1490T - White Line?

This is the first time I've seen such a fault on a Garmin, but I have seen this before on laptop screens. In a row on the left and top edges of the LCD screen are a series of transistors which control the on/off state of each pixel in their row or column. In the case of your screen one of the transistors has failed, leaving all the pixels in its row or column stuck "on", thus displaying white.

This is a fault in the screen and it's honestly not all that common. It may or may not get worse, depending on whether other transistors in the screen begin failing. If the nüvi is under warranty Garmin should give you no trouble replacing it. You will likely get a refurb as a replacement.

Thanks to Strephon_Alkhalikoi for explaining failure is due to transistor malfunction.
If it were me, I definitely would return it before the warranty expired.

Garmin shouldn't give you any trouble as long as it's under warranty and you purchased it retail and not from a private individual. Proof of purchase will be required.

As for Garmin sending you a refurbished unit, from what I've read, this will be the case since repairing yours will take a much longer turn around time. I'm confident your replacement unit will look brand new as well as receiving a unit that was thoroughly checked.

I am curious though regarding the maps. Since you don't have lifetime maps, I wonder if the unit you receive will have a newer map installed.

Had you had lifetime maps, Garmin would have transferred the subscription to your replacement unit.

I had the same thing happen to a Sharp Aquos LCD tv screen. The unit was still under warranty. After a couple of days in the shop, the vendor replaced the unit, telling me that such a fault is not repairable (at least not by the vendor, I guess).

...problem w/ the 1490.

It's a problem with a failed transistor. Those same transistors are used in high end GPS units, televisions and everything else with an LCD screen. Could have just as easily been a 2000 or 3000 series unit. (Or my LCD TV that failed a while back for a similar reason.)

Or a laptop screen, as I mentioned above. Only in the case of the laptop, the line was red, meaning all the red pixels were stuck "on". I used the laptop (IBM 380Z) as a test machine for years after the transistor failed.

The point is that this type of failure isn't restricted to any particular unit, and to say it only happens to the 1490 is disingenuous.

It can happen on any unit whether it be laptop, GPS, or LCD screen. It can be a line or a couple stuck pixels. So its not "another 1490 problem".

of the unit. Still a white line or does it go black?

I admit I would like to hear from the OP to be sure, but based upon what I know of this issue the pixels will remain white while in night mode. He likely noticed the stuck pixels when the 1490 booted since the screen is black at that point.

The transistors can get stuck in the "on" or "off" positions. In the case of the OP, all three color pixels in that row were stuck "on", thus the line would be white. In the case of my old 380Z the line was vertical and only one row of pixels was stuck "on": the red pixels.

If all the pixels were stuck "off" he would have a black line in that row. If only one of the three colors were stuck "off", the color would not be correct but items on the display would continue to appear normally. If one of the transistors in the screen were to fail in an area where the color normally does not change, e.g. the banner bar, the user may never notice it.

I had to send my 3790LMT in to a Garmin repair facility. I was sent a replacement unit. The replacement unit came with 2012 maps. I had to contact Garmin and they transferred my LM to the replacement unit after I gave them the serial number. Then I updated the map to current.

I've not seen the white line you mention. But, I do have experience dealing with Garmin customer service and have always been impressed - I'm sure they will get you taken care of. Good luck!

IF you ever decide to send it back to Garmin for repair I do not think you will ever see your original never again even if still is under warrenty. Be sure you write down the serial number.Knowing this when I purchase mine at Best buy I also purchase extra warrenty and it was worth it cause about 2 year later I had problem with the sound coming up from my Gps ,I took back and I got a brand new unit,no question ask.

One thing I strong Disagree about Garmin how they handle customer service repair is, everyone they care about the Gps ,so if I send mine for repair and it is in perfect condition why should I get back someone else Gps that have scratches and dents? especialy if the Gps that I send them was recently purchase/.

You obviously have never received a refurb from Garmin. I bet you couldn't tell one from a new one other than it will arrive with up to date firmware, working perfectly and with a brand new one year warranty. Any device sent back scratched or dented will never see the light of day again. There's a video around somewhere that shows what happens to these units. They go directly into the recycle bin.

Me personaly Never,But I know of a few friends who got back refurbish garmin back with scratches and dents,and they did not look that very happy even if they had new update in it.

I too have never heard of anyone receiving a Garmin Refurbished unit in any condition other than new.
Is it possible your friends bought these from Ebay vendors that CLAIMED they were refurbished from Garmin?

If it's refurbished by Garmin, it comes with a full 1 year warranty as with a new one.

So I have had the same trouble Looks like a weak spot in this model.

Same problem with my gps a had to get it a new gps