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I think I have solved the problem of Montana 700i shutting down/crashing for no reason

7134247
1 month ago

In 2023, I bought a brand new Montana 700i and AMPS to install on my JEEP, and over the next six months, it performed consistently on both road trips and off-road crossings. I am very satisfied with it, except that the screen is not bright enough in the sunlight.
In early 2024, during a road trip, I upgraded the firmware. From then on, it began to shut down or crash without warning. Sometimes every 30 minutes, and sometimes every 1-2 hours. Based on some experience here, after nearly a year of trying, I feel that I have successfully solved this problem. At least in the past 2 months, it has not shut down or crashed again.
I have recorded the trial methods and results in chronological order for everyone's reference:
1. Upgrade firmware and restore factory settings. All are invalid.
2. Close TOPO and DEM maps. invalid
3. Reduce the firmware to 18.90. There has been improvement, but not significant: the number of crashes within a 30 minute interval has significantly decreased. When I was downgraded this time, I lost all WPs and Tracks in my 700i, but fortunately there were some backups on my PC.
4. Connect an EMI filter (muRata BNX025H01L) to the power line of AMPS. Effective, but cannot completely solve the problem. The phenomenon of 'shutdown/crash' takes 1-2 days to occur.
5. Use an external GPS antenna. If the external GPS antenna feeder is too long and coiled together, it will worsen the "shutdown/crash"; If the feeder is straightened, there is no significant improvement in "shutdown/collapse";
6. On the premise of retaining the above measures 3 and 4, after turning off "Recording" or setting "Record Method" to "Distance", the "shutdown/crash" problem no longer occurs. If "Record Method" is set to "Auto", "shutdown/crash" will occur.

Keep the three measures of 3+4+6 and enable TOPO+DEM map. I have been using the 700i for 2 months and have not experienced any "shutdown/crash" during this period

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2024-11-17

corrections:
6B: The description of "6" above is incorrect. The correct one is that after turning off "Recording" or setting "Auto Pause" to "Off", "Shutdown/Crash" no longer appears.


PS：I am using the 700i in scenarios such as Topo+DEM maps, Record Tracks, occasional use of inReach, and almost no navigation function

  • 0 1 month ago

    Thanks for the insight!  I've just updated mine, but it may be a while before I can properly test it.

    A small reminder for others who may be trying this:

    The "Record Method" has to be set for each profile.  For instance, Walking, Driving, Boating, etc...

  • 0 1 month ago

    This didn't work with 20.50 Firmware, Have downgraded to 18.90 giving that a go now

  • 0 1 month ago

    If you can reliably duplicate whatever issue caused you to downgrade, please open a support ticket. At this point, Garmin believes that it has addressed all of the (non-cradle-related) issues which cause unexplained crashes. As far as I can tell based on forum traffic, they DO believe that there may be remaining issues which are specific to particular scenarios or configurations. They would be very interested in getting the details of your issue.

  • 0 1 month ago

    I have detected another thing, since I don´t use my 700i as main GPS, now I'm using OSmand on a rugged phone, I don't use navigation option , I use my 700i as a recording of my way and a spare unit and.......tachaaannn.... It never shut down since.Since the begining,  I've never use my unit on a cradel mount , so I've got two batteries and can survive the whole day. So in my case is don't use the option "go to " by road . It never happened  with 20.50 firmware or earlier. So right now I'm 100% sure that is while on navigation or on a route. I hope these may help on that stupid problem. Antother Spanish guy gave me the key of the issue as he never had a complaint about this GPS, so I told him you are the only one in this world, when I asked him about how exactly he used the 700i , he told me he just charge on the screen a previous track and just followed it on the screen, so in any of  my "n" checks "Et Voilâ" it has never shut down since.

  • 0 1 month ago

    18.90 Didn't change things at all, still shutting down randomly.

    The only thing i have noticed is the 700i is hot to the touch even when not charging, processor overload maybe??

    I think these are just a $1200 lemon that should have been fixed years ago or removed from sale....

  • 0 1 month ago

    corrections:
    6B: The description of "6" above is incorrect. The correct one is that after turning off "Recording" or setting "Auto Pause" to "Off", "Shutdown/Crash" no longer appears.


    PS：I am using the 700i in scenarios such as Topo+DEM maps, Record Tracks, occasional use of inReach, and almost no navigation function

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to 7134247

    How do you turn off recording? I only have the options of Auto, Distance or Time.... no off

  • 0 1 month ago in reply to 5240506

    The Setup > Recording > Auto Start setting controls when the device starts recording. If set to On, recording will start when the device is turned on and has a good satellite fix. If set to Off, you need to start recording yourself with the recording controls.

    The options you refer to are for the Setup > Recording > Record Method setting, those control how often the device takes a reading of your location.

  • 0 1 month ago

    Have turned the recording start and pause off (Thanks JungleJim), The 700i stayed on for nearly 24 Hrs before shutting off, this is the longest its ever stayed on for a long time.

    The only way I can get it to stay on permanently is to turn all the maps off, this defeats the purpose of having a GPS, Great!