GPS device maker Garmin is voluntarily recalling 1.25 million of its Nuvi personal navigation devices, nearly 800,000 of which were sold in the United States.
The Nuvi devices in question have a battery -- manufactured by an unnamed third party supplier -- that may be prone to overheating when used in models with a specific circuit board.
Garmin released a statement yesterday saying that "in rare circumstances" the recalled Nuvi devices may be fire hazards. The company claims that less than ten cases have been identified and that there have been no injuries or significant property damage as a result of the overheating devices.
The recalled devices include Nuvi model numbers 200W, 250W, 260W, and 7xx (where xx is a two-digit number). Model numbers are located on the back or bottom of devices. Affected owners can visit Garmin's recall site to verify whether or not their device is subject to recall.
Recalled devices will not be replaced and device owners should not attempt to replace the battery on their own. "Garmin will replace the battery and insert a spacer on top of the battery next to the PCB before returning the nüvi to affected customers free of charge," according to the company's statement.
Personal navigation is big category for Garmin, albeit one where the company is facing stiff competition and declining sales. In the last quarter, sales of 4 million personal navigation devices accounted for nearly half of Garmin's total revenue, according to Reuters. The recall is not expected to dramatically affect company sales, however, as the battery supplier is said to be sharing battery replacement costs.
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