Recall Alert: Garmin Nuvi Under Fire
Aug 27, 2010
Automakers aren’t the only ones having issues with their products. Garmin International is recalling approximately 1.3 million Nuvi GPS units worldwide because they’re overheating and causing cars to catch fire.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall affects certain model “GPS products sold for use as aftermarket equipment and sold and installed as original equipment in certain passenger vehicles.” Brands affected include: Volvo, Volkswagen, Suzuki, Smart, Land Rover, Mazda, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz.
The reason for the recall is quite scary. KickingTires reports: “A potential overheating issue triggered the recall. The batteries, in combination with a specific circuit board layout, can overheat, possibly causing a fire in the car.” Garmin says that no reported failures have caused significant property damage or any injuries.
The defective units include Nuvi GPS units with these model numbers: 200W, 250W, 260W and the Nuvi 7xx series.
Owners who have an affected device are advised to not “remove or service the battery on their own” and take the device to a “Garmin-authorized facility,” writes the The Huffington Post.
Owners can call Garmin at 913-397-8200 or contact NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
LINK:
Linear Mode
