Garmin Montana 650 repair woes

2wheels

2wheels

Community Manager
Joined
Apr 2, 2012
Location
Chiang Mai
Bikes
ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC
On the most recent ride some-one dropped my little bundle of joy and cracked the screen.
As a result it appears to be mortally wounded. (and explains why there were no GPS co-ordinates in my report!)

It will turn on and off and the date and time will show accurately, however 'map' and all other functions will not open.

A friend advised me to go to EagleGPS at Pantip Plaza.
A Thai friend took my Montana to them and they told him they could do nothing.

Thinking they were assuming it would be a warranty claim, I went to them for some explanation as to why they couldn't assist and was eventually served by a young man who contacted Garmin Bangkok and who were absolutely useless.

However, an email address was obtained from them by the young chap ….. MARKETING.ASIA@GARMIN>COM …. to whom I sent an email requesting advice.
No response to my email yet.

So another friend put me in contact with the owner go EagleGPS who explained the frustrations he and customers are having with Garmin 'service and support' here in Thailand. i.e. it's non existent.

He did give me some links to where I can make an on-line purchase of a screen, which seems to be the only option for me.
Buy myself and repair it myself.

I have also heard that there is a shop in Icon Center CMai who may be able to handle this sort of repair.

Any advice will be appreciated.
And maybe this can be read as a warning to Garmin owners if they need support.
 
yes there is a place in icon plaza that can replace screen if you cant do it yourself (its not easy for me),if thats the problem.
Maybe go there first to find out if thats the problem, then order screen an/or digitizer
they left the cellophane on it first time.
now I'm wondering how waterproof it is

as for garmin, try email
Jessica Liao
Sales & Marketing Department

marketing.asia@garmin.com
 
Ron I has a good experience with Garmin. I had purchased my Zumo 550 in Australia about 2 years ago so it was out of warranty. Have used it extensively and normally leave it on the bike but on one return to Chiang Mai I did stop and would not turn on. Eagle could not restart it so was sent to Bangkok where they also could not start it. I was then given the option of it being sent to Taiwan where for a fixed service charge, think it was around 5000 baht, they would refurbish it for me. I weighed up the choices, buy another new one or get it fixed, so went for the cheaper fixed option. 2 months later I get a call from Eagle that the GPS was ready. In I go and Eagle say it is my lucky day as Garmin did a brand new replacement for me. Only problem was my mapwhere had gone but they uploaded the latest version for me free of charge.
 
Good to hear Gary.
Garmin Bgk aren't interested in my Garmin but Taiwan is helping.
 
Garmin Taiwan are being helpful.

"Dear Mr Ron

Thanks for contacting GARMIN corp.

I just realized that the screen is physically broken. Please provide the serial number of your unit. I will set up a Return Material Authorization for you.

When replying to this message please be sure to include all previous correspondences.
Best regards,
Denise
Marketing Department
GARMIN Corporation
Add: No.68, Zhangshu 2nd Rd., Xizhi Dist., New Taipei City 221, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Tel: 886-2-2642-8999
Fax:886-2-2642-9099 "
 
Glad it worked out. Make sure you keep good documentation of the return to Garmin, that way when the GPS comes back you can prove to Thai Customs that you are NOT importing anything and therefore no import duty to pay.


2wheels said:
Garmin Taiwan are being helpful.

"Dear Mr Ron

Thanks for contacting GARMIN corp.

I just realized that the screen is physically broken. Please provide the serial number of your unit. I will set up a Return Material Authorization for you.

When replying to this message please be sure to include all previous correspondences.
Best regards,
Denise
Marketing Department
GARMIN Corporation
Add: No.68, Zhangshu 2nd Rd., Xizhi Dist., New Taipei City 221, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Tel: 886-2-2642-8999
Fax:886-2-2642-9099 "
Click to expand...
 
Just to add to the Garmin saga, my Montana completely froze up on the boot screen and was basically a brick, i contacted Taiwan and told them i couldn't do a reset and could they offer any assistance. They wrote back explaining how to do a reset even though i had already explained i couldn't do it !! Anyway rode over to CNX and gave the unit to Eagle GPS and they informed me they would send it to BKK and if they couldn't repair it they would send it to Taiwan. Four weeks later i called them to see how things had gone, i was told the unit had just come back to them and they couldn't repair it because i had bought the unit in the USA, WTF the unit was still under Garmin warranty !!!

I contacted GPS City where i bought the unit, customer support was great, they told me to send the unit to them and they would turn around a new unit by return. I was also offered the chance to extend my guarantee with them at a cost of 53 dollars for one year or 79.50 for two years, they also offered to mark the return unit down as one dollar value to avoid import tax, now that's what i call service.
 
My latest from Garmin Taiwan.


"Dear Mr Ron,

Thanks for contacting GARMIN corp.

I am glad to assist you. I will be happy to set up a Return Material Authorization(RMA) for a repair.
Please be noted that the repair fee of Montana 650 is USD$170 as the damage is not covered under warranty and the freight fee is USD$35 for returning to Thailand by DHL after repair.
Meanwhile, we will format all the data in your unit, so please back up all your necessary data from your unit before it is sent back to be repaired.
Such repairs or replacement will be made no guarantee that users' own accessories (ex. screen protector membrane) will be returned in the original condition.
Please remove your own accessories if you want to keep them.
And the normal repair process will take about 5-7 business days upon receiving your unit.
Before shipping the unit to Garmin, please make sure that you have completed the following :

1. Fill out (Typing, please) the attached RMA Form
2. Return the device with the RMA form to the following address:
Please send in the unit with an RMA number on the outside of the package. (The valid period of this RMA form is 30 days.)

Denise Ting (RMA#D2308 / Montana 650)
Marketing Administrator / Garmin Corp.
No.68, Zhangshu 2nd Rd., Xizhi Dist., New Taipei City 221, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Tel: 886 2 2642 9199
Fax: 886 2 2642 9099
Website: www.garmin.com
Please let me know if you have any questions."
 
The $49 screen from Amazon arrived yesterday so, with Gnasher's help, I hope to avoid the $170 fee Garmin Taiwan want for the repair job plus the $35 freight fee.
Details coming!

DSC01179.jpg
 
2wheels said:
The $34 screen from Amazon arrived yesterday so, with Gnasher's help, I hope to avoid the $170 fee Garmin Taiwan want for the repair job plus the $35 freight fee.
Details coming!
Click to expand...


Can you document the repair process....im in the same boat.
 
Sure.
But I wasn't in a boat; it happened in a ticket office at a National Park.
 
Good to know you soon will have your unit up and running again, i too have just received my brand new replacement Montana unit back from GPS City. Absolutely faultless customer service from them, no quibbles about it being dirty or other BS, they just turned a new unit around without question and kindly marked the unit down as 1$ value and sailed through the Fedex mafia without drawing any charges. I did ask the question as to what was wrong with my old unit, apparently they just take your word that the unit is trashed and just ship it to Garmin and send out a replacement directly.

I also extended the warranty with them for an additional two years just to be safe.

Just a heads up Black Friday 2013 at GPS City are selling the 62S handheld unit for 199$ inc a 4GB memory card, great price and they can ship by USPS so good chance of avoiding charges.

Garmin GPSMAP 62S with 4GB Micro SD Card
 
No Ron it's in the USA, your maybe thinking of gps4you in bkk

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
i purchased a Garmin 550 t about 18 months ago from Johnny appleseed GPS in Brisbane Australia, the screen became unresponsive after about 3 hours use , so i contacted them , arranged a return and warranty repair, they simply exchanged it for a new item, and sent it back to me.
i found the after sales service excellent , however upon doing research on the net it seems the Garmin Oregon seems to be prone to screen failure.
i have read this was a issue only with the first batch and my new one has performed flawlessly.
I found Garmin Singapore much easier to deal with than Garmin Thailand.
the Australian company originally referred me to Singapore , but i went direct to the retailer as i visited Australia at that time.

so go through Singapore..

rob
 
Is digitizer the touch screen bit?
montana has a touch screen, 60csx does not
 
FIXED!

The $49.99 glass replacement screen from Amazon and Tim 'Gnasher's expertise and patience has my Garmin now functioning as it was prior to its accident.
Missed it too.

15122013084.jpg

Tim will provide details.
 
Zumo replacement screen (digitiser)

I have had to replace my Zumo digitiser TWICE now. It gets easier each time, and the detailed instructions are available on the net, including at:
Zumo touch screen and digitizer replacement - ADVrider

Note that the digitiser is a separate part to the actual display, and if the display itself has gone, then the repair part is more costly, but follows the same principle.

The digitiser was available on eBay for UK£7 but it ships from Hong Kong, so for the cost, buy two, & keep one as a spare. There are two sizes sold - make sure you get the 79x64mm for the Zumo, as the smaller does not fit as well.

Yes, the replacement can be tricky if you have poor eyes and/or big hands, but patience and reading the instructions over & over again shud pay off.

Finally, don't forget to source the Torx screwdriver tool either before the digitiser arrives, which can be bought cheaply in the local markets. Some sellers even include one with the repair kit.

Good luck.
 
A nice informative thread, thanks all!!

Just back from Cambo where my Montana 650 screen is starting not to respond, looks like I shall be following in Rons footsteps.
 
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