Montana 700i/750i - Recent Threads

Warranty replacement Montana 700i, again developed pock marked brass contacts.

BlackJack — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 15:47:49 GMT

I brought a 700i when they were first released in 2020 for use on my adventure bike. Knowing the rigours of offroad riding, I went to great lengths to resiliently mount the rugged mount to my nav tower, however within 8 or 9 months of ownership and probably less than 20 hours of actual use, the brass contacts on the device had become severely pock marked, which was making the unit constantly shut down and fail to charge.

I contacted Garmin Australia and the were very conscientious in getting my issue sorted, and was asked to send my device and rugged mount away for inspection by their techs and after a week or so, I received a new 700i and rugged mount in the mail, no questions asked. Their service was outstanding.

Sadly though, this second device, replaced under warranty has now failed as well, suffering the same issue of pock marked contacts and is now not charging from the rugged mount. Unfortunately this became apparent while on a trip across the Simpson desert in May 2024, just when I needed it the most. So I had to charge it overnight from a power bank and then use a USB cable to power it while on the bike which fortunately worked ok, but I have my doubts this will be a viable long term option to power my unit while on the bike, as it compromises the integrity of the unit with water and dust.

Obviously out of warranty, I still contacted Garmin to let them know what has happened and that this is the second device thats gone pear shaped as I felt they needed to draw there attention to the fact that there is an obvious issue with the rugged mount/ brass contact interface. Weather thats caused by the rugged mount pins not functioning correctly, the brass contacts material hardness or composition, galvanic corrosion developing between the mounts pins and the contacts who knows, but theres an issue of significance there.

I was a long time Montana 650T owner for many years prior and had zero issues with that in its rugged mount on the bike and it suffered way more punishment than my 700i's, so its infuriating that although Garmin market the 700i as 'milspec', they cant actually to a build the 700 series that matches their previous units.

I know other riders within our broader group with Montana 700i's and they have all reported the same issues, and so the only conclusion I can draw now is that the 700i is simply NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE in regards to offroad motorcycling. I would encourage anyone thinking of upgrading from a 650 or 680T, to not waste their money and keep what theyve got, as they are a far more robust unit.

I contacted Garmin on the 12th of June 2024 and spoke to one of their representatives to voice my frustration seeing my second replacement unit fail as before and supplied them with the required photos and documentation and nothing. Zip. The sounds of silence.

I understand theyre not obliged to help or support me out of warranty, but at the very least it would have been nice for them to have the common courtesy of some level of communication or feedback to my quandry and for their total absence of acknowledgement in that regard, they need a bollocking.

So where to now to achieve the same level of emergency capability ? Inreach mini, Messenger, Spot X , Zeleo or similar and back to my old 650T or an iPad mini for mapping ? I have to say Im very reluctant to reward Garmin again by buying another one of their devices. Disappointed is an understatement.

Resiliently mounted above and beyond the supplied fittings.

RE: Warranty replacement Montana 700i, again developed pock marked brass contacts.

7905456 — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 02:32:18 GMT

Hi, I was wondering if you had any luck in figuring out this issue? My Garmin Montana 700 is doing the exact same thing. I also had a Montana before this model and never had an issue with it. Is there not a way to replace the contacts?

RE: Can the current 750i firmware version v25.10 keep SOS when suspension?

Garmin - LF — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 23:33:23 GMT

1503014 Here are some additional details regarding using SOS while the plan is suspended:

What Is Needed?

A compatible device on the latest software.
The compatible device must be paired and connected in the Garmin Messenger app before the new Suspend Plan will be available.
The device must have been on an active subscription plan before switching to Suspend.
The plan can be suspended for up to 12 consecutive months before the system automatically moves the device into the Enabled plan to preserve the SOS capabilities.
SOS With inReach Suspended Service

Can the current 750i firmware version v25.10 keep SOS when suspension?

1503014 — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 21:07:03 GMT

Heard that a firmware update is needed to keep the SOS with on suspension plan.

RE: Can the current 750i firmware version v25.10 keep SOS when suspension?

1503014 — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 06:50:02 GMT

Hi PW,

Thanks a lot for the reply!

I have a question about "when the device has been connected in the Garmin Messenger app".

Do I need to bring the phone that has the Garmin Messenger app paired with me when I am hiking with the unit, with phone's bluetooth open? Or, I can leave the phone at home as long as the 750i has been connected to the messenger app once? Or, I need to regularly connect the 750i to the phone from time to time?

The reason is that I have H1i plus and 750i, and I am using two phones, one for each. And, prefer to carry one phone when traveling.

Thanks a lot!

Montana 7XX Software version v25.30

Garmin-Christopher — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 22:49:47 GMT

Change Log
: Fixed issues with TopoActive Map downloads

RE: Can the current 750i firmware version v25.10 keep SOS when suspension?

Garmin - PW — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:25:36 GMT

Hi 1503014 the Montana 750i on firmware 25.10 will continue to have SOS abilities when the device has been connected in the Garmin Messenger app and the inReach plan is suspended.

RE: Another Montana 700i that turns off randomly

Garmin - PW — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:19:33 GMT

Hi Roby466 I would be happy to help you out with this. To do this, I will be sending you an email to grab some additional information. **

Another Montana 700i that turns off randomly

Roby466 — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:58:07 GMT

Similar to many others, my unit turns off randomly. It is most frustrating when I'm trying to build routes/tracks on the device as unless you have finalized the track, it disappears when it shuts down.

It seems to shut down in less than 30 minutes, it will power back up after.

It has been a problem on battery, and in the cradle so it doesn't seem to be battery related. Also, I have a second battery, and changing battery has not solved the issue.

It has struggled to go through a full SYNCH as it shuts down before being done.

I have found others here with the question, but the fix doesn't seem to be public as Garmin techs response has been ''you will receive an email with the solution''.

I would love to have that solution as this was not a cheap unit!

RE: Track/Active route colour

6070192 — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 12:59:56 GMT

Thank you!!!!!!!

Track/Active route colour

Territorian — Sat, 18 Dec 2021 22:35:17 GMT

Good morning I have just purchased a 750i and was wondering if you guys might be able to help me with a question. When I activate a route the system is changing the track/route colour from the chosen Red to a Purple which is hard to see on the map. I would like to change the colour back to Red. I have looked though the settings but am not able to see where this change can be made.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers.

No City Navigator maps for my 700i

RVASSEN — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 17:20:18 GMT

My Montana 700i came with City Navigator EU maps when I bought it.

However, with firmware 25.10 and Garmin Express 7.29.0 (Windows 11), it is no longer possible to download or update City Navigator maps on a Montana 700i.

Garmin Express no longer shows City Navigator maps for installation or upgrade. Please, Garmin, fix this!

Montana 7xx Software Update v25.10

Garmin - Jessica — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:57:54 GMT

Hello Montana 7xx users!

Software version 25.10 is now fully released.

Change log

Added QR codes to Outdoor Maps+ layer info page
Added support for displaying SOS threads by device
Added Messenger account phone number to inReach plan page
Added sender device to message details
Added deletion of inactive SOS threads
Fixed incorrect position for new points in course creator
Fixed TopoActive maps incorrectly showing update available
Fixed TopoActive map downloads getting requeued after completion
Fixed inReach weather sync
Fixed inability to download satellite imagery without OM+

Montana 700, advice for a case?

Former Member — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 06:48:29 GMT

Hello,

has anybody an idea for a suitable case (belt-bag) for the Montana 700?

Thank you in advance for your help.

RE: Montana 700, advice for a case?

9880651 — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 12:06:55 GMT

I was looking for a good case for my Garmin Montana 700 as well, and after trying a few options, I've been using the ICE Bag. It fits well, provides good protection, and is easy to attach to my backpack.

For anyone interested, here's the one I use:
ttps://infinitepack.com/collections/ice-bags

Hopefully this helps someone else who's looking for a suitable case.

RE: Montana 700 charging issues using AMPS mount

8318369 — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:45:16 GMT

I've had the same issues using the AMPS mount. I believe the unit (Montana 700i) is too heavy for the mount and wears out the pins. It would start with intermittent charging and the fry the unit. Garmin South Africa replaced both GPS and mount until the warranty expired. From then they sold me replacement units at a much reduced price. I'm now on unit number 9 over the past 4 years.

I decided to rip the wires out of mount and run the unit on battery only and purchased spare batteries. This was partially better but I still had the unit failing on low battery (anything below 35% charge). That was charging using a universal wall charger and the original Garmin cable.

And then I experimented charging using only my power pack.

PROBLEM SOLVED. THE UNIT HAS WORKED FLAWLESSLY FOR 8 MONTHS AND RUNS DOWN TO ZERO PERCENT ON THE BATTERY. The longest a unit had lasted before was 3 months.

I don't understand why charging using a high quality wall charger or hotel usb points caused problems. But happy to have found a solution.

Montana 700 charging issues using AMPS mount

Mogu — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:07:49 GMT

Hi everyone,

I have a montana 700 that was working fine until some time ago. When placed in the AMPS mount in my motorcycle, I can see the battery icon charging, but the battery doesn't charge. In fact, it will get down to 0. If I charge the Montana vía USB, It charges well.

My AMPS mount is connected to battery and every other charger works fine (like the one I use to charge my smartphone while riding).

Any suggestion?

RE: Alpha 300 v8.40 UI issue — missing Applications / Utilities in Training Keys

nDrewone — Sat, 30 May 2026 09:36:52 GMT

Correction to my original report:

At the time I submitted the bug report, my Alpha 300 was actually running software version 8.37 (not 8.40 as I originally stated).

I have since updated the device to version 8.44 and can confirm that the issue still persists exactly as described in the original post.

So the bug is present in both v8.37 and v8.44.

This suggests the issue was not resolved in the subsequent software updates and may still require investigation by the development team.

Alpha 300 v8.40 UI issue — missing Applications / Utilities in Training Keys

nDrewone — Sat, 16 May 2026 08:51:11 GMT

Sorry for posting this in the Montana/inReach section, but Garmin currently does not appear to have a dedicated Alpha 300 forum section.

Device: Garmin Alpha 300
Software Version: 8.40

I am trying to understand whether this is:
- an intended UI change,
- a firmware regression,
- or a bug.

After updating my Alpha 300 from firmware 6.x to 8.40, the "Training Keys" customization menu no longer shows the categories:

- Applications
- Device Actions
- Utilities

Now only dog training commands are available.

Path:
Main Menu → Setup → Training Setup → Training Keys → Add Item Here

According to the Garmin documentation, training keys should allow assigning:
- applications,
- device actions,
- utilities,
- and dog training commands.

However, on my device only dog training commands appear.

Things already tried:
- Reset All Settings
- Delete All
- Reboot
- Re-pairing collars
- Reconnecting through Garmin Express / Garmin Explore

No change.

Could someone with Alpha 300 firmware 8.40 please confirm:
- whether Applications / Utilities are still present on their device,
- or if Garmin changed this behavior in newer firmware?

Thank you.

during the recording of the track there are a lot of wrong waypoints showing on the display. Despite following the same way back the treck is far away from the way on.

3533431 — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:51:02 GMT

Power cable to an AMPS mount

Former Member — Sun, 11 Apr 2021 07:40:00 GMT

The Montana 700i only used with my snowmobile or ATV. The available AMPS mounts have power cable / data cable / audio cable, all this cables makes a big wire mess. The Micro-USB port does not feel water proof, and I do not like to use the Micro-USB port with the unit installed in an AMPS mount, it also looks like the screen is less bright when charging from the Micro-USB.

Does somebody have a wiring diagram for the AMPS connector pins, I would like ta make my own cable from a 12v-5v adapter to the AMPS with suited power cables lenght. Have hooked up Deutsch DT 2-pin connectors to my sleds and ATVs after the 12v-5v USB converter.

RE: Power cable to an AMPS mount

MY ADV — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:59:30 GMT

The AMPS power mounts in-line convertor is part of the circuit to charge the GPSr battery.

Power Mount without GPSr and powered up

PIN 3 = 4.3vdc (Triger ready)
PIN 4 = 0.0vdc (5v OFF, not ready at mount pin #4)
PIN 5 = 0.0vdc (Ground)

Power Mount with GPSr in the mount and powered up

PIN 3 = 0.0vdc (Triggered)
PIN 4 = 5.0vdc (5v Power ON and ready at pin #4 to the GPRs)
PIN 5 = 0.0vdc (Ground)

NOTES:

The GPSr uses the trigger wire in two ways
1. When the GPSr is mounted, Pin 4 goes high (5v) and battery charging is enabled
2. When setup (Set Mount Profiles) you can choose what profile is shown in the map header when the GPSr is in and out of the mount.
If you need to cut or extend the cable ABOVE the converter, then use a similar wire gage if need to extend, Solder/connect the GREY wire to GREY wire, RED wire to RED wire and the BLACK wire to the BLACK wire. Ignore the serial wires.
The Car mount has the converter, no serial, built into the mount and is powered by the USB. The car mount pins functions the same as the power mount. The Car USB mount is not designed for outdoor use / water exposure.

RE: Montana 700 charging issues using AMPS mount

Mogu — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:57:50 GMT

I already cleaned the pins but it didn't solve the problem long term. The springs inside the pogo pins seems to be defective because they don't push the pins enough.

I tried my Montana without battery and connected the Garmin Amps mount directly to my Honda's battery. It powers up but then at some point the GPS shuts down. The resistance in the cord is fine and also the battery of the Honda is new and in a good health.

Bought the Garmin Amps mount not even 2 years ago.

RE: Montana 700 charging issues using AMPS mount

Garmin - AL — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 18:31:24 GMT

The AMPS mount should trickle charge the Montana 700 series device. If you are continuing to see these types of issues we recommend cleaning the charging pins/ports with a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a clean cotton swab. Please review the following articles for tips to resolve charging issues on the Montana, as well as the Mount:

Battery Charging Issues With a Montana 700 Series

Keeping the Battery in an Outdoor Handheld Charged With an AMPS Rugged Mount

Troubleshooting a Powered Mount for an Outdoor Handheld

RE: Montana 700 charging issues using AMPS mount

BigLew55 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 11:56:44 GMT

Thanks for the input. I'll keep an eye on it.