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Bent USB Pins

Like everyone else in the world, I have owned many micro-USB devices. I've never had any device where one of the pins in the socket have bent. Except, now, two Garmin Edge 520s.

I've just come off a chat with a support agent who says told me that Garmin are unaware of other instances of this happening (they know of at least one; as they did RMA my first device) and therefore as the device is out of warranty (by a few months) they would charge approx. £100 for a repair. I contend that because this appears to be a design flaw that was present at purchase, they should provide a remedy.

I'm actually more annoyed my the dismissive, fairly rude, way the agent handled it than I am by the actual issue itself (he terminated the chat with "there is no other way I can help you" when I said I was not happy and asked him to acknowledge it is a design flaw); but I am curious to know if this is in fact just incredible coincidence on the part of these two devices or whether other owners have seen the same issue?

I now need a replacement device and I can't think of a good reason why I should buy a Garmin device again.
  • My 520 has not had issues itself with the USB connection. However, the micro-USB cable that came with it started having issues within a few months. Connection to any device would fluctuate in and out. I would not be surprised if there is a QA issue that could have led to issues with your device as well.
  • I had an issue with my Garmin Edge 520 where one of the pins in the micro-USB connection broke, earlier this year. I had the device for only a month before it failed. Garmin replaced the device, under warranty, but they were very skeptical when I explained the issue to them. I have access to a stereo microscope with imaging capability, so I was able to show them a high magnification image of the broken pin. With every other device that I own, I don't think about plugging in the charging cable. With the Edge 520, I am exceptionally cautious, every time. I suspect there was a manufacturing defect in the Edge 520 that failed, or the design is more fragile than others.

  • You know what, I've been considering buying the Fenix 5 Plus over the past couple of weeks, but this post absolutely hits me in the face with the reason I've been holding off.

    Just the thought that a customer had to take a scientific-grade microsopic image of a bent USB pin to get Garmin to replace a device is utterly mental.

    It's appalling that they keep denying to individual customers that this issues has happened to anyone else (remember, I was told not a single other instance has been reported, even though the device I was trying to return was actually a replacement for one with that issue!), when there are plenty reports of it. Now, it may not be widespread, it may only be a handful. But remember that they're telling us lies when they say we're the only ones.

    I simply don't trust Garmin enough to part with another £750....

    By contrast, my Wahoo TCKR X started showing some unusual readings after 21 months. I thought it was the strap so contacted them to ask if they'd supply a replacement strap. Without my asking, they immediately said they would send a brand new TCKR X "so that you can be sure it is the strap and not the device itself". Turns out, it seems that it was the device because the old strap works fine with it. But THAT is the level of customer service that would make me feel confident spending $1,000 on.
  • So here another on for you. I just purchased the warranty replacement for my 15 month old 520 after the pin bent on the garmin. My new has the same uneasy feeling to it now. And I threw my old cord from the old one out...
  • Is there a way to install this over Bluetooth? The MicroUSB on my 520 has a broken pin so whilst I can still charge it I cant copy data files! :(


    So this is an issue for the 520....I'd like cash back
  • So this is an issue for the 520....I'd like cash back


    No, Garmin would have you believe that you are the only user ever to experience this on the Edge 520 and that it is entirely your own fault. They will even put it in writing that "we have no reports of any other instances of this problem"...
  • One of my pins failed on my 520. I looked at my old 500 and it was designed with pins that were protected much better. Crappy engineering on the 520 causes them to break.

  • Same issue - 2 have now broken

  • I have the same problem. One pin is damaged. The device will charge with some cables, but not upload.

  • I have had this exact same problem with an Edge 520 and now an Edge 520 Plus. The 520 was merely difficult to get to connect to a PC but the 520+ has repeatedly caused problems for chargers, scorch marks on cables and my laptop will actually put up a dialog saying that it has shutdown the USB port due to a dangerous short. When I called support they wanted to charge me $110 to replace the 520+ even though it's still under warranty.

    I have never had USB ports fail on anything except these Garmin devices.

    The next GPS I buy will not be a Garmin.