Are we the only ones with GPS car charger failures?

14 years ago

We bought a Garmin Nuvi 205 several years ago--just wanted a basic gps for directions. It hasn't been very good at finding things (like Mount Vernon on a recent trip!) but the main problem is that we've just had the 2nd car charger fail on us. This one only lasted 2 months.

Since newer Garmins still appear to have the same kind of car charger, we're reluctant to buy another--but when you check ratings, the Garmins are always rated the best. We can't find anyone talking about the failure of the car chargers.

Any recommendations for a lower-end GPS that will actually know where Mount Vernon is AND has a reliable car charger?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

stoveguyy
14 years ago
Yes. U are only person on earth with a bad car charger.
jemdandy
14 years ago
It may not be your GPS charger, but could be the electrical system in your car. There are occasions when voltage spikes up 70 V have been recorded on 12 VDC auto systems. These spikes can kill unsuspecting electronics. One such event is stasrting the engine. Very large amounts of current is drawn by the starter and when this circuit is itgerrupted, large voltage spikes can occur in the power circuit between the solenoid contact and the starter motor. Normally, this does not get out into the general curcuits, but if someone has connected a lead to the starter solenoid terminal, it could be a problem. These types of voltage spikes are of short duration, and where they have found to cause trouble, a bypass capacitor may have been added to the system. Sometimes, the bypass capacitor fails or is removed when changing a component such as a starter motor.

A second source is he starter motor itself. When the engine starts and the strater motor is still engaged, it can be spun by the engine past the speed where it becomes a generator and gives the electrical system a shot. You will note that car radios are powered off when the ignition key is turned to the start position. This done partly to maximize power for starting, but more so, to protect the radio from starting transients.

You may have one or two power outlets in the cabin. One may be for a cigarette lighter and the other for accessories. The lighter socket may be hot at all times and is not a transient protected circuit. It is 'hot' with the key off. The accessory socket may be protected and may be off when the ignition key is off.

Late model cars may dispense with the lighter socket and have only an accessory socket.

What to do: Attach an oscilloscope to the power source you are using for the GPS unit and test for transients bwteen this source and vehichle ground. If you find transients more than 1.5 times system voltage, then snubbing is needed to protect your electronic accessories.
Related Discussions
What's the best car battery charger?
Q
Comments (4)
Thanks kalining, My car battery is good, but one bad thing about my Honda Odyssey is that if you accidentally leave on the dome light switch, its dead in the morning. We try to always leave the switch in the off position, but **** happens. haha One time I dusted off the dash area, and forgot to check on that switch and ended up with a dead battery in the morning. Bummer. My van is 11 years old, so hopefully the newer ones have an auto shut off for that dome light.
...See More
Spare tire? Does your car have one?
Q
Comments (20)
Omitting the spare tire is not so much a gas saving thing as it is a money pinch and advertising gimmic. With the spare removed, the trunk space is larger and that shows up on the list of brand comparisons. In the interest of saving space in SUVs and pickup trucks, a popular place to store the spare is under the vehicle. This may be ok in warm dry weather, but its the worst place when running in cold, wet climates. Add road salt to the mix and you've got a disaster - the screw threads corrode and it gets impossible to remove the tire from storage not to mention crawling around on the ground. 99.9% of the time, one does not need a spare, but the one time you need it, you really need it because there is nothing else. This particularily true when traveling in lonely remote places. You can be in trouble even on an interstate. I recall crossing the Nevada desert and as you crossed the east side of the state, a sign warned: no service for 250 miles. Myself and a Corvete entered that crossing at the same time. The speed limit was 80 mph but even the Corvete driver slowed to a reasonable, sustainable speed. I drove the entire 250 miles without seeing another vehicle. Yeah, if I should have needed a spare in that stretch, I really would have needed one. Now, about getting the lugs nuts off, that's another problem.
...See More
If anyone thinks a cellphone w/GPS can save your kid/dog...
Q
Comments (10)
This is an actual story not an urban myth... Dog's death leads to a push for quicker tracing of cellphones 5:00 PM, September 4, 2008 After her SUV, phone and dog were stolen at a cemetery last month, Hemet resident Mary Michael tried to get Verizon to track the phone in the vehicle carrying her beloved pet, Rebel. Verizon said it couldn't do so without a warrant. Rebel was found dead, prompting Michael to take aim at that regulation, The Times' David Kelly reports: A distraught Michael said Rebel would be alive today if Verizon had traced the cellphone she had left inside the car. "They could have saved Rebel's life," she said Tuesday during a news conference outside Riverside County Superior Court. "It's my phone. It has GPS capability. We should be able to use it." Michael, who is originally from London and lives in Hemet, has started a campaign to make such tracking easier. Many wireless companies now require warrants before tracing phones, but Michael argues that obtaining a warrant takes too long when a life hangs in the balance. Verizon spokesman Ken Muche said state and federal privacy laws make it impossible to trace a phone without a court order. He said criminals and stalkers had impersonated customers in the past to try to find cellphone users. "We work with law enforcement and will respond to requests from the court like subpoenas and warrants," Muche said. "We have a policy in place so our customer service people are not in a position of having to determine a person's identity." Had Verizon traced the phone, it could have pinpointed the location as close as 50 to 100 yards, he said. That was cold comfort to Michael. "If this had been done, Rebel would not have had to suffer, and we would not be going through the pain of losing her in this terrible way," she said. "I can't bear to think of what she went through during those last hours. I can't go there, it's too horrible." -- Francisco Vara-Orta Photo: Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times I have a couple of comments. One - who ever leaves a dog or an unattended child in a running car is ASKING for trouble especially in Southern California. Two - If she had wanted to leave the dog in the A/C cooled car she should have locked the doors and taken her remote control key or second key with her. Three - Although the dog and this woman were traumatized and victimed and it is horrible that it ended in the dogs death, THIS WAS COMPLETELY AVOIDABLE had the owner used common sense. I frequent Southern California and there is NO SAFE place you must be on guard everywhere.
...See More
We bought a New Car
Q
Comments (15)
Enjoy! I just bought a new car too. I went to Carsense and the experience was wonderful. There is no negotiating, the price is the price. But we researched and looked around for a long time before we went there and the price was the best we could find. The car is a 2008 with only 7,000 miles on it and I got it for like half price and they gave me $2,000 for my 10 year old convertible (sebring). Of course I bought sebring convertible. It is absolutely beautiful - stone white with a black cloth roof. And the best of all they gave me a 3.9% intereste rate, so my payments are really low. I also purchased a bumper to bumper 6 year warranty. I love the car so far.
...See More
sdello
14 years ago
Jem:
If I follow your post, the suspected spikes occur priamarily when the car is started. If the OP just constantly leaves his GPS plugged in, then this might be his problem. The simple solution is to unplug the charger except when he wants to use the GPS and only plug in the charger after the car is already running.

Just a thought. Not every one has an oscilloscope and knows how to use it.
CJ Mac
Original Author
14 years ago
Brilliant, Jemdandy! Makes a lot of sense. We had a Sirius player plugged into the accessory socket and so always used the lighter socket for the GPS. Now that we've gotten rid of Sirius, we've still been using the lighter for GPS.

I had been reluctant to buy yet another car charger for the Garmin but am willing to try the experiment and only plug it into the accessory plug and/or make sure to remove when starting.

Very grateful for the info.
mxyplx
14 years ago
Be sure to use an LED oscilloscope. :-)

Are we the only ones with GPS car charger failures?

Comments (5)

stoveguyy

jemdandy

Related Discussions

sdello

CJ Mac
Original Author

mxyplx

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Are we the only ones with GPS car charger failures?

Comments (5)

stoveguyy

jemdandy

Related Discussions

sdello

CJ MacOriginal Author

mxyplx

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

CJ Mac
Original Author