Garmin instinct solar crashes under 50 % battery.

Hi, my instinct solar tactical watch crashes random. If the battery is under 50 % the watch will crash whatever i use this for, alarm goes off, timer, oxigen puls, activities .......

I read more and more people start to have the same problem, in the past the watch worked perfect and i loved it. Now on the other hand it is a source of frustrations.

I have tried all possible solutions Garmin suggests, but nothing works. 

I think by now Garmin must know this watch has serious issues, It's about time Garmin acknowledged this and offers a solution, these thing cost a lot of money. I do not even know where to adres to.

I live in Belgium, where do i send my watch for reparation or an other solution. 

Please be specific , Adres, phone, e-mail ,.....

Tnx

  • I have had the same problem since updating to the latest firmware

  • Can you test this for me please ? 

    Turn off all the VIBRATE  functions in your watch:

    MENU button ( long press) 

    ABC button to SETTINGS  : GPS button to enter menu

    ABC button to system : GPS button to enter menu

    ABC button to SOUNDS : GPS button to enter menu

    TURN OFF VIBRATE

    Also in the widgets TIME - ALARM  set  the VIBRATE  function off. 

     

    Please give me feedback if it's working or not.  TNX

  • Hi Koen,

    Same exact thing happened to me last year (2022). My watch started playing up when the battery was low (less than 25%) and then, progressively, with the battery more and more charged until even at 75% it was simply unreliable (randomely turning itself off, not tracking solar or steps, etc.). I contacted Garmin Support and after a few back & forth they agreed to replace the unit. They did excellently. 

    The problem that I've got now is that exactly 12 months later my new Instinct Solar has started to have the same issues. I will contact Support again but I don't have a lot of hope at this point. I think this first solar iteration of the Instinct watch is just too buggy.

    All the best with your watch!

  • Ahhhh this has been happening with mine, to the point now it just won't turn on unless it's connected to the charge cable.

    Ive sent 3 emails to Garmin and they haven't even bothered to reply and it's been over a week.

    These watches aren't cheap and to have it last just under 12 months is ridiculous.

    Did you get yours sorted out mate ?

  • Yes. I called them and it's a known problem so they arranged to replace the watch for free. I had to post the old one back to them and they then sent a new one out. Took about a week.

  • I'm not getting any response from Garmin UK using email, I'll try chat tomorrow and see if I can get it swapped.

    Cheers mate

  • Quick update on my situation and on how excellent the Garmin Support Australiasia is.

    As mentioned a few posts above, even the replacement Garmin Instinct Solar that Garmin Support sent through to me about a year ago (July 2022) started playing up when under 75% of charge. I contacted Garmin again and explained the issue.

    They offered the option of replacing it (again!) or to have a full refund of the money spent back in 2020 in order to purchase another Garmin watch (Instinct 2 Solar tactical in my case!) at the same shop I purchased the original Garmin watch from back in 2020.

    I obviously went with the latter.

    Now I own a brand new Garmin Instinct 2 Solar Tactical which works perfectly and I am extremely happy with.

    The Garmin Instinct Solar may not be the best watch Garmin have made, but Garmin Support (Australiasia in my case) is absolutely top notch.

    All the best to the Instinct 1 owners out there!

  • Yeah, they swapped it, I sent mine in and they sent me a new one, alls good.

    Don't bother with emails just get straight on to chat.

  • I have the exact same behavior as described above. The problem starts as soon as the battery is below ~60%, but it happens more frequently the lower the battery status is. If it is below 25% there it will not be possible any more to start tracking an activity. The problem started after around 18 months of owning the Garmin Instinct Solar. Before that it was working perfectly fine on any battery status.