Garmin mount

Author
Discussion

niva441

Original Poster:

2,023 posts

238 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
Hi all

I've just changed from a Navman to Garmin satnav system and am generally pleased to have changed. But I am finding the suction mount almost useless, especially in cold weather. I've tried moistening it and also cleaning both the mount and the surface to no avail.

Has anyone got any idea how to sort this problem?

Alternatively as it seems to run the traffic module it needs to be powered before startup, is there a mount that attaches directly to the 12v socket?

Unless there is a way of getting the traffic module to start without external power, I do find it annoying that it needs turning on after the engine, rather than turning it on and setting the journey, then starting the engine.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Todd

lambochick

1,462 posts

225 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
Don't know anything about the traffic module as I haven't got one, but I've never had a problem with the mount. This is probably a silly question, but are you using the little lever to increase the suction after you've fitted the mount to the windscreen?

niva441

Original Poster:

2,023 posts

238 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
Well it's always worth eliminating the obvious.

Yes I'm using the lever, but it doesn't give much impression of creating a vacuum.

nickwilcock

1,523 posts

254 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
It sounds as though the mount is faulty - mine has stayed firmly attached for over a month now.

niva441

Original Poster:

2,023 posts

238 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
Yes a call to Garmin is probably in order.

lambochick

1,462 posts

225 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
nickwilcock said:
It sounds as though the mount is faulty - mine has stayed firmly attached for over a month now.


you may struggle to get that off without damaging the mount. I left mine on for a few days when I first got it, and when I tried to take it off it was stuck fast. If I hadn't been really careful, it would definitely have damaged the rubber (or whatever the material is that the sucker is made of).

niva441

Original Poster:

2,023 posts

238 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
I've just given it another clean and it seems to be behaving itself on the fireplace at the moment.

I'll try it in the car later, perhaps I need to get into the routine of cleaning it every week or so. Strange because it was never a problem with the Navman mount. The only logical reason I can think of is that, because of its smaller size, I'm mounting on the radio fascia. Avoiding the need to wipe the sucker marks off the inside of the windscreen.

nickwilcock

1,523 posts

254 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
It cannot be expected to work as well against the radio fascia as it would against either the windscreen or the black plastic dashboard disc which Garmin supply. Only mirror-smooth surfaces should be used with the vacuum mount.

niva441

Original Poster:

2,023 posts

238 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
The radio front on the C class is very smooth, the suction mount has worked previously. However when it fails on the radio, it also fails on the windscreen, not what I wanted at 5.30 in the morning when I'm trying to get going.

I did try the mounting it on the dash front of a Rover 75, but there were no flat surfaces.

niva441

Original Poster:

2,023 posts

238 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
Just cleaned the radio front and it seems to be working better than before, trying to stick before I pulled the lever. Although I'll see how it behaves early Monday morning and whether it stays on the whole journey.

lambochick

1,462 posts

225 months

Friday 2nd February 2007
quotequote all
niva441 said:
Just cleaned the radio front and it seems to be working better than before, trying to stick before I pulled the lever. Although I'll see how it behaves early Monday morning and whether it stays on the whole journey.


You mean before you pushed the lever. Lever should be almost parallel to mounting surface when in 'stick on' mode. Hope I'm not trying to teach granny to suck eggs.

niva441

Original Poster:

2,023 posts

238 months

Saturday 3rd February 2007
quotequote all
Sorry I could have phrased that better. Normally I push the mount on to the surface, then whilst applying pressure on the mount, flip the lever. Yesterday just pushing it against the surface it was willing to stay attached before flipping the lever.

AMG Merc

11,954 posts

260 months

Sunday 4th February 2007
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FYI, the later mounts (eg: my Nuvi 660) have the socket built into them (and not the SatNav itself) so the Satnav end of the power cable plugs into the stem of the mount and the Traffic module ariel cable comes out of this end and up to the windscreen - meaning you can remove the unit without messing with cables (although best to remove everything EVERY time you exit the vehicle due to scroats!).

Also note that the sucker works great onto laquered wood trim should you have a space large enough.

trevorw

2,875 posts

289 months

Sunday 4th February 2007
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niva441 said:
Sorry I could have phrased that better. Normally I push the mount on to the surface, then whilst applying pressure on the mount, flip the lever. Yesterday just pushing it against the surface it was willing to stay attached before flipping the lever.


I've fond this is the best way to do it with Garmin mounts. Just push onto window, then flip the lever for the added suction. Everytime i pushed it against window then pushed down lever it has nothing to do as you have already sucked out the air in the cup so it just drops of the screen.

niva441

Original Poster:

2,023 posts

238 months

Monday 5th February 2007
quotequote all
Thanks for the suggestions. I think it was the cleaning that sorted it.

I mounted it to the radio front last night and it kept up all evening. It was still in position in the morning and survived the journey in. I also managed to suss why the 12v power wasn't staying on without holding the plug (the end cap was loosening).