Truth be told, I’m not sure. I was under the same impression, but the site suggests the original is a USB mini connector. I know the port was replaced, but I honestly didn’t plug it in much other than the annual reminder to update maps.
BMW Navigator repair
I don't think I've seen this service mentioned or discussed so I want to give a shout out to GPS Station.
A lot of people report problems with "ghosting" on their Nav VI units, and I experienced this myself. Garmin is pretty good about replacing the units without charge, but some people are on their third or fourth units after the replacements developed the same problem. Before repair my GPS was unusable; the screen was constantly registering touches and essentially soft-locked the unit.
Rather than get a new unit I decided to try a repair service for a permanent fix. After a lot of research I found and decided on GPS Station. It's a German business, so there's overseas shipping and wait times, but it seemed like the most comprehensive offering. Here's what my unit looks like after repair:
![Netbook Rectangle Bumper Communication Device Gadget]()
![Automotive lighting Hood Communication Device Gesture Bumper]()
![Automotive lighting Gadget Electric blue Metal Font]()
![Car alarm Bumper Finger Gadget Motor vehicle]()
The following repairs were performed:
The unit worked perfectly on receipt, but I wanted to wait a bit to see how it gets on. It's been about 4 months now and my Nav VI continues to function without issue. I know it can take a while before ghosting recurs, but I do ride daily and it's always on my bike.
Adrian thinks there are two issues leading to ghosting. First, the screen edge is not sealed from the factory. This makes it possible for dust and other things to work their way into the screen. Second, like almost any material, the screen is sensitive to UV radiation. This is obviously a device that's intended to be used outdoors, but avoiding direct sunlight is preferrable to the extent possible. My bike is garaged at home, but I have no idea how it was stored by the previous owner. I'm also working on a 3D-printed cover made from TPS to use when parked.
Adrian also packs in a few goodies:
![Font Service Rectangle Plastic Box]()
The USB cable is nice and sturdy, is braided, and has an illuminated tip to confirm that it has power. The Tic-Tacs and business cards are just nice throw-ins that lend a more professional image. My turn-around time, including shipping from the USA to Germany and vice-versa, was about a month.
I'm very happy with the results and consider this a positive review; I would recommend this to anyone looking for a permanent solution to the issues plaguing the Nav VI units. I'm not associated with the business in any way, no promo codes, affiliate links, etc., just throwing something out there for consideration that I haven't seen mentioned.
A lot of people report problems with "ghosting" on their Nav VI units, and I experienced this myself. Garmin is pretty good about replacing the units without charge, but some people are on their third or fourth units after the replacements developed the same problem. Before repair my GPS was unusable; the screen was constantly registering touches and essentially soft-locked the unit.
Rather than get a new unit I decided to try a repair service for a permanent fix. After a lot of research I found and decided on GPS Station. It's a German business, so there's overseas shipping and wait times, but it seemed like the most comprehensive offering. Here's what my unit looks like after repair:
The following repairs were performed:
- Replacement of the touch screen
- Sealing of the seam between the display and the case
- Polishing and re-sealing of the contacts on the back of the unit
- Replacement of the USB port with a USB Micro port, and additional reinforcement of the port
- General cleaning and polishing
The unit worked perfectly on receipt, but I wanted to wait a bit to see how it gets on. It's been about 4 months now and my Nav VI continues to function without issue. I know it can take a while before ghosting recurs, but I do ride daily and it's always on my bike.
Adrian thinks there are two issues leading to ghosting. First, the screen edge is not sealed from the factory. This makes it possible for dust and other things to work their way into the screen. Second, like almost any material, the screen is sensitive to UV radiation. This is obviously a device that's intended to be used outdoors, but avoiding direct sunlight is preferrable to the extent possible. My bike is garaged at home, but I have no idea how it was stored by the previous owner. I'm also working on a 3D-printed cover made from TPS to use when parked.
Adrian also packs in a few goodies:
The USB cable is nice and sturdy, is braided, and has an illuminated tip to confirm that it has power. The Tic-Tacs and business cards are just nice throw-ins that lend a more professional image. My turn-around time, including shipping from the USA to Germany and vice-versa, was about a month.
I'm very happy with the results and consider this a positive review; I would recommend this to anyone looking for a permanent solution to the issues plaguing the Nav VI units. I'm not associated with the business in any way, no promo codes, affiliate links, etc., just throwing something out there for consideration that I haven't seen mentioned.
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I think I may have misunderstood; there is the occasional slight language barrier.
It appears that the original is micro USB, but he’ll optionally replace it with a mini USB port if desired. I’m not sure of the advantage there; I feel like the mini connector didn’t hang around long and I certainly have more micro cables lying around. Maybe it’s more structurally sound due to the slightly larger size?
www.gps-station.net
It appears that the original is micro USB, but he’ll optionally replace it with a mini USB port if desired. I’m not sure of the advantage there; I feel like the mini connector didn’t hang around long and I certainly have more micro cables lying around. Maybe it’s more structurally sound due to the slightly larger size?
BMW Motorrad Navigator VI, Repair USB Connector, Overall Optimization (RB6USB) | GPS-STATION
BMW Motorrad Navigator VI, Repair USB Connector, Overall Optimization (RB6USB)
www.gps-station.net
Right, but that's tantalizingly brief. What exactly is leaking, the actual LCD element? Or is it a leak between the capacitive digitizer and the display? Or is this an only semi-accurate description translated from the original German? Why did my screen respond better after cleaning, but Splodge's worked after cleaning pins on the back?
Like mentioned above, the screen edges are supposedly a concern, and that would make sense if any contamination could then make its way into the "sandwich" of the display.
In the end, I guess it doesn't make much difference, but I hate not having a solid root cause analysis. I'm a software development/cloud computing engineer by day and I don't like problems that fix themselves
Like mentioned above, the screen edges are supposedly a concern, and that would make sense if any contamination could then make its way into the "sandwich" of the display.
In the end, I guess it doesn't make much difference, but I hate not having a solid root cause analysis. I'm a software development/cloud computing engineer by day and I don't like problems that fix themselves
1 - 7 of 16 Posts
