Garmin Global Crash – Garmageddon III – Who’s Affected & How to Fix Blue Triangle of Death on my Forerunner Watch

A significant technical issue has emerged in an unwelcome déjà vu for Garmin users worldwide, rendering many of the company’s flagship devices unresponsive with the blue triangle of death – most notably Garmin Forerunner watches but many others too. Dubbed “Garmageddon III” by this frustrated user, the glitch mirrors a similar widespread crash four years ago, leaving millions scrambling for solutions. Here’s some background on how to fix it.

The Issue

The problem manifests as devices freezing on the startup screen, displaying the dreaded flashing Garmin triangle icon, or crashing when users attempt to start GPS-enabled activities. Corrupted satellite pre-cache files cause this issue. These EPO or CPE files are periodically downloaded to help your watch quickly locate GPS satellites when needed. When these files become corrupted, the devices either crash instantly or enter an endless reboot cycle.

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Affected Devices

Garmin has confirmed that the following models are impacted, and there may be more:

• Forerunner Series
• Vivoactive 5
• Venu 3
• Edge 1040
• Descent Mk3
• Epix Gen2
• Fenix 7 Series
• Instinct 3 Series

This list covers a broad range of devices released in recent years, indicating the widespread nature of the problem and the issue related to specific sets of GPS chips.

How Does It Happen?

When a GPS-enabled activity or app—such as running or cycling—is launched, the corrupted satellite pre-cache file triggers a system crash. Indoor activities, which don’t rely on GPS, remain functional, offering a temporary workaround for some users keen to record anything. However, those relying on GPS functionality cannot use their devices effectively.

Fixes and Workarounds

Garmin has acknowledged the issue and is working on a permanent fix. Here’s what you can do… note the sections highlighted in red! Do those:

1. Sync with the Garmin Connect App
   • Open the Garmin Connect app on your phone.
   • Navigate to the devices section and manually sync your watch. This action should update the corrupted satellite file.
2. Hard Reboot Your Device
   • Press and hold the upper-left button on your watch for 30-60 seconds until the screen goes blank and the device restarts. Once it’s back on, perform another sync with Garmin Connect.
3. Use Garmin Express on your computer.
   
   • Connect your device to a computer via USB and sync it using Garmin Express. This method can also help refresh the GPS data files.
4. Quick Start
   • Start a GPS workout very quickly before the watch can acquire satellites. Once the GPS workout runs, proceed outside and let it get a good GPS signal; give it 5 minutes or so. This will update the ephemeris.
5. Follow the instructions on “My device will not start” from Garmin.
   • While the triangle is visible, press and hold “back.”
   • After the beep or triangle disappears, press and hold “start” while still holding “back.”
   • After the beep, release “start.”
   • When gear with a status bar appears, release “back.”
6. Manually delete the affected file
   • Go here/Garmin/RemoteSW and delete this GPE.bin. Your watch will automatically recreate a new one later. (Rename it to save it if you don’t believe it will be recreated!)
7. Factory Reset
   • You can perform a hard reset to restore your device to factory settings as a last resort. Note that this will erase all settings and data, although some newer models allow for settings restoration during the setup process. Check Garmin support for specific instructions for your model.
8. Official Solution by Garmin for Fenix 8 and Lily 2 Active users:

• • Press and hold the power/light button on the device until the watch shuts off. This can take up to 15 seconds.
  • Press the power/light button to turn the device back on.
  • If the device powers up normally, sync with the Garmin Connect app on your phone or via Garmin Express on a personal computer.  This should resolve the issue.

Similarities to Past Crashes

This isn’t the first time Garmin has faced this specific GPS-related issue. In 2019, a similar problem affected devices using Sony GPS chipsets. The root cause was traced back to expired or corrupted satellite files, disrupting GPS functionality across Garmin and other brands.

Additionally, Garmin has experienced other significant incidents in recent years:

• Garminpocalypse (July 2020): A significant outage left Garmin users unable to sync devices or access Garmin Connect for days. A ransomware attack reportedly caused the incident. More details here.
• Garminpocalypse II (August 2020): A second wave of disruptions followed shortly after, compounding frustrations for users worldwide. Read more here.
• CIQ Hacker Vulnerabilities (May 2023): A security researcher exposed 13 vulnerabilities affecting over 100 Garmin models. These vulnerabilities raised concerns about the security and reliability of Garmin’s ecosystem. Full article here.

Garmin’s Response

Garmin has issued a statement acknowledging the problem and apologizing for the inconvenience. The company actively investigates the issue and promises to deliver updates immediately. In the meantime, they advise users to avoid launching GPS-based activities to prevent crashes.

Garmin is researching reports of devices displaying a blue triangle when starting a GPS activity. A reset by pressing and holding the power button may restore functionality. We will provide more information on a permanent fix when available. [Garmin]

Take Out

While Garmin works to resolve this crisis, we are left in limbo, navigating the temporary fixes.

Garmageddon III is a stark reminder of the complexities of modern sports technology and the ripple effects of a simple corrupted file.

Hopefully, the steps outlined above will provide relief to those who need it until Garmin delivers a permanent solution.