Garmin 810 crashing / turning off while riding

paulc33

As the title says.

Over the last few months nearly every ride well at least every other. My garmin 810 has either crashed and won't respond to anything until you switch it off.

Or it has switched its self off while riding along.

This hasn't been while following any routes or anything. It has just been while riding along on data screen one.
Turn it back on and have lost ride. It then take about 5 minutes to gain satalites again.
I have now deleted all old rides but still having issues.
Has the latest software on it and no updates according to the garmin site.

Has anyone else experienced this and know of a fix or is the unit got a bug / faulty and I need to just replace it.....

redvision

Try a hard reset. If that doesn't work give garmin a call (don't email them).

My guess is a fault with the unit and either replacement or repair will be needed.

StillGoing

When did you last update the firmware and what version are you using? Garmin continually mess about with the firmware to accommodate their latest gadget release. The 810 and 510 share the platform with the 520 and the introduction of Live Strava segments to the firmware buggered the operation of the 810 and 510 up. Problems continue to exist on the 810 with Livetracking if you're following a course. The simple solution I found was to turn bluetooth off on the device and use Cyclemeter for live tracking instead of Garmin Connect. With bluetooth turned off, I've yet to suffer any freezing of the screen or lack of response even when following a course. Some of the problems are of course Garmin Connect, which seems to go from one fault to another.

topcattim

I'll be watching this thread with interest. My 810 does exactly the same, usually crashes about once every 300 to 500 miles or so, but it excelled itself on Saturday and crashed three times in 3 miles. It's more likely to happen if I am switching the screen, and it only happens if I am following a route (I've tried mapping these on Garmin Connect, Strava and used to use bikeroutetoaster - none seemed any more reliable than the other). I've hard reset it, and it runs the latest firmware according to Garmin Express sync and it still does the same. You can at least plug it in your computer and then rescue the .fit file for the crashed ride if you want. My friends tell me to buy a more recent Garmin (mine is about 3 years old) but I'm not willing to give any more money to Garmin so am waiting (and it may be some time!) until a decent competitor hits the market.
I do hope, for your sake OP, that you (and I) find a resolution!

grenw

Firmware. As Philthy3 says.

This started happening to my missus' 810 a few months back after I updated the firmware - bloody Garmin Express! I reverted the firmware to 3.40 and everything has worked perfectly for the last year. Never needed all the updated stuff anyway. Have gone from a crash every 25 miles or so to none in 2,000 miles.

That said, Express struck again (never used it for ages with the old Classic interface on Connect) and updated to 4.2 or something and it's been fine again so maybe it was just some of the updates last Summer/Autumn?

PS I never switched off BT, never used Livetrack and always use TBT and follow a course.

rolf_f

I've got this issue as well. Touching the screen can switch it off but it can do so on it's own if it wants. Not sure if route following makes any difference. In my case though, the route up to the point of the crash is always lost. I shall be contacting the shop about it (unit is less than 2 years old). Until then, any important routes will need to be logged by a Bryton.

Will consider the firmware though. That said, I'm pretty sure mine is on a nice old version of the firmware as the more recent versions are incompatible with dynamo hub charging. ( :roll: ).

Should probably also switch off Bluetooth as it rarely synchs with the phone anyway and Garmin Connect never synchs with Strava etc so all the wireless stuff seems a bit of a waste of time.

topcattim

Rolf F wrote:

In my case though, the route up to the point of the crash is always lost.

Have you tried plugging it in to your computer via mini-USB and then navigating to Garmin>Activities and finding the file in there? My crashed ride is invariably in there, even though the Garmin won't auto-upload it to Garmin Connect via Bluetooth.

rolf_f

topcattim wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

In my case though, the route up to the point of the crash is always lost.

Have you tried plugging it in to your computer via mini-USB and then navigating to Garmin>Activities and finding the file in there? My crashed ride is invariably in there, even though the Garmin won't auto-upload it to Garmin Connect via Bluetooth.

No harm in quadruple checking! But mostly I go to the activities folder and manually upload to Strava from there - and there is never the missing data present. The last time I managed any synch via Bluetooth was in November even though Connect does pick up the data (it just doesn't do so in a way that Strava can spot it.....>) so I just don't even try that.

topcattim

Rolf F wrote:

topcattim wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

In my case though, the route up to the point of the crash is always lost.

Have you tried plugging it in to your computer via mini-USB and then navigating to Garmin>Activities and finding the file in there? My crashed ride is invariably in there, even though the Garmin won't auto-upload it to Garmin Connect via Bluetooth.

No harm in quadruple checking! But mostly I go to the activities folder and manually upload to Strava from there - and there is never the missing data present. The last time I managed any synch via Bluetooth was in November even though Connect does pick up the data (it just doesn't do so in a way that Strava can spot it.....>) so I just don't even try that.

I discovered that deleting the corrupt .fit files in the Activities folder and also the .bak files in the general Garmin folder that were associated with these failures would help the Bluetooth sync work better again.

But it doesn't prevent the next crash, and the next one after that...

philwint

I have given up and bought a Wahoo Elemnt. Only used it once so can't say if it's going to be less annoying than my old 810... I'll let you know in a few months

handful

I don't know if it's the same as on my 800 but when mine gets too full of activities it turns itself off mid ride/crashes etc. A simple clear out usually sorts it. Just try emptying out all your rides and reduce the number of routes that you have stored and you may be pleasantly surprised.

StillGoing

handful wrote:

I don't know if it's the same as on my 800 but when mine gets too full of activities it turns itself off mid ride/crashes etc. A simple clear out usually sorts it. Just try emptying out all your rides and reduce the number of routes that you have stored and you may be pleasantly surprised.

No the 810 problem is completely different and is a firmware issue.

If you're following a course with Bluetooth on and using LiveTrack, there is more chance of the screen freezing. Turning bluetooth off or, not using Garmin Connect for Livetrack prevents it happening. If you turn bluetooth off, you can still upload your ride without plugging the device in to manually upload. When you finish the ride and have saved it, turn bluetooth back on, connect to your smart phone via Garmin Connect. Navigate to the ride summary on the device. At the foot of the screen will be about 4 icons, one of these is the upload icon. Touch it on the screen and the ride will upload via bluetooth to Garmin Connect, Strava or any other media you've pre-set.

Doing the above also prevents Garmin Express detecting your device when you plug it in via USB and automatically updating the firmware.

paulc33

I have never managed to find the crashed files. But will look again.
Seems this is a very common fault. And I have had it happen with it connected to Bluetooth and with it not connected to Bluetooth.
There is just clearly some underlying issues with these 810's that cause it.
My riding mate at work has the same issue but his seems to only do it after about 3 or 4 hours of riding so he isn't too worried as doesn't often ride for that long.

I have bitten the bullet and decided to buy the all new 820. Hopefully that will be less problematic and looks an amazing unit.

rolf_f

I did find a couple of the crashed files. Obvious really - I save my rides to the memory disc whereas the crashed files were on the internal memory. Not the ride from Zeebrugge to Arras though.