Garmin Nuvi Battery Recall

The total verdict isn't yet in on turnaround time, but it's looking reasonable at actually 10 to 14 working days.

I'm on the fence now about not sending mine back vs replacing the battery myself after reading the recall letter more closely. (Interesting side note that the recall is an NHTSA mandated recall).

The letter does NOT say that they might use exchange units, but rather that they will replace your battery & send your unit back. As I recall, NHTSA has very specific disclosure rules for their recalls.

But, the letter also mentions that the problem could be from a bad battery or battery & circuit board issue. So, if the circuit board has an issue a battery alone might not be a good long term solution, imo.

And, if they needed to replace a defective circuit board.. that's just about the whole unit, yes? That makes more sense to me about different serial number returns with familiar (or not) cases (outsides).

Guess I'll start to prep myself for being without my 765T for a few weeks.

My GPS was recalled. I sent it in on the 6th of September. My status hasn't changed on reception of my GPS. But I have tracked my shipment and it was delivered on the 10th. I am awaiting reception before I know if they'll replace the unit or just the battery.

Still waiting on my Garmin to come back. They have had it in their hands now for 3 weeks. The web site still says they are awaiting arrival of my unit. I have contacted them twice and they said it is being work on, but that they are just very busy.
So, if you are in a hurry, I wish you luck. I miss my Garmin!!! I need it back. I have a spare, luckily but it isn't the one I want to be using.

don't they send you a replacement for you to use while the unit is being serviced just like a loner car ?

mine is NOT on the list! What a relief, I was just getting used to her!

Of the five units I ordered from Garmin and all are affected models...

NOT ONE Recalled!

Great news here.

I am lucky as my 250W is not on the list.

My 265wt is ok, also.

My 265wt is ok, also.

My 760 not recalled.

An update from the returned unit tracking thread- What started out as a reasonable 7 to 10 working day turn-around has quickly degenerated to about 28 working days.

For those of us with recalled units but haven't sent them in I suspect it can only get worse?

On further consideration about replacing my battery myself, considering the circuit board might need replacement I'm going to bite the bullet and send mine in.. just not sure yet when is the best time. Mine doesn't get hot so maybe later rather than sooner.

Luckily my 765T, purchased in March, is not on the recall list. Still I am appalled at Garmin's turnaround time on this recall. Many years ago, I had a Kodak camera that was recalled due to an electrical problem with the flash unit. I registered on their website and I had a paid return label for overnight delivery to them the next day. I sent it back and I had the camera returned to me via overnight delivery two days later. It was out of my hands about 48 hours! So basically they got it the day after I sent it to them. They fixed it that day and packed it out the same day. Garmin should take a lesson from that. 14+ days is totally unacceptable.

I have one of these and would have not known... Thanks again.

I would not return it for a while until they get caught up. They have had mine for over a month and say they are still working on it because they are so busy.

I have been on vacation for the past 3 weeks and just checked my serial number....not on the recall list and I am glad as I really do not want to send my unit off for repair.

Glad mine is not part of that recall.

But then, you don't get a anew battery, which is one of the first thing to go bad!

I notice none of the 1XXX series are in this current list. So I guess I am still safe for now??? Maybe I should take the extra insurance on the rental car in case it spontaneously combusts in the parking lot. (need to get my wind mill back I have to say something)

If you own a unit that is part of the recall and it is working you might want to reconsider sending it in. Garmin received my unit five weeks ago and the only response that I have been getting from their support is "Give it another couple of days as there is a batch going out." I purchased another unit. Perhaps this is why they moved the head office to Switzerland. Easier to ignore the complaints. Incidentally my unit worked and there was no heat build up,after 4 weeks I requested they just return it as received to be advised "Oh no we can't do that".

I use this unit in my car only.. don't really need a battery since I use Cigarette Lighter Adapter.

Then you're missing some interesting uses. There is another thread about people using their GPS outside the car: http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30521

A guy had put his GPS in his backpack, screen off, and was driving an ATV bicycle. The driving info was just coming out of his pack, and quite a few people were mesmerized by this guy and "his speaking backpack".

We're still laughing about it in this country !

Just got my Garmin back, took about 6 weeks to replace the battery. Got the same unit back but they gave it a new serial number. That's ok. Now I just hope the new battery works ok and has some longevity. If I had it to do over I would have waited, a few months before sending it in so that they could get caught up on their operations. Just an FYI.

Sorry I don't do any of that....
but thanks.

He detected no differences in operation or battery life.

Just got my 750 back. Turn around time was 9 days. Not bad. However, they changed my serial number. The paperwork says, "During the repair process we changed your nuvi's serial number tag. Your new serial number is.......

Why would they do that??

Probably because your unit had one of the defective circuit board designs & they replaced the pcb (which is the whole thing internally)

Enjoy your 99% new unit.

My battery died but I didn't replace it when I replaced the digitizer (touchscreen), I'm still fine with cigarette lighter charger.

My 760 wasn't part of the recall but it's lost/stolen. I bought a replacement on eBay and, naturally, it's part of the recall. D'Oh!

I replaced the battery on my previous unit myself - it wasn't difficult at all. Given the wait times listed in this thread I may just go that route and replace it myself in this new unit. I can't go 5 or 6 weeks without my GPS. I use it for work. I'm totally lost without directions.

I just hope that, if I do my own replacement, I don't continue to get warning messages every time I hit my.garmin.com

Got my Nuvi back yesterday and like the rest it has come back from a trip to Mexico. Probably wasn't cold and rainy down there but no obvious signs of sunburn on the GPS

I had battery issues earlier in that the 750 charge did not last as long as expected. It would tend to run down and weaken after only a short time (couple hours) even on low power settings.

I replaced it myself for about $15. Saved me sending it back to Garmin. No lost time. No lost info. Easy fix. Works great now.

For me, their recall was a non-issue.

it all depends on how and where you want to use this unit.
I am fine with using it in the car.

thanks for the info

Looks like only the Wide models were recalled. I wonder if they have a larger battery since the larger screen would take more power when not connected to the charger.

Why not blame the corn that fed the chickens, that made the eggs, or the water that grew the corn that fed the chickens that made the eggs, or the cloud that supplied the water..... Whew I am tired, got to go now..... That's all folks!!!!

My previous 760 wasn't part of the recall but it was lost/stolen and I bought a replacement 760. Naturally, it IS part of the recall.

Changing the battery myself would be quick and easy - I did it in my prior nüvi 760. However, I got tired of always being nagged on the My Garmin site about the recall. Every time I went there I got a nag about sending in the unit so I gave in and sent the thing this morning.

Hopefully it will have a quick turnaround. I really hate being without my nüvi!

I'm thinking that you've missed the worst of the rush. My timing wasn't so good- my GPS had a 6 wk LOA in Mexico.

I had another unit to use, so didn't feel the pain of separation.

Thanks for the information. Mine can get pretty hot after running a while

so anyway know which model are being recalled?

Well, UPS says my 760 arrived in El Paso, TX this morning. That's the destination that was on my return label. I checked the addressee and it seems to be an international shipping expediter or something of that sort. I guess the unit will now have to travel on to Mexico if it follows the pattern mentioned by others. I hope it hurries back home.

thanks will have to check to see if mine is recalled

Thanks for the information. My 265wt checked out ok!

Thanks for the info. Mine isn't recalled.

Once the unit has been received in Texas (as mine has) does it just go into a black hole until it's eventually returned?

Since folks are saying the unit travels to Mexico after it's been received in Texas I'm wondering if there's actually any way to know what's happening or if I will just magically receive the unit by return mail one day with no idea of when that will be.

Did Garmin contact anybody to let them know what was going on or when the unit was being shipped back?

My old unit stopped holding a charge, but wasn't included in the recall. Oh well

That's easy to fix. I replaced the battery in my previous 760 myself. I'm NOT dexterous but it was still easy to do. I just followed the instructions in the video on youtube. It was fast, easy, inexpensive, and totally solved the problem of the unit not holding a charge.

Do you need special tool to open the unit ?

To avoid comsmetic damage, you really need the pry tool as well as the torx wrench. I think your nuvi is a 255w:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwAbKYOgiZg

I sent my 760 in on 11/2 and, when I checked my.garmin this morning it had tracking info saying the unit is out for delivery to my home today. Approximately 2 week turnaround. Not bad at all!

They should've recalled lots of garmins for failing digitizers (touchscreens), not just for the battery.