DIY car navigator repair

Almost every second traveler and motorist uses a navigator, which is difficult to do without in a foreign or big city.

Therefore, buying a GPS navigator is a necessity that justifies itself. The navigator is a rather complex technical device. Its breakdown may be associated with moisture ingress into the interior of the device.

It can be associated with mechanical damage. If mechanical damage occurs, then, as a rule, the LCD display of the navigator fails. In this case, the replacement cannot be done modularly, it occurs strictly as a whole. If moisture gets into the navigator, then the buttons may not work, and it may not turn on. In this case, you can repair the navigator yourself.

You need to disassemble the navigator yourself and leave it disassembled until the moisture completely evaporates. After that, it is advisable to rinse the central microcircuit of the navigator in an alcoholic liquid and let it dry. The assembly of the navigator takes place after it has completely dried, then you must turn it on.

In the case when the navigator is frozen, you can try to make a RESET reset using the small button. There is such a button in every navigator. As a rule, such actions lead to the implementation of the work of the navigator. Nevertheless, it never hurts to consult a specialist, especially if the navigator is not working. Experts warn that if the device fails for reasons unknown, it cannot be connected to the network for a long time and charged. A service center is needed here.

Repair - replacement of the touchscreen (sensor) of the GPS navigator

All the work on replacing the sensor on the navigator can be done at home if you have: “straight” hands, a Phillips screwdriver, a case opener (you can even get by with a plastic card or other improvised means) and sometimes you also need a soldering iron. A thinking head is of course also desirable 🙂

Therefore, for our customers, we wrote a step-by-step instruction with a photo, which is suitable for repairing almost all navigators, since the principle is the same.

The instruction is based on the repair of the JJ-Connect 3400 navigator.

A bit of theory on touchscreens. They are of two main types:

Resistive sensors are usually used in navigators. Such touchscreens have a thin glass base, on top of which there is a touch film, and for interaction with the device there is a loop with 4 contacts. The ribbon cable can either be inserted into the connector on the motherboard of the navigator or soldered to the display ribbon cable. All sensors for navigators and car radios that are sold with us are universal 4-pin with loops, respectively, for soldering or for a connector.

First, of course, you need to disassemble the navigator. Almost all navigators consist of two parts, which are fastened together with 4 screws, and latches around the perimeter. Be sure to also remove the memory card and stylus.

To do this, you need a screwdriver and an opener.

Next, you need to remove the display with a touchscreen. Take a closer look and find the place where the display flex cable is inserted. In our case, it was necessary to remove the metal cover.

Disconnect the display connector from the motherboard.

If the touchscreen flex cable is connected through the connector to the motherboard, then remove it from this connector.

Next, remove the display from the case. We will just work with him.

If the touchscreen cable is soldered to the display cable, then first unsolder it.

Now comes the fun part. It is necessary to separate the old sensor from the metal display frame. Since it is attached to double-sided tape, it is quite easy to do this, for example, using an ordinary clerical knife. Just very carefully, do not squeeze.Be careful not to hit the display matrix with the blade. Also, do not cut yourself by the sensor glass.

Then clean the traces of glue on the metal frame. You can use ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol.

Now it's time to install a new sensor! Which you purchased from us by choosing by model, or universal in size (width and height).

Make sure there is no dust on the display. Peel off the protective film and the film that covers the adhesive from the sensor. Apply the touchscreen evenly and neatly to the display frame, positioning it relative to the flex cable and the visible area. Then press down a little around the perimeter so that it sticks.

If the touch screen has a cable for a connector, then all that remains is to put the finished display module back in place and connect the cables. If the loop is soldered, then first solder it.

After installing the display in its original place, it is advisable to check all the work. Turning on the navigator, an image should appear on the matrix, and by poking at the sensor, it should react (albeit at the wrong points!). After replacing a new part, it is imperative to go through the calibration in the corresponding menu of the navigator.

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1. Creates a ready-made bootloader (bootloader) file on the flashcard: U2Bxxx.bld
2. Creates a ready-made system image file on a flashcard: OSxxx.img

Unlike DiskRW, it does not create a complete raw ROM image, but only the necessary files.
By and large, these 2 files ("firmware") are needed to restore "half-dead" animals.

* There is no logo file yet. Firstly, there is no primary need for it, and, secondly, it can be replaced with any one that matches the BMP format, or you can do without it altogether. (Over time, I can add to the functionality).
* As already, probably, it is clear from the names - firmware files are created mainly for YF-clones (firmware like .BIN are not yet supported)
* Clauses 1 and 2 will work on devices where RR-beta-full.exe worked, on the rest - so far only clause 1.

just run RomReader.exe on the device with an inserted USB flash drive (larger than the device's flash memory).
To restore the device (if you have a logo picture hanging on the screen at startup), you only need the OSxxx.img file. It's best not to experiment with the bootloader file. To do this, instead of the “xxx” icons in the file name, you need to substitute (select) the necessary characters - as a rule (most often) these are the first characters to the dot from the value of the RomVersion key in the tweak: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetContro l. The easiest way (if you're lucky) is to search the bootloader file with a HEX editor for the string “bld”. If there is infa, then immediately about the names of all the necessary files. Or you can search for the line “PND” in the OSxxx.img file. And try the first characters before the underscore. (C: WINCE500platformPND88C_GPRStargetARMV4Ire tailkern.pdb)

PS. The result of the program - the OSxxx.img file was successfully tested, again, on your little animal!
Article author .t3rr0r

another way to read the firmware. Maybe this is not new, but I have not seen it anywhere.
In the registry, change the connection to Mass Storage (HKLMDriversUSBFunctionDrivers), and set the value of HKLMDriversUSBFunctionDriversMass_Storage_Clas sFlashDrvPartitions to 00 01 02. If there are more than 3 partitions, then, accordingly, we continue the binary chain. Reboot - instead of 2 removable disks, there are now 4 of them, a section with a registry appeared (about 3 MB on my Explay PN-365) and a main partition with an operating system. It is, of course, unreadable, because in BinFS, not FAT. We refuse to format the offer
Open any low-level section editor. I love DMDE - lightweight and free. In it, select the logical disk and see the familiar signature: ECEC. Now we save the image of the partition: Service => Copy sectors to => Partition => OK => Next => Save.
Now you can cut the nb0 files from the image and make the firmware.

Q: What is firmware in the context of this topic?
A: A set of files containing: a) the original bootloader (loader) b) files and operating system modules (WinCE) and the default registry c) sometimes - standard (OEM) software: built-in menu (launcher) and navigation program. The composition of the files may vary slightly.

Q: The device is working properly, but I found the firmware for my device here, can I use it?
A: The firmware laid out in this topic is only needed to restore the functionality of a non-working device, in other cases we do not recommend using them.

Q: How to determine if I need to flash or not?
A: A 100% symptom of a “coma” is a situation when the device freezes while loading on a branded splash screen with the device logo. In this case, as a rule, the device does not react to anything.

Q: When turned on, my device does not show anything at all and does not react to anything. When external power is connected, the charging diode is on. What can help me?
A: With a high degree of probability, your bootloader (bootloader) is corrupted. In such cases, as a rule, only the recovery method via JTAG (added-or AtlasMgr) saves.

Q: How could I screw up the bootloader?
A: Most likely, they tried to flash the device with a set of files from another device, and in this firmware there was a bootloader, which was overwritten in place of the original one.

Q: My device is not working properly. after I dig deeper into the registry or tried to install third-party software. What are my actions?
A: If there is a way to format the registry partition, then you can bring the device to its default state. In this case, information about the installed additional software and personal settings of the device will be lost. We can say that this method is similar to a Hardress, when the device is returned to factory settings. If this is not possible, then the use of the original firmware can save.

Q: The standard menu does not work for me (the navigation program does not start, the built-in video-audio players do not work, etc.). Need to flash?
A: No. The flashing affects only the section with the operating system, and the OEM software, as a rule, is located either in a separate section of the built-in flash memory, or on an external SD card. You can restore the original menu either by simply copying data from the working device (backup), or using the original installation files of the application sometimes included in the firmware, for example YFAPP.WZP, APP.BIN, WinCEAPP.img, etc.

Q: The built-in navigation program (Navitel, IGO, Avtosputnik, etc.) gives an error message (no maps found, no libraries found, no GPS receiver, etc.). Will a flashing help?
A: No. Try to contact the supplier or look for the answer in the profile topic.

Q: I have a SUPER_BEST device, but I like the PUPER_BEST device better. If I update it with firmware, will I get what I want?
A: In no case should this be done. In the best case, nothing will happen to you when flashing, in the worst case, you will kill the device to the JTAG state.

Q: I, after all, bought the PUPER_BEST A.В.111 device, but dug up the firmware for PUPER_BEST S.D.666. Can I upgrade the firmware now?
A: Again, no. Only original firmware can be used. Newer (improved) devices may have a completely different set of electronic components, and, consequently, the corresponding set of drivers and libraries.

Q: I can't do anything with the original firmware at all? I do not understand this dialect of Chinese, which is displayed in the built-in explorer.
A: You can use, for example, the multilingual version of the firmware (if it exists in nature), but only from this device. It is also possible to modify your firmware (perhaps not all). These and other issues (including localization issues) are discussed here.

Q: I have flashed, but my device now does not boot .. Who will answer me for this?
A: All responsibility for the results of the flashing is borne by you and only you. The authors of the firmware posted in this thread are not responsible for the consequences arising from any actions in relation to your device. You do everything at your own peril and risk, and under your own responsibility.

Q: I didn’t find the firmware I needed on this and other forums, and I don’t have the opportunity to buy it from merchants. Heard that you can do something yourself?
A: First, try writing a letter to the seller and / or manufacturer of the device. It is possible that they will send you the firmware for your device. If it was not possible to get the firmware in this way, then if you have exactly the same working device, you can make a dump of the device's memory, and then try to make the firmware from it. You can use tested dumpers from this topic. Methods for making the most common types of firmware can be viewed, for example, here and here.
A working device can be found in most cases in a specialized topic or "rent for 5 minutes." in the shop. This time is enough to take a dump.

Q: None of the listed dumpers work on my device. Can't their developers make them work.
A: At the moment there are 2 types of dumpers here.
These work directly with flash memory (NAND), reading all of its contents, in most cases necessary and sufficient to make the firmware. But, unfortunately, the result will be obtained for a limited set of devices that this dumper “recognizes”. In the vast majority, these are devices with a Samsung processor and Centrality Atlas. The dumper does not depend on the WinCE version (4.2 or 5.0).
Dumpers numbered 1 and 2 in the topic header (in the "SOFTWARE FOR WORKING WITH DUMPS AND FIRMWARE" section) work with the device partition containing the byte image of the operating system file system mounted in the device ROM. Works on most devices (regardless of hardware content), but only running WinCE 5.0. Mostly used on YF clones.
The performance of all the above dumpers on devices with WinCE 6.0 is not guaranteed.

Q: I have WinCE 4.20 installed. Can I upgrade to get WM 6.5 Proffesional?
A: No. As well as installing another version of WinCE. But, if you really want, then purchase Microsoft Platform Builder and create (if possible) a specific assembly of the platform. Do not forget to buy also the Board Support Package for the platform on which your device is made, and be ready to add a couple of drivers yourself. But believe me that the time and money spent is not worth it.

Q: I have an unmarked device. How can I find the firmware for it?
A: In this collection there is a certain set of NoName firmware with attached screenshots of devices. All that remains is to hope for a miracle and pick up the one that will get up and work. It should always be borne in mind that you never need to use a bootloader file when flashing.
Alternatively, while your device is still alive, you can make a dump and make the firmware “just in case”.

Q: I read about some IMG and BIN firmware. I don’t understand anything.
A: In fact, there are also other types, but we are still able to restore devices with such firmware with a high degree of probability.

Q: Can you say for sure what type of firmware I have?
A: Exactly - you can't. But if you have a YF clone, it doesn't matter which brand (JJ Connect, Pioneer, Globus, etc.), then most likely IMG / BLD firmware is used there. As a rule, it contains the following set of files: OS * .IMG, U2B * .bld, Logo * .bmp. In other cases, most likely, variations of BIN modifications with approximately the following set of files: CHAIN.LST, CHAIN.BIN, NK.BIN, TINYNK.BIN, DRIVERS.BIN, XIP.BIN, EBOOT.BIN.

Q: If you do not consider JTAG, do you need any special equipment to flash the device?
A: Not at all. The firmware files are written to the root of the SD card. When you turn on the device, the firmware will either be automatically “picked up” by the device, which will be told by the corresponding logs of the flashing process, or you will have to go to the service menu (bootmenu) when you press a certain combination of buttons on your device, and from there start the process.

Q: I did everything as written here, but the firmware process does not start. What's wrong ?
A: You need to make sure that the firmware is specifically for your device - there is no universal firmware.
The SD card on which you uploaded the files with the firmware must not be SDHC, with a capacity of no more than 2 GB and formatted in FAT.

Q: The firmware process has started and finished successfully. But then an error message like “Not found application” appears or the device falls out into “Hard TEST”.
A: If you saw such a message, then you can congratulate yourself - you have almost restored your device.It remains to rewrite the folder with the built-in shell (APP) to the desired location (as a rule, it is located on the ResidentFlash *), but you can find out more precisely in the profile topics (forums).

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An increasingly common problem is the repair of GPS navigators. Not all customers have a genuine warranty card, which can be used to repair the device at a service center for free. And sometimes there is a coupon, but there are no service centers in the city.

The reasons for self-repair can be different. Breakdowns of navigators are mostly trifling. Therefore, it is logical that the user wants to fix the problem on his own, without resorting to the help of often expensive repair organizations.

Whichever brand the navigator is, everyone has similar problems. Here are the most common ones:

• the display does not work;
• buttons stopped responding;
• data is displayed incorrectly;
• sudden shutdown of the device;
• distorted image;
• incorrect work of GPS.

And although repairing GPS navigators is quite difficult, some of these malfunctions can be repaired by yourself at home.

The most common cause of problems with your navigator is mechanical damage. Even with a slight impact, small cracks can appear on the board. They can cause the device to malfunction or stop working altogether. In this case, you need to restore the board. To do this, you need to carefully solder the paths conducting the current. In order not to accidentally touch unnecessary parts with a soldering iron, you can cover them with a piece of a blade.

It is imperative to check all the wires, if at least one of them is lagging behind, then the navigator may stop working altogether. If there is even a slight possibility that the wire will soon come off, you need to solder it. But remember that it is not necessary to use a lot of solder. Even a small amount of solder will do the job well.

Important! If the user noticed any external damage in the case, then it is advisable to replace this part.

The most common display calibration issue is incorrect touch recognition. For example, the user taps the screen on the left, while the navigator thinks on the right and opens the files on the right. Most of all, this problem occurs in the Explay navigators. They have calibration information stored in a folder in their internal memory. If the folder is damaged, then there is no access to the correct calibration.

Special calibration utilities will help to cope with this problem. It is customary to select them depending on the model of the navigator.

The utility is dropped onto an external memory card that is inserted into the device. And already from the main menu the program starts. There are especially difficult cases when it is simply impossible to work on the device. Then the program needs to be inserted into the autorun registry. When you turn on the navigator, the utility should start itself immediately.

Sometimes the buttons stop working. This breakdown occurs very rarely, but it does happen. How and what to do in such a situation is easiest with the example of how to repair the Explay navigator. Because this problem often arises in the devices of this company.

In some navigators such as Expley, the button is quite hard and you have to apply some effort to turn on the device. And if you push the button too hard, it breaks. Or the button may remain intact, but the fake button fails.

To put the false button in place, you first need to disassemble the case. On some navigators, the output for the button may be located under the microcircuit. After that, you need to carefully return the false button to its place, it should be right under the power button.

If the navigator began to display incorrect information or the screen malfunctioned, then you need to reflash the device. To do this, you will have to download the latest software version from the official website of the navigator manufacturer and drop it onto an external memory card.Then insert it into the switched off device. When you turn on the navigator, you need to simultaneously hold down the power and volume buttons, this will open the OS bootloader.

The keyboard shortcut may differ from one navigator to another. In the pop-up window, mark SDMMC (this is an external memory card, but it may have a different name) and restart the device again. The navigator should automatically start installing updates.

Navigator won't turn on - this is a very common problem, especially right after purchase. The device just needs to be charged. You can turn it on after 10-15 minutes after connecting to the charger. Some models need at least 5-10% charge to work. If even after 20-30 minutes of charging the device does not turn on, you need to check if charging works at all. Usually, when the charger is connected, a light on the navigator panel lights up. If this does not happen, you need to check the following points:

1. Is the connector defective? If moisture got into it, then it could oxidize and fail. Also, the USB socket could just break. This happens if you rarely pull the cable out of the socket.
2. Is the charger working? You should try to charge your navigator with a different charge.
3. Check if the outlet works. Sometimes it happens that the navigator charged well from the cigarette lighter, but does not charge from the outlet at all. Plugging into a different outlet usually clears up the problem.

If the connector has oxidized, it can be gently cleaned with wire and an anti-corrosion agent.

In some cases, you shouldn't even try to fix the device yourself, because there is a great risk of completely breaking an already barely working device. And "repair" it so that even a specialist can no longer fix anything. It is necessary to take the navigator for repair in the following cases:

1. If mechanical damage touches the screen. It will be very difficult to replace the screen yourself. You can accidentally damage the touchscreen and then you will have to change it too.
2. If the user is not sure if he can properly solder the board, especially if he has not done this before.
3. If self-repair will cost the same as in a service center. There is no point in wasting your time when professionals will make it better and faster for the same price.
4. If the user is afraid to use anti-corrosion agents. It is not normal to get rid of rust without them.

You need to assess your skills sensibly. If the user does not know how to repair electronic devices, then it is better to entrust the repair of navigators to the service center, which will do everything that is needed with high quality.

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON SELF REPAIR OF NAVIGATORS.
Question 1: The navigator does not see satellites.
In the Navitel navigation program select: menu / pages / satellites. The tab should be selected: "GPS On" and the source "COM ports ...." It often happens that the satellites are simply turned off.
Question 2: My navigator cannot find satellites.
In the Navitel program select: menu / pages / satellites. There should be satellite icons on the earth diagram. If they are not there, then the navigator can be in the "cold start" mode. Without moving, being (preferably) in an open area (not close to the wall of a five storey building, but going out onto the sidewalk / road near the house), wait at least 5-10 minutes to update the almanac.

Question 3: The navigator does not catch satellites.
In the Navitel program select: menu / pages / satellites. On the scale of the signal level, to determine the coordinates, at least three satellites must be visible. Change your location, perhaps you are in a place with a lot of interference or in an environment where the signal from the satellite does not pass (dense foliage, canopy, high-voltage wires, metal building,). Positioning time up to 10/15 minutes. If there are no satellite signal strength bars, contact the service center. The GPS antenna may be defective.

Question 4: The navigator does not see the map or maps.
The navigation software is loading, the location is being determined, but the map is not displayed on the navigator screen. Do the following:
Specify the path to the file with maps in the settings. In Navitel, these are: menu / settings / map / open atlas / other maps.
Check the version of the maps: menu / information / about the map / about the program, if necessary, install the current version of the map. The comments to the maps always indicate which version of Navitel it is intended for.
Update Navitel software, map. During the operation of the navigator, part of the files may be lost, destroyed or become unreadable. This leads to incorrect operation of the program itself. Installing an update or simply reinstalling Navitel will fix the problem.

Question 5: My navigator doesn't plan a route.
The route is drawn as a straight line or not at all.
Restart your navigator. Sometimes it is enough to quit the navigation program and start it again. Sometimes it is necessary to perform a reset by pressing Reset on the case of the navigator.
Wait until the coordinates of the satellites are determined and only then plot the route.
.
Question 6. The navigator does not enter the navigation. (When you click on the Navigation icon, nothing happens).
In the navigator settings, check the path to the executable file. Settings / Settings / GPS path / specify the path to the navigation program.
Update Navitel. Mostly it is a software glitch or an incorrect Navitel update. After updating Navitel from version 5.0… .. to 9.1…. delete the nm3 maps from the atlas (Maps folder) and load the maps in nm7 format.

Question 7: Navigator won't load
Hangs on the splash screen. It turns on, and nothing happens beyond the splash screen. In this case, it is better to contact the service center. The malfunction can be associated with both the firmware and the malfunction of the memory chip itself. If you have never flashed a navigator before, then there is a very high risk of bringing it into a completely inoperative state. There are many ways to do this on the internet. For all the seeming simplicity of the procedure, there are many subtleties in it.

Question 8: The navigator does not see the memory card, USB flash drive.
Check if the flash card is compatible with the navigator. Not all navigators support HC memory cards or large capacity cards.
Wipe the contacts of the flash card itself, memory card. They may have oxidized. Never wipe with acetone, perfume or nail polish remover. It is best to wipe them with an eraser, then rubbing alcohol and a dry cloth or napkin. If it does not help, then it is better to contact the service center. Perhaps a malfunction in the device itself or in the connector.

Question 9: The navigator won't turn on.
One of the possible reasons is a discharged battery. With a deep discharge, it may not turn on. Leave it on charge overnight. If it does not help, contact the service center.

Question 10: My navigation device won't charge.
Check the charger, it might be the cause. This is the only thing that you can do yourself. In other cases, it is better to contact the service center. In most cases, diagnostics, replacing connectors, checking the battery will take a little time and are performed in your presence.

The battery is not charging.
The navigator does not turn on.
This malfunction appeared after the navigator was operated at subzero ambient temperatures.
Then the battery stopped charging.
Disassembled.
He began to sin on the loss of battery capacity.
Then to the built-in voltage controller.
Then he came to the conclusion that there was a malfunction on the navigator board.
The repair was complicated by the fact that everything is soldered into the screens.
I had to carefully cut everything down.
A study of the circuit led to the fact that the 4.17 V voltage was not supplied from the field effect transistor to charge the battery.
I applied zero to the shutter and it all worked.
Then I did not understand, since most likely one of the microcircuits is faulty.

I collected everything, additionally hung a battery with a capacity of 2500 mA per hour.This will allow not only using the navigator, but also watching movies and reading.

Video The gps does not charge, repair the gps navigator with your own hands, the gps of the channel does not turn on Roman Petrov

Fault description: The battery is not charging. The navigator does not turn on. Manifest this malfunction.

During the next trip, a misfortune happened - the navigator died. Trying to revive.

They brought a Pioneer nafigator for repair, but as it turned out, just a Chinese NONAME, it was not possible to repair it.

They brought the GPS navigator with the problem “does not turn on”. It turned out that he just needed to be held longer.

Do-it-yourself repair of the Shturmann Link300 navigator without special equipment. Filmed on camera.

How to repair a GPS navigator. Frequent malfunction. The video shows the repair of a Supra model.

Do-it-yourself restoration of the Garmin Montana navigator with a non-working touch screen.

A little off the topic of our site, but this information can be very useful for those who use navigation devices and in certain situations entrust them with their lives and health.

The story began about a year and a half ago, when, on the advice of my friend, a specialist in applied navigation, I bought a Garmin Montana 650 GPS navigator. , with scanned maps. The specifics of work in the mountains, in areas not covered by interactive maps, presupposes the use of just such a device. Prior to that, I used the Garmin ETrax Summit for this purpose - and I still find this device to be the best for extreme high altitude conditions. But Garmin Montana gives you much more navigation options, plus versatility - it can be used as a road navigator. In short, the thing is very convenient, although not cheap - the price of the device fluctuated on the Internet from 500 to 700 euros.

In short, after the purchase, there was some bewilderment - the most valuable function of the device - working with raster images - was practically not described in the instructions. Information on how exactly to download and work with scanned images had to be bit by bit on the forums on the Internet, to buy additional software, without which it is almost impossible to realize the possibilities that the manufacturer so happily informs you about in the advertisement. In general, disgusting begins already here - why complete instructions are not provided with a rather complicated, and again, an expensive device ?! This question is for Garmin. But further there will be many more questions, this is just the beginning.

A freshly purchased Garmin Montana underwent extensive testing right after purchase. Needless to say, the device is good. After I figured out the calibration, preparation and uploading of images to the navigator, using it turned into an outright pleasure. But again, without normal instructions, it took a long time to figure it out and mostly in English. After a while, I realized what and how to do with my new navigator, but I'm afraid that many non-obvious but useful functions remained inaccessible to me.

After about six months of operation, the navigator revealed a congenital defect - several tiny, almost invisible to the eye, hair-thick cracks on the protective film of the screen - no more than 2-3 mm in length. Once, mistaking this crack for a speck of dust or a hair, I tried to erase it by slightly pressing the screen in this place. The crack immediately doubled and became more obvious. Having carefully examined the display, I found two more cracks emerging from under the plastic case of the navigator. With a probability of 99% it was a factory defect, since, over the entire period of operation, my Garmin Montana was never subjected to any stress loads, was not transmitted to strangers, did not fall and lived exclusively in a hard case.

The decision to take the navigator for warranty repair (the year of warranty had not yet passed by that time) was not strong enough. First, Montana worked. Secondly, there was no time, and thirdly, to be honest, I absolutely did not want to prove to the servicemen the fact that I had not crushed the screen myself - by the way, I think that it is for this reason that I would be denied a guarantee - the damage is mechanical. In short, I gave up on it - I decided that when it completely breaks down, then I will decide the issue. After all, how much can some kind of film cost on the screen ?! Well, I'll pay, as a last resort.

The seriousness of the damage became clear a year later, when water got under the upper film through the crack, which by this time was already about a centimeter long. After that, with a normally working screen, the device stopped responding to touches - it became impossible to use the navigator. Only now, when I started looking on the Internet, where to repair my favorite navigator, unpleasant surprises began.

Firstly, no one wanted to repair a Garmin Montana 650 with a disabled touchscreen. I called a dozen navigator repair shops - all to no avail. The problem is the lack of spare parts for this model. They also explained to me that damage to the external film (by the way, very fragile) definitely leads to damage to the touch screen, this is the touch itself, superimposed on top of the display. And since, in addition to the touchscreen, the Garmin Montana has no other controls, then without the touchscreen the device becomes unusable. That is, you can turn it on, the screen works, but there is no sense - all operations with Garmin Montana are carried out only through the screen.

In general, I was so upset that I called the official Garmin dealership in Moscow. They gave me the phone number of the official service. And imagine my amazement when, in response to a statement of the problem and a question about the cost of repairs, I heard that the Garmin Montana device is not repairable. That is, no mechanical damage to the Garmim Montana navigator can be repaired in the official Garmin service center, they only “repair” software glitches - and the maps are still uploaded for an additional fee.

I was offered to replace the entire device with my surcharge, according to the representative of the service center, this is the only option possible if the navigator display breaks down. When I asked about the amount of the copay, I was calmly announced the cost of the new device. Help, comrades, that's almost 500 euros! Despite the fact that replacing the screen on most phones, tablets and laptops costs an average of 50 bucks! Why is my Montana so unique ?! And most importantly - what to do with it now? Judging by the statement of the official service, this is just a disposable device. I did not expect such a turn of events. Still, for a one-off, this navigator is a little expensive. In short, bravo Garmin! Soaked off to glory. You buy a toy for half a euro, from a seemingly decent and world-famous manufacturer, hope for adequate service in case something goes wrong. And now, in fact, due to a factory defect, I have on my hands a completely meaningless piece of plastic, without the ability to bring it into working order. Judging by what I found on the Internet, I was not alone in my misfortune - the Garmin Montana's screen is its weakest point, they will not write this in any advertising until you come across it yourself - do not make sure. And then the service center will tell you - it cannot be repaired.

Until now, I have not considered the possibility of self-repair - to climb with crooked hands into a complex and expensive apparatus seemed to me a blasphemous thing. But after a complete failure and disappointment in Garmin's service, I went to look for advice on the vastness of the imported Internet. And good luck! The very first request in English in Google led me to the most detailed instructions on how to repair Garmin Montana with my own hands, literally, as they say, “on the knee”.The case was described exactly the same - damage to the touch screen (it seems that this model simply does not break anything else). The dude changed the touch screen - it's a rather hemorrhoid case, since the touch is glued on top of the display, it is problematic and risky to separate it, you can damage both the touch and the display itself. Plus, the loop of the contacts of the wheelbarrow is glued with the loop from the display - it's easy to break, to connect it back is a jewel case.

Then I went to E-Bay. How much do you think a touch screen for Garmin Montana costs ?! Exactly the part that, according to the Russian representative of Garmin, does not exist in nature and cannot be replaced? Ridiculously, this irreplaceable part only costs $ 14…. 500 rubles for our money. And completely assembled with a screen (this kit is changed by simply poking the connectors) - 45 bucks. And how, in this case, should you relate to the behavior of these little people from Garmin ?! Why, selling top-end devices, they do not provide them with service, pushing us to crazy actions, such as replacing a faulty Garmin with a new one, with a surcharge equal to the cost of a new device ?! In a civilized society, this behavior is called fraud. In our reality, I would rather use the word "divorce". That is, these “Garmin's fellows” wanted, instead of a penny repair, to sell me a new device, and even take mine at the same time - it seems that they had the expectation that if the client was solvent enough to buy one expensive device, then why should he do not sell the second one.

Well, the end of this story is probably clear to you. Having found all the information I needed, I decided to try to fix the situation on my own. I didn't want to buy a separate touchscreen and suffer with microscopic contacts, and most likely nothing would have happened. And paying for this work to some craftsman would definitely be more expensive than just buying an assembled screen with a touch screen and replacing the faulty kit with a new one. The process of buying a spare part on Ebay took five minutes, a week later a small yellow box was waiting for me at the post office.

Further, there were no difficulties during reinstallation - the set includes several photos of the process, illustrating the repair of the Garmin Montana 650 navigator screen with your own hands.

Yes, and one last thing. Before completely assembling the case, I decided to play it safe and glued an additional protective film for phones over the touchscreen - so that its edges were under the case and a silicone gasket. Maybe it will lengthen the life of the new Garmin Montana screen a little.

But the position of the official representative office of Garmin in Russia deserves comprehensive condemnation and should be publicly disgraced !! I hope that the above information will help Garmin Montana users to navigate in case something happens to their navigator and reduce the possibility for fraudsters to take advantage of the naivety and trust of buyers.

P.S. Since the replacement of the Garmin Montana screen was successful, I decided to try to conduct a small experiment to separate the faulty wheelbarrow from the working display - fortunately, I had a completely unnecessary kit in my hands. So, in the case of a similar repair, I do not advise saving on buying a whole screen with a tach assembly.

—————————————————————————— The body is held by eight screws and can be easily disassembled with a screwdriver

—————————————————————————— Removing the protective film from the connector on the board - in order to separate the loop of contacts

————————————————————————— Separating the backlight contact from the connector on the board is the most difficult part of the job, since the connector is very small

—————————————————————————— Voila, Garmin Montana is alive again! Behind - packaging from a protective film. After sticking it, the screen did not lose its sensitivity in any way, but rather became more comfortable to the touch.