<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000864749-09-000028
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090902
<FILING-DATE>20090904
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090904
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Bahri Rajat
<CIK>0001314300
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-14845
<FILM-NUMBER>091056933
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>749 NORTH MARY AVENUE
<CITY>SUNNYVALE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94085
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LTD /CA/
<CIK>0000864749
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3829
<IRS-NUMBER>942802192
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1229
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>935 STEWART DRIVE
<CITY>SUNNYVALE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94085
<PHONE>4084818000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>935 STEWART DRIVE
<CITY>SUNNYVALE
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94085
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-09-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000864749</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LTD /CA/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TRMB</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001314300</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Bahri Rajat</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>935 STEWART DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SUNNYVALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94085</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-09-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>886</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>24.5345</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Includes 886 shares acquired under the Trimble Navigation stock purchase plan of August 31, 2009.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Rajat Bahri</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-09-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
