Montana 700 keeps turning off

Received third RMA'd Montana 700.

First one kept shutting off, was RMA'd.

Second one wore through the rugged mount contacts, was RMA'd.

Third one (current) is back to shutting off. Newly arrived, charged battery, applied updates. Started working on creating waypoints and utilizing different maps (yes, sdcard with img files) for research. Shut off five times in the matter of 3 hours. Same sdcard has always worked even in my 650 and 680. Tried different sdcards, same thing. Prior M700 shut down without sdcard, so there is that.

Different scenarios:

Happened creating waypoints.

Satellite on demo mode so it doesn't keep popping up about no satellite signal (indoors).

Using stock maps or img maps.

Once while zooming in/out.

Downloaded sat images fine.

Was able to change waypoint icon/name no problem.

Wifi / bluetooth on/off.

Why does this keep happening (explain like I'm an IT veteran)?

What is the fix?

How many RMA's before this becomes ridiculous?

Thanks.

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0 Garmin-Leslie 18 days ago

Hello, I have reached out to you in a private message to gather more information.

0 thalinor 16 days ago

I have this problem too. Today I was route planning for a trip on the device, it had satellite connection, 82% battery and every time I got to the third (of 4 planned) entries of the route it would shut off. Its not one address as they were entered in a different order each time as I was entering them from screen shots on my tablet in no particular order and the intent of rearranging them at the end. It’s almost like the unit runs out of memory and then shuts off. The PAID city navigator maps, were active at the time, registered to this unit and purchased from Garmin.

My device also randomly shut off, but this route bug was replicated several times. I did it three times and on entry three (again a different address being the third entry each time) it would crash. I have ruled out it’s one particular address, that’s crashing it and as soon as I get to three entries in the route plan section when the unit shuts off. Having an IT background at one point, it sounds like a memory dump. This is what happens when gadmin puts the cheapest hardware in a $500 handheld GPS that has far less technology than smartphones costing hundreds less. Having to send the unit back under RMA and not have a unit in my possession is completely unacceptable as this has been a known issue for multiple years. I have screenshots from three years ago and this issue has continued for years.

0 econwatch 16 days ago

Garmin reached out and are looking for the following information to verify the issue.

On a 2 hour old RMA'd device at that.

Had sent details to open case with Garmin.

First I need you to verify your account:

Billing address on account?
Phone number on account?

Then please provide the following:

What is the serial number of your device?
What software version is your device currently on? (Home > Setup > About)
Please send the shutdown logs from your device in to us. Obtaining Shutdown Logs From an Outdoor Handheld -- You can submit them using the steps in the following article Sending a File, Folder, Photo or Video to Garmin Product Support.
Does the device shut off right away or when selecting go or are you already navigating when the device shuts off? Is it shutting off at a different time for a different reason? If so, please provide specifics as to exactly what you are doing when it shuts down.
What map(s) are enabled when the device shuts down? (Setup > Map > Map Manager > What maps are enabled here?) (What maps do you show listed here? You can submit images of these pages to if its easier) Submit here https://supportforms.garmin.com/form/file-uploader.
What route setting and routing profile are you using when device shuts down? (Route settings = Setup > Routing > what is set here?) (Profile = Setup > Profiles > does it show a current profile being used?)
Do you have the device plugged into external/USB power when this happens? Are you using a mount? If so, what mount are you using?
Can you send images of the contact points on the device? You can submit images of these pages to if its easier) Submit here https://supportforms.garmin.com/form/file-uploader.
Are you using any 3rd party maps? If so, what maps and where did you get them from?
Are you loading data to the device? If so, what are you loading and where do you get them from?

Does this happen only with created routes selected from the Route Planner or does choosing a point on the map and navigating cause the shut down as well?

If navigating a route, what was the distance of the route(s) you were trying to navigate to when it shut down?
Do you have the option for External Power to stay on when removed from charge selected? (Setup > System > Advanced Setup > External Power off set to? External Power On set to?)
Do we have permission to access your explore account?

I know in the forums post you say it happens when creating waypoints, can you give exact steps of what you are doing?

0 thalinor 16 days ago in reply to econwatch

Plenty of threads here on the forum with the same issue. Been going on since release with Garmin saying every time a fix is incoming. I was able to fix the problem by only using two maps: City Nav (paid/free depending on model) and Topo Active (free). The moment I started adding all my Topo 24k, 100k, OpenStreet Maps, etc the unit gets bogged down when trying to search for addresses and shuts off. Its not a SD card issue as CN is on the SD and works fine as long as I dont put too many maps on the device.

Its not an over device spec limit (map tiles, etc) because the device will yell at you of you try and do that, I know I've tried. I have kept the number of maps, map segments, file size, etc all within spec but it seems this trash $550+ GPS just doesn't have enough ram to load all the addresses when searching which is why it takes 5+ seconds when I hit the address button for the search to come up with 6ish map files on the SD card.

PS for the Garmin tech support reading this; what was your first Garmin GPS? Mine was 1999 the GPS 12.

9 out of 10 of you at Garmin: I've been doing this longer than you. Just my Garmin Handheld GPS units (not bothering to list all the car units, two fenix watches, forerunner, etc, I've owned by what has become a joke of a company). 12, 12XL, 12 Map, GPS III, GPS V, GPS MAP, 60CSX, 66sr, and Montana 700 (because the 700i doesn't have an external battery)

Too bad Garmin bought out all the competition or they might have to answer for GPS units having problems for 3 years and not being fixed. You know why it hasn't been fixed? It's a hardware issue due to old outdated hardware they used in this device (to be cheep) which is being pushed to its limit by some users like myself. If you even come close to max specs for map segments, this thing grinds to a halt and then will crash.

Task Name: FND main

errnum: 0x003
Message: 226D9348,21CDF7E0

Well documented issue.

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/358328/my-garmin-700i-shuts-down-when-i-select-find-address/1723649#1723649

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/316168/montana-stops-working-very-often/1550346#1550346

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/262081/montana-700i-keeps-turning-off

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/367810/new-montana-700-shutting-off-randomly

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/359026/montana-750i-shuts-down/1747704#1747704

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/262081/montana-700i-keeps-turning-off/1583878#1583878

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/288550/montana-750i-shuts-down-when-using-custom-groups-of-maps

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/253404/montana-700-birdseye-direct-causing-gps-to-shut-down-crash

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/269869/montana-750i-random-freezes-or-powers-off/1301817#1301817

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/322436/two-bugs-tested-shut-down-and-freeze

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/327684/montana-700-randomly-shutdown

https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/montana-700i-750i/358928/garmin-resets-and-also-shuts-down-and-freezes-when-connected-via-bluetooth-to-phone-using-explore-app-to-send-destination-address-for-nav

https://gpsrchive.com/Discussion/viewtopic.php?t=1623&sid=7c9bac9a0761d88b17dc9e8608616c91&start=10

0 econwatch 14 days ago

Update --

Answered all the questions and the response was to reset the (new) device or request for a replacement.

When the customer has a greater interest and perhaps even ability to solve the issue than the vendor its a strange world.

At the very least I appreciate that they offer a replacement.

0 Garmin-Leslie 13 days ago in reply to econwatch

Hello, as we learned from our conversation today, you were speaking to two separate agents of which both were inquiring about different things with this. I can assure you that we are interested in solving these issues and are working to understand what is causing the issue.