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Dropped garmin, cracked screen... Now only works when plugged in

Former Member over 7 years ago

Got a weird problem, I dropped my 230 the other day and the screen cracked. I was pretty annoyed but it seemed like it was still working.

Took it out to try and use it, but the screen fubar'd. Artifacts/lines everywhere, not usable. Since I've found if I plug it in, it instantly fixes itself. Crisp and clear again. Remove power, degrades again.

Can consistently reproduce it. Anyone had something similar? Think its fixable?

Can't use it now unless i run with a power pack :rolleyes:

No power, screen messed up:

Power, all good!
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0 Northerngerman over 7 years ago

Outch, sorry about your watch!

It looks to me like the screen and the watch are functional, but a contact within the watch got loose through the impact that cracked your screen. When the charging clip applies pressure on the watch, the contact is reestablished and the screen works fine again.

I couldn't find any replacement parts for the Forerunner 230 online and I'm afraid that at the price-point of this watch, a repair through the Garmin service center would not be cost-effective, but it wouldn't hurt to write a mail to them and ask for a quote... but in all honesty, in your shoes I wouldn't get my hopes up.

0 Former Member over 7 years ago

Thanks for the reply, and good theory! I went to test it out just now thinking that must be it. But it turns out it only comes back to life when there is power flowing!

If I put on the power clip when it's not plugged into the socket, it stays dead :-)

I spoke to Garmin on live chat, they said they could send me a replacement for £76. I bought it for around £180 so it's not too bad I guess.

0 timgrose over 7 years ago

Agree not bad offer of £76 for a replacement. Think I would do that in your situation. Even if it does "work" a cracked screen would really annoy me every time I looked at it on a run.