This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

How to repair water damaged Forerunner 735XTs

I found this instruction how to take apart the Forerunner 735XT very helpful:

https://de.ifixit.com/Teardown/Garmin+Forerunner+735XT+Teardown/117852

I have several Forerunner 735XT whatches which do not work, which I bought on ebay as replacement watches. I asked myself, how to repair them. I found also this video very helpful, how to repair water damaged Vivoactive HR:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAKbZ_Txm1E

Is not the major cause that a Garmin whatch stops working a water damage? Try to repair it by opening the watch, an blow the water out with a air pressure spray.

Is Garmins marketing about water resistance of their watches misleading? I read about frustrated users in the forum disappointed that their watches stopped working after use in water.

Should not Garmin be more clear about water resistance? Should Garmin not change their marketing by stating "Garmin garanties water resistance during waranty time", and not more, and not less?

  • They generally are water resistant. There are always defective batches and people who do not follow instructions about not pushing buttons under water, and simply bad luck. I swim 4-5 times/week and have had my watch over 2 years without problem. That said, all watches will eventually wear out. I had a Garmin Swim watch that did. I brought it to a dive watch repair store, and they said they could re-seal it but could not guarantee that it would be water resistant any longer. So you can restore the watch for other purposes but not swimming. Garmin typically offers a discounted replacement for damaged watches beyond the warranty period.

  • You say, that they are generally water resistant, but mine where not.

    I had two vivoactive HR which stopped working after use in water. Both stopped working after I spend more than an our in a pool in a fitnesscenter for wellness. I did not press any buttons on them, or used them improperly.  One was a warranty case, the secound one was out of warranty.

    Now, I have a problem with Forerunner 735xts which I bought from ebay, which were replacement and no return watches. They do not work, and might be water damaged.

    I ended up not to wear Garmin watches in water anymore. I now also bought a Vivoactive 3, and might give it another try.  The risk with the Vivoactive 3 for water damage might be lower, since they have only one button where water might leak in.

    Still, trust in water resistance in Garmin watches is gone, and I miss a clear communication from Garmin about water resistance.

  • It sounds like you fall in the "bad luck category."  Even if you bought on e-bay, Garmin may offer you a discounted replacement. Calling them may be worth considering.

  • I've had 3 735xt watches. I swim 4-5 days per week

    The 1st failed due to water ingress in the first 3 weeks. The 2nd was died due to a battery failure after a year and the 3rd one is still rocking.

    However, you're right about not trusting garmin with water resistance.

    Still, I specifically bought the 735xt because the others (920xt, fenix, etc) have a barometer hole which eventually breaks and I feel the 735xt endures better the pool.

  • I have had my Garmin 735XT for 2 years (just about) and I went for a swim with it today... and bam - it was all colours of the rainbow and now it has a blank screen and won't turn on. Please help?!

  • It's broken. No one here on this forum can help you.

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to 9812990

    Unfortunately the 735XT is a major flop for Garmin! My 1st one had a blurry rainbow screen within less than a year of use. I had it replaced for free with a refurbished one. The second one went dead after a 15-minutes swim without touching any buttons underwater. The one-year warranty period had lapsed by a couple of days only. Garmin refused to replace it and suggested that I buy a new new one for a discount ! Such a poor customer service, escpecially that they are aware of all the problems encountered by clients all over the world. 

    Trust in the brand is gone! I am so upset with the reliability of their product that I am considering to look at another brand.

  • I had several water damaged Garmin watches. I did not contact the customer service to get a discount replacement. I wear several Garmin watches simultaneously. I decided not to wear Garmin watches in water anymore. It is only a question of how long it takes until every watch becomes leaky.The universe decays according to the laws of physics, and therefore also Garmin watches, as a part of the universe.

  • In my view, the risk of water damage is lower with a Vivoactive 3, since it has only one button where water can leak in. Since I use the lap key often, I prefer to stay with a 235 or 735, since there is no lap key with the Vivoactive 3, it has only a touch screen lap option which is not so comfortable,. An alternative would be to buy for instance a Fenix 5 with better water resistance values, but is it worth it?

    When you are often in the water for longer periods, you have to live with it, that your Garmin watch becomes water damaged sooner or later.

  • I bought a Vivomove HR and will wear it 24 x 7 also in water for a long-term meditation study. The Vivomove HR has no buttom to press at all, and therefore the risk of water to leak in is lower than with the Vivoactive 3 with one buttom or the Vivoactive 4 with two buttons. Now I wear 9 Garmin watches simultaneously, and I m able to compare how much data I loose by not wearing my other Garmin watches in the water. To wear all my other 8 Garmin watches in the water regulary, the risk is too high to buy regularly new watches when they are water damaged.

    As far as I know, the optical heart rate sensor of all Garmin watches switches off during charging. With the Vivomove HR, not only the optical heart rate sensor swiches off during charging, but also the watch cannot be used with an external heart rate sensor (it cannot be paired).Update this feature of the Vivomove HR Garmin, so that it can be used for scientific long-term meditation studies.

    Update all Garmin watches, so that they can be used 24 * 7 also during charging so that they can be used for scientific long-term meditation studies.

    .