550 Screen Freeze

[Ted]

Have a Zumo 550 and during the summer on twisty Corsican mountain roads the unit would freeze, screen on etc but no buttons/touch screen worked. Had to do the press+ and on/off buttons to free then restart it. Just got back from the Picos and same thing happened there about half a dozen times. Seems to be when the unit is trying to calculate several turns in quick succession, several tight hairpins etc. No problem all the way there or back just when you are on the twisty stuff. Contacted Garmin and told me to update the software, just done it. Problem is I won't know if it is ok till next summer when off to the mountains again. Best Garmin can offer it to go out and try and duplicate the roads!
Any one had any thing like this happen? Know if the update cures it? or may be suggest a cure, short of getting a new one.
Mine was new in July 08 and has latest maps etc this summer.
Thanks

 

[Islandbob]

Freeze screen

Yup, Have enjoyed the same problem. I agree with you regards the occurrence being when the machine is trying to do multiple calculations etc, the time it happened to me was when I was well away from home and unable to do anything with it. I couldnt even switch it off, I was totally knackered. In the end I found that by removing the battery from the rear and then re connecting it things were fine. It hasnt happened since but I do carry a security screw driver to undo the battery now!
Garmin suggested a system reboot which can be done on the unit itself but looses the routes etc that you have. I cant remember exactly how to reboot and have deleated the email with their instructions.
Good luck, let me know if you find a proper solution.

 

[NeilDD]

Had something similar happen to me last summer;

Riding down the M11 you go past the end of North Weald runway, and as I rode past a plane went overhead, at about 150-200ft. The screen froze exactly as the plane went over, and I had to do a hard (battery) reset.

I was told that this can be quite common, as aircraft can cause most GPS units to freeze......

HTH
Neil

 

[Tomcat]

This is just a guess - try turning off automatic route recalculation. On very tight hairpin twisties the Zumo sometimes loses track of which bit of road it is actually on, and can think you're heading the opposite way. If it is then trying to recalculate the route it might freeze for a while.

I usually ride pre-planned routes with the recalculate function turned off, and haven't had any problems with the screen freezing, tho' I have seen the Zumo momentarily confused about which direction I'm travelling on tight hairpins.

 

[Ted]

Thanks all. Have downloaded the latest software version 4.8 so will just have to wait and see. I live close to M/cr Airport and never had a problem but will try and use the road at the end/start of runway and see what happens. Probably get arrested for suspicious activity, blasting back and forth under landing planes..
Have auto recalc off all the time TomCat. Just seems to be since the latest map update as I did similar roads in Summer 08 (5 Swiss passes) on old maps no problem. This summer went to Corsica and once up on the twisty stuff noticed the screen was not changing ether speed or distance as well as road position. Found out if you press + and off button simultainiously unit switches off and can restart it, but happened several times within 10min on the Ca682 from the junction with N621 ( can recomend it )
Any more thoughts greatfully appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Ted]

Thanks all. Have downloaded the latest software version 4.8 so will just have to wait and see. I live close to M/cr Airport and never had a problem but will try and use the road at the end/start of runway and see what happens. Probably get arrested for suspicious activity, blasting back and forth under landing planes..
Have auto recalc off all the time TomCat. Just seems to be since the latest map update as I did similar roads in Summer 08 (5 Swiss passes) on old maps no problem. This summer went to Corsica and once up on the twisty stuff noticed the screen was not changing ether speed or distance as well as road position. Found out if you press + and off button simultainiously unit switches off and can restart it. Just In the Picos it happened several times within 10min on the Ca682 from the junction with N621 ( can recomend it )
Any more thoughts greatfully appreciated.
Thanks