Andre Yoskowitz
25 Aug 2010 21:49
Garmin has announced they are recalling 1.25 million GPS devices due to potential fire hazards from overheating batteries.
The navigation company was quick to tell investors that the recall would not hurt quarterly results.
Garmin had narrowed down the affected units to its Nuvi range, using third-party supplied batteries within a specified date code range. Each uses the same specific printed circuit board design.
The unnamed battery supplier agreed to split the costs of replacing the batteries.
Says one analyst: "I don't think it means much. Product recalls in the consumer electronic space are not unusual and recalls involving battery issues are fairly common."
Almost 800,000 of the recalled units were sold in the U.S., and Garmin says the battery has overheated in only 10 cases, with none causing injury.