updated 10:55 am EDT, Wed August 25, 2010
Garmin issues recall for 1.25m GPSs over fires
Garmin issued a voluntary recall for about 1.25 million nüvi navigation devices on Wednesday. The request was due to the potential to catch fires, which is the result of the combination of a battery manufactured by a third party and a specific circuit board design. Nearly 800,000 of the affected units were sold in the US, and may include nüvi 200W, 250W, 260W and nüvi 700-series models.
Garmin owners visiting the recall page can punch in their serial numbers to check if their units are affected by the recall. The company stressed that less than ten cases of actual fires have been documented, and none of them resulted in 'significant' property damage or injury.
If a unit is affected, Garmin will replace the battery and a insert a spacer between the board and battery free of charge, including two-way shipping.