My Garmin has just started to lock up on me as soon as I switch it on. The screen locks up I can't press any key, it doens't work. A few weeks ago it did it for the first time and after switching it off and on and a few tries, it worked. And today it just locked up again. I've had my Garmin for about 3 years and it worked perfectly fine up unitl now. Any suggestion?

My chevy doesn't chirp on the first press of the lock button, it just locks. If you press it again, then it chirps. To be honest, I like the fact that it doesn't chirp first - that just draws attention to the fact that you left your vehicle.

Unless the vendor supplied it, you cannot operate a locked Garmin and you cannot bypass the code.

The following is cut and pasted from my existing FixYa Tip and deals with your precise problem:-


You have Garmin Lock activated on your nuvi: there are only two ways you can unlock it.

1. Enter the PIN code (but you clearly don't have it or you wouldn't be reading this).

2. Take the unit to the Security Location you chose when activating Garmin Lock: it will then unlock without the PIN code and you can then either reset the PIN or disable Garmin Lock. The Security Location should not be the owner's home address, but many owners ignore this recommendation. Many owners choose their workplace or a close friend or relatives address for this purpose.

If neither option works then your unit is useless unless you send it to Garmin with proof of first purchase. Garmin charge for the service and if your maps are not up to date then it's really a waste of money as the investment would be better spent on a new unit with current mapping.

I hope that you manage to either fix your problem using my advice or at least can decide whether to abandon the unit and buy another.

You may read advice elsewhere advising you to use a secret menu to erase all user data. This is done by starting with the nuvi switched off and then pressing and holding the bottom right corner of the screen and then, whilst still pressing the bottom corner, turning the unit on. Please note that although this erases all previous user data, it does not bypass Garmin Lock. There is NO bypass for Garmin Lock except by taking the unit to the owner's security location; it would be a useless theft deterrent otherwise.

Whether someone's honest enough to admit it or not, they have activated Garmin Lock on your unit, probably whilst fiddling about with it. The following is cut and pasted from my existing FixYa Tip and deals with your precise problem:-


You have Garmin Lock activated on your nuvi: there are only two ways you can unlock it.

1. Enter the PIN code (but you clearly don't have it or you wouldn't be reading this).

2. Take the unit to the Security Location you chose when activating Garmin Lock: it will then unlock without the PIN code and you can then either reset the PIN or disable Garmin Lock. The Security Location should not be the owner's home address, but many owners ignore this recommendation. Many owners choose their workplace or a close friend or relatives address for this purpose.

If neither option works then your unit is useless unless you send it to Garmin with proof of purchase. Garmin charge for the service and if your maps are not up to date then it's really a waste of money as the investment would be better spent on a new unit with current mapping.

I hope that you manage to either fix your problem using my advice or at least can decide whether to abandon the unit and buy another.




Update: You may read advice advising you to use a secret menu to erase all user data. This is done by starting with the nuvi switched off and then pressing and holding the bottom right corner of the screen and then, whilst still pressing the bottom corner, turning the unit on. Please note that although this erases all previous user data, it does not bypass Garmin Lock. There is NO bypass for Garmin Lock except by taking the unit to the owner's security location; it would be a useless theft deterrent otherwise.

I'll make an educated guess that you're asking how to get past the password in order to use this device.

See below:-

You have Garmin Lock activated on your nuvi: there are only two ways you can unlock it.

1. Enter the PIN code (but you clearly don't have it or you wouldn't be reading this).

2. Take the unit to the Security Location chosen when Garmin Lock was activated and the PIN code was chosen: it will then unlock without the PIN code and you can then either reset the PIN or disable Garmin Lock. The Security Location should not be the owner's home address, but many owners ignore this recommendation. Many owners choose their workplace or a close friend or relatives address for this purpose.

If neither option works then your unit is useless unless you send it to Garmin with proof of first purchase. Garmin charge for the service and if your maps are not up to date then it's really a waste of money as the investment would be better spent on a new unit with current mapping.

You may read advice advising you to use a secret menu to erase all user data. This is done by starting with the nuvi switched off and then pressing and holding the bottom right corner of the screen and then, whilst still pressing the bottom corner, turning the unit on. Please note that although this erases all previous user data, including maps, it does not bypass Garmin Lock. There is NO bypass for Garmin Lock except by taking the unit to the owner's security location; it would be a useless theft deterrent otherwise.

I hope that you manage to either fix your problem using my advice or at least can decide whether to abandon the unit and buy another.

Key lock was added in a recent release. You can toggle key lock by pressing Mode and the UP button at the same time.
Thanks for using FixYa

You may read advice advising you to use a secret menu to erase all user data. This is done by starting with the nuvi switched off and then pressing and holding the bottom right corner of the screen and then, whilst still pressing the bottom corner, turning the unit on. Please note that although this erases all previous user data including mapping and POI's, it does not bypass Garmin Lock. There is NO bypass for Garmin Lock except by taking the unit to the owner's security location; it would be a useless theft deterrent otherwise.

If you press the on/off power switch and can toggle the screen, then he unit isn't locked up at all. The touchscreen is either intermittent or has failed and needs to be replaced. More info can be found here:


http://www.sharc.net/gps_LCD_repair.htm


- Jim

Basically, you've wasted your money on a useless and totally unusable unit, sorry.

You have Garmin Lock activated on your nuvi: there are only two ways you can unlock it.

1. Enter the PIN code (but you clearly don't have it or you wouldn't be reading this).

2. Take the unit to the Security Location chosen when Garmin Lock was first activated: it will then unlock without the PIN code and you can then either reset the PIN or disable Garmin Lock. The Security Location should not be the owner's home address, but many owners ignore this recommendation. Many owners choose their workplace or a close friend or relatives address for this purpose.

If neither option works then your unit is useless unless you send it to Garmin with proof of purchase. Garmin charge for the service and if your maps are not up to date then it's really a waste of money as the investment would be better spent on a new unit with current mapping.

You may read advice advising you to use a secret menu to erase all user data. This is done by starting with the nuvi switched off and then pressing and holding the bottom right corner of the screen and then, whilst still pressing the bottom corner, turning the unit on. Please note that although this erases all previous user data including maps, it does not bypass Garmin Lock. There is NO bypass for Garmin Lock except by taking the unit to the owner's security location; it would be a useless theft deterrent otherwise. The entire point of Garmin Lock is to make the unit worthless to thieves, and to those who steal the unit by finding it without handing it to the authorities. It's unfortunate that it also catches out unwitting and innocent buyers of previously-owned Garmins, but that's the lesser of two evils.

I hope that you manage to either fix your problem using my advice or at least can decide whether to abandon the unit and buy another.

In order to calibrate the nuvi 700 or 705 series touch screen, follow the instructions below.

1. Start with the unit powered OFF and unplugged from power supply.
2. Press and hold your finger anywhere on the touch screen.
3. Next, slide the power switch ON and immediately slide it into the Lock position. There is no need to wait for the screen to flash on or show the Garmin logo before moving the switch into the Lock position.
4. Leave your finger on the screen for about 45 seconds.
5. Two intersecting lines should display on the screen along with the message: Press Dot.

Follow the rest of the on screen prompts to complete the screen recalibration. Once it is completed the unit will display Calibration Complete

The on / off switch on top has 3 positions, it locks all the way right, when the unit is on make sure you have it in the middle.

There are icons near power button that indicate right side lock.