front lens blocks the return.
- Hold it steady. PinSeeker shows the closer of two targets, so a shaky aim that slides off the flag picks up trees instead. Brace against your chest or the cart; the technique is on how to use a golf rangefinder.
- Clean the lenses. Blow off dust, then wipe in circles with a microfiber cloth. Put lens cleaner on the cloth, never on the lens.
- Fresh battery. A weak cell can light the display but cut out when the laser fires.
Range drops with target colour, size, angle and light: Bushnell rates the V4 to about 700 yards on most objects and up to 1,000 yards on highly reflective ones, at ±1 yard. A flag in flat light at 250 yards is a harder target than a tree. Fog and rain also cut the return, and the V4 is water resistant, not waterproof.
Bushnell Tour V4 slope not working or won't turn on
Tour V4 Slope Edition (201661)
Slope is one of the four options in the Power/Fire cycle. From off, hold the button and release on Yards w/Slope (or Meters w/Slope). In slope mode "- – -" appears in the field of view; that is the slope indicator, not an error. Press Power to range the flag, then keep holding for about 2 seconds after the distance appears, aiming steadily. When you release, the angle and the compensated range show below the standard distance. Release too early and you only get the line-of-sight number, which looks like slope is broken. The inclinometer works from −20 to +20 degrees.
Tour V4 Shift (201760)
The Shift uses a physical Slope-Switch on the side of the body. Slide it to the top position to turn slope on and to the bottom position to turn it off (TGW). If moving the switch changes nothing on the display after a fresh battery and the 10-second reset, that is a fault for the warranty route; there is no button sequence that replaces the switch.
Standard Tour V4 (201660)
The plain V4 has no slope function, so there is nothing to switch on. If you want slope, you need a Slope Edition, a V4 Shift or a later Shift model; how each one turns slope off for competition is on how to turn off slope.
Tour V4 reading meters or the wrong number
A distance about 10% short usually means the unit is in meters. Bushnell's sequence: make sure the unit is off, press and hold Power/Fire, wait until the display cycles after about 7 seconds, and release when Y appears. The Y or M indicator sits in the lower right of the LCD. On a Slope Edition, a second, different number below the main one means slope is on. The same steps for other models are in how to change a rangefinder from meters to yards.
How to reset a Bushnell Tour V4
Bushnell documents one reset for the Tour V4 and the V4 Shift: install a fresh battery and press and hold the Fire button for 10 seconds. There is no reset pinhole or hidden button combination in Bushnell's V4 material. After the reset, re-select your units, since the unit returns to the last setting it remembers.
Still not working? Warranty, repair or replacement
Under warranty: use Bushnell's form first
Bushnell laser rangefinders carry a two-year warranty from the original purchase date at an authorized seller; without a receipt Bushnell dates it from the manufacture code in the serial number. Damage from misuse, unauthorized repairs or water is not covered. The warranty and repairs page sets the order: troubleshoot with the manual, submit the warranty evaluation form, wait for a ticket number by email (24–48 hours), and only then ship the unit with that ticket. Whether it is serviced or replaced is Bushnell's decision. The full claim walkthrough is in our rangefinder repair and warranty guide.
Out of warranty: compare a repair with a replacement
The Tour V4 has long been out of production, so most units are now outside the two years. Bushnell's page publishes no fixed out-of-warranty price: the same form leads to an assessment and next steps. Ask for the total cost including shipping, then compare it with a checked used unit. A missing battery cap or a worn case is cheap to replace; a unit that still will not range on a fresh battery is not a case or battery problem.
Replacing it
If repair does not make sense, a used Tour V4 Shift or a later Tour model is the obvious replacement. Ask the seller to range something at 150 yards or more, check the battery cap is present and confirm the model number. The full checklist is in our used golf rangefinder buying guide, and the general fixes for every brand are on rangefinder not working.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Bushnell Tour V4 stuck in setup mode?
The button was held from off long enough (about 7 seconds) to open the units cycle. Release it, let the display go dark and press once to wake. If it keeps cycling, fit a fresh CR2 and hold Fire for 10 seconds; if that fails, contact Bushnell.
How do you reset a Bushnell Tour V4?
Install a fresh CR2 3-volt lithium battery, flat end first, then press and hold the Fire button for 10 seconds. That is the only reset Bushnell documents for the Tour V4 and V4 Shift.
Why won't my Bushnell Tour V4 turn on?
Usually the battery: flat, low quality or inserted the wrong way round. Bushnell says to replace the CR2 when the unit won't power on, the display stays dark or it blanks when firing.
Why is my Tour V4 not showing yardage?
Hold Power/Fire until the number appears, keep fingers off the lenses, range something at least 5 yards away and hold steady. A weak battery can also light the display but cut out when the laser fires.
Why is slope not working on my Bushnell Tour V4?
The standard V4 (201660) has no slope. On the Slope Edition, select Yards w/Slope in the button cycle and hold about 2 seconds after the distance shows. On the V4 Shift, slide the side switch to the top position.
What battery does the Bushnell Tour V4 take?
One CR2 3-volt lithium battery. Bushnell recommends Panasonic, Duracell or Energizer and suggests replacing it at least every six months.
How this page was made. Written by The Golf Rangefinder editorial team from Bushnell's Tour V4 and V4 Shift support pages, the original Tour V4 / Slope Edition manual and Bushnell's warranty page. We do not test rangefinders in hand and we never claim to. Last checked: October 2026. Prices change; the retailer page is the final word.
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