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Fenix 8 Navigation Issues – Your Rights to a Refund Under EU Consumer Law

9111757
2 months ago

Hi everyone,

I wanted to start this thread because I (and many others) have been experiencing major issues with the navigation system on the Garmin Fenix 8. After months of frustration, I have decided to explore my rights under EU consumer law to request a refund due to lack of conformity. If you're facing similar problems, this post should help you understand your legal rights and how to proceed.

The Problem: Faulty Navigation on the Fenix 8

Many users (myself included) have reported that navigation on the Fenix 8 simply doesn’t work as advertised. Here are the key issues:

  • The biggest problem with navigation on the Fenix 8 is that calculating a route takes an extremely long time—or fails altogether. Here’s what I and many other users have observed:

    • Route calculation is extremely slow:

      • A short route (25–30 km) can take 15–20 minutes to calculate.
      • Longer routes may take even longer—or fail entirely.

    • Sometimes, the watch never completes the calculation:

      • It gets stuck on “Calculating...” indefinitely.
      • The only way to proceed is to cancel the route.

    • Navigation is one of the Fenix 8’s key selling points, and yet it’s currently unusable for real-world applications. A sports/outdoor watch should not take longer to calculate a route than the time it takes to complete the actual activity!

Considering navigation is one of the core advertised features of the Fenix 8, these problems constitute a significant defect.

Your Legal Rights Under EU Consumer Protection Laws

If you bought your Fenix 8 in the EU, you are protected by the Sale of Goods Directive (Directive (EU) 2019/771). This law guarantees that products must be fit for purpose and perform as advertised. If they don’t, you have the right to a repair, replacement, or refund.

Key Points of the Law:

  1. Two-Year Guarantee:

    • Retailers must provide a minimum two-year legal guarantee from the date of purchase.
    • This applies regardless of Garmin’s own warranty terms.

  2. Lack of Conformity:

    • If the product doesn’t work as expected or as advertised, it is considered to be non-conforming.
    • Since navigation is a core feature of the Fenix 8, these issues qualify as a lack of conformity.

  3. Burden of Proof:

    • First 12 months: The law assumes the defect was present at the time of purchase, unless the seller proves otherwise.
    • After 12 months: You may need to prove that the defect was not caused by misuse. However, since many users are reporting this issue, it is clear that this is a widespread defect and not an isolated case.

  4. Your Rights to a Refund:

    • You can first request a repair or replacement.
    • If the seller cannot fix the issue in a reasonable time, you are entitled to a full refund.

How to Request a Refund from Garmin or the Retailer

  1. Contact the Seller (not Garmin directly)

    • Under EU law, your contract is with the retailer that sold you the device, not the manufacturer.
    • If you bought directly from Garmin, you should contact their customer service and reference the EU Sale of Goods Directive.

  2. Explain the Issue Clearly

    • Mention that navigation is a key advertised feature, and since it doesn’t work properly, the product is not fit for purpose.
    • You can reference the Garmin product page or user manual, where navigation is listed as a main function.

  3. Request a Solution

    • You can ask for a repair or replacement, but if they cannot guarantee a fix within a reasonable time, you have the right to a full refund.

  4. If They Refuse

    • If the seller refuses your request, you can escalate the case by contacting your country’s consumer protection agency.
    • You can also file a complaint with the European Consumer Centre (ECC) for assistance.

Final Thoughts – Should You Keep the Fenix 8?

If navigation is important to you, and Garmin has not provided a fix, you should not be forced to keep a defective device. Since this issue appears to affect all Fenix 8 models, a replacement unit may not solve the problem.

If you’re facing similar issues, don’t hesitate to exercise your consumer rights. Let’s hold Garmin accountable for delivering a product that meets expectations!