Garmin: Blown Nuvis?

The Market Ticker ^ | 06.24.2009 | Karl Denninger

[KoRn]

There is apparently something VERY wrong with a firmware update that got pushed to Garmin Nuvis (one of their portable GPS systems.)

If you have one of these, and have not used it recently, do not until you check with Garmin! If your unit has the "bad" firmware it may go completely dead, requiring replacement.

While Garmin is apparently making good, they are not (as of this time) eating shipping charges back to them nor doing anything for your time without the unit.

There is now a Garmin FAQ entry up on this that has firmware update instructions - IF your unit is displaying "Updating GPS firmware" or similar messages.

If its dead, you're screwed as the unit will apparently have to go back.

This is a major design defect folks, and if it is also the case for other Garmin products, this has the potential to cause serious trouble for Garmin, and serious COST to them.

Of late manufacturers have gotten into the habit of putting field-upgrade capability into their hardware. Garmin has done it for a long time. This is generally a good thing, as it allows new features and bug fixes to be distributed.

HOWEVER, it is absolutely essential that all such devices have a HARD ROM area that cannot be overwritten or damaged, and a means for the consumer to get back to that ROM entry. This "zero loader" capability means that if you screw up an update, or the manufacturer sends you an update that blows your device up, it is recoverable without sending the unit back to the factory by entering that "zero loader" and re-flashing the firmware.

Garmin apparently has omitted this safety feature and good engineering practice in their units - another buck or two worth of cost in the form of a permanent PROM with a boot loader in it, which can't be overwritten and which is accessed by holding down a button or similar while powering on.

As a result they are now going to get socked with returns of these devices and the reprogramming cost which they will eat.

This hasn't shown up in their stock price - but it very well might.

Hattip JFedak on the forum for the original story.

Disclosure: No position, but will consider a short in the morning.

[KoRn]

If any FReepers out there own one of these things, don't do any updates(according to this info).

I don't own one, and know nothing about them, so I can't comment further. I just saw this and thought I would pass it along.

[napscoordinator]

I have a garmin that works great. I don’t know about this situation as I never encountered anything like this.

[JerseyJohn61]

Thanks Ko.

My Missus recently purchased a GPS. Need to check the make.

JJ61

[RonboTex]

Thanks. I have a Nuvi 200 that I periodically update so I’ll hold off for now.

Thanks again for the tip.

[MediaMole]

Have a feeling this will be limited to certain models. The higher end models will play mp3s, audiobooks and will display real-time traffic data. For the more basic units, there is really little reason to update them unless you’re putting on a new map.

I’d suggest using the car charger to deal with the battery until they solve this problem.

[smokingfrog]

Hard to believe you could not “reboot” back to its’ original conviguration. Stuff happens.

[freeagle]

I have a Nuvi 200 that is a POS. Since I got it at Circuit City last November, I can’t return it. I’m tired of the time and energy it takes me to find someone, somewhere to fix or replace a bad item.

I’m now using hand held maps and my iphone.

[KoRn]

"Hard to believe you could not “reboot” back to its’ original conviguration. Stuff happens."

I agree. Every electronic device like this should have a base firmware hard coded, that can be 'rolled back' to in the event of misconfiguration or disaster like this situation apparently is. As Karl stated, with just a couple additional bucks per unit, and they could have had such a capability. Probably only a matter of an extra chip and some configuration for the chipset.

[Iam1ru1-2]

I have a Garmin Nuvi 650 that’s capable of playing MP3, audio books, and has an SD slot for SD cards. Do you know whether there will be further info on which models are affected, and what needs to be done if my GPS fails to function?

[freedumb2003]

>>I have a garmin that works great. I don’t know about this situation as I never encountered anything like this.

My Nuvi 250 is operating just fine — I did a Map upload a few days ago.

[Iam1ru1-2]

I have a reset button on my GPS. Will that restore to manufacturers specs?

[KoRn]

"I have a reset button on my GPS. Will that restore to manufacturers specs?"

I have no idea. The only GPS type device I have is the Navigation system that came from the factory in my Explorer. I'm ignorant with regard to the rest of them. I would look to your GPS manufacturer for info.

[cabojoe]

http://garmin.blogs.com/my_weblog/2009/06/ask-garmin-free-mandatory-gps-software-available-now.html

[cabojoe]

The products affected are the nüvi 7x5 series, nüvi 800 series, nüvi 8x5 series, zūmo 660, GPSMAP 620 and GPSMAP 640.

[Salamander]

My Nuvi 500 has a “restore” feature that rolls it back to factory stats.

When my first one fell off of the Garmin motorcycle mount on my Harley and hit WV back road pavement at 55mph and got *serious* “road rash”, Garmin sent me another, free.

I’m happy.

If all else fails, my iPhone 3G has maps, a compass and GPS too.
[still waiting for my 3G S upgrade to get back in stock]....:(

[ShadowAce]

[Born Conservative]

My wife almost had me talked into a Nuvi last weekend because my Garmin Street Pilot is “old” and “ugly”, and the update DVD was $85. Glad I listened to the voices in my head telling me not to buy a new one yet....