Garmin 945 taking very long time to sync to GPS

Yes I tried it today. It didn't help. It took my 945 4:30min today before GPS was green. This is too bad. I tried the 745 and it took me like 2 seconds until I had green GPS. Any idea on how to fix it? I love the 945 overall but I won't be happy with these long GPS times. Anyone else here have a 945 and can tell me how long it takes them to get GPS?

Also a 30 Minute run (with GPS, no music, pulseOX off) drained 10% of my battery. That seems to be way too much? 

Leave it outside with a clear view of the sky and a GPS activity open - no need to start it. Before doing that go to that avtivity’s settings and change Power Save Timeout to extended. Leave the watch for at least 10 minutes or until it powers out of the activity.

Then try again to get a fresh GPS lock.

I am assuming here that you are trying to get a lock before starting to run? I usually get my watch hunting for the connection a minute or two before starting while putting shoes on etc, often doing so while driving to a start point.

If problem persists, contact Garmin Support directly. It is possible you might have a defective watch.

Thanks so much for your help.

Yes, I start my activity right when I leave my house for a run. So not much time to wait for a signal. 

I put the watch outside now, lets see if it helps. But shouldn't all this data be downloaded through the app or the PC software anyway? I had the CPE-Current status. 

I tried it again now. It seems like it got a little bit better but it's still pretty slow with maybe 30-45 seconds. Compared to the other watches that took <5 seconds. Can anyone else here maybe share how long their 945 takes to get a GPS lock? Do you guys know if the 945 performs worse in that regard than a 245 or 725? Both of them catch GPS a lot faster. That's a real pitty for me because I really like the 945 overall. :( 

I would say this is about CPE and no, not your unit, many 945 if not all suffer from this.

CPE can be updated 2 ways, either you leave your watch for 10+ minutes for soaking as said or you sync with Connect Mobile app. Sync always updates the CPE.

Even if CPE is current (eg. a few days old) my 945 spends minutes for GPS lock. However if I sync my watch either before I start the activity or even during (!) I wait for GPS lock then it locks immediately. Try next time, if it struggles, just start a sync and it will acquire the signal immediately once sync is completed - well, if you are in a place where you have mobile coverage... otherwise sync fails and does not update CPE.

I believe this is partially a HW and partially a SW bug. My 945 never had a GPS lock issue in the first year when I purchased then it started after some SW update. Also my 935 never had this issue. Our Vivoative 3 also acquires GPS lock much faster on the same place where my 945 struggles - without the need to sync with mobile for that.

If the mobile app would work correctly, I mean if they could eliminate the BT connection drop issue then the watch could always have a proper CPE... But BT connectivity is one of the challenges they can't solve. Too bad. On the other side 945 has a chip what is ... well, more power saving BUT less precise and does not acquire signal easily - like how 935 does. However in return you can use a map and you still have enough juice for long runs. Sure if you are not affected with the regular battery drain issues - to mention another SW glitch... Poor Garmin.

Andras said:

I would say this is about CPE and no, not your unit, many 945 if not all suffer from this.

Andras said:

If the mobile app would work correctly, I mean if they could eliminate the BT connection drop issue then the watch could always have a proper CPE... But BT connectivity is one of the challenges they can't solve.

How do you come to these conclusions?  I don't doubt you're experiencing issues, but to say "many 945 if not all", or "one of the challenges they can't solve" is simply misleading and false. I get a GPS lock within a few seconds on both my 935 and 945.  I have never had a BT dropout unless I walk more than 35'+ away from my phone and it automatically reconnects when I'm back in range.  Your BT issue is most likely phone related, which as you stated, could lead to a CPE problem. 

I have had the same problem with gps, send the watch back for Service and now it seems to be much better, watch is back since 1 week,  gps fix is nearly the same as my 935. Bt never was a problem, muss be a problem with you're Phone. 

Hi Phillip I have tried and this does not help for me, still taking several minutes to GPS lock.

who knows: you are in the top 1% in this forum, beg your pardon but may I ask: are you working for Garmin? After checking your profile it seems you a, help people to solve their issues and b, try to show people reporting issues like it would be only a single case.

I like this quote someone wrote to you: "I think that adding "for me" is equally required for both those who complain about an issue as well as those who claim they don't have it. Neither these nor those can tell which is the bigger group and decide to present their case as the majority…" 

Actually what I do not like in this forum is that we do not know which forum user is from Garmin and which are a real customer. Real customer I mean one who purchase a Garmin device on street price and who does have a real job and have no time to fix the watch they paid for.

Sure poor quality of Garmin SW is just a theory and when you google on Garmin issues all those millions of hits are fake. Moreover as we concluded there are no issues we can say Garmin software is actually something good. Can't we?

We use 2 watches (945, vivoactive 3) daily and were using others in the past. 945 is the first and only one having GPS lock issues, none of the others have/had. Do your research, forums - this one too but many others as well - has folks complaining on the same.

Note we are not talking about that CPE issue when you do not use your watch for weeks and really CPE expires. No. I mean you use that device, it says CPE is current and still it does not lock for minutes under clear sky.

Let me reverse your question: so if you use different watches under similar conditions how can be that only 945 has GPS lock issues? With not only on a single SW version but on several? Oh yeah, I spent lots of hours on this, did all the kinds of resets - mean wasted a lot of time to fix an expensive watch - and updates and still this returns. Sure I can send it back to Garmin, I had that experience before on other watches when it was needed, great service, they replace without an ask but you just do not have your watch for weeks. And all your stats break - like training status and so. So why would I do if other folks has the same issue? To have another watch with exactly the same issue. Nope.

Regarding the BT issue: it might be that it affects only Apple devices and not Androids. I do not know but I do not care. This is the 3rd iPhone I sync my 945 with, this time iPhone 12, same issue. My issue? Come on, check the SW update history both for the watch SW and the mobile app: BT issue was fixed several times - with no real success. So if this is only "my" BT issue then why Garmin try to solve that so desperately?

Sure after a full reset with a brand new phone things might work for a while. But people buy these devices as these are customizable. So they do customize and at a point in time it just stops working well. You can't keep telling that reset your watch to factory defaults as the users do use their watches properly (well, most of them), so the watch shall just work. It would need a lot better QA work to fix issues and not just having a watch what is working fine on factory defaults only.

I am a software engineer and I feel shame when I see large companies like Garmin doing such a poor job. SW is not rocket science. And you know what: the hardware is actually good, despite all its flaws it is darn good. But the software. Heh. I would fire the whole SW department with the QA folks too.

So how do you come to a conclusion that my conclusion is "simply misleading and false"? And what about yours?

Old article but shows the story very well: www.dcrainmaker.com/.../competitor-software-instability.html

Andras said:

beg your pardon but may I ask: are you working for Garmin?

The most ridiculous comment ever made on these forums.  Every time someone questions someone else this asinine comment about being a fanboy, Garmin employee or shareholder comes up.  Is that the best you can do?  Your argument holds no water, so asking me that detracts your statements?

Andras said:

Let me reverse your question:

Do you work for Apple?  Maybe Polar or Suunto?  Do you hear how stupid that sounds?

Andras said:

I am a software engineer

Of course you are.  If I were to guess which profession uses Garmin products more than any other, I would have never guessed a software engineer.  I was wrong.  Every time someone tells everyone else there's something wrong with their device, they're software developers.  I had no idea there were so many of you.

Andras said:

So how do you come to a conclusion that my conclusion is "simply misleading and false"? And what about yours?

I never said there wasn't a problem for some.  In fact, I said I don't doubt you're having issues, "Many 945 if not all" or "one of the challenges they can't solve" are statements you made..  The only claim I made was my GPS fix worked quickly and my BT never failed for me which proves your statements to be false.  Do you see the difference now?

Andras said:

you are in the top 1% in this forum,

Andras said:

Do your research, forums - this one too but many others as well - has folks complaining on the same.

The forum's says... .   And there's your problem.  You take what's said on a user to user support forum and your own experience and think it represents everyone by saying many if not all or that Garmin can't solve something.  What exactly do you think is the purpose for a support forum?  Let me use an analogy to point out your faults for doing so.  You'll find more sick people in a hospital then you will anywhere else.  Because you're hospitalized and surrounded by other sick people doesn't mean everyone is ill.  Just as healthy people aren't admitted into hospital's, those without problems with their 945 aren't starting threads posting how their watch is working perfectly.  If you're trying to use the forum as justification for your statements, you failed.  Once you accept the fact your experience doesn't apply to everyone, you'll answer your question on how I say your statements are simply misleading and false.  The ball's in your court Andras....