Garmin GPS 296 Troubleshooting

Garmin is one of the top manufacturers of GPS units and one of the top-selling models is the 296 GPS. This includes features that let you use the GPS in a boat, a car or on a plane, which makes it a good choice for road trips and other types of vacations. If you notice any problems with the unit, work on troubleshooting the problem.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step 1

Examine your surroundings and move to an area without trees or mountains and preferably facing south if you have problem finding a satellite. The majority of satellites used by the unit are found in the south and facing that direction makes it easier to locate one. You also want an area without a lot of obstacles blocking the signal.

Step 2

Give the GPS time to lock onto a satellite, which can be up to five minutes if you're in a rural area. It takes longer periods of time for the 296 GPS to lock onto a satellite depending on the area. Until it does lock on, you won't be able to find information relating to the directions or waypoints you previously uploaded.

Step 3

Check the setting of the GPS to ensure you're on the right setting. This unit has a maritime, automobile and aviation setting, and all have different information and programming. If you're using the wrong type of setting, you won't be able to access all of your information.

Step 4

Press the power button on the lower right hand side of the unit and hold it down for five to 10 seconds if the screen is frozen. This forces the unit to reboot, but doesn't damage the information you previously entered. You may need to select the restore previous session or backup when it restarts.

Step 5

Change your settings if the 296 GPS refuses to connect to satellites even though there are some in the immediate area. Select the setup option from the main menu, then options and select Connect to GPS. This automatically forces the GPS to connect to a satellite.

Tips & Warnings

Always check the back of the unit and ensure that the batteries are in working order, or replace the batteries. The unit might slow down if the batteries are older.

Only hold the power button down for a maximum of 10 seconds. If you keep the button held down for a longer period of time, the 296 will automatically reinstall the original software and you'll lose all the information you added to the unit.

Article Written By Jennifer Eblin

Jennifer Eblin has been a full-time freelance writer since 2006. Her work has appeared on several websites, including Tool Box Tales and Zonder. Eblin received a master's degree in historic preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

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