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Garmin wireless sync--why no class action suit?

10K views 82 replies 47 participants last post by  J-Flo 
#1 ·
As a long time user/victim of Garmin products, I've finally hit my limit. The wireless features Garmin so prominently touts for their Edge computers--wireless sync, livetrack, weather updates, and so on--continue to be vaporware YEARS after their products hit the market. My 510 auto synced through my iphone 5 for about 2 weeks, and never again. No amount of resetting, rebooting, deleting and reinstalling has remedied the problem, and it has never synced with my iphone 6. Sitting side by side on my desk, they can't remain connected for more than a few minutes at a time. I know from searching around the web that I have a LOT of company. How is this not false advertising? How is there not a lawsuit underway? The situation is ridiculous.
 
#3 ·
I could make a really funny joke about iPhone users not holding their Edge devices correctly...but I'll refrain from doing so.


/Edge 1000 user with pairing functionality working fine on Android 5.x
 
#4 ·
I [EXPLETIVE] hate Garmin at this point. My 510 stopped syncing rides last week when Garmin Connect did some auto update. So tired of reinstalling, cajoling, pleading, resetting, praying. There isn't another piece of cycling gear that is this unreliable.

It's amazing these numb nuts sell hundreds of millions of dollars of avionics equipment to the aviation industry each year. Clearly, their priorities are elsewhere. I can't be this [EXPLETIVE] hard to write software for what is essentially fancy cycling calculator that actually works.

You had one job Garmin, just one. Thanks for finally patching up that whole corrupting your file system thing you released last time around.
 
#5 ·
I have some weird download issues with my 510 Edge... Try deleting the devise and re-recognizing it? That always works in a pinch. I will count my lucky stars... I have an iPhone 6 and no huge issues...
 
#8 ·
Tried that. The device freezes when deleting device, spins icon. And oh, phone is spelled "Phon/85a". Only way to get out of that screen is to turn off the device. What else, oh that's right, my 30-50 mile rides take 2-3 minutes to save? Syncing to phone takes nearly as long.

This is all I have to add to this thread. OP is correct, it should not be this difficult. Screw the software guys at Garmin. #garminsucks
 
#7 ·
Actually, it was a buddy sending me his livetrack during a race, from his android phone, that relit my fuse on this issue. I've done all of the delete/forget/reset/reinstall routines several times. It's just not worth the hassle. These features are supposed to add functionality and convenience, not subtract them.
 
#9 ·
+1000 here. I WOULD NOT go Garmin again. The wireless sync function is more un-reliabel and non-functioning than anything I have ever owned. My 510 auto-syncd for the first two weeks in May of 2014 and never has since then again after several calls to tech support, several re-boots, software updates etc. Pathetic.
 
#10 ·
My edge 810 works fine on my android phone. Occasionally (once a month), I have to re-pair. But, I also have to occasionally re-pair every bluetooth thing I have.

Could be more of a garmin working with iSheeple devices. Too much overlapping proprietary stuff can't make it any easier.
 
#11 ·
Because of a collision from a car, I've not dealt with Garmin/iphone for nearly 2 months. What's happening now with the 510 and iphone might be different. I have a 510.

What I recall before was having bad connectivity between the two devices with lots of rides on the garmin. Total BS. I found that deleting prior rides from the garmin facilitated easier uploads.
 
#12 ·
My 510 Android upload worked fine the few times I used it - but I wait till I get home and just upload it now. Haven't really seen the need to upload anything that urgently really.
 
#13 ·
SO it seems the general theme of the thread is :

"Garmin's crap, it won't sync with my iphone"

and

"Garmins great, it syncs fine with my android"

maybe a class acation against apple for making a non syncing phones could be on table as well...?
 
#14 ·
My 810 works fine with my Iphone6 and the wireless sync, live track etc all works fine. Only ever had one glitch called 1-800 Garmin and they had me fixed up in couple minutes.

If you call them and they cannot get you up and running they will replace unit. If it does not work get it replaced.
 
#37 ·
Get an Android....
iphones are for tween girls. get an mans phone. android.

510 and 810 work great. facebook/livetrack stopped working....but in doing some research many have the same issue....regardless, who gives a sheet about that FB livetrack notification. ride the bike.
 
#18 ·
I asked for advice on what would be a good computer for my bike and folks were saying get a good deal on the 510 since the 520 came out or get the 520 since it will be amazing. I realized I did not need the bells and whistles and that KISS is much better. I got the 500 and have zero problems. Hooking it to my computer once a week to download everything is just fine for me. (I seldom download after a ride and prefer to look back at a weeks worth of training)
 
#20 ·
I had 2 different iPhones that wouldn't play nice with my 510. The one would require me to pair the divice if I lost blue tooth during live track (walking out of range to go for a nature break, etc...). I had the upload fail a few times so far as corrupting the file on the unit. I was convinced it was the Garmin. Switched to a Android (Samsung Galaxy 5) and life has been great ever since with the Garmin. not once has it had an issue in almost a year. I have walked away and returned without issue many times. I actually love hearing the device beep that it reconnected to the phone. I have to be fast though it reconnects so fast I'm not close enough to hear it sometimes!
 
#24 ·
FYI, I have a 920XT multisport watch that supposedly has similar wifi and bluetooth syncing capability that has never really worked consistently for me. So I just do my downloads when it's in its charging cradle on my PC -- I have no need to have it tracking me live on the web when on a run, etc.
 
#25 ·
1.5 years of using a 510 with an iPhone 5s, no issues connecting/syncing/live-tracking.... with 2 different 510's.

The only time live-track hasn't worked is if I stepped away from my bike mid-ride.. far enough to break the bluetooth connection... Most times it reconnects and works fine, but a few times it has disconnected and failed to reconnect.
 
#28 ·
I had an iPhone 5 now I have a 6. It gets wonky sometimes and can be frustrating but nothing catastrophic for me on either phone. Starting about two weeks ago I had weird stuff for about 10 days... It seems cleared up. I didn't do anything or call anyone, I'm too lazy... It just got better. I don't update anything or do anything I probably should... I even bought this 510 used. And to those of you that disagree with the fact that wireless downloading is unnecessary, well it is about as awesome as space exploration, you are all wrong! It's the bees knees! I love it and I don't need to have a computer... I can go on living with just my iPad. I can live in the world that is today and tomorrow instead of living in like 1990. Do you guys go to a "c" prompt?

And please, I mean no irreverence to those of you getting F'd with this tech. And I don't disbelieve for a second. I'm sorry to hear your struggles. Little thing compared to global food insecurity? Sure. But it still sucks. I figure Apple will kill Garmin in about 2-3 years anyway.
 
#29 ·
First of all quit all apps on your Phone. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201330 Any app using Bluetooth can interfere with other apps using Bluetooth. This has much more to do with badly written apps than hardware.

Next call tech support and if they can't make it work ask for an RMA and send it back.

Last stop using Garmin. They are just as much in love with their proprietary BS as any other tech company. Your phone, any brand and other than battery life, is a better cycling computer than anything Garmin makes or likely ever will make.

I don't understand why any cycling computer cost more than $200 they are all made from about $30 worth of parts. Paying $300 for a device (520) that you only use a few times a week and requires a subscription to a 3rd party service (Strava) to be functional require more disposable income than I can spare.
 
#34 ·
I have never had syncing issues with my Edge 1000 to my IPhone 6 except when I tried having my Garmin sync with my personal phone and my work phone. It confused it. Once I deleted Garmin connect from my work phone, it has worked perfectly with one phone. Another thing I learned from a Garmin tech about a year ago is sometimes you may have a corrupted route on file and that will affect how the computeri works. If you have some problems for any reason, delete routes you have in your Courses file and this may clear up your problems. This has worked for me. Good luck out there.

Robert
 
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