GPS Malfunction

[Bort]

Hello. I have a 2016 R29S. When I started up yesterday the GPS turned on as usual. When I proceeded forward, neither the GPS nor the Volvo display were giving me any speed readings, although they continued to display RPMs. I tried shutting down the GPS and Volvo display as a "reset" and the GPS would not turn back on (and never has again). The Volvo display turned back on, but no speedometer. The autopilot continued to work, and would hold a bearing throughout the day. With the Volvo display showing RPMs, I was comfortable proceeding using the Skipper App on my iPad (highly recommend, by the way) and we always carry paper charts and multiple other GPS backups. So we were fine. Any ideas what might be going on with the GPS?

Thanks!

 

[jcarrdive]

HI- I have a 2016 R31CB and my GPS went bonkers when I switched from the flying bridge down to the salon helm station. I shut everything down and then went back to the battery switches and shut down everything for a "hard restart". It all came back on just fine after that and has not done that again.
jeff and ela
Wallowa R31

 

[Andrew Custis]

Hello,

Thanks for posting this on the tugnuts. I can only assume that you have the new version 7612 installed on your boat. With this being the case, you need to keep software updates going on those units every 30 days at a bare minimum right now. Those are newer units with Garmin and as little bugs come out, they fix them with these software updates. The GPS in internal on those plotters so it wouldn't be because of connections or anything like that. You are able to take a blank SD card, log onto the Garmin website and download the update for your plotter. If you need help doing this, Garmin has great technical support and can walk you through while you are on your PC.

If you need additional support, feel free to reach out to me on my email and I will put you in touch with someone that can assist.

Best regards,

 

[adventres]

This same thing just happened to us this earlier this week. I had invited my parents to check out our boat and the Garmin wasn't working. Of course I gave my husband the panic call that the Garmin is broken. This past weekend, we took the boat to Kingston to make sure everything works before our trip to Poets. This similar thing has happened to us before when we first purchased the boat in October 2015. We fixed it by unplugging our upper helm and then started up the lower helm and then everything came up again. Not sure if there is a shut down procedure with using the upper helm or not. However, didn't realize we need to update the software (thanks Andrew for the info in this post). We want to make sure everything is working with the Garmin before we go buy the extended chip for Desolation this summer.

 

[NorCal]

I have had some similar issues on our Garmin as well. I was on the phone with Garmin yesterday. They just came out with another software release version 7.30 They told me that they highly recommend that this update is done because it fixes lots of strange things that we may be seeing on our screens.

 

[BB marine]

Two weeks ago we left the harbor everything was working fine on my 7612 Garmin then it froze up . I had no GPS signal . I shut it off and then it wouldn't turn on. I unplugged the power supply and plugged it back in everything worked fine. I called Garmin , their response was down load the new software on an SD card install it in the chart plotter your problems will go away. The technician also said look for new updates on their web site in the future when you see one newer then the one that you are operating on, down load it on the SD card and install it in the Chart plotter . Mine as worked fine since doing it.

 

[Bort]

Thanks everyone! I will try unplugging, and I have the download now.

 

[oldteaman]

We had a similar event with Garmin 7612. On my chart plotter Blakely rock was to the West however looking out the window I could see it was to the East, at that point I trusted nothing on the screen. We carry charts and know the area around Bainbridge so were able to get back into Eagle Harbor without a problem. Garmin were helpful and as Andrew mentions, suggested we update . Next time out was fine. What is annoying is that it seems the updates can only be downloaded to a PC, we are a Apple family so we have to beg from friends to update our card. Garmin say they don't support Apple because more people use PC's More boat owners? I wonder... Do I have to buy a small PC just to update my Garmin? Thoughts. Terry

 

[Scuffy]

Garmin will send you the updates on an SD card. So all you have to do is plug the SD card in and upload the update. But they are not free.

 

[Red Raven]

Terry,

We also have Apple products. We use a program called Parallels which is a PC emulator.

Here is a link http://www.parallels.com/landingpage/pd/general/?gclid=CJKglcGY-MwCFYpufgodPWULlw

It allows you to deal with the programs that only run on a PC.

I updated our Garmin software yesterday using this method and and a USB SD card adaptor. It is much less expensive than buying a PC! Works great!

Curt

 

[Zundels]

We are an Apple family too. I was disappointed in Garmin's decision and looked for ways to work around their hardware platform decision. Did find a friend with a PC and I acquired a portable USB SD card attachment. When I see Garmin updates are available I just stop by the PC and in minutes download the updates. Don

 

[mwanderson]

Had a similar frightening situation on my 2016 model R27 where GPS suddenly showed us about a mile away from known position on June 30th. Boat recently had initial 50 hour service performed on Volvo D3 by Pacific Power Group in the Seattle area which included a mandatory engine software update. On the first outing after the service, not only has the GPS position been intermittently incorrect, but the autopilot periodically commanded a "hard over" of 90-120 degrees when engaged.

Kenny at Ranger suggested installing the latest software update from Garmin that I downloaded and installed on my 7612csv plotter and GHC20 autopilot which finally got everything working properly. However, it took about an hour on the phone with Garmin tech support to help resolve the problem, including instructions as to how to do a "boot block" in on the autopilot to get the non-responsive unit to come alive. Garmin tech's opinion is that updating the Volvo software corrupted something in the Garmin software, since it all communicates on the same network. Happy to report that all is functioning now, but suggest caution if anyone is planning to have the latest Volvo software update installed.

Mike Anderson R27 Kemosabe

 

[bill46]

our 2014 7215,, 7212, and autopilot compass have locked up.
found power down fixes everything.
now it is SOP to shut off house power before starting out to power on reset all garmin stuff.
have to get around to burning a firmware update. Hate using old WIN computer.
Bill

 

[capnlmk]

Seems to me Garmin ought to hire a few software quality control experts, so their customers don't have to do the troubleshooting themselves. Navigation software isn't some trivial smartphone app, it's a vital part of keeping ourselves and our passengers safe.
Ranger, as a big Garmin customer, should let them know that releasing buggy software and expecting users to just know they need to go to the Garmin website every month for for the latest patch is not an acceptable business practice.

 

[Rwnorton]

Amen to capnimk's comment

 

[bill46]

Just updated, easier than I thought it might be.
Burned a SD chip, followed Garmin instructions, very slow, but all seems great. Let you know next cruise if anything locks up.