Nuvi 260W stuck in USB mode

[BelchFire]

My wife's Garmin Nuvi 260W is stuck in USB mode when it's on the car charger. First off, it wouldn't even power on. AT ALL. So I put it in the console and promptly forgot about it for a few weeks. Later, I managed to get it to boot on the power cable, but it went straight from "loading maps" to USB mode and wouldn't budge.

 

Still later, I learned that it would boot fine from battery and would function normally. I tested a full navigation sequence and it performed flawlessly. But when I plugged the power cable into the cig adapter, it went straight to USB mode.

 

So I took it inside and connected it to a computer (and as expected, it went into USB mode again). and the computer reads it fine. I browsed all the files, etc. Nothing new.

 

I tried a reset from the bottom of the unit, and nothing changed.

 

I connected to webupdater and d/l'd the current software and nothing changed. I DID NOT install the chipset M update.

 

At one point during my car testing, I managed to get it to run normally by plugging it into the cig adapter and letting it boot (into USB mode), then unplugging it and plugging it right back in. It stumbled into normal operation on the car charger and stayed that way for a while, but I haven't been able to do it again.

 

I searched this forum with "nuvi" + "USB mode" and got a lot of stuff about the Colorado, but that wasn't helpful. The "nuvi" query was hitting on people's sig files.

 

What's up with this unit? Does it need to go back to Garmin? Is it hopeless?

[+t4e]

while its normal for it to go to USB mode when you plug it in your PC, its not normal to do that in your car

 

your best bet is to call the Garmin Help Desk

 

a hard reset may help...this is what i got with a simple google search for "nuvi stuck in USB mode"

 

http://www.fixya.com/support/t1730784-stuc...ss_storage_mode

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

What's up with this unit? Does it need to go back to Garmin? Is it hopeless?

 

If you're not using a Garmin official cable, it may go straight into mass storage mode instead of navigation. Have you tried a different power cable? Even if you are using an official cable, it might be defective...

[BelchFire]

t4e, Yes, I tried a reset both holding the lower right hand corner of the screen while booting as well as using the button on bottom of the unit. Thanks for your input.

 

Dr Jekyl, Thanks for your input too! It started all this with the cable that originally came with it (in the car), but since testing, I've tried that cable, as well as a Motorola cable (that runs my Vista HCx well). Both cables do the same thing.

 

We've had this unit for about three years and love it. I'd hate to have to send it back, but that's looking likely, huh?

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

t4e, Yes, I tried a reset both holding the lower right hand corner of the screen while booting as well as using the button on bottom of the unit. Thanks for your input.

 

Dr Jekyl, Thanks for your input too! It started all this with the cable that originally came with it (in the car), but since testing, I've tried that cable, as well as a Motorola cable (that runs my Vista HCx well). Both cables do the same thing.

 

We've had this unit for about three years and love it. I'd hate to have to send it back, but that's looking likely, huh?

 

A cable which works with the Vista won't necessarily work the same way with the Nuvi, which is a mass storage capable device. You can put the Vista into mass storage mode through the menu, but it doesn't auto-sense MSM through the cable as your Nuvi does.

 

I'm pretty sure your problem is the cable. A Motorola cable would almost certainly put the unit into MSM.

 

The link below describes the same problem, relating to the Garmin Oregon, but the cause and effect are the same with your Nuvi.

 

http://garminoregon.wikispaces.com/Power#FAQ-P9.) When I plug the Oregon into a 3rd party power adapter or a computer it enters USB storage mass mode. When I connect it to a Garmin automotive adapter it works like a GPS, why? Can I change this?

Edited August 4, 2010 by Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide

[BelchFire]

I think I have a new Garmin cable still in the pkg somewhere. I'll look for it tonight.

[BelchFire]

I found the new Garmin power cable, but before opening the package, I tried the old cable again. And it works fine. So at this point, my question is:

 

What happened in the first place that it wouldn't come on at all? I put it in the console for two or three weeks and it worked fine when I took it out, so it wasn't batteries. What's up with this unit?

[Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide]

I found the new Garmin power cable, but before opening the package, I tried the old cable again. And it works fine. So at this point, my question is:

 

What happened in the first place that it wouldn't come on at all? I put it in the console for two or three weeks and it worked fine when I took it out, so it wasn't batteries. What's up with this unit?

 

Maybe the old cable has a break in it somewhere. I'd keep the new cable around just in case it happens again while you're using the gps but beyond that, I wouldn't worry about it, myself.

[sagc]

A mini USB connector has 5 pins. A full size USB connector has 4. Officially, the 5th pin on the mini connector (the Nuvi side) is either left open or tied to ground, to indicate if the device should be client or a host.

 

Most likely, Garmin chargers use a resistor network to put this pin somewhere between 5 volts and ground, to indicate to the Nuvi that it is a charger, not a PC or other USB device on the other end of the cable. This tells the Nuvi to go into regular mode instead of USB mode and possibly also that it can draw more current to charge the battery faster.

 

If dirt, a broken cable or connector, or some other problem causes a bad connection to pin 5 on the Nuvi but all other pin connections are fine, the Nuvi will come up in USB mode instead of normal mode when connected to the charger.

[BelchFire]

Wow, you guys seem to be onto your stuff. I guess there could be a loose or broken wire in the original cable. I don't plan on getting rid of the extra, but I'd rather not open it until I need it (in case I decide to sell it as NIB later). As long as this original works, I'm good.

 

But I'm still perplexed by what it did when it started all this. It wouldn't come on with or without the cable. That really concerns me because my wife doesn't have a good sense of navigation and relies on this GPS to get around unfamiliar cities when she travels. And if it flakes out on her 100 miles from home.......

 

Thanks for your time and responses, Dr Jeckyl and sagc. I wish GC forums had a "thanks" button.