Defect in Garmin Colorado

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

I forgot to bring my etrex with me, and needed it, so I thought I'd go ahead and do the upgrade thing. Picked up a Colorado 300 and all was going fine, but suddenly it started shutting down about 20% of the times I used the right softkey! Can't get anything done like that now, can I? I thought through what might cause that, and it MUST be a physical defect on that particular unit. I should just trade it for another one, but I have so little access to the store where I got it, I can't take the chance that another will be the same, and I'll be stuck with it(broken) for months. Had to get a refund, and now I have none. So Sad. anyone hear of similar problems??

[+Marky]

Robert, I've heard of one other unit having reported this issue when we were playing with the units at REI. Just return it and get another one. It's definitely a defective unit.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Unfotrunatly, with the time I spent getting it back to the store, half my time for this trips Caching is gone, and I wouldn't be able to go to the Ccahes I wanted anyway. I just can't bring myself to make the $500 impulse buy two days in a row. It was a stretch on the budget in the first place, so I'll have to wait a while before I make the move again. Thanks for the confirmation on the defect though. I couldn't think of any other reason for the spotty malfunction.

[Parsa]

I was playing with a Colorado in REI in San Diego and every time I hit the right soft key it went off. The guy said pressing that button shuts off the unit, but that didn't make sense to me at all. Now I know I wasn't crazy after all.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Yeah, that's what was happening, but it didn't happen every time to me. I can't believe what some sales people will tell you when they don't know the answer(Yeah...the way they designed these new cars, every time you turn on the left turn signal, the engine shuts down. They did that since left turns are so dangerous that it's the newest safety feature). From what I could tell in the few hours I had the unit, that key is pretty much the main control to get anywhere in the whole unit. I ruled out a software glitch, since it was intermittent, and I hadn't changed any settings that would make it do that, so the only thing I can think of is a physical defect, like a short, or too much solder on a connection. It sounds like the one you saw was worse, I wonder if it worsens with age/use. I got it at REI, and once I get back to the Truck, I won't know WHEN might be the next time I would be able to get to another REI if the next one showed the same problem. I decided I would just have to skip my plans, and maybe upgrade later.

 

Edited for spelling.

Edited February 9, 2008 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Bump, anyone else??

[CosmoTopper]

Bump, anyone else??

 

Yes, my first 400t had the same problem with the right soft key shutting down the unit and I took the unit back to REI (Tempe) for replacement on Feb. 3rd. I am now on my second unit with only the "normal" issues as seen in the tacked up "issues" list.

Cosmo

[yogazoo]

My Colorado worked for a few days and then took a big dump. I allowed the batteries to deplete shutting down the unit and its been frozenville ever since. This will be my third Colorado with a defect of some kind. Maybe 4's a charm?

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

with 3-4 reports here, and only at most a few hundred usere even visiting these forum threads, I'd be worried that this may prove to be a widespread problem. it may also be waiting to manifest in other units too. Mine was fine on the first day. I hope it doesn't eventually show up in a large percentage.