BMW NAV 6 Ghosting issue! 

On advice from a mate, I took my unit off the bike and placed it face down for a couple of weeks. Put it back on the bike and did a 2 week tour with no issues. I do now take it off the bike and leave it face down when I’m not using it. No more issues in the last 8 months. I am on my 4th replacement unit and was no longer covered by the warranty. Seems to do the trick

Thanks for this informative video, very helpful. My first Nav 6 came new with my 1250 in January 2021 and was fine for just over 12 months. When it began to play up, I rang Garmin support who simply asked when I'd got it and then acknowledged that it was a known problem and sent me a new replacement by return. Amazing service I thought! I used the 2nd unit until August 2023 when the gremlins reappeared, and fortunately, I had literally just landed back in the UK after a 2 month trip around Europe. Had this started whilst I was abroad it would have had fairly significant implications for me. So I rang Garmin support again, and had another no-quibble conversation, and was sent another brand new replacement. They said they hoped to have this problem sorted out by November so I asked them what would happen if this replacement one also failed, given it had not been subjected to the expected 'fix'. I was told once again, to just give them a call and they would replace it. So! Here's the thing... I go away again this June for another couple of months riding around Europe, but now I have this niggle at the back of my mind, that my present unit may fail on me whilst I'm away. So this is a concern. I'm planning on calling Garmin this week regarding another query I have with Basecamp, so intend to pop in the question as to whether they have definitively come up with a 'proper' fix for this known issue. If they say they have, I'm going to ask them if they'll exchange the unit they sent me in August, for a brand new one that is now supposedly cured of the known problem. I'm really more curious to see what happens given my experience with Garmin thus far has been good. And whilst I know this Nav 6 issue is a pain, it suits me as I use it religiously with Basecamp for more intricate off the beaten path routes which, and please correct me if I'm wrong, I believe you can't use with the XT unit with Basecamp?

I am currently sending my third unit back to Garmin. I called Garmin support and have been told they are aware of the problem and have replaced the unit with a refurbished unit each time . They asked for serial numbers and sent me a shipping label an 10 days later I received new unit. Great customer service . Kudos to Garmin. This time I was told they are close to fix and I would be informed via email

Just found your channel whilst researching Nav 6 issues....Thanks for this Murt, I learnt alot from your options, and other peoples comments.....fortunately I've had my Nav6 for about 22 months, so under the 2 years...got it new when I bought my R1250 GSA from BMW in Northampton UK....so, I'll be paying them a visit in the next month ! - Cheers mate, ride safe, all the best, Andy

Murt, I’ve not had any issues in 3 years of regular use. I guess I’ve been lucky. However, I had heard when not in use it’s best to remove from the cradle. It struck me that maybe over a period of time, whilst attached the gel may not be stable. The battery life isn’t good, and drains quickly if left standing. I store it in its box, so face down, keep charged and load all the updates. So far it’s been successful navigating around the west of Ireland minor roads and Spain, when I’ve been 100% reliant on it. It’s not a great feature/tech wise for £600 and would opt to replace, if I had too. Thanks for the advice. An informative video 👍 Des

Very informative as always, many of my fellow riders have binned off the Nav 6 and opted for a decent phone mount and mobile with google maps. Thanks mate.

Excellent video, very informative, will take mine back to BMW dealership, thank God my is still under warranty

Thank you, I think I may try my luck with option 1-3 in that order now. I was considering Option 4, before I came across you VLOG!

Good informative video 👍 thanks

Thank you because of this video i phoned Garmin to price up a new screen and they said it was still in warranty and sent me a postage label to send it back and are sending me a refurb unit in exchange.

48 days and $200 E…. Yikes. My Nav VI is still doing good at almost 18 months and for $1000 US it should be. I remove it from the bike and bring it in the house - if it stays on the bike, the internal battery runs flat very quickly. Anyway, if I need to replace it under warranty then I will sell the new replacement and buy a Zumo XT. Glad you got it sorted 👍

So further to my post 4 days ago and having now had a conversation with Garmin UK customer services, once again, I am happy to be able to say it was another positive experience, with a helpful advisor. But that's about it! I was told that the fix anticipated for November is still being worked on and as others have mentioned, I would receive an email telling me when so that another exchange could be made. Meanwhile, having outlined my concerns re my present device possibly going 'off piste' again whilst on my European trip in a few months, they immediately offered me another replacement. I pointed out that I'd only had the last replacement device since August'23 and that so far, all was well - not that I've used it for more than about 1k miles. But the point I'm trying to make is that there was a no-quibble willingness to give me a replacement, so it must be worth anyone still experiencing issues, now or in the future, to make Garmin support your first port of call over a BMW dealership - has to be worth a try 🤞

I have had this ghosting on my Navigator VI for years. I then simply wipe its screen with a cloth and the issue is gone. Costs nothing and works always. Just wiping over the screen with my hand also helps eliminate that ghosting. Works for me every time and is not an issue any longer.

Thanks a lot mate, got a lot wiser. I will order a new screen, about € 60,00, and give it a try. Main cause for all these problems is indeed the liquid that drops when the screen is in a vertical position for a long time. The/a new screen will be/should be/could be the solution. Fingers crossed 🤞.

Here in the United States, Garmin/BMW warranty the Nav 6 for 7 years if the Nav 6 was purchased with the BMW motorcycle. I just sent my first one back. Hope they have found the permanent fix. Thanks for the Garmin 660 tip. Why you in Europe only get a 2 year warranty is beyond me. Maybe you should rattle their cage and get a warranty extension.

Yes it was entertaining, thank you and thank you for such an informative film, I'm going to try and beat BMW up for a new on, please wish me luck. Regards John from Sunny Devon UK.

I’ve sent my 3rd Nav VI back today. I was told I’d receive a brand new Nav VI. I’m going to sell that and buy an XT2 I can’t trust the Nav VI anymore. A complete pile of crap!

Very good useful video.. Mine just started doing this now 😔

Good info thanks

You forgot Option 5: throw it in the bin and never get a Garmin again.

I don't know if it's related, but when I reset the map and reinstalled it via a USB 2 port on a different computer, it worked perfectly. I mention this because when I updated the map via USB 3, it started ghosting, and the calibration was stuck on the first dot, continuously resetting

I’ve never had an issue with my Nav 6 !

Garmin and BMW say they have upgraded Nav VI that fixes the reliability issues. There is an exchange program with a backlog. I'm waiting on an email from Garmin to send in my Ghosting Nav VI. I don't know if there will be a "cost" or if it is a straight exchange.

good vid thanks lee

I took mine into Bmw today when I took it in . It was just ghosting and glitching after they mucked about with it and updated . It is now doing nothing absolutely dead . They told me to contact Garmin direct pretty poor . I thought from a main dealer Bmw

Ebay do new screens for £79, and a you tube video shows how to change, it looks like a 15 min job for a novice, how long it lasts or is a permanent fix i am not sure. I have 2 nav 6s, one the screen is due replacement, and plays up sometimes, i clean contacts on back of unit and on motorcycle before tour with alcohol its seem ok.

Brexit has not delivered what you expected. Everything goes wrong down to the last detail. It's also good to have European friends on the continent. I still drive my Zumo 660 and it works fine. Go anywhere and with basecamp I can create beautiful routes. No hassle with High Tech.

G’day I went through three replacements…. Replacing the BMW Navigator VI ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zdKFInvPURM.html

After watching your video, I contacted Garmin in Southampton and bearing in mind i have had my Nav6 for 5 years customer support said that they will replace it no questions asked. I couldn't believe my luck.