Article Zumo 550 crazy screen: $25 repair (w/ photos)

pretbek

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The Zumo 550 GPS seems to have a tendency to have their digitizer go haywire, crazy and bonkers after a few years.
Signs of this are that there seem to be all kinds of phantom screen presses when you don't touch the screen, or it does not react when you do touch the screen (probably because there is a constant phantom screen press occupying the digitizer).

Solution 1: Give Garmin $150 to send you a refurbished Zumo.
Solution 2: Spend $25 on a digitizer from eBay and do it yourself. How-to is shown below.


I bought a Zumo 550 digitizer on eBay for $17 plus shipping. They also sell screens for about $50, you do NOT need that.
I also had to buy a Torx allen wrench ($5 for a pack of four different sizes, including the one I needed) that would be long enough to reach the recessed screws on the back of the Zumo. The Torx inserts that you snap into a screwdriver-style handle are not long enough.
In total I spent about $25.



For safety you could remove the battery, which I did.
Then undo all the torx screws in the back of the Zumo and pop the plastic cap off the top.
After that open it carefully, because the front and back half remain joined by the plastic connection leads of the digitizer and the screen to the PC board.

There is a rubber gasket clamped between the front bezel and the digitizer, It is probably a bit stuck to the digitizer by now, but it is not glued. Carefully take it off and clean it, it is probably dirty.

Undo the 4 phillips head screws that hold the metal screen casing to the front bezel.
Pop the screen/digitizer combo out of its metal casing.
Carefully pull the narrow (1/8" wide) brown plastic contact lead out of its "socket". The wide lead (1" wide) is of the screen, leave that in.







The digitizer is glued to the screen along the perimeter. Cut it loose with a slim, sharp knife like a razor blade. Or a kitchen knife. :rolleyes:







After cleaning the glue residue off of the screen with something like Goo Gone, you can put the new digitizer on the screen.

The digitizer comes with a glue line along the perimeter and a protective backer on it.
Center the digitizer on the screen, make sure the contact lead is in the bottom right corner, then have the glue make contact.
Press along the perimeter to firmly adhere the digitizer to the screen.







To put the contact lead back in its socket, flip the brown tab up, then slide the lead in the slot and lock the brown tab down again.







Turn the Zumo on and try it out, it should work fine and dandy now.

Now turn it off again, reassemble and go ride!
 
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Wow...thanks. I'm going to purchase a new digitizer and screen (just in case) and have them in my spare parts kit. Great goin'...
 
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Great article. Mine is starting to act up sporadically, and hard resets and recal of the touch screen isn't working..... I better get me some parts.
Thanks, pretbek!!!
 

PopJack

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No joke: My Zumo quit ten minutes before arriving home from a ride last night. I was still fruitlessly trying things when I ran across this article. I never imagined you could do this THANKS!
 
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A colleague of mine also suggested to look for a command that executes from a particular spot on the screen, particularly along the bottom. The resistive digitizer recognizes the x-y position based on the resistance of the area being pressed. He is suggesting a good cleaning to ensure there isn't dirt or grit pressing on the screen.

Mine is acting up, and I have ordered a digitizer, however, I am going to try a disassembly/cleaning here very soon. Will advise.
 
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Well, I took it apart and cleaned around the digitizer and gasket with Q-tips. Did not see any real grit, but there was more of an accumulation of dust around the bottom edge. Quick test on a short ride gives me hope that I just fixed it!! Fingers crossed.

Note added - on mine the 8 screws take a 1.5mm hex key, not torx.
 

Mellow

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Well, I took it apart and cleaned around the digitizer and gasket with Q-tips. Did not see any real grit, but there was more of an accumulation of dust around the bottom edge. Quick test on a short ride gives me hope that I just fixed it!! Fingers crossed.
I wonder if a blast of canned air would also help.
 
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I wonder if a blast of canned air would also help.
Joe, it might help but only for a bit of loose dirt. This "dust" I found was obviously wet at one time and nothing would take it off except a good wipe. I used lens cleaner (isopropanol/water/soap) and it does need a bit of a solvent to get it off. For all it takes, I would recommend taking it apart (20 minutes and you're done).
 

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Joe, it might help but only for a bit of loose dirt. This "dust" I found was obviously wet at one time and nothing would take it off except a good wipe. I used lens cleaner (isopropanol/water/soap) and it does need a bit of a solvent to get it off. For all it takes, I would recommend taking it apart (20 minutes and you're done).
Good to know, thanks!
 

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Dennis, great article! :bow1:

What is the actual Torx bit size that you used to remove the screw?
 
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wow!
i'm flabbergasted. I spent the big bucks on mine. I'll follow your lead and do it my self next time. Thanks!
 

PopJack

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Follow up from PopJack!

My unit started responding to a phantom push that rendered it completely useless.

OK, followed the instructions and ordered the digitizer from ebay. Before replacing the digitizer, I took everything apart and cleaned the accumulation of materials around the edges. (thinking I wouldn't actually have to replace the thing). I got no improvement- still broke.

Came apart as advertised- but my old digitizer has more cracks than yours.

The new digitizer I purchased did not have a glue strip or protective coating on it. So, I just reused the old glue. It seemed really sticky and besides, I figured the four little screws would hold it. (I am still rationalizing this and would appreciate everyone just giving me a "pass" on it.)

Got it together and it works great. Thanks for the great and timely article! :bow1:
 
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What seller are you guys buying from? Seems they are all overseas and would rather use someone that you already tested out for me!
 
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