Thread: Cradle Power/Charge Issue - 7xx Solution

If you are having problems keeping your Garmin 7xx GPS powered/charged, it could be your car fuse, traffic receiver/power cable fuse or a failing battery. But did you ever consider it could be the cradle mount??? The traffic receiver/power cable connection is VERY delicate and people have be known to go through several mounts. You can check the car fuse and cable fuse by visual inspection. If you have to drape your cable just right to get the GPS to stay powered, more than likely you messed up the cradle. But don't despair, you can buy a replacement from Amazon or eBay for between $23 and $30. Or you can continue reading this post.


Here are the steps for fixing your Garmin cradle mount:

1. Do NOT leave power/traffic receiver cable connected to the cradle when removing from the mount or storing. Ever.

2. Repeat step 1.

3. Repeat step 1.

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99. Repeat step 1.

100. Repeat step 1.

101. Okay I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times what NOT to do. Same is true of the audio connector (even worse since it is purely surface mount). The pictures that follow in the Housing.zip file show how the cradle is held together.

102. There is a single screw on the back of the cradle - remove it.

103. At this point you will find the covers will not come apart. Avoid the urge to smash cradle or throw it out.

104. The covers are still held together by four tabs, one at each bottom corner, and one on either side near ball mount - LOOK at the pictures.

105. Start prying at one of the bottom corners; once released, do the other corner and then one of the sides.

106. There are two springs that may pop out - be mindful to prevent this. They do sit on cylinder posts of the release but they can launch into oblivion.

107. If you didn't break anything, you've gotten through the hardest part of the job.

108. Look at the connector on the side of the cradle - more than likely it has fractured solder joints. On my unit both top mounting pads were fractured and partially lifted as you can see from the pictures in the PCB.zip file.

110. Garmin designed the printed circuit board (PCB) properly but more than likely assembled it incorrectly. The PCB in question has solder pads on both sides of the PCB (proper design). The connector mounting tabs penetrate into PCB but do not protrude through the other side. As a result, whoever does Garmin's assembly neglects to solder the bottom side. On my unit, the top side signal connections and mounting pads were soldered but the bottom pads were never soldered and appears to be a common problem. When soldered on both sides, the pads form a sandwich that is strong and up to the task. When soldered on just the top side as Garmin has done in this case, any excessive force will lift (rip) the pads from the PCB substrate. To fix, the connector must be held in its proper place and the bottom pads sweated with solder that reaches the connector tabs. Any top connections shjould then be re-sweated. Note that rosin core (or water soluble) flux solder MUST be used, NOT acid core. If acid flux is used it will eventually eat the copper and the cradle will fail in a different way. If you're lucky you might still find some PbSn (Lead-Tin) solder rather than the new lead free crap that our European friends have imposed on everyone. Re-sweat/solder as necessary.

111. Re-assemble and hopefully you're as good as new!

112. Repeat step 1.


Hope that helps SOMEONE. Sorry for the zip files - the system only allows you to post five (5) attachments!