Garmin recalls GPS devices over fire risk

Navigation devices maker Garmin has said it is recalling more than a million Nuvi navigation devices which reportedly pose a fire risk emanating from faulty battery.

"Garmin is voluntarily recalling certain nüvi devices that contain a specific battery that was manufactured by the battery supplier within a limited date code range," the company said in a statement posted on its web site.

"Garmin has identified potential overheating issues when certain batteries manufactured by the third-party battery supplier within a limited date code range are used in certain Garmin nüvi models with a specific printed circuit board (PCB) design. It appears that the interaction of these factors can, in rare circumstances, increase the possibility of overheating, which may lead to a fire hazard," the post added.

Although there have been no injuries or significant property damage caused by this issue, Garmin is taking this action out of an abundance of caution, the company said.

Garmin has said it's aware of only as many as ten cases of fires involving a Nuvi device. However, the company is recalling as many as 1.25 million units. Close to 800,000 of those devices were sold in the U.S.

Like us on Facebook

Garmin ha posted the model details of the Nuvi systems to be recalled to help customers identify systems with a possible fire risk.

The company said devices with a small subset of nüvi model numbers  -- nüvi 200W, 250W, & 260W and nüvi 7xx (where xx is a two-digit number) -- would likely pose a problem.

The company has said it will replace the battery and insert a spacer on top of the battery next to the PCB, and return the device to the customers. The service will be done free of charge. Customers have been advised not to do this on their own.