My elevation data is junky since the last few firmware updates. Is it the updates or my watch?

Fortunately- I can select the DEM corrections to get proper elevation data, but the watch data now has a lot of discontinuities and errors.

Anyone else seeing this? Or do I need to call Garmin about my watch.

Top Replies

4550711 15 days ago +1
1. I made the same observation with my watch. I walk on an athletics track and after several laps, the altimeter starts to give wrong values. In addition, the distances are getting shorter and shorter. However…
Cristox 14 days ago in reply to jkissane_ +1

Report it in the support chat and insist on a replacement.

I did this and they sent me a "recertified" (new) one in exchange for the broken one for free. Few weeks after warranty ended.

This…
6968422 9 days ago in reply to Cristox +1

I had zero readings plus very high readings on some activities, clean sensor with warm water plus full reset without restoring backup has sorted it for mo for now.

All Replies

0 NickMN 5 days ago in reply to morey000

Used to be a big issue I would mainly notice while biking, if I went into a gas station, coffee stop, brewery... etc then I would restart and my elevation would be off by 10%+ you could see it correlate with the onboard temperature sensor going from cool outside... then paused and warm inside... to back outside. The elevation would adjust after maybe 10minutes down the road. They should have temperature compensation to account for this.

My most recent ride with Edge 540 adjusted pretty well for that, went from riding at 54°F and 834ft ...long stop inside, came out and was reading 68°F and 843' - so not much a issue for me. You are seeing much bigger spikes from just quick stops. Having watch exposed (not under clothing) would help. BUT... this shouldn't be happening. Are your temperatures from watch looking good generally? Up down etc? Seems like the autocalibration is not working. By chance are you running with phone with you and Garmin running in the background? could also help maybe? idk too much about the autocalibration. I know I get a notice on my biking headunit when I start and activity. ...?

0 4550711 5 days ago in reply to 4550711

My wife and I did 2 kilometers of athletic walking on the same circuit with each with his Garmin. Mine recorded +6 meters and -10 meters. My wife's, +11 meters and -7 meters.

0 morey000 4 days ago in reply to NickMN

Yeah- I was running with my phone and garmin was probably running in the background. How would this affect things? There does appear to be some correlation with a degree or so increase in temperature when I stop. From today’s long run.

0 NickMN 2 days ago in reply to morey000

I believe having the phone around at the start or during can help with syncing/calibrating to a 2nd source of data to offset the temperature drift. BUT... that is a guess or maybe how it was. Now it might utilize your watches Map information for location/map-elevation to adjust your sensor calibration. I am not sure how that process works.

0 jkissane_ 1 day ago

This is the elevation bug I see when I use the hiking activity, it's never shown up when cycling or running. I reported it to Garmin but they claimed it was a once off, it's not!

0 morey000 1 day ago in reply to jkissane_

I think you really did climb 21 billion feet on your hiie

0 4550711 1 day ago in reply to 4550711

Always the problem with the altimeter even with the 26.08. version.

0 jkissane_ 17 hours ago in reply to morey000

If it's of any help to Garmin in fixing the bug, that number (2147483647) is 2^31 - 1.