Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

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SteveBracken
Posts: 4
Joined: 8 Feb 2023, 5:07pm

Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by SteveBracken »

My Garmin Edge Explore consistently crashes if it has to recalculate a route in battery saving mode. I've searched this forum and not found the exact same problem but from Garmin's own forum it is well known. Here is my correspondence so far: Apologies for the length of this post.
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>> To: Product.Support@garmin.com
>> Subject: FW: Garmin Edge Explore crashes when recalculating route
>> Sent: 10/08/2022 10:45

Hello,

I bought a Garmin Edge Explore bike computer from Amazon UK in April 2022. Current software version is 5.40
There is a consistent and reproducible problem. If I go off route (just take the next street after the planned turn) when using Battery Save Mode then the device crashes. I have to hold the power button for ten seconds to force a re-boot. The ride so far is still recorded and I can restart the ride. The route recalculates. This takes, like all route calculations on the Explore, several minutes.
I see from https://forums.garmin.com/sports-fitnes ... ent-1290=1 that this has been a widely reported problem for over two years. Some people say they have had refurbished or new units from Garmin because of this fault but the problem has continued just the same. Some have been advised to avoid having a phone connected by Bluetooth but this has not resolved their problem.
A short ride for me is about forty miles over about four hours total time. This is not possible without Battery Save Mode so I’m stuck with the device crashing every time I miss a turn or just decide to go a slightly different way.

As you have been unable to fix this over the last two years I assume I am stuck with it. The only possible solution would be for you to refund the money to me so I can buy a Karoo 2 instead. My wife uses one of those. The battery life is superior. It calculates routes almost instantly. It’s software has never crashed.

I will await your response before writing to Cycling UK’s magazine to ask how many of their readers are aware of this issue.

Kind regards,


From: Product.Support@Garmin.com
>> Sent: 15 August 2022 10:14
>> To: Undisclosed recipients:
>> Subject: Re: Garmin Edge Explore crashes when recalculating route

Hi Steven,
Thank you for this information.
There are a couple of files that I will need you to send me, to help you as efficiently as possible.
Firstly, we require the log files from Garmin Express, please follow the steps here to retrieve this information. During this process, you will require a code. Your code is xxxxxxx.
We will then require for you to email me across the Garmindevice.XML file and confirmation that the above steps have been completed.
To locate the Garmindevice.XML, please do the following:
1. Connect the unit to the computer
2. Open my computer
3. Open the Garmin Drive
4. Open Garmin Folder
Lastly, if this issue relates to a fitness or outdoor product then we will also require the Garmin folder from your device. To retrieve this folder please follow the steps here.

Kind regards,
Remi
Garmin Europe


>> Sent: 18 August 2022 17:19
>> To: 'Product.Support@Garmin.com' <Product.Support@Garmin.com>
>> Subject: Re: Garmin Edge Explore crashes when recalculating route

Hi Remi,
"Firstly, we require the log files from Garmin Express, please follow the steps here to retrieve this information”
Clicking on the here link took me to a 404 page (web address not found) so I Googled it for myself. I trust you have now received the log files.
I have attached Garmindevice.XML to this email.
“Lastly, if this issue relates to a fitness or outdoor product then we will also require the Garmin folder from your device. To retrieve this folder please follow the steps here.”
This here link also leads to a 404. I presume you wanted the Garmin folder from the device in a zip file. The size of the Garmin folder is 10.4GB. I followed the instructions I found by Googling at https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=B ... h0AatVJiv5 and copied everything except the img files. The web page also said not to copy the Map folder but there wasn’t one. There is one called CustomMaps but that is empty.
I hope I have included everything you need to identify and cure the problem.

Kind regards,


>> To: Product.Support@Garmin.com
>> Subject: FW: Re: Garmin Edge Explore crashes when recalculating route
>> Sent: 22/09/2022 11:18

I’ve been waiting patiently since sending you the requested files on 18th August 2022. Is there any progress on this problem?

From: Product.Support@Garmin.com
Sent: 29 September 2022 11:39
To: Undisclosed recipients:
Subject: Re: Garmin Edge Explore crashes when recalculating route
Hi Steven,
Thank you for your email.
You have been added to the case.
Please be patient whilst we investigate the issue you are experiencing and we will be in touch with any updates as soon as possible.
If there is anything else I can help you with then please let me know. Alternatively you can search for a solution here: https://support.garmin.com/en-GB/
Kind regards,
Hamzah
Garmin Europe
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I sent the above email conversation to Cycling UK’s magazine editor with this message:
I first contacted Garmin about a consistent and reproducible problem with their Edge Explore cycle computer on 10th August 2022.

I would be interested to know the opinion of Paul Darlington, your legal expert. I also wonder if you could ask all Cycling UK members who have had the same problem, I am sure there are many as it is a known fault with a popular item, to report their experiences. I suspect that too many consumers simply accept the shortcoming while Garmin continue to sell a product which is not fit for its intended purpose. Garmin’s last word on the matter was on 29th September 2022 when they asked me to be patient.
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I had an auto acknowledgement from Cycling UK which advised that they cannot publish every letter they receive and suggesting this forum as an alternative. I’m not sure if the magazine will publish anything in a future edition but in the meantime please let me know if you have the same problem with the Garmin Edge Explore. They should not be getting away with this.
sjs
Posts: 1306
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 10:08pm
Location: Hitchin

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by sjs »

Their software hasn't improved since I gave up on them then.

The smartphone world is full of cheap and free apps which work better than Garmin's best software efforts.
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TrevA
Posts: 3551
Joined: 1 Jun 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by TrevA »

There seems to be something about the Explore units. My wife had an 820 Explore that would constantly go into battery save mode automatically. Despite the save mode it would lose power very quickly, the battery would go from fully charged to empty in a 3 hour ride. At the same time, I had an Edge 810 that would last for 12 hours.

We eventually gave up on the Explore and bought a 530 unit instead which has been fine in the year since purchase apart from one thing. All of my Garmins have had a feature whereby the unit turns itself off if it isn’t recording a ride and is left idle for a certain length of time - about 15 minutes. This only happens after you’ve finished and saved a ride and means you don’t have to remember to turn the unit off manually. In their wisdom, Garmin have done away with this feature on the latest 530 and 830 units. So it sometimes gets left on, which means the battery is almost flat the next time you come to use it.

Over the years, I’ve owned a 705, a 200, an 810 and currently a 520 Plus. They’ve all worked fine when either recording a ride or following a route, perhaps I’ve been lucky. I’ve got friends who had the Garmin Edge Touring that turned out to full of problems and the problems with my wife’s 820 Explore did make me consider a Wahoo Bolt the last time I bought a new GPS, but my son in law had a Bolt and it stopped working after 18 months, so they don’t seem any better.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
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Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by Jdsk »

What's your current list of options?

• Do nothing
• Ask for rectification, replacement, or return of money as the suppled goods are faulty/ not fit for purpose.

Did you pay by credit card? That would add a Section 75 claim to these.

Jonathan
SteveBracken
Posts: 4
Joined: 8 Feb 2023, 5:07pm

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by SteveBracken »

In my first message to Garmin I said, "The only possible solution would be for you to refund the money to me so I can buy a Karoo 2 instead." Their response has been to ask for my patience while they do nothing.

I could sell it on eBay to some unsuspecting punter but I'm not that heartless.
I could offer it on eBay with a full description of it's shortcomings and maybe it would suit someone who does short rides and doesn't need battery save mode.

I will look into the credit card Section 75 option. My communication has been with Garmin themselves but I actually bought the item from Amazon (not a 3rd party Amazon merchant) so I probably need to start by telling them of the problem. Of course the Amazon no quibble return window closed before I was aware of the problem but I believe I have 6 years under section 75 from what I have just read.

What I really want to do is expose Garmin publicly for this long continuing scam of selling a product that they know to be unfit for it's intended purpose.
scottg
Posts: 1218
Joined: 10 Jan 2008, 8:44pm
Location: Highland Heights Kentucky,, USA

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by scottg »

SteveBracken wrote: 9 Feb 2023, 12:56pm In my first message to Garmin I said, "The only possible solution would be for you to refund the money to me so I can buy a Karoo 2 instead."
Guitar Ted was gifted with a Karoo, it didn't turn out well.

https://g-tedproductions.blogspot.com/2 ... art-3.html
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Deutsche Luftschiffahrts-AG
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SteveBracken
Posts: 4
Joined: 8 Feb 2023, 5:07pm

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by SteveBracken »

Guitar Ted and others certainly seemed to have suffered with the Karoo 2. As my wife's Karoo 2 behaves perfectly I bought one for myself (the Garmin Edge Explore is sitting on a shelf awaiting its fate) and it is also faultless. Despite some of the comments under Guitar Ted's post neither my wife nor I work for Hammerhead, the manufacturers of the Karoo and we had no hand in the development of it. We just read the instructions, played around with it and now it's operation seems intuitive.
I plan routes on Komoot, export to a GPS file, drag the file into the Hammerhead dashboard and it appears on the Karoo 2. Battery life remains at about 40% after a six hour day. I haven't had to use battery saving mode in earnest yet but nothing bad happened when I tried it.
PH
Posts: 13106
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
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Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by PH »

SteveBracken wrote: 9 Feb 2023, 12:56pm In my first message to Garmin I said, "The only possible solution would be for you to refund the money to me so I can buy a Karoo 2 instead." Their response has been to ask for my patience while they do nothing.
What they did was develop the Explore 2, which doesn't seem to have these issues. Maybe get back to Garmin, who must be aware their product was faulty, and ask for an exchange for the later model.
The latest from Martin Lewis is worth a look
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/ ... -warranty/
SteveBracken
Posts: 4
Joined: 8 Feb 2023, 5:07pm

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by SteveBracken »

Thanks for that. I wasn't aware they had released the Explore 2. I read a review by someone has actually used it and it seems to have much longer battery life and re-routes without any problem. I've asked Garmin to either give me a cash refund (second time I've asked for that) or do a swap for the Explore 2. I'll update here if I get a response.
De Sisti
Posts: 1507
Joined: 17 Jun 2007, 6:03pm

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by De Sisti »

Alternatively, if they can't resolve the issue, they may offer to take it back and give you a
30% discount on a more expensive model. They made this offer to me after my Edge Touring Plus froze (at the start line of the Upper Thames 200k audax in November 2021). I had already tried to reboot it (as per their instructions), but it didn't work.

After over a year's use of the 1030 Plus that I opted for, all I can say is that it hasn't let me down and I'm very impressed with it.
David Cox
Posts: 203
Joined: 14 Jan 2008, 9:15pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: Garmin Edge Explore software crashes

Post by David Cox »

I've had a Garmin Edge 800 for many years. It still has a good battery life, records well and takes an OS Map which I like when exploring new areas. I've never had much luck with following routes on it though. I bought a new Edge Explore during lockdown it worked well for a few long rides including navigation but now the battery life is useless even with battery save mode which I don't like preferring a constant read out of distance etc. Looked on Garmin forums and this cheaper model seems to have a poor reputation. Not recommended.
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