My garmin c550 battery is dead and it still work while plugged in car power adapter - I need to reset it as its showing "memory full . All the instructions says that i need to switch off power and press right bottom corner and power but since my battery is dead as soon as I take it out from power source - whole unit is dead. Is there any way to reset it without changing batteries.

It is possible that the internal battery has discharged, and is unable to recharge due to a blown fuse inside the cigar lighter plug or a blown fuse in the car's fuse block for the cigar lighter outlet.

1. Unscrew and remove the silver or black, round end piece.

2. Remove the fuse (glass and sliver cylinder) and replace with a new fuse.
3. Ensure that the silver tip is placed in the end piece. Screw on the end piece.

Consult your car's owner's manual for locating the fuse block in the car. Both fuses must be good.

If you're unable to power up the c500 outside of the car (running on internal battery) your c550's internal battery may no longer be able to accept a charge. This will require a battery replacement - or use with a cigar adapter only. You may have to return the GPS to Garmin for a battery replacement - but there are some third party battery providers for some Garmin GPS units. If one is available for the c550, you may save enough money to make going the third party route worthwhile.

Please rate this replay if helpful - good luck!

You can download / view a copy of your c550 manual here.

Mine did the same. Wouldn't power on. The manual says if it doesnt power on when plugged into a power source, reset it.
There is a groove on the faceplate under the Garmin logo. place your thumbnail there and gently pry off the face plate. Look for the reset button on the right side, press it.
The unit should power on for normal use.
http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/StreetPilotc550_OwnersManual.pdf

If you need to re-set it often, update the system software.

power off the GPS, then press power button to power it on, press right-bottom corner of the screen during it power-on, will pop-up a button on screen let you to clear user data.

Did you try reset button? There's also a 2 amp fuse in the cigarette lighter plug in charger. If it's blown and battery is dead unit won't work.

had same exact problem. my unit would come on for a minute and then go black. if you take the silver ring around the face you will see the four screws to take the unit apart if you do have to replace the battery. however first try hitting the reset button on the right side of the unit. remember the cover needs to be off. i hit the reset and my unit powered on with no problems

Turn on your garmin out of the car, connect to a PC via USB cable and see if the battery indicator goes away. If it does then the USB to PC cable is working and charging the unit. To test the car adapter, you can unscrew the tip of the plug to examine the fuse. Most Garmin car charger units have a light on them that ilimunates when you plug it in and turn the ignition. It could be that the plug is just loose in the socket. The picture shows the unit running on battery. If you plug in the usb cable and this indicator goes away, then it should be charging.

could the battery be dead? Leave it to charge on the wall charger for several hours. Then try again. There is a way to do a hard reset....

saw this on a different forum.....I got one for xmass.....hope it doesn't happen to me!!!!!!!!



I apologize for the inconvenience. After further research with our engineers, a problem has been discovered on your C550. A file has been created to stop the unit from turning off and locking up. Please download the new file from your computer to the unit. The file is attached to this email along with instructions on how to get the file into the unit.

The following procedure will update the software in your C550 series and correct the power issue you are experiencing with your Garmin C550 series

1.) Let the Garmin sit without power for at least 24-48 hours.

2.) Plug the C5xx series into the your computer (using a USB port in the back of the computer) with the cable provided with the unit.

3.) After removing the faceplate on the front of the Garmin press and release the reset button. At this time the C550 series will reset and power on.

4.) Save the attached file included in e-mail from Garmin Product Support. Save this file to the desk top on your computer. Note: This will make it easy to find.

5.) Open the My Computer window (by accessing the start menu on the bottom left of your computer screen).

6.) Locate and open the Garmin Mass Storage device.

7.) Locate the Garmin folder and open.

8.) Open the remoteSW folder.

9.) Copy the file that you have saved to the desktop and paste it into the remoteSW folder you have just opened. Make sure that none of the files contained within the remoteSW folder is highlighted, or you will not be able to save the new file.

10.) A message window will pop up asking you to confirm that you want to replace the file; Select Yes.

11.) Disconnect the C550 series from the USB cable and let the unit restart. A message will appear on the screen stating "Updating PLD Software".

Note: the screen will fade out and go blank during this process. Do not be alarmed, this is part of the update procedure, and the screen will return to normal within seconds.

Hi, Please do not shoot the messenger (me) but this is a known problem with Garmin GPS units. According to Garmin Tech Support, this only occurs on Garmin units with older firmware. (Personally, I am not convinced this is actually true. I no longer have my Garmin C550, which I personally liked the best out of all the GPS units I have owned or used. I will buy another Garmin, probably a Nuvi, when this silliness sorts itself out.) Anyway, you have two options, neither of them acceptable to most people, including me. 1)Perform a HARD RESET which will wipe out all data on your unit, including your favorite points, Bluetooth connections, and almanac data (satellite information). Your unit will then need at least 40 minutes, with a clear view of the sky, to update the almanac and reacquire its location. To HARD RESET, unplug your C550 from the charger and turn it off. With the C550 screen facing you, press the bottom right hand corner of your screen and hold in (relatively firmly) and then press and hold POWER. You need hold both constantly for at least 30 seconds. Follow the instructions on the screen. See if any of your personal information is still there. If there is none, then you might as well perform Step 2 below. 2)Download and Load New Firmware onto the C550. Upgrading firmware is relatively easy provided you have a computer. Visit Garmin's website (www.garmin.com). Go to "Support" .. "Updates and Downloads" and then click "Unit Software." Download the software called WebUpdater. Run that and follow its directions. The new Firmware (Software that is loaded into internal memory that does not need power to remember the information) hopefully will fix the MEMORY FULL problem. Good Luck and please post back if the fixes helped or not. I really want the new firmware to work so I can buy another Garmin.

There is an ISSUE with the DEAD ZUMO, however some of the are solved, and some need to be shipped back.
There are a couple of options.
1) remove the battery, keep power button pressed for a few minutes. install battery, try.
2) fully recharge the battery with the wall charger, try
3) With a fully charged battery, press and hold the + button and press the power button(hard reset).
4) hold thumb firmly on top left of touch screen and hold power button till it switches on(hard reset).
5) Try a different battery (fully charged)
6) Ship it to Garmin