The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·10E039000·Announced 2010-08-20

Garmin Recalls NUVI GPS Units Due to Lithium-Ion Battery Overheating Risk

Garmin is recalling certain NUVI portable GPS units because third-party lithium-ion batteries may overheat in rare circumstances, posing a fire risk.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a risk-of-harm product (fire hazard) where injury has not yet been reported, which aligns with the 'High' severity criteria in the rubric.

Plain-English summary

Garmin International, Inc. is recalling certain NUVI model portable automotive GPS products. These units were sold as aftermarket equipment and installed as original equipment in certain passenger vehicles. The affected units contain third-party lithium-ion batteries manufactured within a specific date range.

In rare circumstances, the batteries contained in the affected GPS units can overheat. Overheated batteries could result in a fire.

Garmin will notify owners of record, and technicians will repair the GPS units by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on August 23, 2010. Owners may contact Garmin's NUVI Battery Recall Information Line at 1-866-957-1981 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
EQUIPMENT recall
Manufacturer
GARMIN INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Category
Consumer Product — GPS Navigation
Hazard
Affected units
736,343

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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